Found Fledgling in SF - Need Advice :)

[dlgilbert4]

Hi,

I found a fledgling this evening at 16th Street and Dolores in San Francisco. He is a little bit older than the birds in this picture: http://www.geocities.com/macomb_audu...ng_Pigeons.JPG, with fewer little yellow feathers. I contacted Eileen Sutterfield of Fresno Wildlife Rehabilitation; she was very helpful. Under her direction, I purchased Kaytee's Exact Baby Bird Formula, mixed as instructed, and fed 12ccs with a syringe to the very back of the bird's mouth.

Feeding was, well, a little difficult. He definitely did not want to open his mouth. I used my thumbnail to pry it open, then slowly widened the opening until I could fit the syringe in. I pushed the syringe in until it looked like it was at the back of his throat, then slowly pushed in 2ccs of formula, trying to time my pushes with the "swallows" of his throat. He did not bob his head as I've seen young birds do. I then repeated this process six times to get to 12ccs fed. Any advice on making this easier? He was tossing and twisting his head the whole time; I was worried about hurting him as I tried to restrain him.

I know that I should monitor his crop to see if he gets enough to eat and when to feed him again. Where exactly is his crop? He has some bare parts, some down, and some adult feathers on his front, so... well, it's hard for me to tell.

Any help will be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,
Danielle

[dlgilbert4]

Well, actually he might be younger than the birds in the pictures. I don't know. He has fewer yellow feathers and fewer feathers around his head and neck. What do you think? I'll try to get a picture.

He also has lots of little white flecks (like dandruff) around his head and neck. What might that be?

Danielle

[pdpbison]

Hi Danielle,



Are you sure this youngster needed to be rescued?


Was he wandering out in traffic or other perils..?


Anyway, he is not going to be interested in anyone doing things to him...even though he could be eating Seeds on his own in a few hours IF walked through the steps in his terms of it.

Definitely too old for formula in the usual sense, unless unable to eat and an emergency measure.



But, for now, evaluate where you found him...and or see if you can determine where his Nest, Parents and Sibling are...and all of that is a no-go, or seems too problematic, then...if you like I would explain to you the steps of walking him through so he will be eating on his own the same day.

But, do not do anything else which will alienate him or make for more distrust...or the steps of walking him through will not work...just let him be comfortable and quiet for tonight and don;t pester him...

Have him on a "white" Towell, in a box even if you do not have a cage... so in the morning you can see the number and color and quality of the poops...

If he is ill, these should show some sign...

The 'flecks' are from preening his new growing Feather shafts...

Till later...

Best wishes!

Phil
Las Vegas

[flitsnowzoom]

Hi Danielle,
Expert advice is coming soon (not from me 'cause I know nothing about this). Thanks for helping this little one. and welcome to this great forum.

[dlgilbert4]

He looks like Day 20 or 21 in these pictures: http://www.speedpigeon.com/baby_racing_pigeon.htm, though he is a normal grey city pigeon, not a fancy type.

I watched the YouTube video on tube feeding given under the Resources tab - that helped a little - but any suggestions would still be appreciated.

[mr squeaks]

Hi! I'm not a rehabber, but maybe can offer some advice until more qualified members come along.

Usually the first thing recommended before feeding or water, is heat. Either a heating pad sent on low w/a towel over it or a hot water bottle with a towel over it and room for the little one to move off if he chooses.

You have already tried feeding him. Perhaps an easier way would be to take a baby bottle nipple, cut off the edge (flange), put your formula in there and then guide the baby's beak into the nipple. They are usually fed by their parents when they put their beaks in the parents mouth (beak). You could "pretend" the nipple is the parent's mouth.

Since it's night now, just keep him warm and in a secure place, with a covering over the cage, if he's in one.

Tomorrow, there will be expert help to advise...

Don't know what the white specks are...dry skin? feather mites? Do you see them moving? If so, the forum will also advise what to do about them.

Hang in there...help will be along...

Welcome to the forum and thank you for helping this little one!

Shi

[TAWhatley]

Hi Danielle,

Thank you so much for rescuing this little one. The white flecks are just feather dander and nothing to worry about.

It looks like you have got feeding down pretty well .. the crop is the "pouch" area at the base of the neck/top of chest. As you feed, it will fill up and you want it to be sort of plump and marshmallowy to feel. Then you wait until the crop "deflates" and feed again to the plump point.

If you need immediate assistance or info, please feel free to call me at 949-584-6696.

Terry

[relofts]

dlgilbert4,

Thanks so much for assisting this little one, you are actually in good shape, this youngsters is very close to being able to eat on it's own if it is in the 20 to 21 day range, if he takes the Kaytee food that is good and it will help with keeping up the weight but you should also offer some regular pigeon feed or dove food to this little one as well as a bowl of water, make sure that the water dishes is heavy enough that s/he will not tip it over and is a few inches deep, you may have to dip it's little beak to help teach it but try when dipping to not dip so the nostrils go into the water, you can also offer some grit when you notice that it is actually eating the food which will be at any moment. At 28 to 35 days they are usually self sufficient and flying so it will not be long.

