Found a young pigeon, would appreciate tips :)

[VanJo]

No worries, not answered that yet. He drank a little bit on his own half hour ago. Last feeding was 4 hours ago, he didn't finish the usual 40 peas (just 23 thereabout). Crop feels quite empty now, been that way about 2 hours.

[Jay3]

I'm glad he's drinking. If he really doesn't want it, it isn't going to hurt him to go without it tonight. I'd make sure he's in a warm place and put him to bed for the night. Try again in the morning. He may be hungry then.

[Msfreebird]

Originally Posted by VanJo

Ok, he's looking worse, been standing in that same spot and position the past 15 mins, and eyes are closing.



What should we do while we wait for the vets to open tomorrow? It's midnight here.
And we're worried force-feeding him will stress him out more. Should we still feed him and then put him back in his box?

Hi Vanjo,
Hunched back and lowered tail (like in this picture) is usually a sign of an intestinal upset.- could be worms.
Just read this post quick, so don't know if you checked the inside of his mouth for any yellow lesions (canker). Glad your going to see a vet. He could probably use a 'gentle' worming dose (because he's very young).
In the mean time, I would keep him on a heating pad (set on low with a towel over it), and put a dash of salt and sugar in his water, and keep trying to get him to eat. You can sprinkle some seed on the floor and play with it with your fingers to encourage him to eat on his own too. Let us know how you make out at the vets

[VanJo]

Hey guys,

He was looking a little better this morning but we took him to the animal hospital anyway. He was chirping a lot and really active still. Vet told us he was rather thin and to leave him with them for the day and pick him up in the evening. So we did.

We called them up just now to check on him, and now we were told that according to Australian law, he's a non-native feral animal so it's illegal to keep him and they won't return him to us, and that they'll probably euthanize him, as would Wildlife Victoria :'(

So we called the local RSPCA and they said they'd do the same thing, cos he's feral. "For all creatures great and small"...as long as we like them.
Sadly there's nothing more we can do. We'd become really fond of him... At least the vet fed him this morning. Gonna miss that great companionship...

Thanks for all your help guys, really appreciated it.
Van and John

[Dobato]

Vanjo, thanks for trying your best for this little, guy, I am sorry this little one is going to be put to sleep. In his photos he did not look too bad to me.

The sad part is that we have a member from Australia, Bella F, who has warned us here at Pigeon-Talk, very clearly, this is what would happen if a feral was taken to a vets in Australia without very clear instructions to make sure to say the bird is a pet and not to leave it or turn it over to them with out them acknowledging this. I am sorry these warnings were not clearly given to you.

Thanks again for trying for him,

Karyn

[VanJo]

Could that be made a sticky for other Australians in our situation?

[Dobato]

Yes, it should be, but some of the people involved in helping in this thread I know were certainly aware of this. I have no idea why they where not crystal clear with you about this.

Karyn

[Jay3]

Originally Posted by Dobato

Yes, it should be, but some of the people involved in helping in this thread I know were certainly aware of this. I have no idea why they where not crystal clear with you about this.

Karyn

That could be because they never said that they were going to take the bird to an animal hospital. If they had said that before doing it, then they probably would have been warned. Charis gave information about Colin Walker. She also said that the bird would have to remain in their care during treatment, and that the clinic could not take him in. That they couldn't leave the bird there. Had something been said BEFORE the poor thing was taken to the vet, then the people that knew, I'm sure, would have warned them.

[Dobato]

Originally Posted by Charis

Finally, there is an avian vet in Melbourne that will evaluate the bird if the need arises. He has told me via phone conversation that he cannot accept the bird but will treat any sick bird but it must remain in the finder's care during treatment. Also, you may be asked to pay for any medications.

If you do go...tell him Charis from Oregon sent you.

Melbourne Veterinary Clinic
Colin Walker, DVM
1 George St.Scoresby,
Victoria 3179, Australia
+61 3 9764 9000

Well, it's my personal opinion that the reason that he could not accept the bird should have been very clearly explained. That any vet in Australia accepting a non-native species bird, a feral pigeon being one of these, would have no choice, and be obligated by law, to euthanize the bird.

Here is the thread where this issue was raised in, you made posts to it as well: http://www.pigeons.biz/forums/f6/med...ans-48630.html

Originally Posted by VanJo

Could that be made a sticky for other Australians in our situation?

You have been here long enough to know people don't always do what we tell them to do. Vanjo did not have a clue this would be the fate of this bird if she went unprepared to a vet. Even if she did go to Colin Walker, again in my opinion, what happens to rock pigeons that are not pets, in Australia, should have been clearly spelled out for Vanjo.

Karyn

[Msfreebird]

Originally Posted by Dobato

Yes, it should be, but some of the people involved in helping in this thread I know were certainly aware of this. I have no idea why they where not crystal clear with you about this.

Karyn

OMG!!! I had NO idea that's what they did in Australia! That's horrible! IF I had known that, I would NEVER have said "I'm glad your taking him to a vet'!!!! And I would have warned her! I usually DON"T suggest to people to take pigeons to vets.....because working for a vet and other vets in the past, I know how most of them feel about treating pigeons
Did she go to the one Charis suggested?
I am soooo sorry this happened!

[VanJo]

Didn't go to the suggested one cos we looked it up and found that it's really really far out and we can't drive, and neither do we know anyone who does (we're in the overseas student community). So we looked for one in the city and found this hospital did look at birds too, so we thought we'd try there, plus it was just opposite our university. It's an honest mistake, so to avoid any future incidences like that, I'd say, putting up a sticky informing people of what they do to feral pigeons if found in Australia would be the next best thing to do..

[Jay3]

Originally Posted by Dobato

Well, it's my personal opinion that the reason that he could not accept the bird should have been very clearly explained. That any vet in Australia accepting a non-native species bird, a feral pigeon being one of these, would have no choice, and be obligated by law, to euthanize the bird.

Here is the thread where this issue was raised in, you made posts to it as well: http://www.pigeons.biz/forums/f6/med...ans-48630.html



You have been here long enough to know people don't always do what we tell them to do. Vanjo did not have a clue this would be the fate of this bird if she went unprepared to a vet. Even if she did go to Colin Walker, again in my opinion, what happens to rock pigeons that are not pets, in Australia, should have been clearly spelled out for Vanjo.

Karyn

Dobato, She was clear in that they would have to keep the bird in their care. If the vet hospital made them believe that they could pick the bird up later, and then wouldn't let them, then that is on them. Not on the people here.

[Msfreebird]

It's simple for me..........I will NEVER suggest anyone in Australia to take a pigeon to a vet......because they will euthanize it

[Jay3]

Originally Posted by Msfreebird

It's simple for me..........I will NEVER suggest anyone in Australia to take a pigeon to a vet......because they will euthanize it

No they won't. If you go to a vet that treats birds, and if you say it's a pet, and you keep the bird, they will treat them, and give you the meds you need. That's if they will even treat pigeons.

[Msfreebird]

Originally Posted by Jay3

No they won't. If you go to a vet that treats birds, and if you say it's a pet, and you keep the bird, they will treat them, and give you the meds you need. That's if they will even treat pigeons.

And how are we suppose to know that? After what happened...I wouldn't trust them. And she wasn't told that she had to say that it was a 'pet'.....I didn't know that either!