"Baby" is now safe :)

[MellissaG]

I wrote a little bit ago about the neighbor pigeon babies who were kicked from the nest.

I didn't start to notice much until it was very obvious that one of the babies was not getting fed, and was very much smaller and sickly than her stronger sibling. Parents rarely came around to feed, maybe every other day -- and it was always the bigger one who got the dinner.

I thought for sure if either was to die, it would be the smaller one. But I waited to see any signs of sickness before taking them in -- then one day out of nowhere, the older sibling was on his side, dead.

This was sometime last week. Ive been observing who ive now named "Baby", and her parents no longer come around at all. I started putting seed out for her as close to her little "spot" as I could reach, and sometimes she would get about 5 bites before Aisha and Ali's dad would shoo her away.

Also, after seeing a picture of another baby pigeon on here.. it scared me more, as some of you guys dubbed him suspicious looking and possibly needing to be treated for Canker. Baby looks exactly like that picture, so ive been slowing the past couple of days guiding her towards my side of the balcony to, temporarily scare the living crap out of her, but then place her safely in my apartment.

For two hours I just sat outside on my balcony, on my knees lol, placing small amounts of seed next to me so that she could come over..and shooing now nearly full grown Aisha and Ali (hurray, but they are little brats..also attacking Baby when she comes near) and their Parents away, so that Baby could feel comfortable enough to get some food.

Soon she was getting full, and I thought for sure she would start heading back to her spot and I would not be able to reach her.. so with her looking up at me like "Hey youre pretty cool afterall, i totally trust you now! thanks! youre awesome!" I grabbed her -- Aw I felt so bad for scaring her like that. I put her in the cat carrier that once was Aisha and Ali's nest after a hard rain - put some seed for her in there and left her on the balcony for about 10 minutes while i prepared her "indoors" home, and something very interesting happened. While she was pecking away VERY hungrily at her seeds, Aisha and Ali's dad went CRAZY over the carrier. At first I was thinking he was trying to get Baby out -- and was scared for her. But then when the seeds started depleting and Baby had to move closer to the door of the cage, Daddy was pecking her like crazy...very violent. Hes always like that with her, but I think I upset him by putting Baby in what was HIS children's nest not too long ago?

Anyway.. back to Baby's situation. Something to note, when I handled her she is EXTREMELY skinny. Ive handled Aisha and Ali, who (while they initially run away, do allow me to hold them after some pestering) and they are very plump, as im sure they should be. Baby is nearly skeletal, its scary.

It doesnt surprise me though since she has been barely eating for the past couple of weeks.

Anyway, I just wanted to let you all know she is now okay.

Now for the questions..
I did get a private message from one of you about buying canker meds via online, but do they have that stuff at petstores? So essentially I can go pick some up today?

I suspect she has mites, what would be best for this? Can I just give her a bath?

Im not entirely sure if I would like to keep her. I do fear that the past while of her life has left her malnurished, and has quite noticably stunted her growth is basically the same age as Aisha and Ali, (and Baby's sibling was the same size of them. Baby still looks like she is 3-4 weeks old)

She has not had the same developmental learning I feel as she should have at this age. By now she should have been feeling free to roam around the balcony, but she was unable to do so with the adult pigeons pecking and attacking after she got kicked out of the nest, they couldve cared less so long as she didnt leave her "spot" . Does this happen with birds, or animals in general or is there the possibility I could rehabilitate her and get her caught up with her age?

I would not be able to return her to the pigeons on my balcony, I dont think, as they have hated her for a long time -- but I was thinking, if after I got her healthy and plump again, and took her to get her wings clipped, and entered her into a flock in the park or something a couple of days out of the week, but then took her back inside.. then she would get "tutoring" on how to be a pigeon from other pigeons, BUT incase she got spooked would not fly away, risking harm to herself.

Any ideas?

Here are some pictures of her.. although she is sitting cozy right now. When she stands she looks more like this
http://www.flickr.com/photos/100fires/tags/simon/ (I am stealing your pigeon picture, Aias, sorry ) .. she looks like that, but even rattier feathers in the back. Just over all a mess.

Heres Baby for real...

[MellissaG]

And yes, that is a hamster cage. Temporary. Id put her in a box, but I have a very curious cat...

And I preferred this over the cat carrier as its more "open", id hate to see her being kept in a dark container.

Also with her being able to watch me, hopefully she'll warm up (And forgive me for the earlier scare when I grabbed her.)

[Pidgey]

Emaciation is scary--when it's really bad, they can literally eat enough to kill them. You might want to restrict how much he's getting at a time. How prominent is the keel... can you pinch it with your fingers and literally hold the bird by it?

Pidgey

[flitsnowzoom]

I am so HAPPY that you now have Baby tucked away safely in your care. I can imagine that she wouldn't have lasted much longer from your description. I really can't answer too many of your questions but I would wait to see how she recovers before even thinking about "college"

I am on the 911Parrot alert email list and there's a fair number of birds with clipped wings that manage to escape their owners, including one of ours . They may not be able to fly well, but they seem to fly well enough to get into trees that are beyond the owner's reach, and from there, well . . . If you are in a large open field, that might be one thing, but near any kind of off-ground perch, you might be in for a wild-pigeon chase.

