Pigeon Help - Brooklyn...

[mylovelyirina]

I came across a pigeon who was just sitting in the middle of the street. I knew there was something wrong when he did not move as a car approached it. I flagged the car to stop and rush to protect it from other cars approaching (i live in a very poor neighborhood, so animal care is not a top priority) - which is understandable. Regardless, pigeons in the ghetto need help too.

So, I picked him up very gently and brought him to the sidewalk, put him on the floor and examined him. It seems his entire left side is 'damaged'. Not talking about any attacks, or wounds, or anthing like that. I searched for any blood stains, crushed bones, etc. nothing. But he can't stand or flap his wings. He plops to one side - his left, and then just rolls over onto his back. He needs help... I need help.

I have no clue how to take care of a pigeon, and I have 3 cats at home who are extremelly affectionate, but might have other plans for his survival. I seperate the bird and placed him (yes, i've decided he is a boy) in a cardboard box with a blanket. I put the box next to my radiator, to get his temperature back up. It was 34 degrees outside when I found him, so he was a bit chilly, and who knows how long he had been outside like that.

In any event, I don't know what to do now. I have cleaned his poop off him, and it looks light green with traces of white. Not sure if that's normal. He has recovered a lot since the first day (2 days ago), and actually seems more alert. He tries to flap his wings, but can only get his right side going. his left does nothing, but he keeps trying. But he can't get up to stand on both legs. I've gotten him to drink water, and he's nibbled on some feed. Nothing major though. I check him at least twice a day, and clean his feathers from the poop. I don't know what else to do. It seems like his entire left side is out. He moves his right claw just fine, but no reaction from the left side. He moves his head just fine too, and his eyes are wide and open and he is aware of his surroundings.

The local ASPCA and HUMANE SOCIETY offer NO HELP WHATSOEVER! So, I am stuck to my own intuitions. From what I've read, I think his wing is broken, but would that affect his left claw/foot as well? He may have been hit by a car before my arrival that day, but I do not know what to look for, as nothing appears out of the 'ordinary' - i've compared both wings, and they seem the same.

Any assistance would be appreciated.

Will try to take some pictures and post soon.


- Justin

PS. Originally, my plan was to just take him in, and make him comfortable for whatever nature decides. Now, 2 days have passed, and I've seen a significant improvement as he tries to move (dragging himself), and now I would like to help him get through this ordeal any way I can.

[mylovelyirina]

Also, I am a bit concerned with any sort of infections that might pass on to cats by me handling the bird. Should I be aware of anything contagious? I've tried to use gloves as much as possible (like cleaning his poop off him), but it's hard to feel his temperature, and just to give him some comfort with gloves on. So, I am just curious.

I do wash afterwards, but I don't know what sort of parasites or other unknown 'things' could be lurking on him.

Excuse my ignorance. Once again, I know NOTHING about birds, other than they can fly.

If you respond, please use laymen terms. I was reading a few other posts, and some of the comments seem to come straight out of a vets med book and I couldn't understand a thing.

Thanks again!

- Justin

[pdpbison]

Hi Justin,



Well...glad to hear he is pooping..! Shows his system is not knocked out from whatever trauma he had suffered...


You can make a "U" shape with a small lightly rolled Towell, and situate him in it so he is gently propped up that way...or, cut most of some small narrow Cardboard Box, like a deep 'Kleenex' Box, and pad it, bottom and sides, so he can lay in it and not roll over...

Still, when he has to poop, he will likely wiggle and want to poop away from where he lays, and this will cause him to fall over or end up on his back again...so, likely, lots of putting him back upright into his "U" or low padded Box...

Encourage him to drink often and plenty, even adding some powdered Bird Vitamines and or also lightly crushed Anise Seeds to his Water, if you can get some of either or both.


Provide small whole Seeds, like a Canary or Finch Seed mix...in some little low cup or the bottom two inches of a to-go cup, cut down...and have it in front of him where he can peck it easily...

Probably he was hit by a Car and for the time being, has some Head injurys and or trauma and nerve injurys to the one side and Leg...


This can take weeks or months to resolve, if Nerve injury...or weeks to where they may merely stand a little or hobble about...so...it may be a long haul for you both.


See

http://www.pigeons.biz/forums/showthread.php?t=24110


For a nice way to spend time with him, which will also be good for encouraging him to eat and drink and be comfortable with you...

When picking him up, do so where one hand is below him so both his feet are in your palm, keeping him in his would-be normal horizontal way of poise, and the other hand, gently cupping over his face...and you can carry him this way easily, and as need be.


Thanks for rescuing him..!


If you have an Avian Vet you could see about this, or an able and experienced rehabber, a critical examination would be nice, to see if there are any broken Bones ( broken thighs can be hard to notice unless one is used to feeling the Leg up that high to notice it...)


