I'm on the Hunt

Baby Robin Eating - Day 2 of baby robin rescue. I'm feeding him a bit of grape in this photo.
@Ldyjarhead (10233)
United States
June 8, 2008 5:58am CST
... for creepy, crawly things. If you've read my other discussion, 'Father Goose' you know my husband and I rescued a baby robin from sure death. It was dark when I went to feed him last night so I had a tough time finding bugs or worms for him to eat. I had read that they will eat bits of fruit too, so I brought out a grape and tried that in small pieces. He spit it out. Finicky kid. I did find a dead cicada and he had eaten fresh ones earlier in the day, so I figured dried was better than none at all. He scarfed it up. I was afraid to look in his box this morning, expecting to find either downy feathers strewn about if a predator got him, or just plain ol' dead, our meager efforts at rescue in vain. Well he's still there and boy, did he give me a scolding when he saw me. "Where's my breakfast, Mom? Just because it's Sunday morning doesn't mean I'm not hungry!" Rather than chase down a worm first thing, I tried the grape again. I guess he was hungry enough that it didn't matter whether he liked it or not, he scarfed down each of the small bits that I fed him. I went bug hunting and found what I think was a cicada still in his skin, so he quickly became baby robin food. Yum! That should hold him over until my husband gets up and can dig some worms. I'll be smart this time and put several in a container of dirt that we can get to more easily at feeding time. This shot isn't the best since I took it myself, juggling the camera with my left hand while feeding him a grape with my right.
6 people like this
16 responses
@ellie333 (21016)
8 Jun 08
Ah so pleased he made it through the night. I admire you for taking the time to save this robin. Good luck with the worm hunt, try looking under some old logs and collecting the grubs that are under there. I know they like nuts too so maybe grind up some raisins and nuts together very very small as you don't want him to choke and make it into a little cake by binding together with some cooking fat too. Ellie :D
2 people like this
@Ldyjarhead (10233)
• United States
8 Jun 08
We've got lots of worms here, I was amazed at how many I found when I was digging for garden dirt. I just don't have a good spot to dig right now since the spot I was finding them now has sugar snap peas growing in it. My husband was digging on the edge of the woods and I know there are plenty more there, but it's a difficult spot for me to get too (lots of poison ivy, and I'm extremely allergic). I'm sure he'll do fine on the large ants and whatever else I can find until Tom gets up and around.
2 people like this
@lilybug (21107)
• United States
13 Jun 08
I bet you are glad that he is big enough that he does not need his food chewed up for him still huh? You are very kind to take in the little orphaned robin like that and take care of it.
1 person likes this
@Ldyjarhead (10233)
• United States
13 Jun 08
LOL. The first thing my husband said was [i] I am NOT puking in his mouth ...[/i]
@stephcjh (38473)
• United States
8 Jun 08
I hope you and your husband can get it well again and watch it grow and spread its wings and fly again some time. That would be a fun thing to try to do. I bet he will really like those worms, I hope you can find some. It has been really hot weather here so it is getting harder to find them until we get some rain again. Good luck raising the little feller.
1 person likes this
@Ldyjarhead (10233)
• United States
8 Jun 08
Oh, we've got plenty of worms. I just couldn't get to them. I'm going to have my husband dig them up so I can put them in a smaller container of dirt. I just potted up some tomato plants yesterday so I have a bucket of dirt right here handy. I don't believe he's injured or sick in any way, just too small to be out on the ground on his own.
1 person likes this
@pyewacket (43903)
• United States
8 Jun 08
Aww--glad to hear the baby robin is doing good...Mmmm...definitely sounds like he/she has adopted the two of you as mom and dad I just came across this website about feeding baby robins..it seems to suggest you can even feed them moist cat or dog food. I would imagine in a pinch even raw hamburger meat as well Robins, Starlings and other insectivores: tinned cat or dog food, preferably beef for robins; small pieces of earthworm can also be offered on the end of a toothpick http://www.wildbirdcarecentre.org/english/rescuer.html#Baby%20birds%20on%20the%20ground%20-%20are%20they%20in%20need%20of%20rescuing, Another place suggests feeding a baby robin every hour a worm or two...I've gone through this type of thing with baby sparrows...you have to feed them from sunup (maybe even a little before dawn) to sundown...baby birds EAT a lot..LOL
@pyewacket (43903)
• United States
8 Jun 08
ah hah...so you have a name for him..LOL..Yup looks like he definitely thinks of you as mom..
@Ldyjarhead (10233)
• United States
8 Jun 08
Thank you for that site. I had done some reading too and saw that small bits of fruit or cat/dog food would be ok, so I've added that to the mix when I can't find a fresh bug. He is doing very well and is actually chirping at me now. Even if I'm talking to my husband, when I say something, little Christopher Robin answers with a chirp. He hops right up to me too, right onto my lap and tries to fly/climb up my shirt!
