foot fell off what to do now with stump

[Lady Tarheel]

This pigeon, with injuries as severe as she had, should have been kept confined for a period longer than 7 days. The stump should have been allowed to heal over and harden. She also lost a great deal of blood and needed more than a week to recoup her strength. If she has a hard landing or hits a ledge the scab may come off and the stump will start bleeding again. The wild birds that we see that are able to cope with a stump probably did not bleed as badly as this pigeon because the string, hair, etc. that caused the foot to die off also acted as a tourniquet.

Please understand that I don't mean to be critical. When a person has never worked with pigeons, it is often difficult to know the right thing to do. You were kind to be concerned enough to rescue her and treat her. I post this only in hopes that if a similar situation occurs that others will know more of what to do.


Maggie

[daveerin]

Hello Maggie,
No offense taken. I had to make some decisions based on what I could do for the pigeon and I too considered that more days would help but while she was eating, it wasn't enough even though she got sunflower seeds and walnut pieces and well as regular seed . Stress , captivity and handling were having a bad effect on her. Her poops were black in some cases and I understand that can result from starvation, she was living in a box in my bath tub, I live in an apartment -second floor , no less, I"m already caring for a hawk-injured starling with a wing and respiration problem. I did carefully look at the stump and it seemed healed (it was very clean, no tissue ends, no bleeding ) over reasonably well from an amateurs point of view, her blood loss was not so great( I think) from the lost foot but there may have been some in the blisters that were on that foot. Her other foot had recovered remarkably well, it was warm, pliable, she was able to stand/hop on it and I figured she had as good a chance at that point as any. I also understand they mate for life and I actually had a concern that her mate would look elsewhere and she would be in a worse pickle being one-legged and without a helper. I've been feeding a female scrubjay for about 3 years and she recently suffered a broken leg and she comes to me for food when I call, but her mate also feeds her. I suspect she wouldn't make it without help during this healing period. Feet are everything to jays in the same way we value our hands. It was a tough choice and under other circumstances I would have acted differently in pij's regard.
again, thanks to all
dave

[pdpbison]

Hi Dave,


I also thought the release may have been earlier than might have been hoped...

But your reasoning makes sense to me, in the balance, and overall, weighing the factors, your choice under the circumstanses seems sensible for the benifit of the Bird.

Her mate will have missed her and will likely have remained poised for her return, where longer, this might have changed if he had given up on her returning.

Otherwise, considering the Bird out of context otherwise, some more time would have been prudent.

Black poops are typical of when they eat Sunflower Seeds in-the-hull...

Starvation usually is dabs of poo resembleing green Artist's Tube-Oil Paint.

Good job..!


Phil
Las Vegas

[Lady Tarheel]

Dave, thanks for the explanation. You sound like a busy person helping all the little "critters" you come across. You cared enough for this pigeon to help it out and not many people would have done that.

The story of the scrub jay feeding its mate is touching.

Maggie

[daveerin]

Hello,
Yesterday, my friend in whose yard I found pij , told me that pij returned with her mate and friends and fed for quite a while. She said that pij looked good, used her good foot but was still unsteady on only one leg . All's well that ends well
dave

[Lady Tarheel]

Dave, that is great news. Maggie

[dnrslucky1]

Dave,

That is great news as I worried obout him also!

Denise