Hand-Feeding (Hand-Raising) Mousebird Chicks
The most common reasons to hand feed a mousebird is if the parents abandoned the chick and are no longer feeding it, or if you would like a hand tamed pet. When handfed from an early age they make very loving and affectionate birds. Handfed mousebirds are a little bird with a big heart. And, the roles are reversed and the caretaker becomes the mousebird’s ‘human pet’ and family….LOL
Since each mousebird breeder does things differently I would strongly suggest that you research to get varying opinions and suggestions. There is a very good book available, and Chapter X has some very good info on Hand-Raising Mousebirds: Mousebirds-In-Aviculture My article presents what has worked best for me. Remember: There are no textbook birds. This simply means that what one person does, does not mean it is the only way to successfully hand-feed.
Mousebird chicks can be successfully handfed from as young as 4 days old, up to 10 days old. If you leave the chick in the nest too long, it is harder to feed because it is reluctant to gape (open it’s mouth) for food. When a chick struggles while trying to hand feed the risks of aspiration are increased. After 17 years of breeding and hand-feeding cockatiels, I have found even though mousebird chicks have to be fed so frequently, mousebird chicks are relatively problem free of most digestive upsets and crop problems that the parrot species are prone to.
The most common reasons to hand feed a mousebird is if the parents abandoned the chick and are no longer feeding it, or if you would like a hand tamed pet. When handfed from an early age they make very loving and affectionate birds. Handfed mousebirds are a little bird with a big heart. And, the roles are reversed and the caretaker becomes the mousebird’s ‘human pet’ and family….LOL
Since each mousebird breeder does things differently I would strongly suggest that you research to get varying opinions and suggestions. There is a very good book available, and Chapter X has some very good info on Hand-Raising Mousebirds: Mousebirds-In-Aviculture My article presents what has worked best for me. Remember: There are no textbook birds. This simply means that what one person does, does not mean it is the only way to successfully hand-feed.
Mousebird chicks can be successfully handfed from as young as 4 days old, up to 10 days old. If you leave the chick in the nest too long, it is harder to feed because it is reluctant to gape (open it’s mouth) for food. When a chick struggles while trying to hand feed the risks of aspiration are increased. After 17 years of breeding and hand-feeding cockatiels, I have found even though mousebird chicks have to be fed so frequently, mousebird chicks are relatively problem free of most digestive upsets and crop problems that the parrot species are prone to.
I will be using a lot of photo’s and illustrations because I have learned that a photo clearly shows exactly what I may be trying to put into words, and reduces misconceptions. Click on any photo for a larger view. You can copy any photo’s (for personal use only) to print out and save in a binder for future reference.
Throughout the article I will be using Blue-Naped chicks as my examples in illustrations. They have been the most pleasurable to hand-feed and wean. I have also learned they are not aggressive to each other, thus several can be housed at once. And they remain tamer once weaned. I’ve had some Blue-Naped mousebirds that have been in the flight with my wild caught for several months to a year, and they can be handled and loved on as though they were a recently weaned chick.
Note: Hand-feeding chicks that are new hatchlings to 2 days old are near impossible, and will result in death regardless of how well they gape and digest food. The reason is that they may not have received the beneficial bacteria for
their gut from the regurgitating parents. This will cause the small amounts of fiber in the food fed to impact in the digestive tract till it bursts. This puts excessive strain on the heart, resulting in rapid breathing, the heart ruptures and the chick dies. Incubating to save eggs can result in sorrow, if the game plan is to hand-feed from day one
If there is a need to pull a very young chick 4 days old is the youngest age for it to thrive and survive hand-feeding.
Some common causes for pulling at a young age is if the parents are lax on incubating and the chick is getting chilled, or in a colony situation, if it appears that other members of the flock are harassing or trying to take over the nest. Or if there is a large clutch, sometimes a breeder can pull the oldest baby (4 days or older) as a new egg has started piping/hatching. Note: In order for this to be successful the pair must be used to the breeder checking and interfering with their nest so that they do not completely abandon or kill the chicks.
