How do I know what's wrong with this pigeon?

[michaela1k]

I live on the 3rd floor of an apartment building, and while walking up the stairs after work today, I found an adult pigeon walking around the 2nd floor landing. He didn't fly away when I walked up to him...He just walked as far away as he could...looking over the edge as if he wished he could fly....so I assumed something was wrong. I let him stay for a while to see if he ever took off, but he didn't. I was concerned that a cat would get him or someone would be mean to him, so found a website that told me how to catch him...which wasn't very difficult...He cornered himself and I picked him up with a towel. He didn't struggle or fight being picked up and carried. I brought him to my third floor balcony which cannot in any way be reached by a cat. I've placed him in a fairly tall box on a table with some sugar/salt water and some dry grass that I found. I cut air holes in the box, but then decided to leave the top of the box open because I can't imagine that anything can get to him where he is...and if he does suddenly fly up and out, then that's good, right???

I've examined him based on websites that I found, but can't find anything obviously wrong with him. He wasn't very dehydrated, I don't see signs of anything being broken, and don't see symptoms of illnesses. He does kind of carry one wing out just about a quarter of an inch away from his body while he carries the other one close, but it doesn't hang...and he seems to be able to flap both wings some. How can I tell for sure if he has a broken wing? Which one would likely to be broken - the one more away from the body or the one closer? Underneath one wing, it looked like he may have been missing one feather up near the bend of his wing - the fluffy down-like feathers. Does that one feather make that much difference in flight?

His droppings so far - at first, it was just clear liquid...then there was some white milky-ness mixed in with a little bit of dark green along with clear liquid. Nothing solid or formed.

A few more questions:
What is the best way for me to hold him without hurting him?
Is it okay for me to leave his box open?
What do I need to put in the box to make a comfortable temporary home for him?
What are the chances of me getting some disease from him?
When I looked under his wings, I saw a few very small grayish bugs that I assume are some type of mite or something...are they harmful to either him or me? Do I need to try to get rid of them somehow?

Please help...

Thanks!!
Michaela in TX

[TAWhatley]

Hi Michaela and welcome to Pigeon-Talk! Thank you so much for helping this needy pigeon!

There really aren't any diseases that you can easily catch from the pigeon and the "bugs" on the bird can't/won't live for long if they get on you .. they are specific parasites to pigeons or other birds. Dusting the bird with Sevin dust from the garden center will get rid of the mites or lice .. do take care not to get any in the eyes, nostrils, or mouth of the bird .. or in the same body parts of yourself.

I'd strongly suggest closing the box to insure that the pigeon doesn't get out into harm's way and that nothing gets in to harm the pigeon. You need to observe for a day or so to know what's really going on.

Please do put an old towel, T-shirt, sweatshirt in the bottom of the box for good traction.

Water should be offered in a heavy, non-tippable over container, and seed in another container.

Any chance of pictures of this bird so we can assess the wing situation and overall condition of the bird?

Again, welcome and thank you so much for helping this bird.

Terry

[michaela1k]

Thanks for the quick reply. I've closed his box for the night. Will find a towel or old shirt for him tomorrow as well as some seed. Will also take some pictures tomorrow. I'm concerned about the correct way to hold him...Is there a right way? I don't want to injure him while thoroughly inspecting him.

[pdpbison]

Hi Micheal,


See my recent thread on 'Moralle Boosters' for also some tips on holding them, and or, making friends with them TO hold them more easily...


http://www.pigeons.biz/forums/showthread.php?t=11244

...especially if this is an Adolescent Bird, and, many we will get with injuries or woes, will tend to be...

But as for some tips on handleing them, read on down all the way through the successive posts.

Let them have a small cup of Water now, and, see if you may get them to drink. You can dissolve a pinch of Salt and a pinch of Sugar into it...and serve tepid...no drafts...quiet...

Always move slow with them...and gently...

Phil
Las Vegas

[John_D]

I have come across pigeons that looked like adults but could not fly, although there was nothing visibly wrong with them. They turned out to be youngsters who just needed to build up their strength. Some had not learned how to feed themselves, although looking old enough to be self-feeding.

Can you tell us what color the cere - thickened part above the beak - is? In an adult it should be white, in youngsters it would be flesh-colored. Youngsters tend to have dark brown/muddy green eyes, as opposed to adults which have orange-amber, or red eyes. Also, youngsters will often squeak with fear, whereas adults will grunt.

John

[michaela1k]

Thanks...

Yes, he is definitely an adult - white cere, orange eyes, and a grunter.

I let him hop around the balcony a little last night (don't worry - he can't fall off). It appears as though he is having trouble with the left wing. I remember seeing a website somewhere about how to bandage and care for it....but I don't remember where that was. Can someone post a link?

Thanks!!!

[Lin Hansen]

Welcome Michaela,

Here is a good link with instructions for wrapping a broken wing:

http://www.duckpolice.org/BirdWeb/P...brokenwing.html


Thanks for helping this needy pigeon.

Linda

[Feefo]

And here are Helen (Nooti)'s instructions and photos:

http://community.webshots.com/album/89177617wFzIYU

Cynthia

[michaela1k]

Thanks to all of you, I think that the pigeon is now safe and as comfortable as he can be for a bird with a broken wing.

Few more questions:
1. How do I know if this is a boy or girl?
2. How long will he need to stay bandaged? How do I know when he's ready to start using his wing again?
3. Once he wing is healed, will he need to learn to use it again? How do I facilitate that?

Thanks!!
Michaela

[Pidgey]

Well, it depends on the break and it may not be broken anyhow--there are other things that can cause that. Usually, the bandage comes off after two weeks and then the bird's got to be restrained (in a cage where he can stretch but cannot fly or flap much) for a while longer You usually don't want to let them fly free for several weeks.

There are some types of breaks that do well and some that will never mend properly. Barring a wound that you can find, there's no way to guess without either potlucking it (the bird either flies after several weeks or doesn't) or X-Rays. There's a technique of using 70% rubbing alcohol to render the skin translucent in order to see the bones (you'd be surprised how well that works) but you may have to remove some feathers to do it if you can't find any other evidence of a break.

But I'd like you to really keep a close eye on the poop for awhile so that we can see if there's a problem there. I've had a few birds that acted like the left wing was bad and it was really coccidiosis. Does the entire breast feel solid and rounded or is there a sharp keel (the keel is the breastbone and feels like a knifeblade sticking out of the middle of the chest when the bird is emaciated)?

Need to get a good idea how much seed he eats in a day.

Pidgey