It seems....................................

It seems like Blueberry is adjusting to his cage more and more each day. I am still waiting for the extra perches to arrive so I can make his cage handicap accessable. He tries really hard to perch on the rope perch but can't. This morning I took off the towel that covered the lower half of the back of the cage. He use to go crazy and was frantically trying to get out. At this moment he is just preening his feathers.

Yesterday I talked to Marilyn at work and she told me we have to go 3 hours now until Blueberries next feeding. When I first arrived at home yesterday, Blueberry was doing his baby bird fluttering wanting to be fed. I took him out and put him on his towel so he could eat seeds instead of his formula. It was so hard not to feed him, but I suceeded. He has a bigger interest in the seeds now so hopefully soon he'll be weaned from the formula. I am getting him a couple birdie treats to hang in is cage which I am hoping will help. We'll see.

My worries

I guess one of my biggest worries is will Blueberry ever like his cage? Its not a boring cage but it seems like his one goal is to try and get out. The last couple of days he seems to constantly hang out near the door in the front. His favorite mirror is near the front so this morning I moved it towards the back of the cage where his cuddle hut and tissue nest are. That seemed to help. Seeing he had to go to the back of his cage where his mirror is, he was exploring the cage a little more. Yesterday he managed to fly and stay on the dish perch I fixed up for him. I have a small dish that has a plastic perch up off the floor that is close to the rope perch. He has reached the dish perch but slipped off because of his feet. So yesterday morning I took two of my distressing sticks, I use them in my card making, they look like an emery board but are thicker and wider and used glue dots to attatch them to the plastic perch. He managed to get up onto the dish perch yesterday and stayed on it. Guess my idea worked. The rope perch is right next to it and he was nibbling on it and also trying to perch on the rope without success. Seeing he is a handicap bird and can't perch or climb like other birds, one foot can grip the bars pretty good and the other can't, I am going to get another rope and safety perch and put them side by side the ones I already have in his cage. I still do his physical therapy for his feet every day but now he starting to not like it. i'll just keep trying hoping someday his feet will be better. Otherwise I just make things in his cage easier for him to enjoy.

His sandbox is one of his favorite places to play. He loves taking his sand baths as Sparrows in the wild do. We have learned not to lean over and talk to Blueberry while he is taking a sand bath. Sand goes flying everywhere, especially in our faces. He still doesn't like water so a regular bird bath is out of the question for him. I bought a bird bath spray I mist him with. He doesn't seem to mind that too much.

My next biggest worry is, will he ever need us less and less? What I mean is, will he be more independent than he is now. I am trying not to hold, cuddle and baby him during the day as much as I use to. I still do at night an hour before his bed time. it our routine seeing he is still sleeping in his little home, with is now his bedroom which is in the boys closet. Its quiet and warm in the closet. Back to my next biggest worry. The boys go back to school in early September and I'll be at work, so there will be no one to play with Blueberry. I don't think David my husband is going to play with Blueberry. Unless he really has a heart and cares for Blueberry. He still thinks I was crazy to bring him home to care and spoil him the way we do. Thats too bad because he married an animal lover and his boys are also animal lovers.

With Blueberry its like I have a child in the house, but doesn't need as much care as a child. Non the less I still worry about him. I have 5 weeks to get him more independent and on bird food. Hope all goes well.

Blueberry is in a cage!

Yesterday I took out the cage that Marilyn gave me and got it set up for Blueberry. At first I only had a snuggle hut in a corner and a paper towel and tissue nest in another corner with a little food and a couple toys inside the cage. When I first put Blueberry inside the cage, I set him on the nest. He quickly did not like it and tried to get to the door as fast as he could. I noticed he couldn't grasp the bars that are on the bottom of the cage because of his feet. I still do his exercises to hope to uncurl his feet bus so far no luck. I let him out and he was chirping so loud and fast and wanted me to cuddle him. So I tried putting paper towels on top of the floor to see if that would help. I then put Blueberry back inside the cage and he sat for a minute befire running to the door to let him out. It was a little better for him to walk on. Finally I decided to lay a piece of paper on top of the floor and then add a layer of the apsen shavings on top. I then arranged everything inside the cage so it looked like his current home. This went much better when I put him back inside the cage. His cage is right in front of my garden window in the kitchen. Right now I have a towel covering half the back of the cage because he was frantically trying to get out the back of the cage yesterday. I'll take it off when he is more use to his cage. That evening when it was bed time, I put him in the boys closet in his old home so he can have peace and quiet.

