questions about feral pigeon

[mountainstorm]

On May 2, I was walking home from work when I found a young pigeon (still had downy hairs on her head) who couldn't fly or use her right leg. I brought her home, and now, four-and-a-half weeks later, she can hobble around on her right leg (I splinted her foot as well, so it wouldn't form a permanent "claw"), and although she can put pressure on it, she doesn't seem to be able to perch with it. She does limp.

What I *think* happened, is she fell off the overpass perch in a first flight attempt. She was able to fly downward enough to avoid dying that day. Her first real flight, that is, from the floor to the bathroom counter, was on May 18. She can fly about ten to fifteen feet at a time now. About how old would she be now?

What I need to know is, are there some especially fattening foods that I can give her, as she is still "skin and bones"? I've got her on a wild-bird seed mix, although she picks through and eats the seeds she likes.

I've sprayed her for mites a few times, because I'm sure I've been bitten--but are pigeon mites species-specific? For instance, out of three mite species that will eat rat blood, only one will eat other species blood (including human). the other two won't even eat mouse blood, they're that specific. So they might bite a human, but won't like their blood, so they can't survive. What are pigeon mites like?

At first I thought the best thing to do wuld be to release her, but a lot of people are saying maybe I ought to keep her as a pet. She still peeps and huffs at me, but she will also preen me. Would her flockmates accept her back? Should I even let her go if she continues to limp? There have been two pigeons roadkilled in the last three days, and that is two too many as I think about maybe releasing her. Another thing I need to consider are our cats--right now there are four of them, two of whom stay in my room most of the time.

I think I've covered it all, although I'm sure I'll think of more questions.

thanks.
Rach

PS Her name is Cielo, which is Spanish for 'heaven'.

[Pidgey]

Well, it's hard to say on the age, exactly--how much did her feathers look like a full grown pigeon back then? If the tail and primary wing feathers were almost full length then she might have been about four weeks old. They start getting their feathers in enough to really call them "feathers" at about two weeks old so she's somewhere in there, probably.

She might need some minerals and usually you do grit for that. That's a crushed rock supplement that comes in many forms. Some of them are red mineral grit that's loaded with a lot of minerals and some are crushed granite that really only help them "chew" their food. There's also some with oyster shell in it for calcium.

Sunlight is helpful for them to utilize the calcium because it helps them make Vitamin D3 which is pretty important. Sunlight through glass doesn't work that well.

As to the weight, don't like the sound of that. Can you pinch the keel bone (breastbone)?

Pidgey

[mountainstorm]

I've got hi-cal grit for her. Yes, I can pinch her breastbone.

Rach

[Victor]

Hello Rach, and welcome to Pigeon Talk. So, you have had Cielo for a month now if I read correctly.

Pigeon mix will do fine now, but if you can get him on a pigeon dove mix that would be better. You can prurcahes a large bag of Kaytee Supreme Paloma~Dove mix at most large pet centers like PetCo.If I may suggest to add to the diet is available at your supermarket...dried lentils, and dried split green peas, available in a bag for about 80 cents each. Another favorite, but I would go easy on it, is raw unsalted sunflower seeds. Mine go absoluely crazy over them, and four out of my 5 would live off them if given their choice.

Another product I use to rehab my pigeons is ACV water. That is better known as apple cider vinegar. I use the stuff with the "mother" in it, and can be found at most health stores. The regular ACV should be at your grocer. I add a teaspoon and one half to a half gallon of water and mix it up well. Mine are given this once a week as a preventative measure, as well as probiotic powder, alternated a few days after the ACV. Looks like Cielo needs some weight and strength as well added.

Cat saliva is deadly to all birds, so please keep the kitties away from him!

Thanks for being there for this pigeon in need.

[Pidgey]

Is there any way that you can get a poop sample to a vet to get a "fecal float" done? Usually, that test is fairly reasonable. You'd be looking for worms or coccidiosis with that one.

Pidgey

[JGregg]

I'd suggest feeding your little pigeon soaked dog kibble as a way to get some weight on your bird. It's possible that the squeaker (young pigeon) is not feeding itself well.

Get some dog or cat kibble (dry food) and soak it until it's soft in water. Then gently open the beak and poke the kibble in, and the bird will do the swallowing. Don't feed a bunch of kibble at once, as this can cause problems for a starving bird. Keep it down to 2-3 kibbles to start out with.

[mountainstorm]

Cielo has been with me for five weeks now, and she is able to fly more;
she still favors her right leg, but is able to support herself more on
it.

She's been living in my bathroom which doesn't have a window. My mom
who also lives with me, feels that it isn't fair to keep the pigeon
inside. She thinks I should let Cielo fly around at least in the
backyard, but I worry about whether she's ready for release, and will
her flock accept her, and if she flies away from the backyard, would
she be able to find her flock (which is about a half mile away)? And if
she returns for food and water, which I would continue to provide, as I
hear of pigeons coming back for that at least, what would happen when I
move in November?