Good luck with Baby. Love the digs, too!

[MellissaG]

I didnt put too much food in there when she was eating. She seems to know when to stop, I think. She hadnt finished the seeds in the cat carrier before I moved her indoors, I do have a dish (See green bowl in pics) with seed in there, but she's perfectly happy dozing off in my warm room right now.

Well..shes trying to. I totally forgot my apartment complex is doing their monthly fire alarm testing today.. but I seem to be more annoyed at that than she is. She goes right back to sleep.

The keel..is that the breastbone?
If so, then I think I could -- when I was holding her (two hands, to keep her from flapping and hurting herself) her breast bone and other bones in her body were very prominent, "sharp" .

I want to take more pictures for you guys to give me some more advice, but I feel horrible disturbing her She looks so cozy.



Okay WAIT she just stood up, and took a noisy poo. It is very liquidy, but im sure thats from the stress of today. She is now standing like a flamingo, stretchin gher wings and I think eyeballing the fooddish.

[Hamza]

Whatever you;re doing is gr8..
Others should be able to guide u along in some time..

[MellissaG]

While she was up and moving around just now I took some pics.

Just standing there...


The classic "creepy pigeon" stare...


I managed to get a picture of under her wings, I dont think this is normal for her age.. Aisha and Ali has loads of down under their wings. (Baby doesnt even have yellow fuzz anymore)


I thought it was funny, as I was movnig the webcam around to take pictures, she was watching the computer screen as the "viewer" moved around...maybe she saw herself?

[MellissaG]

And two more.. my favs..

My cat, Rundi, is clearly not impressed. Baby is sort of looking at her like "ha ha you cant get me"


One thing for sure though, shes very jealous right now. My cat NEVER cuddles.. but all of a sudden shes become a ragdoll. After giving me this face...

[Pidgey]

You might want to consider getting this baby some special formula or feed pellets. It's a sure bet that it's got deficiency problems.

Pidgey

[MellissaG]

I will definitely be looking in to that... but my main concern is $. Im 20, a student, living on my own, and about 50 cents away from overdraft protection lol. Thats another reason I didnt bring her in sooner. I can barely look after my cat.

A while ago I looked on craigslist for someone willing to donate a cage while I was considering taking her in.. nobody came forward with much more than advice. But perhaps i can ask again if anyone has things she may need, such as meds etc.


oi. I always get myself into these situations, but I couldnt turn my cheek and ignore her Plus shes REALLY loud on my balcony when she gets attacked.

[Trees Gray]

Hi Mellissa

Thank you for taking care of her, and enabling her safety.

Would you consider someone else taking over her care?

[MellissaG]

If someone else was in my area that would take her and had experience with this sort of thing, then sure. For now im fine though -- my work hours allow me to pick and choose when im at home, so if she needs me all she has to do is squeek.

Here is the official cry for help , lol
http://toronto.craigslist.org/pet/330768523.html

[Reti]

Your cat is so cute. And yes, they can get jealous.
Glad you have this baby in your care and hope you find someone to take over.
She wouldn't have made it without you.

Reti

[Trees Gray]

Originally Posted by MellissaG

If someone else was in my area that would take her and had experience with this sort of thing, then sure. For now im fine though -- my work hours allow me to pick and choose when im at home, so if she needs me all she has to do is squeek.

Here is the official cry for help , lol
http://toronto.craigslist.org/pet/330768523.html

Let me see what I can do then.

Thank you for caring for her.

[MellissaG]

My cat is unfortunately far from cute! I rescued her from a disgusting home which was supposed to be a "Safe rescue house" -- i went to pick up what I was told a 6 month old friendly affectionate kitten, and upon seeing the situation immediately agreed to take her from the place... 20 cats in a 1 bedroom apartment!! When I took her home, I looked over all her papers and she was indeed much older than 6 months..she hisses, hates being even looked at lol....but shes my little brat, she'll stick around for a while Has my personality. Only wants to be touched when something else is holding someone's attention.

Anyway, Baby is sitting around happily (as far as I know, unfortunately I cant speak pigeon).. I was worried she did not know how to drink water from a dish, and the entire first day (yesterday) she didnt...but she was picking up seeds. Although today I put fresh water in, and she stuck her beak in there right away. I also gave her her first bath today, she seemed to enjoy it until I started rinsing the babyshampoo off. She was very cuddly afterwards, though, in a towel on my lap. I let her stretch her wings and hop/sort of flap around my apartment for a while today too. But I think she will come out on top of this whole situation, since she seems to be eating and drinking water on her own...nothing seems to be bothering her, and stuff still comes out the back end. Shes a very mess little girl

For those of you in Toronto or the surrounding area, you know what kind of crazy storm is outside today, so I am happy I was able to bring her inside while I could. I couldnt imagine her sitting in the middle of the neighbor's balcony with no cover or shelter in this wind and rain / thunderstorm!! :X