Hand-rearing baby finches: What temperature should nest be?

[Finchy]

I have fallen foul again of the temptation to try hand-rearing a baby finch - or at the very least keeping it alive until morning and trying again to get the parents to leave it in the nest. I'm using an infrared lamp; what temperature should I be aiming to achieve for the area where the baby is lying? I want it warm and comfortable, but without risk of dehydration. It's in a makeshift nest of chicken feathers, with the IR lamp above.

FYI, it's a Zebra about 12 days old, that appears to be in good health apart from having received quite a chill before I brought it in. It has some feathers coming through but is still quite naked on its back.

Thanks

[arthur]

If you've never h-reared anything before, don't forget to warm the mix or it will not be accepted

If you have then I will pull my head in

Won't be hard to rear 12 day zeb . . . if it is healthy

[Finchy]

Thanks Arthur. I have tried three times before but always found it extremely hard - never succeeded, in fact. Doesn't stop me trying though! I try to do it better each time, in the hope that I will get it right one day. This baby is the oldest one yet, so that should help.

Any thoughts about the optimal temperature for its nest?

[arthur]

Birds are pretty tough, even though you may think otherwise

'Comfortable' for you should be comfortable for the zeb . . as far as an actual temp. goes .. dunno +/- 30'C at a guess

I used to bring young BF Parroties (< 10 days) into the house at night (in their nest boxes) when temp was expected to be below 10'C and leave them at ambient temp but there were usually more than one in the nest) . . so 'comfortable' would cover a fair range

BOL

[Mortisha]

This is a pretty handy guide for temps for different ages

http://www.gouldianfinch.info/breeding/handfeeding.htm

[Finchy]

Thanks Mortisha, that link is a great help.

[lyn2233]

Hi Finchy,

I have hand raised quite a few zebra finches. Some from only a couple of days old as I did'nt have a lamp I use a small heated dog pad to keep them warm. Got some hand raising mix and also egg and biscuit mixture.l I use the end of a toothpick broken in half and the end filed down so it was not sharp. Mixture was warm water that had been boiled before. I found it took many many weeks for them to learn how to eventually eat seed. The last one I raised when I put him in the aviary he did not related to the other birds it took a while but he finally took on a mate and has had a few clutches with his female. I got a lot of satisfaction out of raising them. Other people I know said they would bother as they are only zebras but I believe they all should have a chance. Good luck.