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YOUNG MAGPIE - HELP NEEDED
Hi Everybody, This is possibly not the place to put it but here goes.
This baby Magpie had been found and hand reared, the person then tried to release it, bad move, it was found again and handed in. It cannot go "wild" as it will not fend for itself and regards humans as friends! Because we looked after an injured Rook (as well as lots of furry rescued friends) the wildlife place asked us to take the Magpie. We have it in a large cage (on the dining room table !) in order to bond before "Billy" goes into a large custom built avairy. Our problem is food. The main diet is dried greyhound (yes we have 2 rescued ones!) food reconstituted with water with either glucose or vitamins in the water. We have tried raw and cooked beef & chicken either as a piece, chopped or minced, then mealworms and were told where to stick all of those. So back to square 1. Tried waxworms last week and they were an instant hit but these are more of a treat and to put weight on. Has anyone any experience of hand feeding one of these ? any help / assistance would be appreciated. We are in the Wharfe Valley area of W.Yorkshire. As an aside they are wonderful characters, can inmitate like a Minah. As well as the usual "machine gun noise" he whistles, barks like the dogs, copies the cockatiel & telephone. You only have to use a word to him three or four times and he knows whats' coming. Very intelligent and works things out. Hides things when he is out & about so mind where you sit ! He has given us hours of fun. He is very slow to tame though; still pecks etc. will occasionally fly onto your knee and sometimes tolerate a stroke.
Many thanks
MalcolmE o
YOUNG MAGPIE - HELP NEEDED
Hi Everybody, This is possibly not the place to put it but here goes.
This baby Magpie had been found and hand reared, the person then tried to release it, bad move, it was found again and handed in. It cannot go "wild" as it will not fend for itself and regards humans as friends! Because we looked after an injured Rook (as well as lots of furry rescued friends) the wildlife place asked us to take the Magpie. We have it in a large cage (on the dining room table !) in order to bond before "Billy" goes into a large custom built avairy. Our problem is food. The main diet is dried greyhound (yes we have 2 rescued ones!) food reconstituted with water with either glucose or vitamins in the water. We have tried raw and cooked beef & chicken either as a piece, chopped or minced, then mealworms and were told where to stick all of those. So back to square 1. Tried waxworms last week and they were an instant hit but these are more of a treat and to put weight on. Has anyone any experience of hand feeding one of these ? any help / assistance would be appreciated. We are in the Wharfe Valley area of W.Yorkshire. As an aside they are wonderful characters, can inmitate like a Minah. As well as the usual "machine gun noise" he whistles, barks like the dogs, copies the cockatiel & telephone. You only have to use a word to him three or four times and he knows whats' coming. Very intelligent and works things out. Hides things when he is out & about so mind where you sit ! He has given us hours of fun. He is very slow to tame though; still pecks etc. will occasionally fly onto your knee and sometimes tolerate a stroke.
Many thanks
MalcolmE o
