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#1
10th December 2006, 03:46 PM
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wild pigeon stuck to cementMy parents found a pigeon stuck to the cement outside of the house, so they got the ice off of it and took it inside. The bird isn't healthy though. It looks okay but it can't stand up. When you lift it up it will put it's feet down but if you go to let go it will wobble, it can't support itself. It's wings work but he can't fly. We set him on the floor and he tried to flap but he couldn't get off the ground. (it was sad) His breastbone sticks out and he feels thin. It is eating fine because the bowl is low and it can reach it lying down, but to drink the water I have to lift it up. Right now it has some of my parakeet's food and some water with sugar and a little salt in it. Another thing: since it can't stand up when it poops it stays on him. It's all over his legs, do I give him a bath or do I leave it there for now? Is there any diseases with symtoms like this that are contagous to humans??? Do you think he has a chance? As you can tell I haven't had any experience at all with pigeons.
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#2
10th December 2006, 03:54 PM
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Well, more than likely he's just not been able to find enough to eat and has fallen behind enough to come to the state that you found him in. For the moment, let's see how much he eats and progresses. You can clean him up but one of the easiest ways to manage a bird in that condition is to roll a towel into a donut so that it supports the body and takes some or most of the weight off the legs. You can fold up some toilet paper and put it under the back end to use like a diaper to be replaced from time to time.
You can describe the poops for now but it might take awhile before some true solids start coming out. Pidgey
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#3
10th December 2006, 03:57 PM
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Also, if there's any way that you can get some extra heat on him, that would be good. They really love heat lamps but that's better when they can move to get out from under them better. If you have one of those, you can watch the bird and adjust it to get it where it's warming him but not to the point of cooking him. It kinda' depends on how powerful it is but with my lamp, they usually like to be within a foot of it.
Pidgey
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#4
10th December 2006, 04:00 PM
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right now I have a heated sock with in it under him because we don't have a heating pad or a lamp
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#5
10th December 2006, 04:04 PM
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Where, roughly, are you? It may be that the bird is sick with something like Coccidiosis and could use a medication. A lot of the sick ones that I have gotten have been sick with that. It's a protozoal disease that virtually all of them carry and you don't have to worry because it's species-specific.
Pidgey
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#7
10th December 2006, 04:09 PM
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Hi 60PAAllen, welcome to PT and thanks for helping the ice-stuck pigeon out.
Just wanted to mention that if the sock is one of the microwavable types to make sure it is well wrapped w/a towel. They can get some pretty intense 'hot spots' that could burn the pigeon. Thanks. fp
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#8
10th December 2006, 04:11 PM
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Quote:
fp
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#9
10th December 2006, 04:16 PM
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There are other possibilities, but for starters are any of the rehab resources
listed here in your area and also accepting birds: http://www.tc.umn.edu/~devo0028/contactA.htm#il fp
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#10
10th December 2006, 04:17 PM
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That's pretty much it. Coccidiosis is a disease where the lining of the intestines gets a bit ulcerated--kinda' like having a cold sore in your guts, only over a broader area. It causes malabsorption of nutrients and possibly general flu-like symptoms. For the birds that I've had that have had it, they very often don't want to fly. Whether that's from weakness or aching joints, I don't know. It's easily controlled with medication and they can often get over it on their own as long as they don't have to fight the elements too hard and there's not enough food around. I expect that he's going to figure out that he's doing pretty well here pretty quick.
By the way, are there any little yellow downy hairs on him? Pidgey
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#11
10th December 2006, 04:41 PM
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I put him in the little donut thing and it was great. He could reach his food and water, but then he used his legs and pushed forward. He tipped right over and his head went in his food but he couldn't get back up. I don't see any little yellow downy hairs on him; he looks just like one of the regular pigeons you see in the city, except he's all black. When they get that disease in the wild they're usually okay without meds? How long does that take?
P.S. the sock with rice is well wrapped
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#12
10th December 2006, 04:45 PM
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Quote:
lethargy, very watery greenish color poop, ruffled feathers, sitting very quiet with eyes closed/sleeping, little or no desire to eat.
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#13
10th December 2006, 04:47 PM
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Well, he'll have to get used to the donut.
They get over it only when it's a mild case. This is the kind of case where it would be terminal for the bird if you hadn't rescued it. Have to tell you, though, this doesn't have to be Coccidiosis and he might not get over whatever it is. The fact that he's eating is certainly good but the lack of coordination and balance is not. Pidgey
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#14
10th December 2006, 04:47 PM
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Hi Allen,
Yes, definitely go to Walmart or some Drug Store and get a basic Electric Heating Pad...set it to 'medium', lay a towell over it...and on this, set the roilled-small-towell "do-nut" for the Pigeon to lay in-on...if it seems too warm, fold the primary towell so that there are two layers... Let us know if there is any 'yellow' in the poops, or yellow where 'white' should be... Warmth will be very important to this Bird... When they starve, their system generally, and their immune system of course can become weakened and they can start to suffer from increases in what are otherwise normal backgrouns flaura and fauna, and become ill... Nothing to worry about as for people getting anything, but serious for them... So, warmth, good chow, rest and comfort...for sure, should be the regimen... And, if you would, describe what the poops look like, color wise, consistancy wise, number wise... Best wishes! Phil Las Vegas
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#15
10th December 2006, 04:52 PM
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Since you asked, I had one that was emaciated and it took perhaps three months for her to get feeling good enough to want to go out to the loft. She had a little bit of everything, including worms. We took care of everything that we could but the level of thinness that she got to probably did some organ damage. She only lasted three years after that but she wasn't a young pigeon to begin with. That was three years that she wouldn't have otherwise had. We got her late in the September right after 9/11.
She was about the worst case. I also didn't have the right medicine at the time. It usually takes them less time to get over it. In your bird's case, it will be as much a matter of gaining the weight back as it will getting over a disease. Pidgey Last edited by Pidgey; 10th December 2006 at 05:02 PM.
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