# help with baby bluejay...



## amoonswirl (Nov 14, 2006)

On my way home this evening I found a fledgeling bluejay along the side of a busy highway. He'd already hopped into the path of a moving car and (horrified) I saw him flip onto his back near the tire before I could rescue him, but he does not appear to have external injuries from the impact. Hopefully no internal damage either...

Right now I have him in a box. He's on a towel on top of a heating pad set to low. He appears alert and screeches every few minutes. (hungry, perhaps?)

There is a wildlife rehab center about an hour away from me, but they are closed and do not reopen until 10AM. (hopefully they are not closed tomorrow for the holiday...) I need to know what to provide for him in the mean time.
(I know he is probably old enough to be out of the nest, but I could not bear to leave him to hop back into traffic!)

Does anyone know what would be the best thing to feed this baby - and also how often? I've read all about pigeons but know nothing about bluejays!
Thanks in advance!


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## Reti (Jul 20, 2003)

You can feed him boiled chicken, boiled egg yolk, peas, unsalted peanuts even cat food. He should be ok until tomorrow. Make sure they won't put him to sleep if he won't recover.

Thank you for helping this little one. 

Reti


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## amoonswirl (Nov 14, 2006)

Reti said:


> You can feed him boiled chicken, boiled egg yolk, peas, unsalted peanuts even cat food. He should be ok until tomorrow. Make sure they won't put him to sleep if he won't recover.


Thanks Reti! Another question:
Do I need to "seed pop" or just leave the food near him? Also- what about water or pedialite? He does not appear dehydrated now but I'm afraid by morning he may be if I don't give him something to drink. But I also read that baby birds can aspirate water and drown. What to do?

(I will make sure the center does not plan to euthanize him. Thanks for the reminder.)


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## Charis (Feb 11, 2007)

Add grapes and berries to the list that Reti gave you. They love them.
One lucky baby that you happened along.


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## Charis (Feb 11, 2007)

You probably will need to hand feed him but leave some of the food that won't spoil in the cage with him.
Perhaps you can show him how to drink by gently putting his beak in the water. Take the water out when it's dark and he goes to sleep.


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## Maggie-NC (Jun 22, 2005)

Good for you, rescuing the blue jay. They are the sweetest babies with their red mouths.

For the short interim time before you can get him to someone, you can't go wrong by soaking cat or dog chow until softened but not mushy, break into half or even smaller pieces, tap the side of his beak a few times and when he opens up that big old mouth, just pop a piece in. His crop will be on the side of his neck; just keep an eye on that to make sure it doesn't get filled too much. You can probably feed him at least six whole pieces in all at one feeding. You can cut up a grape and feed him with that too. Another great standby is baby food - Gerber's #2 canned chicken. You can fill a 1 cc syringe with that and alternate with the soaked food or give half each per feeding.

If he is not dehydrated, the soaked food will provide all the moisture he will need.


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## amoonswirl (Nov 14, 2006)

Thank you Charis and Lady Tarheel!
Now that he's all warmed up, he opened his big mouth and I dropped in some soaked catfood and hard-boiled egg yolk. 

Hopefully he has no internal injuries and will survive the night.


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## amoonswirl (Nov 14, 2006)

Just an update:
Baby Jay survived the night, and I dropped him off at the New England Wildlife Center this morning where they'll raise him and release him. Thanks everyone for your support! Picture attached.


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## flitsnowzoom (Mar 20, 2007)

Oh, he is just beautiful! I'm so glad you were there for him.


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## Maggie-NC (Jun 22, 2005)

And now, big sigh of relief!  

He is so cute against that beautiful blue wall. Baby blue jays are so cute when they're little - they can make an unusual sound when you feed them, kinda like a gurgle, that is different from the other songbirds.

It was wonderful you were able to save him.


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## Skyeking (Jan 17, 2003)

Oh, he is so adorable, I've never seen a juvenile...with that stubby tail....too cute!


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## amoonswirl (Nov 14, 2006)

He was such a sweet little houseguest. Almost wish I could've held onto him.
Very glad he seemed not to have been injured by the car.

He did make some really cute noises at feeding time. And in the car he managed to climb out of his carrier and hopped right into my lap  
I'll miss that cute & fluffy little thing.


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## mr squeaks (Apr 14, 2005)

What a BEAUTIFUL baby, Karen!

Been a LONG time since I've seen a Blue Jay!

You certainly were there in time for the rescue and no one could have done better!

What a GREAT happy update. I'm sure he will grow into a wonderful adult, thanks to you saving him!!!

LOVE and HUGS

Shi & Squeaks


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## Charis (Feb 11, 2007)

Good job. I suspect you are destined to have other feathered babies in your life. They will be very lucky.


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## Reti (Jul 20, 2003)

What a cute little baby. And very lucky too. Thanks for saving his life.

Reti


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## Lin Hansen (Jan 9, 2004)

Thanks for the picture....not too often do we get to see a baby blue jay....just adorable.

Glad everything worked out.

Linda


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## Jazicat (Oct 31, 2005)

The little guy is adorable and very lucky to have someone so caring find him. Great save!


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