Rescued pigeon, Need help on how care for in the cold months ahead

[orion1363]

I rescued a pigeon last week. I took it to the vet & they told me some of it's feathers have been ripped away. That's why it can't fly. Other than that it looks healthy. They told me it could take up to three months for them to grow back. I bought a large rabbit cage for the pigeon. I have it in my garage right now. I was told it needs lots of sun light. There is only one window in the garage & it doesn't let in alot of light. Also it is getting colder now & I want to make sure it's ok. What do I do in the winter time?

[John_D]

Yes, pigeons need the sunlight so they can form vitamin D3. However, to overcome that (quite a few folk have indoor pigeons, and loft pigeons may not always get enough natural light in winter), they can be given a vit D3 supplement. Another source is to give a fair bit of barley in the food, as this ripens in sunlight and conatins D3.

Pigeons can stand cold, provided they are kept damp- and draft-free, but your winters can, I guess, be pretty bad. Is it possible to bring the pigeon inside? Would there be a room where it could exercise safely, maybe? They also like company, even human company, as they are not by nature solitary birds.

John

[orion1363]

Thanks John

I don't have another room. I have 4 indoor cats.

[John_D]

Ah, that's a problem. Any way you can put heater(s) in the garage?

Don't know what he's eating, but a good all round pigeon mix will give him plenty of inner warmth, too.

I know we have folks with lofts in N America, so hopefully one or other will be able to offer winter ideas.

John

[maryjane]

A heat lamp works well, too. If you are able to, you should bring him in (even inside his cage) during the day or evenings, just to spend time with you and around people/TV/animals. Pigeons get very lonely (sounds funny, but anyone on here will tell you how very sociable they are, whether it's to other birds, cats, people, etc.). If he's in a rabbit cage, he should be pretty easy to move back and forth. An infrared heat lamp can be attached above his cage (not too close, obviously), doesn't use a whole lot of electricity, and provides a steady warmth at night. If you are able to let him walk around a room at all, and test his wings as the feathers grow back, that is very important for his recovery. Maybe you can put the cats out of one room while he's in there? A tarp on the floor, or sheet that can be washed, is handy for cleaning up after. A tarp can be wiped down easily. Good luck and please feel free to ask any more questions you might come up with.

[orion1363]

Thanks Maryjane

Where would I get an infared heat lamp?

[Trees Gray]

I would give up to 30% whole corn, the medium orange/yellow colored variety in the pigeon mix. Corn is readily eaten in winter as it helps with heat loss.

[Ashbel]

Originally Posted by orion1363

Where would I get an infared heat lamp?

You can find those at petstores. They sell them for reptiles. You might even be able to find the infrared bulb and heat lamp for less at your local Wal-Mart.

[orion1363]

Thanks everyone for your help.

Looks like I will making a trip to the pet store for corn & a heat lamp.

I took the pigeon out of the garage today when I got home to give him/her some sunlight. Still in the rabbit cage of course. He/she kept trying to fly. I didn't want it to hurt itself so I brought he/she back into the garage. Any suggestions?

Thanks again
Rob

[Victor]

The pigeon is feeling nervous in the new uncertain surroundings and after probably going through an ordel and probably not sure of your intention, but in time it should settle down.

Gaining its trust is important here. As Maryjane urged you, try and spend some time with it, and if at all possible, put the kitties in a different room for a while and bring him in. Peak to him softly and just being around him will help him adjust.And there is really nothing as good as the real sunshine Please try and have him spend time with good natural sunlight when possible.

Try and keep him settled...warm, and check his water dish and seed dish to make sure it does not get droppings in it.

Speaking of ...how are the poops. It has been under stress. Can you describe what they look like?

[orion1363]

The poop is a dark color with white in it.

I have been cleaning his water dish & seed dish & cage 2 times a day. I have a layer of newspaper & then a layer of paper towel on the bottom of the cage. When he is in the garage(in cage) he is calm. I have a little box with shreded paper in it and he spends alot of time in that.

Thanks Again

[Victor]

The poops should be brown or green with white(urates) fairlly much in the center and should be somewhat firm, not watery. Consistency and shape of cookie dough.

Thanks for taking care of this pigeon. It looks like you are doing a good job.

[pdpbison]

Hi Bob,


The bad thing about overly large Cages for a 'wild' Pigeon or other Bird, is that they will tend to damage themselves and their Feathers or faces hurling themselves against it.

If the intention is for them to stay put and heal up, a smaller Cage is best.

Too, it is best to have them indoors and where you will be, so the Pigeon can understand it is safe and that you are allright, and keeping them in a Garage does not do this at all.

I do this sort of stuff constantly, and what I found, is that it is best for me to set them up in a two foot by foot and a half or so Cage, at shoulder height, right in my Office here...

And, then, with gentle interactions, in a couple of days the Pigeoh is relaxed, easy, calm and accepting of my occasional invasions of what son becomes 'their' space and Cage. And or even allowing me some liberties for gently preening their Keel or Crop now and then, so long as I ask first.

Vitamine 'D' will not likely be an issue for the short time this Pigeon needs to be in your care. And if you think it is, then just set them outside on Sunny nice Days, in their cage, in occasions when you can sit next to them or be close to them, and make sure they are not hurling themselves against the Cage sides.


Always ask them first if you may come into their Cage when you need to change out Seeds and Water or to clean the Cage...pause, then do the deed slowly and looking at what you are doing and not looking into their eyes...

Move slowly always, and keep your hands "low" and well below their Eye level.

Anyway, if at all possible, please get a smaller Cage, and also bring them in and set them up about as I describe.

if your house is cold inside, and you think they owuld benifit from more warmth, get an electric Heating Pad and set it up so the Pigeon can be on it or off of it as they like..

Use a light color Towell for lining the Cage and for covering the Heating pad.

Heat lamps make no sense at all to me and hurt MY eyes, so I expect they will hurt the Bird's eyes also...and besides, the Bird might prefer some darkness sometimes, and a Heating Pad solves all these concerns neatly.


This will allow the Pigeon to be a great deal less stressed, or even for them to become comfortable more or less, and to abide their confinement as they recover.

They will become totally 'wild' again later once released, so for now, there is no harm in letting them be a respected and defered to part of the Family, so long as this may be done without kids or dogs or cats interfereing with them.

On a good diet, and when fairly stress free, they can and will Grow tons of new Feathers sooner than three months for sure.


Best wishes!

Phil
Las Vegas

[orion1363]

Just got back from the pet store with the infared lamp, VD-3, Corn & grit.
How close do I place the infared lamp it's 100w? The cage is 3ft long, 20" high & 18" wide. I have the water & food at one end & the box with shredded paper at the other end.

The poop is brown with white in it and shaped like cookie dough.

How much food do I feed him/her? I have been using Dove/Pigeon mix. I added some barley & some plain peanuts. I have been keeping the plate with food in it all the time. Every time I clean the cage I put in new food & water.

Thanks

[Victor]

Place the heat lamp about 1/2 foot away so it is not touching the cage itself. I would place it on a corner so that it can elect to get a good artificial light exposure or move away from it if it wants to.

The poops do sound nice and health,good.

Good job on checking for dish cleanliness.

I would give your pigeon about two tablespoons of the pigeon-dove mix in the morning, and check later in the afternoon and add as necessary. Add the supplemental ingredients you get like the peanuts...the raw shelled unslated variety is what you want. I hope yours like them I ended up giving most of my peanuts to the feral squirrels.

Keep up the good work!