Can you please give us a little more information on how you came about finding this youngster, what kind of area was s/he in, was there a nest nearby that you could see, if it is possible to get this youngster back to a nest that it came from would be helpful for us to know, did the youngster seem to be injured in any way to you?

I am sure other's will be on here as well but the additional information will be helpful to all of us.

Thanks again so much for being so kind to help this little one out, it is very kind of you.

Ellen

[dlgilbert4]

He was sitting on a busy sidewalk next to a four-lane street here in a dense area of San Francisco. The nearest "green space" is four blocks away. I looked for a nest in the eaves of the buildings nearby, but could see none. Here the buildings are four stories tall and all are next to each other with no space in-between.

In almost any other area, I would have left him to his parents. He appears healthy and alert, though the feathers on the apex(?) of his wing have either worn off or not grown in yet. While I was watching him, trying to decide whether to take him in, he walked out into the street. That pretty much decided it.

I felt he was at too much risk from cars and people on the sidewalk, some of whom I could easily see tormenting and injuring a vulnerable animal, to let him stay out there. (Believe me, I would rather trust his care to his parents! ).

He has shown no particular desire to fly yet. He has stretched and flapped his wings a few times, but without any vertical gain. His excrement has appeared normal to me: white splashes with a brownish pellet. What in particular should I be mindful of?

Thank you.
Danielle

[dlgilbert4]

Feeding went much better this morning. I have some never-used airline tubing for my fish tank, so I cut a 3" piece of it, fitted it over the end of the syringe, then cut a beveled tip to use for feeding. That was much better for both me and Cole (that's his name now), as the tubing is narrower and much softer than the syringe for going in the mouth and down the throat. The dish towel technique also helped. I still have not really figured out the location of the crop, because Cole tends to huddle and his throat is growing new feathers, but hopefully I'll discover it soon.

I have attached pictures of Cole and his enclosure. I'm keeping him in a large Rubbermaid-type container; it's 40" long, 24" wide, and 20" deep. I covered the half above the heating pad with chicken wire and I place a thin towel over the other half. In the picture you can see him just sticking out from under one of the cardboard "houses" I made for him. Is this a suitable enclosure? What can I do to make him more comfortable?

Behavior: what should I expect? Other than when I take him out for feeding, he is huddled and sleeping (like he is in the picture). He didn't move from 11pm last night until I took him out this morning for breakfast. Is he just tired from his ordeal yesterday? He was out and exposed on the sidewalk for at least an hour. When I take him out for feeding, he does stand up and flap his wings. He also makes a lot of little peeps, especially when I'm wrangling his head for feeding.

Thank you!
Danielle

[relofts]

From looking at these pictures and what you are describing this is a fledging, s/he is very close to being weaned, you need to get some regular feed for this little one and water, tube feeding this youngster you risk aspirating it and I don't believe it is needed at this age.

What do you plan on doing with this little one, are you going to be adopting it as a companion or do you plan on doing a soft release later?

[mr squeaks]

Looks like Cole is, indeed, ready for "big bird" feeding. Phil and others advise putting down some seeds and then using your finger to tap near the seed to get youngsters to start pecking and eating...

I'm sure others will be along with suggestions. Phil, who posted earlier in your thread, is a whiz with pijie techniques and I'm sure will offer suggestions.

Gee, why do I get the impression this is going to be a spoiled bird???

HUGS and SCRITCHES to Cole!!

[dlgilbert4]

I have tried using my fingers to tap and "peck" at some seed, but he just sits and huddles and seems quite uninterested in what I am doing.

When I dip his beak in the water, he shakes and jerks his head.

He doesn't move (at all) between feedings and hasn't walked around his enclosure or anything. Is he scared? Tired? Both?

Should I just be patient?

[relofts]

Yes you will need to be patient, and if you fed recently s/he may not be hungry. I have found with the little one's that if you take some of the feed in your hand and clasp your hand together loosely and then you take your thumb side with the open circle toward the bird they will start to eat from your hand and will search your hand for food once they get used to it,

s/he is at a in-between stage of being fed and learning to eat, the water it will take as soon as it is thirsty just periodically try to dip it and it will drink when it is ready, a sure sign of thirst is the bird will kind of squint and what we call blinking. The droppings you described seem to be normal but please keep us advised closely of how s/he is acting, the pictures show a healthy little youngster with bright eyes so at this point I would say it is a healthy thriving little one that just needs to learn. What exactly are you trying to feed, is it a seed mix?

Ellen

[dlgilbert4]

It's a wild bird seed mix.