# house martin



## kathryn773

Kimberley and my neighbour 'rescued' a house martin today. they had watched it flap and flop around the garden and were worried for its safety.
I was summoned to next door to get it to eat something, 
I have syringed milk into it and given it a couple of insects. I had a cage in my loft from finch days.
it is fully feathered (has mites and fleas) it passes golden yellow liquid from its rear, 
How do I get it to live independantly? Will it ever?


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## Freebird

I would aviod giving the bird milk as lactose is bad for birds. You might want to get some live mealy worms, I'm sure he would love them . 

Also contact the RSPCA for advice or your local wildlife rescue centre.

Good luck


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## sallybrunskill

Freebird said:


> I would aviod giving the bird milk as lactose is bad for birds. You might want to get some live mealy worms, I'm sure he would love them .
> 
> Also contact the RSPCA for advice or your local wildlife rescue centre.
> 
> Good luck


I agree with Freebird, totally avoid giving it milk. I've just had to handrear a baby cockatiel and did a lot of reading up on feeding etc and the one big no no was milk. You could try the mashed up yolk from a hard boiled egg as well as the mealworms.


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## pria

I handrear housemartins/swallows/swifts most years.

You need to get them on live wax worms or meal worms if you cant get waxworms, but the former are much better for them. Cut out the milk completely, but you could put a small drinker with water, in the cage if you want. Housemartins feed on the wing, so get most of their water through their food.

The most important thing is to keep them very very clean and well fed. The feathers are extremely important as come October they will be ready to migrate, so any defects can cause a problem. They also need to build up the body fat reserves ready for the very long journey to Africa or tropical Asia.

When the time comes to release, you are better off putting an advert on your local freecycle, asking if people have housemartins in their area and then releasing them where they can be with their own sort.

If I can be of anymore help, just yell.


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## kathryn773

I am sorry to say the house martin did not survive the night. I was unable to find any information on Thursday evening, only knowledge shared by others.

On Friday Kimberley found another one in the garden. (Strictly speaking Bobby the dog did). We took this one to the RSPCA as they were open.


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## Freebird

I'm so sorry to hear that you lost him. At least you tried.


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## muddy paws

Hi, can someone please help i found 3 house martins today there nest has been smashed to bits and there are lots of cats around where there nest was, what can i feed them tonight till i get to the pet shop tomorrow and get some meal worms or wax worms. they have most of there feathers through but still have some bowney feather on them, i got no help from bird watch ireland or the ospca in ireland, can anyone give me some advice.


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## pria

Have pm'd you hunny


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## norfolkmist

Pria - any chance you can email me about housemartins - have been given one from a local vets ( we take in and pass on swifts to swift rescue ). Currently feeding a/d food as emergency until local shop comes into waxworms and crickets! any suggestions - quantities etc gratefully received.
Houemartin has some soft feathers but is very alert.
Thanks


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## rawpets

Ive just been brought a fledgling hm. He's been got by a cat I think, but no broken skin (Thk goodness). Local rescues are too full :mad2: so it's down to me. I know I need mealworms but it's Sunday night, everywhere is closed - is dog food ok for the night? What's the best way to get him to take it?


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