Help

[Feather]

One of the baby birds fell and joined another nest. Parents of new nest did not want him there and bit off his tongue. I have no transportation at the moment. How can I help him until I can get him to a vet?

Feather

[Anarrowescape]

all i can say is sorry to hear about your baby try to keep it air way clear and clean im not sure if you can save the tongue

[Feather]

The piece that was hanging on the side of his mouth is 2/3 of an inch long.
When I tried to look in his mouth he started bleeding big time. I cleaned him up, but not real good, because I'm afraid he'll start bleeding again.

Feather

[Reti]

I don't know if there is much you can do now until you get him to the vet.
You cannot apply pressure to the tongue, so I would suggest leave him alone and hope for the best until you can get him to the vet.
If he can drink that would be great, don't attempt feedings. If he can drink you can make a dilute formula, not warm, but on the colder side and let him drink that.

I think he will do good if the vet has to amputate the tongue, he should be able to eat, still, hopefully.

Reti

[Feather]

Thank You Bobert and Reti,

His tongue is not attached. But he is walking around, and preening himself.
He has a full crop. But can they survive without their tongues? He has all his feathers, and is at the age where he just starts to stand up and walk around a bit. But I don't know if he is old enough for water.

I'll try
Feather

[Trees Gray]

I'm so sorry to hear about the youngster.

Grown up pigeons use their tongue to pull the seed back into their throat for swallowing, I'm not sure what you can do for the baby, best to ttake he youngster to an avian vet, as already mentioned.

[Anarrowescape]

is the pigeons wind pipe not attached to there tongue?
if the end that is left starts to swell you will prob need to rush it to the vet some how sorry to be barer of bad news

[Reti]

Depends of how much of the tongue is missing, if it's just a bit in the front he should be able to learn to eat. Even if only half a togue he should be able to eat.
I wouldn't worry about food right now, but since he lost blood he might need hydration. You can give him some water with a syringe just at the tip of his beak, see if he swallows.

Reti

[Feather]

I took him into the vet, they won't even be able to look at him until tomarrow morning at 11:00. But they told me that these cases are real iffy.
I took the piece of tongue, but by the time they even looked at it, it had dried up quite a bit. I'm giving him the water on the tip of his beak as was suggested and he seems as though it makes him feel better, He looks so healthy and beautiful, I would hate for anything to happen to him. I think that he doesn't even know that what he use to use to swallow isn't there anymore. He's looking at me like why are you keeping me here? Thank You, if you have any other suggestions to hold him until his exam tomarrow, I'm open and I will be watching the thread. Don't Pigeons drink water through a little staw in their tongue? He's really in bad shape isn't he. Treesa, have you ever had this happen in all the long years you've had your birds?

Thanks Again, Feather

[Anarrowescape]

they gulp water done they use there whole beak to drink the water goes in there crop. the straw thing you said is probly its wind pipe

[Feather]

Thank you Robert,

Somewhere I heard that the reason that they don't have to hold their heads back when they drink is because thay have a built in straw. Thanks for setting me straight, or I might run around telling people they have straws.

Feather

[Trees Gray]

Originally Posted by Feather

Don't Pigeons drink water through a little staw in their tongue? He's really in bad shape isn't he. Treesa, have you ever had this happen in all the long years you've had your birds?
Thanks Again, Feather

Hi Feather,

My oldest birds (home grown) are 5 years old, that is how long I have had pigeons. I've never seen a case of them losing a piece of their tongue, though.

Pigeons do suck water down, it is really neat watching him. Why don't you make him a thin mix of baby bird formula & add some probiotics, so he can suck it down. If he is not drinking on his own, you should syringe some down, in a thicker consistency.

[Feather]

Thank You Treesa,
Yes, I will do that right now. This is going to be a tough ride I can feel it already. I hope after the Vet examins him, she can give me more
encouragement than she did yesterday.

Thanks again,
Feather

[Feather]

Last night after I got him somewhat cleaned up. I noticed he had canker. Still thinking that there was something else wrong. I kept my appointment.

Took baby to the vet, after she swabbed out all of the dried blood, the tongue was there. She said it was the canker that could make him gush out blood like that. So that is what she treated him for. His little tongue was there. She gave me metronidazole. But she said pigeon people use something different. She said that I could go to Mexico, and purchase another treatment for canker. I don't have it with me right now. But I just had to tell you what a happy fool I am.

Feather

[Trees Gray]

Well, that is certainly wonderful news that the tongue is there!

You can get Ronidazol, Spartix, or Flagyl, Ridzol, or other canker products from any of the pigeon supply houses.

You need to treat all your birds, especially if they are drinking and eating from the same feeders and drinkers. Be sure to wash and disinfect the feeders and waterers also.

I would also suggest you do a preventive care with apple cider vinegar in the water twice a week.