1 person likes this
• Nigeria
8 Jun 08
Ldyjarhead, u know what i think, u and your husband should come tegether and think of how to rear worms or farm it if you like before animal activists begin to think of protesting. Goodluck and say me well to mr. robin or is it a she?
@Ldyjarhead (10233)
• United States
8 Jun 08
I have no idea if its a he or a she, but I've just named IT Christopher Robin! We've got plenty of worms here, no need to actually 'farm' them.
1 person likes this
• United States
8 Jun 08
That's good that the robin is alive for now.Lets hope it lives to be a nice and beautiful adult robin.This is kind of you to actually grab bugs for the robin.Keep up the good work!
1 person likes this
@Ldyjarhead (10233)
• United States
8 Jun 08
Well it's not how I expected to be spending my weekend, but I'm happy to do it for the little fella. We have to at least try.
1 person likes this
@GardenGerty (157027)
• United States
9 Jun 08
Oh my, the lengths you would go to for that baby bird. I cannot wait to see the pictures of you feeding him. I know the robins are always out in force right after I mow the lawn, if that is any help.
@Ldyjarhead (10233)
• United States
9 Jun 08
I updated my blog this morning with a few more pictures. Please go look! (It's on my profile).
@polachicago (18716)
• United States
8 Jun 08
So nice of you to take care of baby robin. It is hard job to keep it alive. Hope it will be doing OK.... HUGS
@Ldyjarhead (10233)
• United States
8 Jun 08
So far so good! He's been hopping into my lap ... (Oh goodness, what have I done!)
@moneyandgc (3428)
• United States
9 Jun 08
I missed the "Father Goose" discussion but I did read all the comments to this one. The way he chirps at you and folows you around is absolutely adorable! I went and bookmarked little Christopher Robin's blog. So far he sounds like he is doing great!
@Ldyjarhead (10233)
• United States
9 Jun 08
I updated this morning, and I have more really cute pictures to add still. Don't know if I'll do another update later today, or wait until tomorrow.
@twallace (2675)
• United States
8 Jun 08
I think that is so sweet for you to be taking care of a baby robin that you found. I guess you have to be the mother for now and that is good. Maybe when it gets a little bigger it won't be so hard finding it something to eat. YOu may just have a new addition to the family and might just say instead of leaving home. So make room for the little one.
@Ldyjarhead (10233)
• United States
8 Jun 08
He definitely thinks I'm his mama now, there is no question about that! I don't want to give it away, because I'll be adding more info to my blog about him as we go along. If you want to see what I've got so far, check out my page here for the blog.
@Hatley (163781)
• Garden Grove, California
8 Jun 08
ldyjarhead its amazing that you guys are actually able tosave this baby robin's life. more power to you. I have seen others try to save the little guys and fail so I know its not an easy task.I hope the little baby really thrives and grows to be a nice big robin.really cute photograph.
@Ldyjarhead (10233)
• United States
8 Jun 08
Well he isn't newly hatched, so I think he had a good head start and will do just fine. I've started a blog and will update daily, if there's anything to report. You can find a link on my page here.
• United States
10 Jun 08
Aw that is so sweet! Glad he is doing well so far. :) Someone in an early response mentioned farming worms. Did you know you can actually make pretty good money doing that? I read about it some time ago and totally forgot about it. But, yes, you "grow" them, and ship them out to people who want to buy them for who knows what (I was reading it in a book about composting, if that gives you an idea). OK, anyway, have fun momma bird!
@kenzie45230 (3560)
• United States
13 Jun 08
Awww. That's quite a story. I'm glad you rescued him and that he's surving and thriving. When my son was little we were always rescuing birds, but thankfully, there was a wildlife rescue place about a mile from us where we could drop them off and then go and visit them later.
@Ldyjarhead (10233)
• United States
13 Jun 08
I'm glad too. It's been many years since I've had to tend to a little one of any kind, and he has taught me patience.
• Poland
9 Jun 08
I remember when I had wild hedgehog on vacaions. One night something woke me up in the middle of the night in my tent. When I took the flashlight and went to the car I saw something moving in the nearby croutons package. It was this little hedgehog, he was really cute little thief. He was coming back to us every night for a few days and later he just stayed in our neighbourhood playing with us in the day. Shame we couldn't took him with us. Take care of that little robin there. I'm sure you will make nice bonds with eachother.
@Ldyjarhead (10233)
• United States
10 Jun 08
I think we already have. He chirps when he hears my voice, and every time I go over to the box, he hops out and onto my lap.
• Philippines
9 Jun 08
That's so sweet of you to do that.I'm an animal lover and I could have done that too if I were in your shoes.
@Feona1962 (7526)
• United States
13 Jun 08
He sure is cute...and looks very hungry...He does have alot of feathers...You are doing an excellent job of caring for him....