This morning after he ate, he is pecking and eating seed a little more, and played for about an hour I put him inside the cage, and at this moment he is doing much better. He is really exploring and eating out of the little pan of seeds and grit I put in the cage. He keeps looking up wanting to fly onto the perch that is way up high. I have a couple of small perches coming in the mail which I will put low hoping to encourage him to use them and hope his feet will uncurl.

So far today...........................

So far today Blueberry has been very quiet entertaining himself in his little home. The last few days he's been noisy wanting constant attention. I got to thinking this morning that maybe he didn't like the location of his home. So this morning I put his little home back up on the table and left the light on. That really seemed to help. It seems like he likes to be up high. He probably feels safe. I am so amazed that Blueberry knows when its bed time. He stays cuddled up in his little nest all night long. I like the idea of keeping this container for his bed time.

I might start getting his cage set up and see how he likes it. I am going to be right there in case he starts to panic. I still need to get a little tabel to put in front of my garden window in the kitchen and place Blueberries cage on it. I think he'll like the view.

I'm off to feed Blueberry as his chirping is getting louder and more frantic.

Blueberry is flying!

Lately Blueberry has been practicing his flying skills. He has picked on the flying all by himself. Its instinct. This morning he flew quite a long way in the house and landed successfully. Before I was able to get him, he flew again only not so far. I actually didn't see where he flew and was calling his name. I found him the dog toy basket looking not too happy. He was happy to see me pick him up and cuddle him.

Yesterday he was really enjoying his sandbox play time. He is able to fly out of it so if someone is not right there next to it, we have to keep a screen cover on top. He is eating the sand and pecking at the seeds I have put inside his sandbox. He was really interested in the seeds all day. Whenever I took him out to play either in the sandbox or just on a towel on the floor, I have seed available for him. I am so happy to see him pecking at the seeds and putting them in his mouth. He is still wanting his formula which we now feed Blueberry with an eyedropper, the syringe just wasn't fast enough for him. There is hope he will someday be feeding by himself.

Blueberry has a sandbox!

Blueberry likes to fluff his feathers on a towel like the Sparrows do in the dirt of our driveway, so I went and bought a Rubbermaid container and some play sand to make Blueberry a sandbox. I added some rough rocks I just got when we went to the shores of Lake Superior that Blueberry can climb on and also a few toys. When I first put him in the sandbox, he didn't like it one bit! He wanted out! After a while he started to explore and eat some of the sand. Blueberry has been practicing his flying skills lately and actually made it to the rim of the container. I think it is going to take some time for Blueberry to get use to the feel of sand.

I'm starting to wonder if I'll ever be able to wean Blueberry off his formula. I know he is still very young and still dependent on us. I put some of the bird seed I bought him in his little container, or should I say living quarters, and also where he plays. Blueberry pecks at the seed so maybe thats a start. I read somwhere on the internet that he should be completly eating on his own by the time he is 5 to 6 weeks old. I sure hope it goes that way for Blueberry because the boys will be going back to school soon and David sure isn't going to feed a bird from an eye dropper.

I still can't believe the changes in little Blueberry in such a short time. I'm sure glad I am taking pictures of him every day.

I can hear him chirping right now. Its his "Feed me!" chirp. I am trying not to run and feed him every time he chirps. Its so hard. I am hoping he can find ways to occupy himself in his living quarters.

I still can't believe the changes in little Blueberry in such a short amount of time. I'm sure glad I'm taking pictures every day.

2 Weeks Old!

Blueberry is now 2 weeks old! I am so glad! There has been so many changes and all of them good. The first week of Blueberries life was a little rough and so full of worry. I still worry but not as much. Blueberry is now hopping around, wiggling his tail and fluttering and flapping his wings. This morning he spent about 5 minutes preening his feathers while I held him. I am noticing the sparrow coloring and markings on his head. It will be exciting to find out if Blueberry is a little female or a little male. I can't wait! This morning Blueberry was nibbling on a piece of toast and is starting to explore a little when its play time. He still runs and crawls into my hand for me to hold him or he will find a corner to burrow into. Blueberry is so cute! This morning when I woke him up he didn't squawk for food. That was amazing! Usually thats the first thing you hear when I look into his bucket. He did eat really good though and had fun exploring a little more.

