George B. - Help Needed In Toronto

[George B]

Hello, My name is George and I am new to this site. I found a baby pigeon today about an hour ago. I live in Toronto and the time right now is 10:26pm. I have never taken care of a pigeon. Could anyone give me some helpful pointers on how to care for this baby pigeon, until it is big enough to fly on its own and feed itself?

[TAWhatley]

Hi George and thank you so much for helping this baby pigeon! I moved your post to its own thread where you will get the attention needed.

Keep the baby very warm and hydrated. We need a bunch more details in order to really help you .. how old/young is this baby? Feathers or none? Self eating drinking or not? Please post back and we will help to the best of our ability.

Terry

[feralpigeon]

Hi GeorgeB.,

Thanks again for helping this baby pigeon. I'm posting a link for you here to
assist you in determining the age of this baby pigeon:

http://www.speedpigeon.com/baby_racing_pigeon.htm

Hope this helps you in providing some of the needed info to members.

fp

[George B]

The baby pigeon is about 20 to 22 days old. I went to the local drug store and picked up a plastic syringe and some baby mixed cereal formula. I mixed the formula with some milk and warmed it up a bit. I tried to feed the baby pigeon with the syringe by placing a little bit of the cereal paste on the tip of its beack but it did not eat it.
What should I do. I do not know the last time it has eaten anything.

[feralpigeon]

The baby pigeon is about 20 to 22 days old. I went to the local drug store and picked up a plastic syringe and some baby mixed cereal formula. I mixed the formula with some milk and warmed it up a bit. I tried to feed the baby pigeon with the syringe by placing a little bit of the cereal paste on the tip of its beack but it did not eat it.
What should I do. I do not know the last time it has eaten anything.

Hi GeorgeB, discontinue the milk and use water for thinning.
Here is a link w/detailed instructions for feeding babies:

http://www.pigeons.biz/forums/showthread.php?t=9918

Others will be along to assist you further, please feel free to ask all the questions you need to.

Here is the link to PT's resource page:
http://www.pigeons.biz/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=25

Best,

fp

[Pigeonpal2002]

Hi George,

Thank you for your efforts here in helping this young pigeon. However, milk is a no-no for birds, they can't digest it properly:( Just mix the cereal with luke warm water for now and you're going to have to try to coax it to eat from you. Try bending a spoon into a scoop shape or putting a balloon over the end of a thin champagne flute. Put the formula in the flute or shot tube or whatever you have, cover the end with a rubber balloon and cut a slit into the rubber. Fasten the balloon to the glass, flute with an elastic band. Then try to guide the babies beak into the slit to get it to slurp out the cereal from within.

[George B]

I placed the pigeon in a cardboard box. The box is one and a half for both height and width, the length is about two feet long. In the box I placed some old pajama cloth in the corner for a nest. The pigeon seems comfortable. Does this sound ok so far?
In regards to the pigeon it has dark feathers. The head has a tiny bit of fluff.
The following link helped out alot in guessing it approximate age:
http://www.speedpigeon.com/baby_racing_pigeon.htm

It looks like it could be about 21 days old. It's about the size of a mango if that helps and its beak is long.

[feralpigeon]

Hi GeorgeB,

If you have a heating pad, place it underneath the cardboard box w/towel over
it and set to low. Sounds like you're doing a great job with this little baby so far. How about the feedings. Were you successful @ all in getting this little
one to eat? If so, can you guestimate approximately how much the baby was
able to take in?

Thanks,
fp

[Pigeonpal2002]

Hi George,

I have to run but you are in capable hands here if needed. I see you're in Toronto, I'm close by but not close enough. There is a girl here and a moderator, also from Toronto that might be able to assist you in finding a shelter for this pigeon at the least. Her name is Mary and you can email her at Mary_pigeons@hotmail.com She was on just a bit ago but seems to have signed off. Please email her in the morning for further instructions and advice on how to handle this situation.


Good luck!

[George B]

Sorry, I do not have a heating pad, but I place an old blanket under and around the cardboard box. Hopefully that will help retain some heat and I will add some more cotton pajamas inside of the box.
The pigeon did not go for the food.
Also I should mention the box is on my balcony out of harms way. Would it be better to bring it inside or is it better for the pigeon to have fresh air?

[feralpigeon]

Sorry, I do not have a heating pad, but I place an old blanket under and around the cardboard box. Hopefully that will help retain some heat and I will add some more cotton pajamas inside of the box.
The pigeon did not go for the food.
Also I should mention the box is on my balcony out of harms way. Would it be better to bring it inside or is it better for the pigeon to have fresh air?

Hi GeorgeB,

Yes, I think it would be best to bring it inside and place in a warm, draft free
room possibly the bathroom, or at least if you have other pets, in a room separate from other pets so as not to scare the baby. Thanks again for all of
your time and effort to help this little one.

fp

[George B]

I have named the baby pigeon "Curbie", since I found the pigeon hudled by the curb of my apartment driveway. Lucky it wasn't it by a car.

I brought the baby pigeon in the box inside to keep it warmer. The good news is that ate some of the food I gave it, about two or three gulps. I think it feels more comfortable, cause as I am writing this the pigeon is moving around a bit in the box. After I fed it, I stepped out of the room and when I came back the pigeon was standing and looking up at me. I tried to feed it again but it turned away from me.

