Page 309 - Hand rearing birds second

298 Hand-Rearing Birds

Figure­18.3­ Two-day old Scarlet Ibis chick stretching
up to eat during syringe-feeding.

On day 3 (or once the chick has transitioned to 100% formula for one full day of feeding), intro-
duce solids at two feedings. The solids are fed in addition to the formula (10% of morning weight)
in 1 g increments. Introduce easily-digested soaked dog food first by eliciting a feeding response
and dropping half a piece of soaked dog kibble into the chick’s up-stretched mouth. Dog food
needs to be well-soaked or may lead to dehydration and will be more difficult to swallow.
Supplement a few drops of water after feeding if needed. Gradually increase the size of the items
as the chick develops. Eventually, an adult can swallow a whole mouse.
Continue to feed the chick 10% of its morning weight in formula and slowly increase the amount
of solids as shown in Table 18.1. The chick should settle down (rest and stop begging) between
feedings. Evaluate the amount fed and consider increasing the amount of solids if the chick con-
stantly vocalizes in between feedings.
Leave solid food items in a small, flat dish once the chick is eating solids at each feeding. Add
food items to the tray as they are introduced while hand-feeding. Change the dish at each feeding
to ensure food items are always fresh. For example, if the chick is being hand-fed 5 g of a mix of
soaked dog food, chopped krill, and soaked flamingo pellets, then leave those same items in a dish
so that the chick is stimulated to begin to eat those same items independently. By day 10–12, ibis
may eat 5–10% solids on their own in addition to 10% of body weight in formula.
Ibis should receive soaked extruded pellet feed diets plus animal and insect protein until they are
eating independently. Adjust the animal protein so that it is consistent with the species’ foraging
habits in the wild. Aquatic ibis receive chopped fish and krill and terrestrial ibis feed consists of
neonate mice in place of a percentage of the fish offered. Shed mealworms and crickets are added
to both diets as insect protein. Introduce a commercial meat product such as Nebraska Brand
Feline Carnivore Premium to terrestrial species diets once the chick is full sized. Flamingo-Fare
and horse meat products are not recommended for young ibis chicks due to risks of impaction, and
should only be introduced once the chicks have been self-feeding for some time.