The other day I got his first package in the mail containing some small bird food and 3 snuggle huts. Yes, I bought 3 and all the same color. I'm not sure if having different colored ones would be good. I'm not sure if he'll notice a change and not like it, so they are all the same. I like having more than one snuggle hut so when they get dirty, I can toss the dirty one in the washer and dryer and still have a fresh one for the cage.

Today when I go to work Marilyn has some things for Blueberry. Alex came home from work yesterday and said he didn't know who was more excited about Blueberry, Marilyn or me. After today I am off for 8 days. Vacation time!

Looking like a little bird.

Blueberry is really looking like a little bird. His wing feathers are getting so big and looks like they can keep his back warm. His belly and chest are getting so soft with the tiny feathers coming in. He is awake longer and can be quite noisy at times. It seems like any time one of us look at him, his mouth is open for more food. "Feed me! Feed me!" I don't believe he is really hungry just 10 minutes after feeding him. He is standing longer and stretches out his wings. I'm still wondering about his little feet. He still loves to crawl, with a little help, into my hands. I let him do a little birdie hopping in my hands. I went and purchased him some safe bird toys and food so when he goes into a container before he is ready for a cage, he won't be so bored. Sometimes I think his peeping is for attention. I feel he is learning the differences between each of our voices. I am also still teaching him to be quiet. I go "Shhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh be quiet" and he stops peeping. Alex thinks its freaky that he is learning things at such a young age. I'll have to teach Blueberry other things as he gets older. I know I always call my bird a "HE" not knowing whether its a female or male. Maybe its because I have 3 boys. I think its going to be fun to discover which one it is.

Another day

I am back to work after being home and caring for Blueberry the past 3 days. I feel confident the boys will do an excellent job in caring for Blueberry. I feel I don't have to worry about Blueberry as I did all last week. I am so glad he is now older. Blueberry is getting really active and standing more and more and I see his feet are starting to uncurl. I was worried his legs might have been injured during his fall when he was first hatched. I won't really know how his feet and legs will be until he is really standing and hopping around. Boy is Blueberry sounding like a Sparrow!

Blueberry sure is growing!

Blueberry sure is growing. His pin feathers on his wings and tail are getting longer. I can see where he is getting feathers on his head, back and belly. He is eating much more and is getting active. I am still worried about one of his legs. He moves around a lot and is standing for very short times on his legs. I'm also wondering if his feet will uncurl. He also tries to flap his little wings when he tries to stand. I'm almost positive he is going to make it. The first week was so touch and go. Starting him on the Kaytee bird formula was a very smart thing we did for Blueberry. I am now hopeful and looking at cages, toys, and what good quality Sparrow food I can buy him when he is older. The boys are still taking an interest in Blueberry and helping out when I am at work. I have 3 very good bird sitters. When I am home, most of the care is up to me unless I am very busy, then Alex steps in without any fuss. He really cares for Blueberry. I just love that Blueberry goes to bed around 9:00pm-9:30pm and sleeps until 7:00am. It make me happy that I don't have to get up every 2 hours to feed him. At least this week when I work I won't worry so much about Blueberry. Last week was a worry every day week.

One week old today!

We hit the one week milestone. There were times I wasn't sure if we would make it this far with Blueberry. Its been a lot of trial and error with how and what to feed Blueberry but hopefully everything will be only up hill from now on. I have read so much on the internet of how to care for Sparrows and actually watched videos on You Tube of people feeding baby Sparrows. I guess you can watch just about anything on You tube. I still get that sad feeling when I think back to when I first found Blueberry. It just broke my heart to see him laying there with no feathers and his eyes closed wanting food. My son Alex age 18 and I work together every other weekend, so we rushed to get done so we could take the baby Sparrow home. And to think I didn't want to name the little bird in case it didn't make it. I felt if the baby bird had a name, it wouldn't be too hard on us if it died. It had a name before we walked out of the building. Yesterday Alex worked and everyone was asking about Blueberry. Its hard to believe how something so tiny has touched so many lives. I think I'll look at bird toys to see what I can get Blueberry when he gets older. What a spoiled little bird its going to be.

One week old!

