Wild Pigeon found: Not having it's food

[spdevanand]

Originally Posted by plamenh

I would also give him medicine for canker.

Unfortunately we do not have any avian Vet in bangalore (I think in whole of India. Vets here concentrate on dogs, cats & cows). Could you please suggest me the medicine names for canker and also the multivitamines tablets. I will try if by any miracle any medical stores selling them at Bangalore.

Originally Posted by plamenh

Please don't give him Betnesol drops as they should'n be given in viral or fungal cases. Your vet has good intentions, but no experience with birds. If you must, rather look for avian vet, or even beter, pigeon fancier.

I will stop giving Betnesol drops, but as I mentioned earlier there is no avian vet here and I am desperately searching for a pigeon fancier who can help me out with the situation.

Thanks again for all your support.

[Charis]

The canker medicine is ...metronidazole.
Here are some resources in India. At least you can call and ask for advise.

Karuna Society for Animals and Nature
2/138/C,
Karuna Nilayam, Behind S.C. Quarters,
Vill. Enumulapalli,
Puttaparthi- 515134,
Anantpur District,
Andhra Pradesh,
India
Phone: + 91 (8555) 287214
Email: karunasociety@gmail.com, karuna_arp@yahoo.co.in
http://www.karunasociety.org/
Veterinary hospital, shelter, animal ambulance, pet adoption, wildlife rescue.

DELHI/NEW DELHI
Charity Birds Hospital
Shri Digambar Jain Lal Mandir Ji,
Opposite Red Fort,
Chandni Chowk,
Delhi -110006.
Phone: 32909216.
(Contact Person - Shri Pankaj Jain, Superintendent)

Charitable Birds Hospital,
Shri Vijayanand Sureshwar Jain Sewa Trust,
H-48, Near Corporation Pump,
Navin Shahdara,
Delhi - 110032.
Phone: 22825088

Friendicoes SECA (Society for the Eradication of Cruelty to Animals)
271 & 273 Defence Colony Flyover Market (Jungpura side),
New Delhi - 110024, India.
Phone: 011- 24320707, 24314787
Email : friends271@vsnl.net
Shelter, veterinary hospital, animal ambulance, pet adoption, wildlife rescue.
http://www.friendicoes.org/ ]Website: http://www.friendicoes.org/ _________________

[spdevanand]

Originally Posted by Charis

Thank you for explaining. I know how painful this can be and in the end, all we can do is our best, Thank-you for having such a kind heart. The Pigeon is lucky to be in your care.

Thank you for your words and all your support. We really feel helpless here when we seek help for these birds and others tell us "Oh don't worry much, this is JUST a wild pigeon and they can have so many problems which is difficult to find / cure". I just wish every creature on this earth is treated equally.

Originally Posted by Charis

The canker medicine is ...metronidazole.
Here are some resources in India.

Great. I will definitely contact them and find this out. Thanks again.

[Charis]

Across the miles... a big hug from me to you.
Good luck... keep us posted...OK?

[Feefo]

People for Animals Bangalore treat urban wildlife and their statistics show pigeons rescued:

People for Animals,
67 Uttalahari Main Road Kengeri,
Bangalore
Karanataka 560060

Tel + 91 80 28 603 986

http://www.pfa-bangalore.org/archive.aspx

[spdevanand]

hey Feefo,

Thanks a ton for giving me these numbers...will call them up and find out if they can be of any help to me.

Meanwhile based on other members suggestions, i tried feeding him corn and chickpeas soaked in water but he didn't eat it after forcing a lot, by handfeeding him, he just had about 10% of one chickpeas (which is really very small)...don't know how to make it eat. It is now around 2 hours since he ate and i can still see that the crop part is little bulged. Is that ok? I have been giving him water mixed with little salt and honey from a dropper, he has been drinking it (around 10 to 20 ml each time)...have fed him water thrice since the last 12 hrs.

He is always desperate to try to come out of the cage and possibly free himself and actively keeps looking at the surroundings.

[Feefo]

The water with honey will help a bit, because that will give him energy.
Try to get some wild bird seed or chicken feed or canary mix and scatter it around him.

If he doesn't eat the dry seed then try pushing a whole pea to the back of the throat.

Does he just struggle when you try to force feed him or does he regurgitate what goes down? I am struggling with a pigeon that brings up whatever I try to feed her, so I really sympathise.