Let us know anything else you see or note...or if the poops are other than White Urates ( which is their concentrated Urine, being a White paste more or less ) and Brownish-Greenish poop-part of fairly well defined little curls...

If he is eating enough he should be making 25 or 30 poops in 24 hours, maybe more and keeping him on a White Towell makes it easy to evaluate and count the poops each morning...and it is very fortunate with his injurys that he is interested, and able, to eat at all...so...

Post some images of him if you can...


Best wishes!


Phil
l v

[pdpbison]

Originally Posted by mylovelyirina

Also, I am a bit concerned with any sort of infections that might pass on to cats by me handling the bird. Should I be aware of anything contagious? I've tried to use gloves as much as possible (like cleaning his poop off him), but it's hard to feel his temperature, and just to give him some comfort with gloves on. So, I am just curious.

I do wash afterwards, but I don't know what sort of parasites or other unknown 'things' could be lurking on him.

Excuse my ignorance. Once again, I know NOTHING about birds, other than they can fly.

If you respond, please use laymen terms. I was reading a few other posts, and some of the comments seem to come straight out of a vets med book and I couldn't understand a thing.

Thanks again!

- Justin

Hi Justin,


Nothing to worry about on that score...as for the Cats catching anything, or for you catching anything.

As with any Animal, Cats included, it is a good policy to wash one's hands after handling them ( which of course no one ever does! Lol...)

And of course any time we are cleaning off any kind of poops, we do well to wash our hands well.

It is not likely your Bird was even sick at all, but rather, he is likely young, or, whatever his age may be, he was distracted or not watching out, and got hit by a Car.


No need for gloves or special precautions of any sort...

When cleaning off his little poopy-butt, you can do so in the Sink in some several inches of tepid Water, and just gently support him in one hand, and with the other, use your finger tips to massage off whatever the water will carry away...blot him dry...and set him somewhere warm so he does not get chilled...that is if he really gets himself smeary bakc there, and it is not just a 'raisen' sticking to him...

Even if he was definitely ill, their illnesses tend to be their own...and, but for some extremely rare exceptions, we would not be able catch anything from them if we tried.

Human saliva can kill them, as can Cat Saliva from the germs it has in it...if it gets into an injury or into their mouths...where, there is nothing about their Saliva to concern us, or any one else...far as that goes...


So, just basic hygene is all one need bother with...the same as when dealing with children, Cats, Dogs or any Creatures...

There are many things people can and do catch from Cats...and pregnamt Women should be very wary of Cat Litter Boxes especially, letting others empty them or wash them and so on...

But Pigeons offer no such worrys...

Phil
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[mr squeaks]

Hi Justin and welcome to Pigeon Talk!!

Phil has a wonderful way with pigeons and has helped many.

I, too, only have one pigeon with three cats. However, my situation is rather unique because Mr. Squeaks had to have part of one wing amputated and cannot fly. I live in an apartment and keep my cats indoors too. Lucky for me, Squeaks has attitude and rules me and my cats with an iron beak! His full story is in the "story" section and posted a few years ago.

As Phil mentioned, keeping his food and water near him will help. We look forward to pictures. To help protect him from the cats, he could also be placed in a small animal cage off the ground and the top and sides could be covered to keep the cats from being too inquisitive.

Please keep us updated...do you have a name for him/her yet?

Wishing all hugs and scritches

Shi & Squeaks

[Pidgey]

I've still got a pigeon who was like that when I found him. I expect he was hit by a car and there was either severe bruising or breakage to the leg and shoulder. The wing doesn't work properly to this day (found him 3 or 4 years ago) but the leg healed up nicely. It took him about a month before he was walking decently again. He lives in my loft now and is one of the sweetest birds in there. As long as nothing worse is wrong, they kinda' regain their appetite in two or three days. If you can get a dove mix at a pet store, that'd be the best food for him.

Pidgey

[Margarret]

Justin,

Welcome to Pigeon Talk. You already have experts, Phil and Pidgey, helping so any thing I might add would be redundant.
Thank you so much for rescuing this pigeon.

Margaret

[Dezirrae]

Hi Justin,

There is a clinic in NYC that has excellent avain care. I'm not sure how close it is to you -- Animal General, http://www.animalgeneral.com/ag_comm.html, 558 Columbus Ave (NW corner of 87th Street). Phone - 212-501-9600.

Good luck with the little guy - sounds very sweet (and also looking forward to pictures ).

Dez

[mylovelyirina]

Thanks for the advice everyone. So I woke up this morning to check on him, and he was very active. Ate everything I gave him, but does not want to drink (i'll try again later). He poop'd immidiately after, but the color was a dark green, liquid mixed with solid. No white in this run. Not sure what to make of it.