Ideally it is best to pull the chick when it is 7-9 days old. At this age they are not as skittish, and will willingly gape when hungry. If the chick is older or has already ventured in and out of the nest (from 12-14 days) it is harder to feed, and the first day or two may need it’s beak gently pried open until it associates that hands mean food. I have pulled some Blue-Naped late (left the nest for the first time) and it only took a day for them to tame down and gape. Whereas my experience with White-backed is that they must be pulled young for them to be a tame pet, but if they are not handled regularly after weaning they will revert to wild, which makes them reluctant to tame back down. I recently got in some Speckled. I have heard that they make the best hand tamed mousebirds, so I am anxious for them to go to nest and see how they do.
Throughout the article I will be using Blue-Naped chicks as my examples in illustrations. They have been the most pleasurable to hand-feed and wean. I have also learned they are not aggressive to each other, thus several can be housed at once. And they remain tamer once weaned. I’ve had some Blue-Naped mousebirds that have been in the flight with my wild caught for several months to a year, and they can be handled and loved on as though they were a recently weaned chick.
Note: Hand-feeding chicks that are new hatchlings to 2 days old are near impossible, and will result in death regardless of how well they gape and digest food. The reason is that they may not have received the beneficial bacteria for
their gut from the regurgitating parents. This will cause the small amounts of fiber in the food fed to impact in the digestive tract till it bursts. This puts excessive strain on the heart, resulting in rapid breathing, the heart ruptures and the chick dies. Incubating to save eggs can result in sorrow, if the game plan is to hand-feed from day one
If there is a need to pull a very young chick 4 days old is the youngest age for it to thrive and survive hand-feeding.
Some common causes for pulling at a young age is if the parents are lax on incubating and the chick is getting chilled, or in a colony situation, if it appears that other members of the flock are harassing or trying to take over the nest. Or if there is a large clutch, sometimes a breeder can pull the oldest baby (4 days or older) as a new egg has started piping/hatching. Note: In order for this to be successful the pair must be used to the breeder checking and interfering with their nest so that they do not completely abandon or kill the chicks.
Ideally it is best to pull the chick when it is 7-9 days old. At this age they are not as skittish, and will willingly gape when hungry. If the chick is older or has already ventured in and out of the nest (from 12-14 days) it is harder to feed, and the first day or two may need it’s beak gently pried open until it associates that hands mean food. I have pulled some Blue-Naped late (left the nest for the first time) and it only took a day for them to tame down and gape. Whereas my experience with White-backed is that they must be pulled young for them to be a tame pet, but if they are not handled regularly after weaning they will revert to wild, which makes them reluctant to tame back down. I recently got in some Speckled. I have heard that they make the best hand tamed mousebirds, so I am anxious for them to go to nest and see how they do.
Once the decision is made to hand-feed you will need to have something setup to house the chick, and some type of source of heat. If under 4 days old the chick can be placed in an incubator or a brooder. There is no need to go out and buy an expensive incubator or brooder if you do not have one. A small carrier, a towel and heating pad will do just as well. The heating pad can be bent into an L so that ½ is up the side of the carrier and the other half under the carrier. I use paperback books to place under the carrier to act as a lift to keep the carrier bottom from direct contact with the carrier, and helps with air flow. The inside of the carrier has several layers of paper towels, and the nest is placed on the area closet to the portion of the heating pad on the side, with some of the heating pad below.
Or a desk swing arm lamp can be used, with a 25-40 watt colored bulb (red or blue), using a dimmer switch to adjust intensity of light, above the container. Heat sources are more critical for un-feathered chicks, and should be around 99 degrees, and 89 degrees for feathered. As the chick becomes fully feathered reduce temps over several days to room temperature. A Swifter pad or feather duster can be attached to the side of the container for the chick to snuggle under or against it. And, a small margarine container, lined with tissues, or a small nest help to make the chick feel more secure.
This article on Emergency Heat may have some suggestions on making a small brooder for young mousebird chicks. I like the mat because it distributes a nice even warmth without overheating the chicks.
An inexpensive Styrofoam (Hova-bator) incubator can also be converted to a brooder.
