What should I do about DumpsterDiver?

[feralpigeon]

There is this oh so cute in my eyes little pigeon at one of the buildings I take care of. I started feeding her about a year ago when I noticed that she would take these prolonged dives in the dumpster looking for food and then show up at my vehicle @ lunch time looking very pathetic.
We took to each other and before I knew it, she would follow me into the facility after lunch as if she was there on official business to help me.
Over the last couple of months her "bad hair day" has turned into loss of feathers and her head is virtually bald. She is also losing the feathers on her back between the wings and it is quite an effort for her to fly to awnings between the first and second floors.
I have thought of catching her and bringing her home to help her, I think she may have mites and who knows what else, but she does have a mate and a few weeks ago I noticed when she bent over to peck at seeds, there was an egg stuck to her hi-nee. What should I do ? I don't want to make her unhappy by splitting her and her mate up, I don't know where her nest is so I have no way of knowing if she has babies that she is attending to. Can anybody help me with advice on this one?
Thanks,
fp

[Pigeonpal2002]

Hi Feralpigeon,

Hmmm....Maybe it would be a good idea to catch her if you can. I don't like the fact that there is an egg stuck to her bum. It could be causing problems with her pooping. If you were to catch her, you could try to clean her up a bit. Starting by examining this egg situation and trying to remove it and then perhaps you could treat her with a mite/lice product. If you only have her for a little while to clean her up, this shouldn't interfere with her mate or possible nest or babies. This is probably what I would do but let's see what others can suggest as well.

[pigeonmama]

I agree with Brad. See if you can capture her briefly, treat her as best you can, then release her. If you are able to capture her, be sure to give her a treat before you release her, to remind her that you're the good guy after all.
Daryl

[Pete Jasinski]

That egg could really pose a threat to her health, I third the idea of catching her and bringing her back to health.

[feralpigeon]

I was able to pick up Dumpster Diver this afternoon when the flock was distracted with a seed dump. She was not doing well this am when I was there and didn't come down from the awning.
The following is a description of her appearance that concerns me;
1. Her skin appears reddish in areas under the feathers.
2. The inside of her mouth is not pinkish, but instead, a darker red.
3. Her eyes appear red as opposed to orange.
4. Her skin appears wrinkled and dry.
5. There are no feathers around her eyes and much of her head although her head has changed from being redish to looking blackish. Maybe the beginnings of new feathers coming in?
6. Her feathers feel hard instead of soft the way other pijs' do.
7. And she of course smells a little like deep fried fat.

Is this only mites and/or lice? Can someone give advice on what I should do to start getting this one back on the track to good health?
fp
PS- Her stools don't look outstandingly different than what I observed in general with the feral flocks.

I picked up a product called Scalex which is for treating Mites and Lice. Is product appropriate for pigeons?

Should I bathe her before the spray treatment? Or just start with the mite treatment?

[Pigeonpal2002]

Hi FP,

The scalex, is fine to treat the bird for mites and lice. Just make sure you don't any around the eyes/nostrils/head region. . What about the egg that was stuck to her bum...is that gone now? Put a little mineral oil on her legs and feet, this will help with mites there as well and moisten her skin. How is the overall behaviour of this bird, is she alert and active? You mentioned before that she seemed fine observing her in the wild so just clean her up now and then set her free. You really shouldn't give medications to feral pigeons if there is no apparent reason for it.

[Reti]

I have to add one thing to Brad's advice. If you can give her a fish oil capsule, that would help with the feathers. It might have been that she went through a bad molt, so the additional vitamin A and E won't hurt her.
Some rehabbers also give a garlic oil capsules, it helps with worms and mites.
Both are natural and won't hurt the bird.

Reti

[feralpigeon]

Hi pigpal, reti, et al-

Last night she would fall over in carrier and then just stay in that position until I set her upright again.

Are the color of her eyes normal?

Would mites &/or lice cause the skin to appear red?

About the capsules, do I break them open and transfer just the oil into the mouth or are you talking about putting the whole capsule into the mouth?