Please advise!

Thanks,
Rach

[Pidgey]

The great worries of life. I'd wait to release her until she's filled out a bit in the chest (can't pinch her breastbone anymore). If she's still having trouble gaining weight, you need to check for worms and/or coccidia which was the test that I mentioned that you could get a vet to do. Did you try that?

Pidgey

[Pidgey]

Incidentally, there's a process that they usually have to go through in order to find their way "home". They need to be able to go just outside, then back in, then back out, in, out, over somewhere else pretty close by to study the place a little more, back in, out to another spot, and so on until they can visually cue in on the place. It's real easy for them to get lost that first time out. Some will and some won't. You can never know until the moment of truth unless you took them out on a regular basis before they could fly. So, if you plan on "halfway housing" it, you'd need to have a fairly open aviary that was predator proof to leave the bird in for extended periods to get a good look around. The higher, the better.

Pidgey

[Trees Gray]

[quote=mountainstorm
She's been living in my bathroom which doesn't have a window. My mom
who also lives with me, feels that it isn't fair to keep the pigeon
inside. She thinks I should let Cielo fly around at least in the
backyard, but I worry about whether she's ready for release, and will
her flock accept her, and if she flies away from the backyard, would
she be able to find her flock (which is about a half mile away)? And if
she returns for food and water, which I would continue to provide, as I
hear of pigeons coming back for that at least, what would happen when I
move in November?
Please advise
[/QUOTE]


Thank you for taking care of this youngster.

Where are you located? Perhaps you have a rehabber in your area who can examine this bird and perhaps take on the care and prepare it for possible release.

This might be a possible sollution.

What do the poops look like?

Also, you can try some human grade probiotics for putting on weight and helping to provide gut friendly bacteria that might help crowd out bad bacteria. You will find it in your local health food store in the refrigerator section. Solaray Multi-Dopholis works well.

[Lady Tarheel]

Hi Rach and welcome. Also, many thanks for caring for this little one.

We rehab pigeons and, as a general rule, will not release one until it weighs around 325 grams (for a feral). If you can get her weighed and tell us the weight that would help. Also, we never release one that still squeaks or squeals.

JGregg's suggestion to give her a few pieces of soaked dry dog food is a good way to put some grams on her. You can also purchase Nutrical (comes in a tube), cover the dog food pellets with this and pop a few in several times a day. Nutrical is a dietary supplement that will help Cielo gain weight.

You must be positive that she is eating seed well before release. That's why it is important to weigh her frequently.

I would not put her outside (except in a cage) until you get the weight issue resolved. If she doesn't know how to eat well just yet it will create a hardship on her. If you do put her outside (in a cage) for a few times each day, make sure she is monitored so she doesn't get too hot or too much sun. Also, so no predator can alarm or hurt her.

Forgot to add: My vet told me that the mites are species specific.

[mountainstorm]

Last night, she flew to me, to get the barley seeds I had in my hand ... but after that, she flew to me a few times without food! I'd pat my opposite shoulder, and she'd land on my arm! I am so thrilled and excited! While I brushed my teeth, she flew and landed on my back, and then walked around on my shoulders.

How much should she be eating? She'll empty a half-filled plastic bowl of seed, although she does pick through a lot of it, flinging seeds everywhere. When I give her barley, she gobbles that down as fast as she can.

I don't know how much she weighs. Her poops are mostly a whitey beige color with a dark drop on them. Occassionally, they're dry dark brown blobs, and even more occassionally, especially in the first week, they were more wet with long green strings.

Oh, yeah, I'm in Provo, Utah.

Rach

[Pidgey]

Sounds like she's coming along just fine. She's learned how to gobble and that's great news! They... uhh... all seem to throw seeds all over creation like that, though.

Pidgey

[Kwikkordead]

Originally Posted by mountainstorm

Last night, she flew to me, to get the barley seeds I had in my hand ... but after that, she flew to me a few times without food! I'd pat my opposite shoulder, and she'd land on my arm! I am so thrilled and excited! While I brushed my teeth, she flew and landed on my back, and then walked around on my shoulders.

I wish that had happened with my little pidgy. It hated me from day one and I had to leave the cage door open so it could find a flock.
Good news is that it eventually did. It would return to the cage for the night with less and less frequency until it finally never returned.

[mr squeaks]

Originally Posted by Kwikkordead

I wish that had happened with my little pidgy. It hated me from day one

Next time, contact "Dr. PHIL ("Doolittle")...if anyone can help you "tame" a pigeon, he can! He has some wonderful techniques!!

and I had to leave the cage door open so it could find a flock.
Good news is that it eventually did. It would return to the cage for the night with less and less frequency until it finally never returned.

Good luck with any future pijies...