I can't believe today Blueberry is one week old. Its been a week of ups and downs but hopefully from now on Blueberry will continue to flourish. He is now starting to stand slightly on his legs. I think he is probably a little behind normal birds because we weren't making the right feeding choices. I also changed his nest to a smaller bowl. He seems to like that much better. I also hate thats its had to be trial and error with him. I have read a lot on the internet and actually watched videos on You tube. I guess they have any type of video there. I am very happy that I am having 3 days off to get Blueberry on a good feeding scheduel. Next week is my busy work week so the boys will be bird sitting. Its funny that everything I do revolves around Blueberries scheduel.

Pictures finally uploaded

I got al lthe pictures uploaded of Blueberry. Someday I'm going to put a scrapbook together of our little bird. I have everything all picked out. I'm not sure when I'll start working on it.

When I went to get Blueberry up this morning for his first feeding, I had a little scare. I thought he was dead or dying. He wasn't moving and was laying on one side. When I got him downstairs he started to wiggle and open his mouth. I then knew he was alright. He has really taken to the bird formula. Its so much easier to feed him now. He's eating more and more which is excellent! I weighed him on a food scale I don't use. It said he weighed 1 ounce, not sure if its correct. Its just a simple scale I actually bought in the Dollar store to weigh postage envelopes I send out for card swaps I am in. I suppose its kind of accurate. After his first feeding, I put him on a towel while I changed his little nest and he was scooting around quite fast. When I put my hand near him, he tried to crawl on it. Hes so cute!

Blueberry loves to be held. I like to hold him when I am having a cup of tea in the morning and watching the news. I then called my friend a bird expert to tell her Blueberries eyes opened. She was so excited! I wonder how much he sees. I guess we can be considered his flock.

Blueberries first days

Someone at work said I should blogg about Blueberry the little Sparrow I found laying in the courtyard on a hot cement slab where I work. I'll try and see how it goes. I will try to write something every day and post pictures of his progress. Here goes my blogging about Blueberry. Enjoy!

Meet Blueberry

Blueberry is a little Sparrow I found on July 5, 2008 2:15 PM lying on the hot cement in the courtyard where I work at Wesley Residence, its an assisted living residence. When I first saw the baby bird laying there with no feathers and eyes closed, I was hoping it was dead. I then saw it move and open its mouth and make peeping noises. I ran to get Marilyn the bird expert, and we looked to see if there was a nest anywhere. But we couldn’t find one. The walls are 2 stories high and have vines growing up them. The tiny bird was then put on a leaf into one of the flower pots in the courtyard. I would check on it now and then to see if it was still alive. Every time I came it it would open its mouth and make peeping noises. It just broke my heart knowing it was out there and was possibly going to die. I ended up sneaking a worm for it to eat. I hate touching worms and thw worse part was breaking up into little pieces. Thank goodness I was wearing gloves. I told Alex that if it was still alive when we were done with work, it was coming home with us. After I was done working I rushed to check on the tiny bird and found it was still alive with its mouth opening making tiny peeping noises hoping to be fed. I ran and found another worm and fed it to the baby bird. I placed the bird in a blueberry container with a paper towel on the bottom. When I was leaving for work Alex and I showed the bird to a few of the residents and a couple of the aides. Kathy H. one of the aides said it should be named Blueberry because it was in a blueberry container. I didn’t want to give the tiny bird a name in case it died, but that didn’t last long. The tiny baby bird had a name and was on its way to its new home. When Alex and I came home from work I told Aaron age 22 and Alan age 13 I brought a science project home. They were so surprised to see Blueberry. We quickly found Blueberry a small bowl and put paper towels inside and then placed the small bowl into a ice cream bucket with a towel inside, wrapped a towel around the ice cream bucket and placed it on top of a heating pad, and placed a candy thermometer inside. I then quickly read a little on the internet on how to care for wild baby birds. Just knowing we at least had a good start in keeping it warm made me happy. I was excited and scared thinking maybe I didn’t do the right thing by taking home with us. Every time I looked at the tiny bird, I felt I did the right thing. We began to feed it chopped up earth worms, YUCK and Chi Chi’s moist dog food. That evening I placed the Blueberry’s new nest inside Alex and Alan’s closet seeing it was warm, dark and quiet. I fed it one more time at 10 pm. I read on the internet that birds in the wild don’t feed their babies from around 9 pm to dawn the next day. I then said a prayer and went to sleep. I woke up extra early the next day to see if the tiny bird with its eyes closed and no feathers was alive. Yeah it was alive! I was happy to see it was alive and peeping. After I fed Blueberry it went to sleep in its new nest. I then searched the internet for more information on to care for wild baby birds. I had to go to work that day so the care was left up to Aaron, Alex and Alan. I printed off information on how to feed Blueberry and left the information all over the house hoping the boys would see and read them. I found Alex to be the most excited to help care for Blueberry with Aaron and Alan also willing to help. I am actually paying the boys a little money to bird sit. I was worried and excited at the same time. I called Alex 2 times checking on Blueberry before Alex showed up for work that afternoon. I couldn't wait to get home and see how Blueberry was doing. I found out David how is not involved in the care of Blueberry, was actually giving Alan advice on how to feed Blueberry. Maybe he’ll come around to liking Blueberry as much as we do.