Or a desk swing arm lamp can be used, with a 25-40 watt colored bulb (red or blue), using a dimmer switch to adjust intensity of light, above the container. Heat sources are more critical for un-feathered chicks, and should be around 99 degrees, and 89 degrees for feathered. As the chick becomes fully feathered reduce temps over several days to room temperature. A Swifter pad or feather duster can be attached to the side of the container for the chick to snuggle under or against it. And, a small margarine container, lined with tissues, or a small nest help to make the chick feel more secure.
This article on Emergency Heat may have some suggestions on making a small brooder for young mousebird chicks. I like the mat because it distributes a nice even warmth without overheating the chicks.
An inexpensive Styrofoam (Hova-bator) incubator can also be converted to a brooder.
I've tried several formulas when I first started hand-feeding. Most commercial formulas contain grains which is not a normal foodstuff in a mousebirds diet. And when the commercial formula is mixed in with fruit baby foods this cuts down the protein and nutrient levels in the formula. Protein content is essential for good growth. The weight gains and growths were not optimum in comparison to a parent raised chick. After several attempts I came up with my own homemade mix that resulted in excellent weight gain. The recipe is below. If you can not find many of the suggested items , such as the feeding tools and the dry ingredients for the formula mix, they are available on my ‘What’s Available’ page.
Below are several pix’s of the supplies needed to make the formula. The illustrations are straightforward. Click each photo for a larger view and print out, if needed.
Below are several pix’s of the supplies needed to make the formula. The illustrations are straightforward. Click each photo for a larger view and print out, if needed.
The most common question I have been asked is: “How much do I feed?” The rule of thumb is to feed 10% of body weight. A small postage scales that weighs in grams is very useful for calculating this. Weigh the chick, when empty (stimulate it to poop prior to weighing) and divide the weight shown by 10, and this will give you a number to use to feed. I’d also like to mention that a scales is a great diagnostics tool to gauge the chicks health. What you want to see is at a minimum the chick maintaining it’s weight, and preferably a gradual gain per day. You can use my Watch Me Grow as a guide for development at various ages.
Below is a chart that you can print out and keep near your hand-feeding area for reference. Mousebirds seem like they are always hungry. In between formula feedings I will feed small bits of fresh fruit. I feed fresh fruit until the chick refuses the food offered.
Below is a chart that you can print out and keep near your hand-feeding area for reference. Mousebirds seem like they are always hungry. In between formula feedings I will feed small bits of fresh fruit. I feed fresh fruit until the chick refuses the food offered.
1...Use the chart above as to the ages and frequencies of feeding. Refer to the 'Remember to...' portion of the chart for additional info.
2...Weigh and hand-feed 10% of body weight.
3...With the Urocolius species (Blue-Naped, Red-Faced) I will give chopped fruit and soaked pellets, with tweezers, between formula feedings. With the Colius species (White-backed and Speckled) I will also give 1 small mealworm, with tweezers, between each feeding, in addition to the fruits and soaked pellets. Note: Wnen feeding live mealworms to chicks I have learned that the mealworm can bite and infect the inside of the birds throat, thus I will remove the head of the mealworm prior to feeding.
4...Clean bedding, cage floor papers, and the mousebirds face and bill.
5...I use a 50% ratio to 50% water solution to clean.rinse my syringes, and formula cups. Once cleaned allow to air dry..
2...Weigh and hand-feed 10% of body weight.
3...With the Urocolius species (Blue-Naped, Red-Faced) I will give chopped fruit and soaked pellets, with tweezers, between formula feedings. With the Colius species (White-backed and Speckled) I will also give 1 small mealworm, with tweezers, between each feeding, in addition to the fruits and soaked pellets. Note: Wnen feeding live mealworms to chicks I have learned that the mealworm can bite and infect the inside of the birds throat, thus I will remove the head of the mealworm prior to feeding.
4...Clean bedding, cage floor papers, and the mousebirds face and bill.
5...I use a 50% ratio to 50% water solution to clean.rinse my syringes, and formula cups. Once cleaned allow to air dry..
