Baby Galah - Help!!

[kward73]

Hi everyone
I have a Galah I found yesterday, it is too young to fly but no longer downy. I had to move it from where I found it as there was a snake there (unfortunately i'm much happier handling birds then dealing with snakes so before anyone says I should have gotten rid of the snake that really wasn't an option for me ) I did leave him out the front of the house for many hours and watched from a distance, but his parents didn't come back for him. I don't think he is old enough to eat seed, and it is storming rather badly here today so going out to get some specific baby bird food is not really an option right at the moment, but I wondered if there is something I can give him in the meantime so he doesn't get too hungry. I have put some seed in there in case he wants to have a go for himself. I also have a lorrie, if I wet down some lorrie food so its nice and wet would that be ok to try the gallah on? Any advice would be greatly appreciated, would really love to see this lil guy make it:)
Cheers
Kate

[avinet]

Lori wet food would be fine - try making it fairly runny and feeding it form a small spoon - basically dribble it into his mouth initially until he gets the idea. He is probably more than anything a bit dehydrated - so make sure there is a dish of water available, also cockatiel seed mix, with chopped up fruit and vegies. Keep up with the lori food (mix it a bit thicker when he has got the idea that it is food) as long as he needs it - until he is eating plenty of solid food by himself.

Between the solid food for him to pick at and learn how to eat, and the lori food, he should make it as long as he has no injuries or illness. I'm guessing you are in Victoria - some storms around there this morning - so he might perhaps have got separated from his parents during the bad weather. He would have just flown from the nest but not yet learnt how to eat by himself. Once he gets some strength back again he will probably be able to fly, but if you intend to release him back into the wild he will have to be eating well by himself and be sure only release him into a flock of Galahs so he can tag along with them and learn to eat "wild" food.

cheers,

Mike

[jengranger30]

Hi I too arrived home on Friday afternoon to find my border collie pup with a young galah in his mouth although luckily I don't think he did any damage. This little guy obviously can't fly but in all honesty I don't think I've seen a skinnier bird before. This is the second bird in two days I've rescued the other was a female magpie with paralysis tuck poisening. But back to Raggles as we've called him? I did take bith birds to our local vet and he did suggest to put him to sleep but there was a fighting spark in this little guy so we are trying to give him a chance! I did give him a solution of Manuka honey and water which he ignored with food at first but has now discovered his appetite and seems to enjoy. Interesting two grown galahs have taken residence in our jacarandas tree (they obviously have a nest high up in a giant red gum on my neighbours place around 1km away. He has been given no other medication and is now eating some seed on his own to some degree (prefers me splitting sunflower seed the most for him) but I am worried as his poo is quite runny and bright green. Is this normal? He sleeps a lot but when awake taps to the galahs outside ... I am trying to give them a view of each other so if he survives I can release him back outside! Any help or suggestions would be wonderful ... Thanks Jen