HELP - A baby pigeon refuse to eat!

[HitchHiker]

Hi,

I found a baby pigeon, about 16-17 days old (see attached picture). He does not look injured or anything but on the other hand, he does not move a lot when I take it out of it's box. I'm trying to feed it with baby's formula (there is no Kitees exact where I live) through every method known on the Internet (http://www.users.globalnet.co.uk/~pi...nge_method.htm, http://www.urbanwildlifesociety.org/...jBotlFeedg.htm) but no luck. He just refuses to eat.
I also tried to put his beak in a teaspoon full of formula, he sucked a little but than stopped...

Please advise how do I force it to eat before it's too late (he hasn't eaten for at least 48 hours).

[John_D]

Hi

He looks somewhat bare arounnd his face/neck. Maybe he's been pecked at, maybe he has a health problem.

Is the inside of his beak/mouth fairly pink, and clear looking?

Youngsters can also be fed with dog biscuits in small pieces softened in water (puppy chow?).

Another soft but healthy food is frozen peas and corn (not tinned), thawed in hot water for about 20 mins, or pea-size moistened pieces of day old wholemeal bread.

If pushed toward the back of the mouth a little to (the bird's) right side, the items should be swallowed. The beak ahould be opened gently, as they are still maybe pliable at that age, with thumb and forefinger. Easier if two persons involved or else wrapping baby in a soft towel to keep still.

For water, if he is not drinking, you can try gently pushing the beak (below the nostrils) into a small pot of water to see if he knows how to drink. If not, little droplets toward the end of his beak from a dropper or spoon.

Can you tell us where you are in case there is a member around the area, or a known rehabber who will deal with baby pigeons?

John

[lwerden]

You mentioned that you have tried feeding him the formula from a teaspoon. He appears to be to young to be eating on his own. He needs to be tube fed or syringe feed the formula. There are many different ways of hand feeding. I'll try and find someone who can provide the links to the procedures.

[TAWhatley]

This thread in our Resources Forum may be of some help to you: http://www.pigeons.biz/forums/f25/pi...ing-16235.html

Terry

[cyro51]

You said that the syringe and balloon method hasn't worked. Often they won't eat if the formula is too cool. It shoud be heated to 39 degrees celcius. That is just a bit warmer than our blood, so if you put a drop on your wrist it should feel warm but not hot. Try easing his beak in the little slit and moving the syringe back and forth a bit.

What formula are you using? Human baby formula would not be suitable, but you could mix porridge oats with warm water to make a smooth paste.

If he hasn't had anything to eat or drink for 48 hours he will be dehydrated. Mix 1 pint warm water with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/2 tablespoon glucose, honey or sugar. Dip his beak in in an try to persuade him to drink, oterwise trickle the solution on the edge of his beak. Once he starts drinking wait a few hours, then soak dog biscuits in water until they are soft, open the pigeon's beak and pop them into his mouth.

If you let us know where you are, we will know what foods may be available to you.

Cynthia

[HitchHiker]

Hi again,

Thank you for your prompt replies.

First of all, I am located in Limassol, Cyprus. If you have someone around here that can help me, that would be highly appreciated.

Second, I tried again this morning with the baby's formula (it's called Frisolac comfort), heated to a warm temperature as suggested here. I made it liquid, and gave it to drink from a small cup. The good news are that the baby drank some (almost 1/3 of an espresso cup).

I also tried to give it some water with salt and sugar, but it didn't liked it too much...

I tried the beak opening technique, but again no luck. It won't open it for me and just gets angry.

I watched some pigeon feeding videos on YouTube and was amazed to see that the babies are keen to eat and get angry when the food goes away (they actually chase the bottle!). My baby is not so keen to eat. I need to force it and than he gets angry at me (start squeaking angrily). It also does not move a lot and stays at the same spot I leave him. Only when I lift it so it's feet are not touching the ground it starts to squeak and move it's wings.

