found baby- how do i clean him correctly

[lmchihal]

i found a baby that i think is about 20 days old. he is eating well but does not want to drink. i have added extra water to his food for now so he doesn't dehydrate. my main question at this point is, how do i keep him clean? i assume he has no water proofing yet. i have tried using a damp cloth to get the bulk off of him but i am at a loss as to how to get the sticky bits off. also would he be ready for seed? he eats like crazy. how much should i expect him to eat and how often is ideal? thanks for the help.

[Reti]

Hi and welcome to pigeon-talk.
I am not clear from your post if he eats on his own or if you are feeding him.
What are you feeding him, how often and how much?

How long have you had him? If he is in your care for a few days already you can give him a bath with Dawn dishwashing liquid. This should take care of whatever is on him. Make sure to dry him well after the bath and keep him warm after that.

Reti

[pdpbison]

Hi Imchihal,


Lol...the getting formulka on their feathers under their chin and so on is a problem I have also, and one I have never really solved very well.

I just try and gently blot and rub it off with a damp kleenex, and of course this is only so-so at best.

They get so wound up and excited when one is trying to clean them, it is just about impossible.

Otherwise, if your Pigson is 'nuzzleing', you can try this for him to start drinking and eating Seeds on his own -

Moisten your finger tips in warm water, and keeping your hand low, below his eye level, just gently massage his Beak kind of down toward the root, and he should nuzzle enthusiastically.

Then, having a small bowl an inch and a half deep or so, of 'tepid' Water ( the water should be about 100 degrees or so, or around body temperatures, but do not microwave it, and do not use 'hot' tap Water, just warm some cold Water in a pan...)...

..and, keeping your finger tips of one hand on his Beak, gently guide his Beak into the warm Water and he will drink.

You may have to do this several times over a day for him to begin to simply drink on his own, without your finger tips on his Beak sides.


Similarly, you can have him start 'gobbleing' small whole Seeds, if you do the same thing, only this time, have a small deep container, like a Shot Glass, full of small whole Seeds, such as Finch Seed or Parakeet Seed, and keeping your finger tips on his Beak sides, gently guide his Beak into the Seeds, and he will 'gobble'...

dfo not let him over-eat this way, which they can or will do.

But, similarly, after a few occasions of this, he will start half pecking and half gobbleing on his own, and soon be pecking splendidly all by himself.

Of course they like it if we peck with them, so, just use your crook'd index finger to 'peck' with while you narrate things like "Ohhhh, these are really nice Seeds here!..." and so on, and he will squeak and shoulder pump and nuzzle your finger, but he will also start pecking as well...

Good luck..!


Phil
Las Vegas

[lmchihal]

i have had him or her for about 2 days. he is eating on his own more or less. he only eats if i put the food in a very deep dish. i have been giving he a mush of baby ceriel, sorry i can't spell. i am going to the store today to get something more appropriate. i have been feeding him every 4-6 hours during the day. he is eating around 10-20 cc most feedings but it is hard to judge actual amounts b/c he gets more on him than in him most of the time. i fugured i would try seed to see if he will try it. he sits still for me to groom on him and is very well behaved. he is very healthy looking and i think he had fallen from the nest day i picked him up. he was at my barn and would have been squished or eaten if i didn't take him. do I need to give him baby bird formula? also if i wash him, how do i keep the soap from getting in his eyes? thanks for all the help the baby and i are greatful.

just got back from the store and i now have good food for the baby. i assume mixing the previous food and new food is the best way the transition him/her. How often should his crop empty and how much food should i really give? will he stop eating when full or do i need to limit him?

p.s. he cracks me up b/c he loves the sound of my typing.

[pdpbison]

Hi Imchihal,


You can just go right to the small whole Seeds and not bother trying to mix them with the mash.

He should do just dandy with them.

In fact, try and watch out he does not over-eat with the Seeds if he is talented at pecking, since they can do this and we should not let them, so...find a small clean little custard cup, or empty clean Tuna Can, and use it for his Seeds and make it say half full and call that good enough for most of the day, seeing h ow he does with it.

Peck with him of course...and offer tones of praise and admiration...



If he is not drinking yet on his own, try the thing I described and you will have him drinking on his own in no time.


Best wishes!

