Advice needed

[Simba]

My cat brought in a baby pigeon last night and I need some advice on it. I took it to the vet and they think its about 2 days old. I'm following the advice I found on the web page on feeding him but do I need to feed him through the night aswell? Also what is the best way to keep him warm? My room is quite warm anyway but he feels alittle cold. Any advice is appreciated.

[Pidgey]

Rough row to hoe, here.

First off, I have to tell you that the saliva of cats often contains a bacteria (Pasteurella Multocida) that is positively lethal to birds. They can die of just a lick on the feathers if they preen with their beaks and pick it up. It can kill as fast as within 12 hours, but usually longer. Usually with cat-caught birds, vets will put them on a penicillin based antibiotic as well as washing any wounds on the bird with of warm sterile saline or 0.05% chlorhexidine.

As to care of the bird beyond that, we usually advocate using a heating pad set on low with a towel covering it for the chick to sit on. You can cradle him with another towel around him and drap it partially over him but then you need to monitor him often for awhile to make sure that he doesn't overheat. You shouldn't feed them when they're cold because they can aspirate (breathe in food or water to the lungs) and die quickly.

What method are you using to feed him and what food are you using?

Pidgey

[Feefo]

Hi Simba,

This is a link to one of our moderator's instructions on feeding a very young baby pigeon or dove :

http://www.internationaldovesociety....eedinghelp.htm

And this is a link to one method of feeding, which also tells you what to feed and how much to feed:

http://www.urbanwildlifesociety.org/...j&DuvFeedg.htm


The syringe and balloon method might not work until the baby is a few days old, but you can place one drop of formula at a time at the very end of the bottom beak, where it forms a fairly deep bowl in nestlings. That will enable the baby to swallow it without danger of aspiration.

1ml is roughly the equivalent of 10 drops. 5ml is a level teaspoon.

Cynthia