Please help me. Let me know what can I do to convince it to eat. Today I don't have access to any pet shop to buy other food, as it is a bank holiday her. At home I only have some cat food if that means anything... no dog food.

thx

[cyro51]

I am so glad that it has started eating, you are doing well. But if the formula that you are using is for human babies, please stop using it. Pigeons can't digest it.

Cat food, watered down and made into a warm mush will do if nothing else is available. Do you have anything like Polenta, frozen peas, fresh or frozen sweet corn, brown granary bread? Any of those, mixed with warm water, will make a digestible meal.

Pigeons will usually squeak with hunger, sometimes in fear, never with anger.

If you can't prise his mouth open then place the beak in your closed fist, or between your fingers. Sometimes that will encourage them to open their mouths in the expectation of food.

Cynthia

[HitchHiker]

Originally Posted by cyro51

I am so glad that it has started eating, you are doing well. But if the formula that you are using is for human babies, please stop using it. Pigeons can't digest it.

Cat food, watered down and made into a warm mush will do if nothing else is available. Do you have anything like Polenta, frozen peas, fresh or frozen sweet corn, brown granary bread? Any of those, mixed with warm water, will make a digestible meal.

Pigeons will usually squeak with hunger, sometimes in fear, never with anger.

If you can't prise his mouth open then place the beak in your closed fist, or between your fingers. Sometimes that will encourage them to open their mouths in the expectation of food.

Cynthia

Thanks for that Cynthia.
I guess his diarrhea is because of the baby formula.... I will stop using it now and will try something else.

Can I use canned mashed peas? or canned corn? I have those at home... Or maybe I should cook them myself so it will be fresh?

I tried the thing with the fist and two fingers, but it doesn't work. I'll do one of the mashes you suggested and will try to feed it again.

thx!

[cyro51]

I worry about the additives in canned vegetables, if you can find raw corn or raw peas that would be better, no need to cook them. One of our members uses canned corn and the pigeon tolerated it.

Cynthia

[HitchHiker]

Originally Posted by cyro51

I worry about the additives in canned vegetables, if you can find raw corn or raw peas that would be better, no need to cook them. One of our members uses canned corn and the pigeon tolerated it.

Cynthia

If I don't cook it, how do I mash it?

[cyro51]

You can grate fresh corn using a cheese grater. Or put it in a liquidiser with a bit of warm water. The fresh peas can also go in a liquidiser.

Cynthia

[HitchHiker]

Originally Posted by cyro51

You can grate fresh corn using a cheese grater. Or put it in a liquidiser with a bit of warm water. The fresh peas can also go in a liquidiser.

Cynthia

ah.... what exactly is a liquidizer?

[HitchHiker]

oh, ok. I found an explanation... thx.

[gingerpoo]

if you have one of these


you can take pigeon seed mix and grind it up finely as well, then let it soak in warm water for a little while.

if you can't find seed mixes, you can also try making a mixture of brown rice, wheat germ, lentils, peas, corn (or polenta), stone ground wheat, couscous,... grinding that up and adding some warm water to it for some time as well.

does the baby seem hungry and alert more now? Is there any blood? If you feel his breast is the bone down the middle of it sharp or does it have lots of meat on both sides?

I noticed his eye looked foggy in the first picture, does his eye always look like that? or was it just the picture.

Also I am not sure what the weather is like where you are, but if he would probably love to have some tissue or a soft towl wrapped in a U shape under him so he can cuddle up into it. He'd probably also like to have some warm heat from a heating pad under his box or whatever you have him in, since he's not feeling well and eating, his body won't have to burn as many calories to keep him warm.

Try wrapping him loosely in a towel, with just his head poking out, and holding him gently close up against you while you try to feed him, this may calm him down some.

[Lovebirds]

John asked in his first post about the babies mouth inside. I don't see where you responded. That bare look about the face and neck has in the past indicated canker. Please look in this babies mouth and make sure it's nice and pink.
Also, don't know if you ran across this video while on YouTube........this is the way I feed babies. Might work for you too.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lJe6y8EYQRg