I will try again in a little while.

[pdpbison]

Hi George,


Good work...!


Just as a small footnote, insulation is not the same when young Birds are not yet reliably endothermic. I do not remember at this moment at what age in days they begin, generally, to reliably make their own body heat well enough, but this one is certainly around the age when they would do so. None the less, being he/she is stressed and has had some rough days with likely slim chow, some manner of provideing warmth would be a good idea.

So, bringing them 'in' and as was mentioned above, have them in some draft free place, and ideally, some warm place since you do not have a Heating Pad.

This is an age where young Pigeons are j-u-s-t learning to fly, and often get into troubles if they became seperated from their patents, since their ability to fly well kind of preceeds their learning to eat by themselves, verses being fed by their parents.

So, your intervention is a very important save for this little one.

You will have fun with this involvement...they are little sweeties...

Phil
Las Vegas

[George B]

It's 7:27am, I feed the baby pigeon (who I named Curbie) a little bit. I will stop by a pet store today to pick up some proper food. What should I feed it. I have been feeding it (Heinz Baby Cereal Mix). Plus, I am worried that if I leave Curbie out on the balcony, it might try to fly a fall off and I live 10 floors up.
Curbie is currently in a cardboard box in my bedroom. That is the only safe place for it because I have three cats. I do not let my cats in the bedrooms or onto the balcony.
George

[Reti]

If the cats have no access to the bedroom, I would leave Curbie there. He will be safer than on the balcony.
Any seeds would be good for now. Wild bird seeds or pigeon/dove mix seeds would be ideal, but since he is not eating by himself yet, small seeds would be preferable. Seems like baby pigeons start feeding on small seeds first. You could get him for now some parakeet seeds from the pet store.

Reti

[George B]

The cats do not have access. Also, a tiny bit of the formula has dried up a bit on the feathers below its neck. I tried to gently clean it when I fed the pigeon and I tried now, after noticing the feathers hardened a bit. Its a very small area, I used a moist paper towel.

[maryco]

Check your email, George....thank you.

[George B]

Thanks, Mary.
I sent you an email.
George

[pdpbison]

Hi George,


If you can spend a little time with it off and on, you may have some small Seeds in a little shallow pile on a towell, and you peck at them with your index finger. This will gradually encourage your little one do begin doing likewise.

Please consider to get a Heating Pad and to have it set on low or medium and for it to be coverd in a towell and set in such a way that the Bird may lay on it or lay off of it as it pleases.

For them, eating at this age is a social occurance in which they are observeing other Pigeons pecking, and he/she will benifit in their learning to peck, by seeing you do it with them.

At this age they are meant to be eating Seeds and Grit...and as was mentioned in a prior posts above, smallish Seeds generally are easiest for them as they are learning.

I am sure your Bird will do very well in this learning phase.

Water-wise, you may offer water in something small like a little Shot Glass, and make sure the water is tepid. Allow the little one to get it's Beak into the little glass, and after a few discovery occasions of it, they will understand to drink by themselves with you offering it. Soon after then, you may have a small dish or bowl of water for them to drink at their own discretion...but for now, it is best if it is deliberately offered by you, since this is an intermediary phase for them between being fed, and feeding on their own.

Habve fun...!

Best wishes,


Phil
Las Vegas

[George B]

I would like to start off by thanking Brad, Mary, Phil and everyone else for all of the support and encouraging words.

I brought the little pigeon out side today in front of my apartment building in a fenced off area. There was another bird about the same age. Both birds have feathers but are still a little to young to fly.

I went to the local pet store and picked up some small mixed seeds. I was happy to witness the little bird I found was pecking at the seeds a socializing with the other small pigeon and other adult pigeons.

I have taken them both in for the evening to keep them safe from predators and I will bring them outside again tomorrow so they can be in the sun.

I added some water in a small container for them to drink on their own. Both birds are sleeping and doing fine.
I also picked up a heating pad to keep them warm at night and brought them indoors as well.

I will keep you all posted.
Thanks,
George

[maryco]

That's a great update, George!

I had similar experiences when it's baby season (and mostly around this time of year) and the babies would be on the ground sometimes not being able to fly, many times I had one baby in my apt and then later on I'd find another one or 2 on the ground downstairs (or once 5 cuddling together in one spot and all different colours!!) so the ones who were recently caught and hungry end up eating instantly and this teaches the pigeon that I may have had inside for a longer period of time.
It is quite amazing how fast they learn from each other!

Another thing I do sometimes is have one of my trusty and tamer feral who visits around here come and feed from the window ledge, then I slide the window shut behind him and have him teach the little ones inside how to eat, of course that adult pij was also one of the little ones whom I cared for and released back ; )

Keep us posted!

[Pigeonpal2002]

Hi George,

Yes, thank you for the good udpate...sounds as if they may start eating on their own sooner rather than later so you'll have an easier time here. Keep us posted and someone will try to assist you with any questions or concerns.

[pdpbison]

Hi George,


Perfect!

Lovely...in fact...

Your surrogate parentage, AND an effortless, easy social continuity with their fellows!

Ideal...


Good going...

Phil
Las Vegas