Seeking bird rescue advice

[lcmankiller]

Hello everyone, well here we are on our rhea ranch and it's chick time ...the former owner warned me that a percentage of the chicks will be left behind the herd, and that she'd done everything to rescue them but they all died anyway. She said that it would be far easier to leave them in the fields.

Easier said than done...when we come across an abandoned chick calling plaintively for its dad, there's just no way to leave it. We've tried to rescue three so far, but they've died within the day. There's not much information on rheas (ratites) but I asked a couple emu people I know who have suggested the following: warmth (we tried body heat, heating pad, and are wondering about investing in a heating lamp), Sub-q lactated ringers (I would need more information on this...as a ranch, can we purchase this from a vet supply place? We give shots to pups and cats; but where and how would you inject fluids into a bird?)

By the time we brought them back the chicks don't eat or drink, would it be too much for them to eye-dropper sugar water into their beaks? Is it too traumatic to force fluids into them? How are rescue birds enticed to eat and drink? Any other tips? We'd like to give these little ones a chance if we can.

Thanks so much in advance!

LClair

[Suzanne]

Marcela M. Uhart, Med. Vet. - VSG Regional Coordinator for South America Field Veterinary Program, Wildlife Conservation Society
has done Rheas rescue work in Argentina. (If you type Rheas Rescue into google you'll get an article by her on a recent rescue). (If you type her name into google you'll get all kinds of info.)

Also....
I know this is obvious and you've already thought of it, but in addition to posting here you might contact the following bird rescue organizations in our area: (think they all have websites too)


Farallones Marine Sanctuary Association
Point Reyes Bird Observatory & Rescue
International Bird Rescue Research Center (IBRRC) of Berkeley
Marine Mammal Center of Sausalito
WildCare of Marin County
Madrone Audobon Society of Sonoma County

Good luck to you and the little sweeties.
Please keep us posted.
Suzanne



Hello everyone, well here we are on our rhea ranch and it's chick time ...the former owner warned me that a percentage of the chicks will be left behind the herd, and that she'd done everything to rescue them but they all died anyway. She said that it would be far easier to leave them in the fields.

Easier said than done...when we come across an abandoned chick calling plaintively for its dad, there's just no way to leave it. We've tried to rescue three so far, but they've died within the day. There's not much information on rheas (ratites) but I asked a couple emu people I know who have suggested the following: warmth (we tried body heat, heating pad, and are wondering about investing in a heating lamp), Sub-q lactated ringers (I would need more information on this...as a ranch, can we purchase this from a vet supply place? We give shots to pups and cats; but where and how would you inject fluids into a bird?)

By the time we brought them back the chicks don't eat or drink, would it be too much for them to eye-dropper sugar water into their beaks? Is it too traumatic to force fluids into them? How are rescue birds enticed to eat and drink? Any other tips? We'd like to give these little ones a chance if we can.

Thanks so much in advance!

LClair

[lcmankiller]

Marcela M. Uhart, Med. Vet. - VSG Regional Coordinator for South America Field Veterinary Program, Wildlife Conservation Society
has done Rheas rescue work in Argentina. (If you type Rheas Rescue into google you'll get an article by her on a recent rescue). (If you type her name into google you'll get all kinds of info.)
>>

Good luck to you and the little sweeties.
Please keep us posted.
Suzanne

Thanks, Suzanne--I did google her and then went further into some heavy duty research; it has a name: Fading Chick Syndrome. We'll be looking into their pasturage and feed to try to increase their survival rates. I hope I'm able to attach a photo taken this weekend by a friend, Matt Kramer, who was visiting of a rhea dad and his chicks. (Unfortunately the little one we rescued died last night).

[cobalt]

Another local resource is The Bird Rescue Center...

"The Bird Rescue Center of Sonoma County is located at 3430 Chanate Road
between Sutter Hospital and Parker Hill Road, in Santa Rosa, CA.
Public hours are 10:00 a.m. until 6:00 p.m. seven days a week."

https://www.birdrescuecenter.org/

They are a _native_ wild bird rescue, but they're good people and could probably give you some useful general advice.

Also Sonoma County Wildlife Rescue
(707)-526-WILD could also help
https://www.scwildliferescue.org/

Good luck!
-cobalt