# Blind bird care?



## BrianNAmy (Nov 2, 2003)

Without getting into a whole long story, we have found a blind, injured baby sparrow we're currently nursing back to health. After nursing two injured pigeons back to good health, we have had some prety good fortune up to now. Yes, there is no doubt he is blind since both of his eyes are missing or have been seriously injured by whatever attacked him.

Recovery wise there's not much more we can do for it than keep it warm, comfortable, well fed and watered along with vitamins and a small does of antibiotics.

My question isn't really about the bird care for a sparrow, but more so, the bird care for a blind bird.

What's the best way to get them to eat or drink on their own. Right now, we hold him in our hands and he brushes our hands until he feels the food and water. What's the best way to get him to the point where he can eventually find his way around the cage on his own?


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## dano7 (Feb 10, 2004)

It is appreciated that you are helping little one - very much appreciated.

This topic has been discussed recently. Here are some of the comments.

A person with experience in this area recently wrote the following:

He was blind from birth and it took a while to get him down to understanding what he needed to do but he did. He is the most bossy extroverted of my birds. He is willing to take on any male I have. He shows no fear and has no concept of it. The one female I have is madly in love with the poor guy. She has been a blatent hussy about it and can't figure out why all my other males have their tongues hanging out and this one just ignores her. He knows that "Time to make the donuts" means get in the feeding space. He also knows "Assume the birdy position" means open wide. He does both automatically. He just doesn't know he's blind. To have destroyed him would have been a waste of what is a perfect "pet" bird. He loves to be stroked and cuddled and has a political opinion of everyone. If I had to feed him constantly, yes he's worth two daily feeds.

He isn't bored and he has no clue he's blind. There are plastic toys in his cage that hangs. I introduced them slowly and stayed with him until he got over the "fear" of something new in the cage. [with him it was more startled and a "what?!"] He rather likes them. He can produce noise with them. He likes that. I have several extremely broad perches that allow him to use different "perching methods" and he has fun with that also. 

I found him one day swinging on the one plastic noise maker. I would have sworn a pigeon couldn't do that. The others looked like they swore a pigeon couldn't either. He had one foot holding on to one shape and another foot on a lower shape and was flapping swinging and cooing at the top of his lungs. Enjoying every moment. He does fly. [usually when I least expect it he takes off] It is a circle. He can't figure out why he can't go forward. But he enjoys it. Looks almost proud of himself.

Everything in his cage stays exactly where it is at. The food goes in one spot. The water goes in another. His perches are in one location and never moved from that. The same way with his swing toys. There are no suprises for him.


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