I called the animal clinic recommended, and they basically echoed what everyone here has stated. They said I could bring him in to see if anything is broken, but she said to try and keep him stable for now. He flaps all over the place. He calms down when I pick him up.

Poopomg 20-30 times a day?? I don't know how I'm going to manage that. I don't want to keep bathing him, only because I want to keep his body temperature warm. Everytime I bath him, after I dry him up, he still a little damp, and that concerns me. Very hard to dry him completely. Is it ok to bath him twice daily? I ask because, right now, after he poops, he tries to move away, but many times is unsuccessful and I don't want his poop to harden and cake his um, 'passageway'.

Thanks again.

- Justin

[Pidgey]

You can call it a "vent". Anyhow, the one I still have is named "X-er" (long story) and he'd move every time he pooped. I just gave him plenty of space and let him do it. He wouldn't stay on the towel that I provided. I had another one time (and, again, still do) that I kept in a shoebox wrapped up in a towel. I'd uncover him, pick him up gently, and change his "diaper" (folded toilet paper underneath him) every so often (~30 minutes) and then replace him and the towel. He stayed in that box like that for almost two weeks before he started deciding to get up and move around a bit. I'd also splinted the broken leg with 2" wide masking tape.

Pidgey

[pdpbison]

Hi Justin,



Try offering him body temperature Water, and he might be more interested to drink...even gently guide his Beak into it to remind him about how he needs to be drinking more!


Sometimes I have set up a simple Sling for Pigeons who for the time being have been injured like this, or, who have lost the use of their Legs...

Old Tee-Shirt material works nicely, since it is slightly yielding...and the idea is for them to be able to poop out of the end of it, and then they are not compelled to move away from it, since being in the Sling keeps them about as if they were standing...

So, having the Sling set up so they are no higher than if they were standing, is best.


One has two holes in the fabric, about the diameter of 25 Cent pieces, about 2-1/2 inches apart or so, for their Thighs to pass through so their Legs merely dangle then, relaxed...and one does not want the fabric to be pulling against them there where their Legs sort of go under their skin on their sides...so the spacing of the holes needs to ensure their comfort.

And one sets up their Seeds and Water on a housebrick or other small platform, to be of easy reach and height then for the Pigeon.


This saves all that having to clean them so often, which of course is a relief to them and you..

I think I have some Sling images somewhere...will post a link later...gotta run now...


Phil
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[maryjane]

Thanks for taking this pigeon in, he certainly would not have made it out in the streets being injured, and in cold temps. I think we have a few members somewhere near you, but they must not have seen this thread yet. Often when someone finds a pigeon, one of our members will meet to pick it up and take over care. It sounds like you're doing a great job, just keep up the good work, and thanks again for saving him.

[phyll]

Justin,
Thank you for protecting this bird & bringing him in. With the cold & strong winds we experienced, being on the street would have been torture for him.
Please make an appointment at Animal General. They ask for a donation, but will treat him for free. Your pigeon will be examined, &, if needed, an x-ray will be taken.
IF, due to injury, the pigeon cannot be released in the future, they will recommend euthanasia. Even if you see significant improvement, please do not release him until you know he can fly very well ~ especially in this cold weather.
If this pigeon is unreleasable, please consider keeping him; they are WONDERFUL pets. My pigeon has been a blessing.
I pray that everything works out for him. May God bless you for helping His creatures.

Phyll

[mylovelyirina]

I will make an appointment b4 the week is out. Unfortunately, because of work issues, it's very hard right now, as it is uor busiest season, and I have to work. So, I'll try and get on it this week.

He's very active, moving around all over the place. Definitely a city pigeon. No name as of yet, but we'll see how the hospital visit goes. I have no problem keeping him. Don't see a reason for euthansia, especially if he heals ok. I understand about not releasing him, but he is welcomed here, if his injuries are too much for him to handle himself in the streets of Brooklyn. I'd rather let him live out his final years in comfort, then abruptly ended because there is no other option. I would understand if he was in pain and such, but as far as I can tell, he seems fine. As I said, very active. My cats are very curious, still a little frightful, but they are used to me bringing home all sorts of strays - hell, all of them were found in the streets as kittens. So, it's time to return the favor and help another brother creature in need. Seems all these animals find their way to my home, so I figure it's my duty and an honor to take care of them in this time of need. They don't just show up for nothing.

Luckily, my significant other, tolerates the 'zoo' i run here. Without her support, I don't know what I would do with all these animals when they happen upon my path seeking help.

I'll keep you updated.

Thanks again everyone.

- Justin

[Charis]

Blessings, Justin. You have a kind heart.