Urgent help needed to save a birdie's life!

[dealgrabber2002]

There's a hummingbird that laid 2 eggs on the tree outside my apartment. It hatched and everything was going great until I realized that the mother bird had not come back for 3 days. One baby bird died this evening. I removed it from the nest. There is one left. I was able to pull down the branch to take a quite look... not good, very very thin. What do they eat? If I could, I want to save it.

Rice?
Porridge?
worm?
Skittles?

[OCD]

Short answer....sugar water. Try google and see if its even possible to nurse a baby hummingbird. My parents feed them by the dozens, but I've never seen a baby.

[THE_dAY]

If you have a local pet store nearby, go there and see if they have any bird nectar or other liquid hummingbird food.
You can try feeding the baby with the nectar through a plastic syringe which you can also probably get from the pet store.

[was_jlh]

check the web for local wildlife rehabber. must be several around LA. they will know what to do, and what not to do.

[dealgrabber2002]

Short answer....sugar water. Try google and see if its even possible to nurse a baby hummingbird. My parents feed them by the dozens, but I've never seen a baby.

I am using this for the time being. It said not to use that too much or it will kill it.

If you have a local pet store nearby, go there and see if they have any bird nectar or other liquid hummingbird food.
You can try feeding the baby with the nectar through a plastic syringe which you can also probably get from the pet store.

Went to the pet shop around 7pm.. it was closed. I hope this little one survive until tomorrow.


To make things worst, someone hoes down the entire tree. The little one was miserable. I cutted down the small branch where the nest was on and put it in a box and bring it into the house. I guess I am the stepfather now.

[THE_dAY]

I came across this site, it has some helpful info.
http://www.gahummer.org/what_to_do.htm

It mentions not to feed baby hummingbirds sugar water for more than 24 hrs as it will harm them.

I hope that helps a little.

Maybe you can find a 24hr vet?

Good luck!

[dealgrabber2002]

check the web for local wildlife rehabber. must be several around LA. they will know what to do, and what not to do.

Just found one. Trying to make contact with the facility.

[dealgrabber2002]

I came across this site, it has some helpful info.
http://www.gahummer.org/what_to_do.htm

It mentions not to feed baby hummingbirds sugar water for more than 24 hrs as it will harm them.

I hope that helps a little.

Maybe you can find a 24hr vet?

Good luck!

Never thought about that.

[dealgrabber2002]

The little guy didn't make it.

[THE_dAY]

At least you tried... your intentions were honorable.

[bshanahan14rulz]

I don't care for birds. They're noisy, they don't do anything, they crap all over the place. However, hummingbirds are very special to me. I'm sorry that your little one did not make it. It is very very hard to take care of an ailing hummingbird. As much as I hate saying this, we find at least 10 dead hummingbirds a year where I work. They just fly so fast and don't realize that the glass is there. I'm just lucky they sent us into the windowless pit of cubicles so that I don't have to be by a window. But last year, I found one as I was walking in, and it was still alive! I ran upstairs, got some sugar water, and got back within 2 minutes only to find that the little feller had passed.

dg, I'm very sure that the little biddy appreciated you very much, and I'm sure you made its short life much more tolerable/enjoyable than it could have been. Just yesterday, some dill-hole redneck hillbilly in a pickup truck tried to run over my dog. While she was on her leash. Walking on the sidewalk. I threw the closest object I had (a bag full of hot, steamy "dog treats"), but alas missed the imbecile's truck.

[jtr1962]

The little guy didn't make it.

I kind of hoped this would have had a happy ending. At least you made his last few hours a little better.

[Changchung]

Very sad news, keeping try to help any animal needing some help. Their really need it...


SFMI4UT

[SFG2Lman]

Just saw this thread, so a little late, but I know in my home state at least, that DNR/animal control will have a list of licensed wildlife rehabilitators in your area and their numbers (my mother is one) for when deer get stuck in fences, baby birds fall from nests, squirrels get bumped by cars etc etc, we used to have a house full of local fauna, the only catch is if they are a species known to carry rabies, they cannot be transported or rehabilitated ie 'coons cannot be saved. But for future reference this may help in off hours search for help.

[PhotonWrangler]

Sorry to hear the poor little guy didn't make it. Kudos to you for trying though! I would have done the same thing.

[hank]

> at least 10 dead hummingbirds a year ...
> don't realize that the glass is there.

There's an applique' for that -- hawk silhouettes

You can make them yourself from looking at what you can buy. These work.
https://duckduckgo.com/?q=hawk+window+sticker

[dudemar]

I'm also kind of late to this thread, but dealgrabber2002 mentioned someone hosed down the entire tree. I'm going to take this to mean the tree was wet. At the very least the hummingbird didn't die cold, miserable and alone. The bird not only had someone with a warm heart to help him out, but he also had a warm place to spend his last moments in life. That means a lot!

[dealgrabber2002]

I should of took action sooner instead of thinking "oh, the mama bird went out to get food".

[dudemar]

While I agree, at least you didn't rest on "oh, the mama bird went out to get food" and never came back.