Page 671 - Hand rearing birds second

672 Hand-Rearing Birds

are best for nestlings and 2‐week‐old crickets work well for fledglings. The smallest size of Dubia
roaches is ¼ in. (0.6 cm) which is easy for most fledglings and nestlings to ingest; however, the
roach should be squeezed in the middle for smaller nestlings such as warblers and Bushtits.
Waxworms can be added for variety, but it can be difficult to find them in a small enough size for
these species. Waxworms provide hydration in the diet, but are not very nutritious and should only
comprise a small amount of the daily insect intake, approximately 5%.
Live, cultivated insects, such as mealworms, crickets and Dubia roaches, should be fed a nutri-
tious diet before being used as a food source for avian patients. The author prefers to feed meal-
worms and Dubia roaches a diet of bran, nonmedicated poultry starter crumbles, and vegetables
that are high in carotenoids, such as carrot and yam. Care and feeding of crickets can be found in
the Box 43.1: “Cricket and Dubia Roach Care” below. For ease of hand‐feeding, crickets and Dubia
roaches can be pre‐killed.

Box­43.1­ Cricket­and Dubia­Roach­Care
Preparation­for Hand-feeding

Crickets and Dubia roaches must be fed a nutritious diet before using them for hand-feeding
or as live food in aviaries. The author feeds crickets and roaches a mixture of dry dog kibble,
yam, and apple for 24–48 hours before feeding the insects to the birds.
Storage and Preparation of Frozen Crickets and Roaches
Keep the insects in the container they arrived in from the supplier and add food as described
above. After the insects have eaten for 24–48 hours, place the sealed container in the freezer.
The insects should be completely frozen within 24 hours.
For crickets, remove the box from the freezer and shake the box vigorously to break off legs
and wings. Open the box and empty crickets into a strainer or colander with large enough
holes to separate and sift out broken legs and wings. Working quickly, portion the frozen
cricket bodies into smaller freezer-safe containers, place the lids on the containers, label and
store the containers in freezer. Use as needed. Frozen cricket bodies keep well for up to
2 months in the freezer.
For Dubia roaches, remove the container from the freezer and separate the roaches from any
leftover food. Place the frozen roaches in small freezer-safe containers, place the lids on the
containers, label and store the containers in the freezer. Frozen roaches keep well for up to
2 months in the freezer.
Hand-feeding Fresh Frozen Crickets and Roaches
If the weather is mild, per each group of birds, portion out enough frozen crickets for 1 to
2 hours’ worth of feedings. Putting each portion in a small dish with a little water keeps them
moist. Don’t feed the crickets to the birds until they have defrosted; it usually takes approxi-
mately 5 minutes for crickets to defrost at room temperature. Do not defrost crickets in
microwave.
Left at room temperature, defrosted fresh frozen insects will begin to spoil after 2 hours.
They will turn black and develop a sour smell. This means they have spoiled and should be
discarded. Do not feed spoiled food to the birds. During extremely hot weather, it is best to
portion out what can be used in 1 hour or less.