When you first pull the chick it may be reluctant to open it’s mouth and gape to be fed. You can try several things. If you notice that the chicks are holding their tails straight up in the air, this is something they do in the nest. This is their signal to the parents to stimulate them to defecate/poop, and then feed them. If they are not signaling this way you can lightly tap the edge of the nest as a stimulus to gape. If tapping the nest does not work, gently touching and rubbing the sides of the beak may simulate them to gape. Mousebird chicks are smart, and within a day or two all they need to see is the hand-feeder close to their container and the tails will go up and they will be gaping letting you know that they want to be fed. At this time you should learn if it is the chicks preference to be stimulated to defecate/poop prior to being fed or after.
Mousebirds do not have a crop like most parrot species. What they have is an expandable esophagus. Therefore they can not hold as much food, and digestion is rapid…thus the more frequent feedings and pooping. Gut transit time can be from 6-18 minutes from food being fed to defecating.
Hand-feeding can be done with a syringe. Take care to aim the formula towards the chicks right side of the throat when dispensing the formula, watching that the chick is swallowing the food as you push down on the plunger of the syringe. Take care not to aspirate the chick. Since I have aspirated chicks while using a syringe I have learned that a soft flexible tip extender attached to the end of the syringe has been the safest means for delivering the formula into the baby. The tip (up to the graduated curve) of the tip extender is inserted into the right side of the throat and the formula is fed. I have used the tip extender on chicks as small as new hatchlings that needed assist feeding in the nest.
In addition to greatly reducing the risks of aspiration this method also eliminates the mess of formula stuck on the chicks face and beak. I have found that when formula is not cleaned from the face, and is stuck on the facial feathers this can contribute to another chick being over zealous and grooming the chick, which can lead to plucking. Once I was hand-feeding 3 White-Backed chicks and was lax in cleaning the formula from their faces and a few hours later looked and noticed 3 plucked chicks. If plucking does occur this may also be an indication for a larger cage. Within a few weeks the chicks are fully feathered again.
Mousebirds do not have a crop like most parrot species. What they have is an expandable esophagus. Therefore they can not hold as much food, and digestion is rapid…thus the more frequent feedings and pooping. Gut transit time can be from 6-18 minutes from food being fed to defecating.
Hand-feeding can be done with a syringe. Take care to aim the formula towards the chicks right side of the throat when dispensing the formula, watching that the chick is swallowing the food as you push down on the plunger of the syringe. Take care not to aspirate the chick. Since I have aspirated chicks while using a syringe I have learned that a soft flexible tip extender attached to the end of the syringe has been the safest means for delivering the formula into the baby. The tip (up to the graduated curve) of the tip extender is inserted into the right side of the throat and the formula is fed. I have used the tip extender on chicks as small as new hatchlings that needed assist feeding in the nest.
In addition to greatly reducing the risks of aspiration this method also eliminates the mess of formula stuck on the chicks face and beak. I have found that when formula is not cleaned from the face, and is stuck on the facial feathers this can contribute to another chick being over zealous and grooming the chick, which can lead to plucking. Once I was hand-feeding 3 White-Backed chicks and was lax in cleaning the formula from their faces and a few hours later looked and noticed 3 plucked chicks. If plucking does occur this may also be an indication for a larger cage. Within a few weeks the chicks are fully feathered again.
At about 9-14 days old I will band the chicks. Below is an illustration on banding, with size info. I order my bands from: L&M Leg Bands When phoning you can request that you would like your bands to be traceable. This is helpful if someone, later on, purchases a mousebird with your band they can contact you for background on the bird. I’ve also included a Band Record sheet. It is saved in Jpeg format, so save as a pix, and print on 8.5” x 11” paper. Mousebirds are considered sexually monomorphic, which means there is no visual differences between the sexes. I have found an exception may be seen with the Blue-Naped species. Out of 14 chicks this year I have noticed that once feathered the males will have a very pale blue patch on the back of their heads, and the females do not. Once the chicks are close to weaning, they are beginning their first molt, and will start molting in their turquoise colored patch. Even though I have noted this I will still have them sexed to confirm the sex. The best way I have found to have the birds sexed is with DNA feather sexing. It is a simple process of plucking several chest feathers, putting the feathers in a labeled plastic bag, and sending to Avian Biotech. You can phone Avian Biotech (1-800-514-9672) and ask them to send you their feather sexing kits, forms and instructions. They will email the results, and a week or two later the printed Sexing Certificates should arrive.
