This subject is not as easy as it sound. A bird that is very afraid will not likely eat very well and this might be a big problem.
But, there are tricks to increase the chances of succeeding, without the so called “Force feeding”.
First of all, be sure we are not talking about a nestling (baby crow, still supposed to be in the nest). This guide is only för fledgelings and (young) adults.
Another important thing is check the birds stool and temperature.
A bird in captivity usually poops a lot 😉 If it doesnt, or the stool does not look normal or the bird is dehydrated or cold, you have to first check the rehydration guide on this website.
Don´t forget: Feeding a starving bird or a bird with a low body temperature might kill the bird.
Another very important thing I have to add is that you are sure not to drop the food in an open mouth. The birds airways are visible behind the tongue. That round/oval hole is NOT the place where the food goes. Very sad that birds have the air entrance there, because many people killed their rescue bird because they did not read ahead.
Why does this happen? Isn´t the bird hungry?
The bird might be in shock or deathly afraid of you, the bird might be waiting for the parents or just does not understand that also a human can give food.
It can be so many things. If only we could talk to our feathered friends…
The things needed:
- Plastic tweezers (available at your local contact lenses shop) and aliexpress
- Patience
- Good tasting food that trigger the instinct of a bird to eat. Like Zophobas and alive meal worms (available at your pet shop).
- Alternative food to make birds interested in food is egg yolk. Put a drop in the front of the beak to make the bird understand that you mean well. This might trigger an “OK, I will eat your food”. Look at my guides to see what to feed crows.
How to do it:
With the help of the tweezers, dangle a zophobas over the head of the bird. Do not go in a straight line towards the birds head (This might scare the bird), but go up with your hand and then go down towards the head, so that the food comes from the top.
If there is no reaction, dangle it some more.
If there still is no reaction, put it away and try again a few minutes later.
if there still is no reaction, try to very carefully tap the tip of the beak with the pincet, to trigger a reaction. Sometimes a little bit of anger or surprise might open the beak and this might trigger a food-eating-response.
If this does not work, try to ask someone else. This might sound strange, but sometimes a bird prefers a woman or a man. Sometimes the difference of clothes can make a difference!