Thanks,

Nancy

[feralpigeon]

Originally Posted by Pigeonpal2002

Hi FP,

The scalex, is fine to treat the bird for mites and lice. Just make sure you don't any around the eyes/nostrils/head region. . What about the egg that was stuck to her bum...is that gone now?

**Yes, the egg is gone now, but her bum is a bit of a mess. I can also see thru feathers on back between the wings.

Put a little mineral oil on her legs and feet, this will help with mites there as well and moisten her skin. How is the overall behaviour of this bird, is she alert and active? You mentioned before that she seemed fine observing her in the wild so just clean her up now and then set her free. You really shouldn't give medications to feral pigeons if there is no apparent reason for it.

**This is a good start. Thanks.

[Pigeonpal2002]

Hi Nancy,

I'm not sure about why she was falling over in the carrier. Is she not acting normal...preening, looking around, alert etc? Do you think she is having a balance problem? This could be something to worry about. Can you give us more details? Maybe someone else can advise you on this.

The eyes of a pigeon can be various shades of red, orange, yellow or white and combinations of all of those. I'm not sure where you are seeing red skin on the pigeon. Are you looking under the feathers on the body? It should be pink on a lighter coloured bird and darker grey/red on darker coloured pigeons. As for the capsule, yes you just put the whole thing down the birds' throat so try to find the smallest ones you can get.

[feralpigeon]

Originally Posted by Pigeonpal2002

Hi Nancy,

I'm not sure about why she was falling over in the carrier. Is she not acting normal...preening, looking around, alert etc? Do you think she is having a balance problem? This could be something to worry about. Can you give us more details?

**I did have to set her upright in carrier because she didn't set herself straight. I think her gate has seemed labored for a while now, but she did still get around. Could the mites/lice get her feeling so punk if there for extended enough time to make her behave that way? Also, if her feathers are "gluey" enuf, maybe its just hard for her to move them as freely to get her balance?

Maybe someone else can advise you on this.

The eyes of a pigeon can be various shades of red, orange, yellow or white and combinations of all of those. I'm not sure where you are seeing red skin on the pigeon. Are you looking under the feathers on the body? It should be pink on a lighter coloured bird and darker grey/red on darker coloured pigeons.

** OK, so that seems normal, she is a darker pij and I saw the reddish skin through the balding areas of feathers.

As for the capsule, yes you just put the whole thing down the birds' throat so try to find the smallest ones you can get.

**OK, that's doable!
Thanks,
fp

[AZWhitefeather]

"Her skin appears wrinkled and dry."
The dry skin is a good indication she is dehydrated. The falling over would most definitely confirm this.

I would suggest getting some 'rehydrating solution' into her immediately.
Place a pinch of salt & sugar in about a cup of warm water & dissolve.
If she is alert, you can begin rehydrating by mouth using an eye dropper and putting drops along her beak every few minutes.
I would hold off offering her seeds at this point. She needs to be rehydrated first & foremost.

I would also put her in a warm, dark, quite area of your home & place her on a towel lined heating pad set on low.

Please let us know how things are going.

Cindy

[feralpigeon]

Hi Cindy,
Yes, I saw a post earlier today about the rehydrating
formula......will do.
Yes, she is "quaranteed" in a warm dry place.
Thanks for your input.
fp

[feralpigeon]

OK,
So, I treated the carrier w/the scalex and let it dry.
Made a "hood" for her head out of a 4x4 gauze bandage stapled on sides, and sprayed her. When I was done, my lap had a bunch of these white flakey things.
Also, one of her wings looks like it has a sore on the uppermost outer edge.
fp

[feralpigeon]

Hi there,
Should've included this in last post-- her tail feathers are miserably "ratty". It looks like I'm supposed to treat her twice a week, but doesn't say for how long. I'm thinking that her feathers aren't gonna come back before I return her, so how many of these "treatments" should I give her before returning her to her flock?

Also, should I attempt bathing her to get the crap off her before bringing her back? Or just leave it be?
Thanks,
fp