baby magpie

[saint]

Hi all,

I am new to the forum but not completely new to birds. I hope I am posting in the right place!

I use to live in the country where I rescued many native birds that had been hit by cars. 99 % I was able to release back to the wild. One I still have with me, a galah who has a broken wing.

About 3 months ago my son found a baby maggie that had fallen out of her nest, no parents around. It was raining and she was drenched and by the time he bought her home, she was quite in shock. I dried her and warmed her up but didnt think she would survive the night. She did and 3 months later she is still with us. I have saved numerous maggies before, so thought this one, however much younger would be no different.

She seems very healthy. She is very loving and affectionate, however one thing I have not come across before is she doesnt try to cling on with her feet.

She wont sit on a perch. I have put a large branch at the bottom of her cage now, and she wont even sit on that. When I handle her I have to hold her as she wont cling on. She was very young as I stated when I got her. She did not have any adult feathers. I take her outside every day where she just follows me around. She hasnt tried to fly. I have tried putting her in trees in the backyard and she falls out. Her legs dont seem to be broken though and she moves her feet freely. For example she loves lying on her back in my hands for a belly rub and will lie there for ever if I let her and she is able to move her feet and toes freely.

Has anybody ever come across this before, should I be as concerned as I am? Is it just that she is so young? She still is not eating on her own, however she will pick up food and throw it around. I am sure she is not that far away from working it out now, well I hope not! She walks around on the ground without any issues.

Thanks in advance for any comments or help

Michelle

[vankarhi]

mmm I have never heard of this and I would think that by now she would be able to perch.........as she is getting around on the ground ok. Jules (silvercloud) is also a wildlife carer and she would probably be able to help out more. From what you have said and without me actually being able to see the bird, I would say that maybe she was hatched with this problem and maybe that is why she was found out of the nest........either she fell out, couldn't perch and fell out or because of her problem she was kicked out by the parents.

She sounds like a lovely pet though and I am sure that unless there is something else wrong with her, you will have many happy and rewarding years with her.

Keep us updated and maybe even pics too as we would all love to see how she progresses.

Oh and a big welcome too ;D ;D

[saint]

thanks for the reply,

You're probably right, perhaps she was born with this. Something I hadnt really thought of. I was thinking more on the lines of damaged nerves or somethin when falling to the ground but couldnt understand why she walked okay. If that makes sense.

She is a real character and will make a lovely pet for life if it comes to that. (However Diesel my Galah will not see it that way, she hates magpies! haha)

[xoxoEbzxoxo]

I have a pet maggie too, when he was younger he had something wrong with one of his legs. It started off with his toe that wouldn't move, his whole leg eventually couldn't move and it was cracked down the side and it then fell off! He is now a one legged maggie.

[vankarhi]

wow Roxy that must have been a bit scary when his leg fell off. I have heard of birds losing legs though and they survive ok.........one leg that is.

[gooka]

my friend had a one legged lorikeet who is almost 5 years old now. it lost its leg after being twisted up in fishing line.
as for you magpie Michelle, I agree with Tracey about it probably being thrown from the nest by mum because of its problem. I have found with my budgies (and I guess its true of all birds?) that they can grip with their feet a long time before they are ready to leave the nest.
as long as he is happy Im sure it will all be ok. he will hust have to follow you around on the floor! You may have to get him a little dog leash and take him for walks!!LOL
good luck with him

[Jane]

Welcome Saint Sounds like you might have a friend for life there.
I recused a baby maggie years ago that fell out in a storm, but my Mum gave it to a wildlife carer after about 4 weeks because she had to feed it a million times a day while I was at work, it was always hungry

[vankarhi]

Jane ;D I like that "a million times a day" lol ....... yeah it can feel like that many times when feeding them ;D

[silvercloud]

I agree with the girls, it sounds like it may have been born like that though nerves could have been damaged when it came out of the nest especially if it hit the ground with its feet. What are you feeding it? Sometimes these sorts of things can happen if essential nutrients aren't being taken in by the body. Oh and welcome Michelle. Finding out more info on birds to help with my rescue work is what led me to this forum ;D

[saint]

Thanks for all your replies and welcomes.

My old next door neighbor is a wildlife carer and we are now in different states. I called him when my son brang this maggie home as I had never had one so young.
He told me to start her off on porridge and introduce meal worms and mince. All the maggies I have had have loved mince. This one doesnt seem to like it too much, but does eat it. She loves meal worms. I also give her water from a syringe. She wont drink on her own either.
Another reason I rang him was because I know from past experience that I was feeding the other maggies I had a million times a day, and now that I am working I was concerned I would not be feeding her enough. He said that she would be fine and would settle into my feeding routine. I leave here at 7.30 am and am home at 3. She eats in the morning tiil shes had enough and then when I get home til when I go to bed. (Somedays feels like it is non stop lol)

Another thing that concerns me is that IF she does learn to fly....she flaps her wings but doesnt go anywhere lol, she may fly off but not being able to perch, she will get harmed.

Im not sure how old they are when they start to fly? I have had her for 3 months now as stated, I am guessing she was about a month old when we found her. I thought she would have been flying by now.

[silvercloud]

Yes she should be flying by now but there may be more wrong with her than you can see. On the feeding, mince and mealworms are good but I'd advise mixing insectivore mix with the mince as it has all the vitamins and minerals and other goodies that are necessary, mince and mealworms alone don't provide enough nutrients so its possible she has calcium or other mineral deficiencies. Wombaroo and Vetafarm both make an insectivore mix though I usually use Wombaroo. You can get it from most vets and petshops.

[xoxoEbzxoxo]

I fed my maggie 'Big' just Kangaroo mince and insects I found in the garden he even used to eat skinks.