Phil
Las Vegas

[lmchihal]

the baby will now peck at the seeds but still will not consume them. i guess i should just keep trying. he also wont eat for anyone but me. any ideas to get him/her to eat from someone else. one daya week i am gone for about 10 hours and i just don't know what do do about his eating. any ideas would be great. also does he need to break the seeds open or will he digest them fine without cracking them? thanks

[TAWhatley]

Just keep working with the youngster on the eating. S/he will soon catch on and become self sufficient. You don't need to crack the seeds. Pigeons eat them whole unlike some types of birds that do hull the seeds.

Terry

[lmchihal]

thanks so much. how old do they usually begin flying? also at what age can you tell a boy from a girl and how can you tell?

[lmchihal]

new question. the baby seems to be getting rituals with his/her eating. he flutters one wing. he alternates sides on the wing he flutters, so i don't think it is an injure. also he turns sideways when eating. is this normal? he seems to be happy and if he could talk i think my name would be mom by now but like any new mother i just want to make sure that i am doing everything correctly. thanks for all the help.

[pdpbison]

Yahhhhh..when they are feeling their chow-time excitements, whether for being fed or early self-feeding, they will half-flap one Wing, both Wings, twirl in circles, and combinations of all three...they just have a lot of energy and pleasure and excitement about food at this age.

Anyway, if he is getting enough chow he should be pooping 40 to 50 poops in 24 hours...


Is he drinking allright?


Best wishes!

Phil
Las Vegas

[lmchihal]

still working on drinking but we are making headway. i desided to add a bit of extra water to his/her food for a while and feed more often to make sure he is well hydrated. i heard about the number of poops per day but i have trouble counting b/c he poops in the same spots. i know that he poops a LOT and there seems to be enough water content so i am not worried about dehydtation. he is doing well but i think he is just a bit slow on the learning thing. he will figure it. it will just take time. thanks for the help. he seems to be gaining weight and i got a scale so now i can monitor to make sure. he still gets a bit messy and does not want to play in water but we are managing. by the way at what age do they usually fly? also what do you think that chances are that he can eventually be released? thanks again. i am sure to have more questions in the near future.

[pdpbison]

Hi Imchihal,


Go ahead and review a few posts up where I had outlined a method for guiding youngster Pigeons to drink, and you and he should do fine with it.


They start flying after building their muscles gradually as they develop generally on the whole...but by around 32 days of age or so, usually they are flying somewhat for short distances.

They do best to be allowed to explore and play and goof around and excercise as they may wish in their own terms.


Ideally, if you can supervise him while there, take him often to some place where other Pigeons are...and feed 'them' so he can peck and be with them now before he can fly...

Later, release him there with them, and he will already have the experience of their company and presence and be much more comfortable.

Just let him have a frying pan full of water or something similar to bathe in now and then for now...usually they love their baths, and somewhere around this age is when baths start to interest them.


Have fun..!

Phil
Las Vegas

[lmchihal]

is it normal for a baby's poo to have some white to it?
the baby is still not drinking on its own and still will not eat the seeds unless they are fed with the formula. i just keep trying. he has to get it sooner or later.

[TAWhatley]

Originally Posted by lmchihal

is it normal for a baby's poo to have some white to it?

Yes, some white is normal. There should be a number of posts/threads here on Pigeon-Talk about poop and what's healthy and what's not.

Terry

[pdpbison]

Originally Posted by lmchihal

is it normal for a baby's poo to have some white to it?
the baby is still not drinking on its own and still will not eat the seeds unless they are fed with the formula. i just keep trying. he has to get it sooner or later.

Hi Imchihal,



Have you tried gently guiding his Beak like I suggested? Into 'tepid' Water for drinking, and, into a small deep shot-glass of small whole Seeds for 'gobbling'?


I have never had this not work well, even with those as young as 12 days thereabouts...and it always works well with any pre-flying ones...

Usually, I have them doing this on the first or second day of my getting them, even though I Baby-Feed them a great deal also, I like for them to also eat and drink of their own, when offered Seeds or Water to do so.

So, please review the info and let me know?

You should be able to do it...just be very gentle and keep your hands down low below their eye level...be 'with' them in what you do...


Good luck!

Phil
Las Vegas