On Monday July 7 I had to work so the care of Blueberry was left up to Alex. Alex is so eager to care for Blueberry and has no problem cleaning up after him. He is just like me, he loves animals. When Alex picked me up after I was done working, he was so excited to tell me Blueberry is getting stronger and was moving all over his little nest. When I got home I could hear Blueberry peeping so I hurried to shower so I could care for him. I searched again for more information on caring for wild birds. I then realized he will not be able to be released into the wild, and would have to become a pet seeing he is being raised by humans if he lives. But that’s OK with the family as we have a little knowledge. We had 2 Parakeets, Oliver lived for 4 years and Oscar lived for 8 years. We couldn't hold our Parakeets as I found out later they were never hand fed and hated to be touched. they had a wonderful life anyways. I’m hoping Blueberry will be very tame and will like to be held. He likes to fall asleep in my warm hands.

On Tuesday July 8 Blueberry didn’t wake up until 7 am. His peeping is much louder and he is more eager to eat. I brought his nest and all downstairs so I could hear him when he woke up for his feedings. I once again searched the internet looking for more information on how to care for him. I found out earth worms are not good to feed him seeing they can carry parasites. I am really hoping nothing will happen to him. I found a recipe on the internet for a food made with dog food, boiled egg yolk, apple sauce, water and a crushed Tums for calcium. After feeding blueberry this new food he seems satisfied and is sleeping really well at night. I can see the little eyelid slits and some tail and wing feathers starting. He still loves to sleep in my hand. I sure hope he lives. Marilyn told me Sunday that if Blueberry lives, she has a little cage that would be just right for him. I was looking on the internet today at little bird toys and bird bunkers. I shouldn’t get too excited yet as he could still die.

Wednesday July 9
I’m a little worried about Blueberry. He doesn’t like the recipe I found on the internet. He ate a little but I am concerned. When I went to work that day I received a phone from Aaron worried about Blueberry. He thought Blueberry was dying. He doesn’t like the food and is shaking his head really bad trying to get the food off his mouth. It’s too pasty. I hate this trial and error with little Blueberry. I was so worried. I called back a little later and Aaron said blueberry was doing fine. Later I called Alex age 18 to see how Blueberry was doing and he told me he’s not eating very well. He also told me Blueberry doesn’t like his food. I told Alex we’ll run to Petco after I was done working to go and see if they had any mealy worms. Blueberry seemed to like the worms. They had no mealy worms. Petco told me there is a nation wide shortage of them. She then told me about the baby bird formula but they had no syringe. I purchased the powdered formula and went to the Kmart pharmacy and gave me a medicine syringe. As soon as I got home I mixed up a tiny bit of formula and fed it to Blueberry. Blueberry loved it! I am so happy he took to it right away. I feel so guilty that perhaps I was starving him. Life is good once again with Blueberry. I love that the boys are taking part in caring for him.

Thursday July 10
I can’t believe how Blueberry has changed from the first day I brought him home. His wings and tail feathers are getting longer. His skin is also turning darker. I like to take daily pictures of him. I wasn’t so worried about him when I had to go to work today. He is taking to syringe feeding so well and I’m very happy. The boys like feeding him this way much better. I am a little worried about one of his legs. I’m hoping it didn’t get injured when he fell out of his nest onto the cement. His feathers are really showing on his wings and tail. Blueberry weighs about 1 oz. When I got home I was so excited. His eyes opened! Alan was the first to notice his opened eyes. I guess the imprinting has begun. Blueberry loves to be held. We all hold him during his feedings. I know I can’t hold him all the time. I don’t want him too spoiled.