Day 18 Project Baby Mot Mot

Today as I sat in front of Hoople’s habitat to feed him he flew right up to the door grate and hung on with a mad flapping of wings. I definitely need to be careful to keep him contained for a bit longer!

I’ve been trying to feed him from afar— not letting too close to me, putting the food in the cage on leaves, in mango, etc. for him to stalk and catch.

     Feeding Schedule
     740am     6 meal worms, 3 June bugs
     900         6 meal worms, 2 June bugs
     1100       4 meal worms, 3 June bugs
     100pm    5 meal worms, 2 June bugs
     200         3 meal worms, several random bugs
     300         2 meal worms, 1 June bugs, few other bugs 
     400         2 meal worms, 2 June bugs, other random bugs
     600         5 earthworms
     730         2 earthworms, 3 June bugs, random bugs

Total : 23 meal worms, 16 June bugs, 7 earthworms, random bugs 

Day 17 Project Baby Mot Mot

July 10

I’ve been trying to get a Hoople to find water on his own (instead of me offering it in a dropper). Today after I put a few drops on a leaf he took a sip! Now he is entertaining me with a dirt bath.



A friend brought over a bucket of dry compost full of pill bugs. Now I can put a handful in the habitat for Hoople to search through on his own.

     Feeding Schedule
     800am     5 meal worms, water
     900         6 meal worms, June bug
     1045       3 June bugs
     1145       5 meal worms, 1 June bug
     110pm    5 meal worms, 1 June bug
     220         6 meal worms, 1 June bug
     400         7 meal worms, 2 June bugs
     520         7 meal worms
     700         3 meal worms, soaked pellets

Day 16 Project Baby Mot Mot

July 9

Hoople can easily turn himself around on his small perch to face out now.

     Feeding Schedule
     800am        4 meal worms, 1june bug
     915            13 meal worms, mango
     1030           6 meal worms, mango
     1200pm      3 meal worms, 1 lizard
     1245           6 meal worms, 1 moth
     210             5 meal worms, 2 June bugs
     330             5 meal worms, 1 June bug
     430             7 meal worms
     615             8 meal worms, mango
     745             4 meal worms

Day 15 Project Baby Mot Mot

July 8

Hoople is progressing each day. He can now fly to his perch with ease. He sits on his perch facing the wall, having not learned to maneuver on the perch to face outwards. He tick tocks his tail rhythmically back and forth. I read that the Mot Mot uses the wagging of the tail as a defense mechanism...sensing danger, the bird “tick tocks” the tail to warn predators to stay away!

Hoople loves to sit at the back of his cage on a rock—facing out, facing out, keeping watch. He is quite mindful of other bird sounds and loud noises—rushing to safety if detected.

Day 14 Project Baby Mot Mot

July 7

Oh my! Hoople has really been fun today! 
1) He is learning to fly...flies up to his perch ( missing sometimes) and flies down to see me with great flourish.

2) He perches right on the edge of the door and will fly right to me if I’m not careful. And
3) He loves a dirt bath! This has been the most amazing thing to watch! He hunkers down in the dirt, spreads his wings and ruffles all up...



     Feeding Schedule
     800am        8 meal worms
     900            7 meal worms
     1000          7 meal worms
     1100          5 meal worms
     1215pm     2 flies, 7 meal worms
     145           2 flies, 1 winged insect, 8 meal worms
     315           1 fly, 1 beetle, 5 meal worms
     400           5 meal worms
     500           5 meal worms
     600           6 meal worms
     700           5 meal worms
     815           5 meal worms

Total : 68 meal worms, 1 beetle, 5 flies        

Day 13 Project Baby Mot Mot

July 6

Today my husband, Craig fixed a new habitat for Hoople! He used an extra large dog kennel, filled the bottom with dirt and forest floor material. He added a branch for a perch with various sized twigs. We put the original small carrier with his nesting tunnel inside toward the back of the crate. Hoople loves it! Now he is beginning to practice flying! He pecks all around as if searching for food and seems very content.

He was up on the smallest branch at one point, but I’ve yet to see him fly there!

     Feeding Schedule

     745am        1 June bug, 5 meal worms

     845             1 June bug, 4 meal worms

     945             5 meal worms

     1045           1 June bug, 5 meal worms

     1145           5 meal worms

     145             6 meal worms, water

     300             8 meal worms

     400             7 meal worms

     500             5 meal worms, soaked pellets 

     615             3 meal worms

     800             7 meal worms, mango, water

     

Day 12 Project Baby Mot Mot

July 5

Today my granddaughters showed up with a jar of June bugs and very large beetles. We also caught a different type of lizard that the ones we’ve fed previously. 

He ate some of the bugs, but would not touch the lizard. Later when Sophia and I went to feed him he opened his beak very wide a couple of times, then gave his head a sharp toss and out flew a big clot of chewed up bug shell, wings and legs! Guess in the future I should remove the hard shell and wings? He’s persnickety!!

     Feeding Schedule
     715am      9 meal worms, pellets
     825           4 meal worms, water
     900           4 meal worms, pellets
    1005          9 meal worms, 2 beetles
    1100          8 meal worms, 1 beetle
    1200pm     6 meal worms, water, 1 beetle, 2 small bugs
    100           3 June bugs, 1 winged insect
    130           3 winged insects, 1 beetle
    205           Not hungry
    245           4 meal worms, mango, water
    430           8 meal worms, water, mango
    600           5 meal worms
    700           7 meal worms

Total : 64 meal worms, 5 beetles, 6 random bugs, pellets, mango, 3 June bugs