As the chick grows I will move it to a slightly bigger cage. When moving to the next sized cage I have found that small hamster/animal cages work best because they have wire shelf/platforms that the chicks can rest or sleep on until they learn to hang from the cage top. If the cage does not have a platform, I will hang one with a nest attached to it. As they graduate to bigger cages, I start to offer them a greens, fruits and flowers clipped to the inside of the cage near a shelf or platform.
If I have several chicks in the cage they will pile in the nest for several naps a day and to sleep. Up until the chick is fully weaned it may be housed in three or four cages, getting bigger in size as the chick gets more mobile and is eating on it’s own. As they grow, graduating them to a larger cage with each change, tend to help prevent their growing tails from fraying and getting messed up. If their tails do get covered with fruit or feces they can be cleaned. I hold the tail under warm running water, and gently work the caked matter loose, then blot the tail dry with a paper towel.
I’d like to note, that from what I have read, it is suggested that in order for each individual chick to remain hand-tamed that they should be separated. As to myself, I have found this is not true. Up until weaning my chicks are near me 24/7. I keep them near me all during the day, and at night their cage/carrier is either next to the bed or in the middle of the bed while we sleep. They watch my husband and myself, and when they are out Kirby (my husband) is the designated ‘Mousebird Whisperer’ and handles them, and they love to snuggle in his beard. When not entertained by their ‘humans’ they watch TV. As we eat they will either beg for a sample, or they will go to their dish and nibble on their fruit.
Mousebird chicks wean pretty quick….usually from 5-8 weeks of age. The average age is 5-6 weeks, but I have found that Blue-Naped chicks tend to be a little slower, and linger on giving up being formula fed if they can get by with it. Once weaned they will start to reject and turn their head when offered foods with the tweezers and formula. I will continue to offer food and formula for a week to ten days once they start refusing anything offered by hand. During this time they should be eating food from their dishes. Once weaned they will eat 3-4 dishes of food per day.
Once weaned you will have a sweet loving bundle of feathers.....
I’d like to note, that from what I have read, it is suggested that in order for each individual chick to remain hand-tamed that they should be separated. As to myself, I have found this is not true. Up until weaning my chicks are near me 24/7. I keep them near me all during the day, and at night their cage/carrier is either next to the bed or in the middle of the bed while we sleep. They watch my husband and myself, and when they are out Kirby (my husband) is the designated ‘Mousebird Whisperer’ and handles them, and they love to snuggle in his beard. When not entertained by their ‘humans’ they watch TV. As we eat they will either beg for a sample, or they will go to their dish and nibble on their fruit.
Mousebird chicks wean pretty quick….usually from 5-8 weeks of age. The average age is 5-6 weeks, but I have found that Blue-Naped chicks tend to be a little slower, and linger on giving up being formula fed if they can get by with it. Once weaned they will start to reject and turn their head when offered foods with the tweezers and formula. I will continue to offer food and formula for a week to ten days once they start refusing anything offered by hand. During this time they should be eating food from their dishes. Once weaned they will eat 3-4 dishes of food per day.
Once weaned you will have a sweet loving bundle of feathers.....
Note: Many times after being weaned if a finger is near a mousebirds face it will often it’s mouth wide and fluff or gently nip and nibble on fingers. To a person unfamiliar with mousebirds this may be thought of as aggression. What is going on is the mousebird relates fingers to being offered food. If a mousebird is handled or out of it’s cage too long, when hungry it will nip and nibble as an indication that it is hungry. When hungry they can get cranky and nippy, so always have bits of fruit or pellets handy when a mousebird is away from it’s cage and food. A happy mousebird is a full mousebird.
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