Help! Ducks attacked by mink!

[AmyJane725]

You're actually aiming for the crop, which down the right side of the bird's throat. That's the bird's right, so if the bird is facing you, it's your left. You can see the tube on the outside of the throat and feel it with your fingers running down the esophagus into the crop. It's much much easier to do and do right in birds than in mammals.

Oh, that's very interesting. I feel like in mammals the the esophagus and trachea are directly behind one another, but what you're saying is that in birds they're next to each other. That would make it much easier to tell.

Do the birds struggle much or do they kind of just accept it?

 

[casportpony]

Oh, that's very interesting. I feel like in mammals the the esophagus and trachea are directly behind one another, but what you're saying is that in birds they're next to each other. That would make it much easier to tell.

Do the birds struggle much or do they kind of just accept it?

Tube gets inserted where the syringe is pointed. Hole to lungs is at the base of the tongue.

 

[Pyxis]

Oh, that's very interesting. I feel like in mammals the the esophagus and trachea are directly behind one another, but what you're saying is that in birds they're next to each other. That would make it much easier to tell.

Do the birds struggle much or do they kind of just accept it?

I've never had trouble getting them to hold still for it. Some people get a second person to hold the bird, but I just hold them in my lap under one arm, use the hand on that arm to get the mouth open (I find that to be the hardest part, lol) and then with my other hand I get the tube down and that's it, they usually hold still until I'm done.

 

[AmyJane725]

Well, it seems super obvious where not to put it, so that's great. Basically as long as you don't stick it down the hole at the base of the tongue you're not going to drown them. Might not nourish them if you aim wrong, but at least you won't immediately kill them.
I might even trust myself to do it if I had to. XD

I probably would have a second person hold the bird though, just so I could concentrate all of my attention and dexterity on getting the tube in the right place. So, you feed it all the way down into the crop?

 

[casportpony]

So, you feed it all the way down into the crop?

Yes.

 

[AmyJane725]

I'm sure it varies, but how long does a person typically have to do this before the birds are feeling well enough to eat on their own? I can't imagine it could go on longer than a week or two?

 

[casportpony]

I'm sure it varies, but how long does a person typically have to do this before the birds are feeling well enough to eat on their own? I can't imagine it could go on longer than a week or two?

Two, maybe three weeks is the longest I've had to do them. Usually it's 2-5 days.

 

[AmyJane725]

Two, maybe three weeks is the longest I've had to do them. Usually it's 2-5 days.

Wow, 3 weeks seems like so long to not really eat well on their own. What happened to the bird that you had to do that for?

 

[casportpony]

Wow, 3 weeks seems like so long to not really eat well on their own. What happened to the bird that you had to do that for?

I think that one had a massive intestinal infection. Not only did she need tubing, she needed subcutaneous fluids, one liter every five days. She was probably the sickest bird I've ever treated.

 

[AmyJane725]

I think that one had a massive intestinal infection. Not only did she need tubing, she needed subcutaneous fluids, one liter every five days. She was probably the sickest bird I've ever treated.

She lived though?
Is it hard to give subcutaneous fluids?
What causes birds to get intestinal infections?