# Tube & Syringe Feeding



## raynjudy (Aug 22, 2000)

Hi, all:

Well, the anatomy schematic in the Harrison book, AVIAN MEDICINE: PRINCIPLES AND APPLICATIONS, certainly shows that the esophagus and crop are accessed down the right side (the bird's right side) of the throat, as Judy described.

This is the drawing that shows how to tube feed, or crop feed, a bird. Screw this up, and the bird dies. Since we've been successfully crop-feeding a pigeon for many months now, I knew we had this right--I mean, we had to, right? 

There is no way for the pigeon to
"compensate" with tube feeding, as at least four inches of plastic tube is inserted into the crop itself. You can feel the tube beneath the right side of the neck--and you do want to "feel" the tube. As I said, a mistake here is fatal.

The technique has one doing a cross-over inside the pigeon's mouth. The tube is entered on the left side of the pigeon's mouth and passed down the RIGHT SIDE of the throat into the esophagus, then eased down into the crop.

Here's what the text beneath the drawing says: FIG 15.6 b) The tube is passed through the left side of the oral cavity and down the esophagus in the right side of the pharyngeal cavity. The tip of the tube should be palpated to ensure that it is in the crop before delivering fluids or feeding formula.

So that's it. While one may enter at the left side of the pigeon's mouth, the tube or syringe should be angled to the right INSIDE the pigeon's mouth, to reach the esophagus and crop.

Sometimes, people with experience do things without really thinking too much about it. Take bicycles. When riding a bike at any rate of speed, to turn right, which way do you move the handle bars to start the turn?
If you said right, you would be wrong. You actually start the turn by moving the handle bars left. It's true. To turn right, you first move the bars to the left. I bet most of you riding bikes and motorcycles never really think about it. But you do get where you're going.

Anyway, there it is.

--Ray


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## robo squab (Jan 13, 2002)

Hi Ray!

Your explanation is great for a novice like me,I was afraid of feeding the babies with a tube so I was using this method: I just soak some food (bird seed and cracked wheat) and hold a clump of it in my hand and put it in the pigeons mouth then the bird takes over and swallowes it,thus avoiding me any personal trauma of making a mistake that would have potential fatal consequensis.So for the fearful novice this is the safe way but it is kind of messy and takes a little longer than the tube feeding, I would imagine I did explain this process in more detail 
in one of my much older posts but I don't know where I posted it, anyway if you want any more info. on this odd method tell me. I am putting a website that has a detailed explanation with photographs detailed information and a diagram I did post this same site before in one of the earlier posts in another page under the subject line "good baby feeding site" or something like that as I said in that post it focuses only on the use of Kaytee exact baby hand feeding formula but you can use the directions with your own feeding "formula" the reason why I am posting this site again is because they seemed to have updated it with the diagram and some more details. I hope I am of help to you i'm sorry my posts always just keep going. Thank you very much Robo Squab
and as you always say Pigeons Forever!!







http://members.aol.com/duiven/medical/feedbaby.htm


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## Nooti (Mar 14, 2002)

Hi Robo Squab. That's an interesting site you link us to. Although I taught myself to tube feed I seem to be doing it in exactly the same way as described on that page. At least I got something right.
One question though for people who use this method for feeding. Has anyone had the tube slip off and lost it inside the crop while feeding? The first time it happened to me I really panicked. I made a mess trying to get it back up the throat and out again, because the crop was full of formula and it was so slippery it became an impossible job.
When I stopped panicking and started to use my brain I figured that the tube wouldn't be going anywhere, it was soft with rounded ends, and the babe appeared to be quite comfortable with his extra 'rations'. I didn't see any reason why I should not leave it there until the crop was nearly empty, then try again.
Sure enough I managed to coax the tube up the throat and back out about 5 hours later. So much easier when you're not squidging the tube around in a soup of formula!
It happened to me twice more before I bought some more tubing and cut a longer length off. Since then I have managed to keep every tube I have used and my heart rate does not increase so much at meal-times anymore!


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## bigbird (Aug 19, 2000)

As a safety precaution I blue the tube to the syrenge using plastic glue. This way there is no way the tube will come off.
Carl


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## TAWhatley (Mar 6, 2001)

Ray,

Thank you for looking up the esophagus/crop/tubing information. I think that about nails it down to tubing down the right side only.

Nooti,

Yes ... I once lost a stainless feeding needle in a young pigeon. Fortunately, it was easy to feel and gently push it up for removal. Scared me senseless for a few seconds though!

Terry Whatley


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## raynjudy (Aug 22, 2000)

Judy here.

For Cosmo we use a big 35 cc syringe with a catheter tip. We put a 16" plastic feeding tube onto it. 

For Cosmo, about 4" goes into her mouth and crop. As Ray says, use your fingers to feel beneath the skin on the right side of the crop for the tube. If in question, pinch the tube closed and withdraw it! Give it a rest and try it again. There is no second chance here. If you mess up, the pigeon dies in your hands...

If most can avoid tube feeding, I would recommend that you do. There's even more to it than has been discussed here.

Ray once killed a baby Zebra Finch by syringe feeding it. He revived that bird beneath a faucet by running water into its mouth and shaking it upside down into the wash bowl. When I came home there were bubbles coming out of its nostrils! Baytril was required to clear up the pneumonia that developed. 

Morten Downey lived with us for five years after that. He was the most obnoxious little bird we ever had! He complained all the time and wouldn't let Ray near him!









Best,

Judy


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