My Pet Bluejay Balou???

Question

I have had a bluejay fledgling for over 2 months after his mother was killed. I care for him deeply and spoil him wrotten. I give him mealworms, cut up him some fresh fruits and veggies, and formula. He has a small cage that is all old and stuff and the door is all bent. He likes to perch and such.

His name is balou.

I found this cage and am wating to buy it bacause it was neat and great price

http://www.bird.com/itemdy00.asp?T1=502901 WHT

What do you think???

Is it an ok size for a bluejay???

Anything else they like to eat???

Answer 1

It sounds like you're taking very good care of him (although you could offer him some mashed kidney beans and see if he likes that)--unfortunately you are breaking the law by possessing a wild bird (even if he is tame, his species is wild) and could be fined several thousand dollars for it. I know it's sad, you had all the best intentions for raising him and he probably wouldn't have survived in the wild without his mother, but there are people who would steal a wild bird out of its nest and claim they rescued it just so they can have a cool pet, and the only way to ensure that this doesn't happen is to make it illegal for anyone to keep a wild animal.

But that doesn't mean you should just release him into the wild, though, because he's been in captivity his whole life and won't know to take care of himself; age has nothing to do with it, birds need to *learn* to live in the wild, and without having learned this lesson from his mother he'll only starve to death, or get eaten by a cat or something. The humane (and legal) thing to do would be to send him to a wild bird sanctuary/rehabber where they will care for him. Of course, what you do--take him to a sanctuary or choose to keep him despite the legal aspect--is your choice, although with the latter choice you do risk a hefty fine. Just please don't abandon him, because he can't survive on his own.

As a side note, your link isn't working. Can't see the cage or get any details on it.

Answer 2

I think that unless you have a federal wildlife permit, you need to find a wildlife rehabilitator that can take care of the bird properly and determine whether it is releasable or not.  You are violating both state and federal laws by keeping this bird, despite whether or not you are attached to him.  

Do the right thing and turn him over to someone with training, and who has the legal credentials to keep a wild animal.  You are doing him a disservice by keeping him, he is a wild animal, and if at all possible, should be in the wild, not kept as a pet.

If you want a pet bird, you should get one that is bred to be a pet at a pet store.

Answer 3

Keeping a wild bird as a pet is against the law. You need to let him go. By now he should be able to live on his own, but I would suggest putting up a bird feeder so he'll have a reliable food source.

Answer 4

please find a licensed wildlife rehabber in your area to care for the bird properly.  websites below.  thank you.

Answer 5

sure, dont let him go though, since he was raised by you and if you release him he will die because he wont know how to hunt for food and survive, keep him. Its perfectly fine on the otherhand if his mother was alright and you took him that would be cruel but you saved his life congrats :)

good luck