Why is my hand-fed baby bird shivering after eating? Is it okay?

Young birds will often sleep in the position described. The shaking could be due to chill. baby birds need to be kept warm until they are totally feathered. The loose droppings could be due to parasites or infection. It is unfortunate you were sold such a young chick. A reputable breeder or store will not sell a chick that is not weaned and eating on its own. Without more information, such as species, it is difficult to give more specific advice. You may need to hand feed the chick to supplement the diet if it won't eat. If you have never done this, contact an experienced vet or breeder to show you how it is done. An exam with an experienced avian veterinarian would be recommended anyway since the chick is a "new" pet. An exam may confirm good health or it may diagnose any pre-existing conditions which can then be treated appropriately.

Sky might be feeling a bit cold or nervous from the change to a new home. Making sure his cage is kept in an area that is free of drafts and not too warm or cold can help, as well as making sure it's not in an area that is super busy or noisy. Give him a few days to settle down in his new home- you can observe and offer him some treats in the cage itself, but waiting a bit to handle him until he's had a change to settle in may help.

Shivering is unfortunately a general sign and not an indication of anything specific. It could be that your bird is cold or nervous, and moving her to a warmer, quieter location may help reduce stress and help her regulate her temperature. If she has other symptoms in addition to shivering, such as not wanting to eat or drink, changes in stool, sleeping all the time, etc, then this can indicate illness and should be checked out by a vet in person if she doesn't improve after a day or so.

These birds are naturally adapted to warm/hot environments, so a bath in a cool environment can quickly cause hypothermia. It's best to provide a heat lamp for after the bath to prevent hypothermia. I hope that helps and all is well with Joe.

It could be stress or excitement from the new environment, handling or a combination. If she is bobbing her tail excessively while breathing, this can indicate potential illness. Monitor for lethargy, decreased appetite or loose droppings. Give her a few days to acclimate and if the behavior persists, have her examined by your veterinarian. Have her examined sooner if she develops any of the above symptoms.

His best chances will be to stay with his parents. If you can see where the nest is, you may briefly pick him up to place him back in the nest. Most birds do not actually have a very good sense of smell, so your scent won't cause a problem - however, your presence will frighten the parents away. If you cannot return him to the nest, the best course of action depends on how old he is. If he's got feathers and can hop, he's probably a fledgeling who is learning to leave the nest and you should leave him alone. If he's just starting to get his feathers and seems bright (can lift his head and look around), make sure he's in a safe spot (you can make a little nest on the ground with a clean towel in a small box - but don't move him far from where you found him, so his parents can find him there too) and see if the parents come to feed him. If you're convinced he's on his own, or if he's too little to have any hope of surviving on the ground (even if the parents stop by to feed him), then I recommend finding your closest wildlife rehab location and calling to see if they'll take him. Hope this helps!

Thanks for reaching out about Peach. Shaking can be from many reasons. Being too cold is one, most parrots are comfortable in 80-85 degree weather. They shiver to create heat. Covering the cage will not generate any additional heat, so a heat lamp should be provided. Shaking can also result from being sick. A veterinary visit is needed to arrive at a diagnosis and treatment plan. Good luck.