Cynthia

[spdevanand]

Oh hope you too find luck in being able to make your pigeon eat...it is so difficult. This one doesn't actually regurgitate but what i noticed was whenever i try to feed him, he keeps looking at the surroundings than concentrating on the food and turns his face away. If i push the peas or rice grain deep, he doesn't spit it out but if i just keep it in inside his mouth, it drops off. I didn't want to force it too deep as i was scared it might choke him...will again feed him in the morning and see how much he is eating and post you guys.

Will also check on the poop again in the morning.

[ceren]

don't worry, you won't choke him with the corn/chickpeas.

I had to REALLY wrestle with my baby feral pigeon and if I didn't get the pea all the way to the back of the beak, he'd shake his head and toss it out. stupid baby, it's a good thing he's cute. :P He's not concentrating on the food because your hand doesn't look like Mom Pigeon or Dad Pigeon. It's nothing to get worried about.

With solid foods, the swallow reflex is very strong with birds. Just push those peas into the back of the mouth, and the baby will swallow them fine.

I got pretty tired of feeding my baby pigeon peas, so sometimes I'd put them down on the ground and make "peck peck peck" motions with my finger. That gets the bird's attention, and they try to copy the pecking at the food. It took about 6 days before he learned to pick up and swallow seeds, though. Very klutzy. I had to take pinch-fulls of the seed and shove as much as I could into his mouth, and eventually the pigeon understood that seeds were food.

Other than the food and the metronidazole, you probably won't have to do anything else, and this will become a healthy young pigeon. Perhaps if he wants out of the cage so badly, it can become room-flying (or just hopping and flapping) practice time...?

[spdevanand]

Hey you hit the nail on the head....he does exactly the same thing...when i put the peas in his mouth he would shake his head and toss it out. Ok, then i will try to push pieces of peas little by little a bit more deeper into his throat so that he can swallow them. Hope i get luck with that Am searching if i can get metronidazole or ronidazole tabs anywhere in Bangalore as none of the shops seem to have them

Originally Posted by ceren

sometimes I'd put them down on the ground and make "peck peck peck" motions with my finger. That gets the bird's attention, and they try to copy the pecking at the food. It took about 6 days before he learned to pick up and swallow seeds, though.

That's interesting will try that out.

[spdevanand]

My pigeon has slightly got used to drinking water (mixed with honey & little salt) from the dropper. Though he is not completely drinking this on his own, he is now little better than what he was. If small pieces of chickpeas / corn are feed to him by pushing it inside his throat, then he has no problem in accepting. But placing the food in his throat seems to be little difficult for me. I am getting better though.

Another thing i noticed is, his droppings are more runny now and has more of black particles comparatively Could this be because he is not having enough food ?

And is it worth trying this method for feeding my pigeon?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bin7r...eature=related

[overmarco]

You need to force feed this baby. It will not survive without food. Twice a day about 50 (each time) defrosted peas or corn is ok. You defrost the peas with warm water and wait until they have your hand temperature and they are soft. If you cant find frosted peas you cand boil some.
The reason everyone recomends defrosted peas is because it's easy and it takes about 15 mins to feed the baby. Also defrosted peas have enough water in them.

When you feed him, wrap a heavy towel arround him and leave just his head outside. With your left hand keep his head still, with the right hand place a pea at the base of his beak, on a side. While you opening his beak with the left hand, rubb the pea against his beak. When the beak is open enough, push the pea in his throat. Hi will swallow it cause he has no other alternative. You need to do this until his crop is full, feel it as you are feeding him the peas. At the end it shouldn't be stuffed just full.

YOU NEED TO FEED HIM ASAP even he doesnt want to eat and he fights against it.

Good luck

[spdevanand]

Hi overmarco,

I did handfeed my pigeon today and managed to make him eat little more than yesterday (two whole chickpeas & ~15 wheat grains. both were soaked in water & broken into pieces). I know this is still very less than what he is suppose to be eating, but I am increasing the food quantity slightly every time. His water intake is getting better and he likes to drink water.

I hope I can gradually make him eat more and get his food level to normal. I will feed him defrosted corn along chickpeas.

Please let me know if I am missing out on anything. Thank you all for your support. I will keep you guys updated.

[overmarco]

Feel his crop, if it is empty, feed him at least 30 chickpeas/corn. 15 wheat grains is very far from what he needs. I will try to post a movie of how its done in about 5 hours.

[overmarco]

Here is the movie.

Bare in mind it was this one first forced meal. They do get used to it after a couple of times.