Page 577 - Hand rearing birds second

578 Hand-Rearing Birds

If the bird is depressed or not swallowing well, oral rehydration must be done very carefully
because there is a greater risk of aspiration of fluids into the respiratory system. It may be better in
this circumstance to wait for the animal to absorb SQ fluids, rather than giving oral fluids too
quickly. If SQ fluids are not an option, give tiny amounts of oral fluids deep into the mouth and
ensure that the bird swallows everything before giving more.
If an altricial bird does not begin passing droppings within 1 hour of giving the fluids, begin feed-
ing the appropriate diet. Feed mini or very small mealworms, one at a time. They can also be
squished for easier consumption.

­ Common­Medical­Problems­and Solutions

Woodpeckers may become stressed and/or depressed if they are restrained by either wraps or
splints; older woodpeckers may peck at the wrap or splint and ultimately remove it. They can even
remove a pin from a wing that has been stabilized. See Duerr et al. (2017) for information on man-
agement of orthopedic injuries in wild birds.
Lacerations can be closed with either sutures or tissue glue. Woodpecker chicks that have been
caught by cats are typically treated with a broad‐spectrum antibiotic such as Clavamox (amoxicil-
lin with clavulanic acid) at 125 mg/kg orally twice daily (Hawkins et al. 2018) until wounds have
completely healed. For more information regarding physical examination and wound care, see
Chapter 1.
Different woodpecker species have their own unique smell. It can be informative to be able to
distinguish the normal smell of a woodpecker from a smell that would indicate a disease or injury.
It is uncommon for woodpeckers to present with pathologic parasitic infestations, but performing
routine fecal smears and flotation is recommended. Possible parasites include coccidia, intestinal
worms, mites, and feather lice.
Woodpecker vocalizations are primarily innate; from hatchlings to fledglings, they are constantly
vocalizing. If they are not, further examination may be warranted to determine if there is a prob-
lem. A quiet chick is abnormal.

Diet Recipes

Woodpeckers should be fed a mixed species, all‐insect diet during growth, then other natural food
items that are part of the species’ adult diet added as chicks reach maturity. However, commer-
cially available feeder insects are deficient in several nutrients that must be compensated for with
supplements. See both supplementation guidelines for all‐insect diets in Chapter 44, and Chapter 41
which discusses the use of insects as food.

­ Feeding­Procedures

Woodpeckers make a vigorous pecking motion that makes it a challenge to get food into their
mouth rather than all over their body. It is normal woodpecker behavior for them to peck at each
other, especially at feeding time. It is not necessary to separate them as this would not be possible
in the wild. Rather, feed the most vocal one first until it is full, then move on to the next one being
sure each one has been fed. Blunt forceps or hemostats may be used to feed insects.