Distressing problem with new addition to feral flock

[cyro51]

Hi Jonathan,

I think where they amputate depends so much on the vet and how much they know about pigeons.

My pigeon Harry had a foot so badly damaged that it looked like a big yellow ball. The first vet that I took her to refused to see her at all, the second took one look at the foot and said that Harry would have to be euthanased!

After a discussion in which I told her that there were plenty of feral pigeons that had survived the loss of a foot and that contrary to what she believed feral pigeons do not find captivity stressful she agreed to amputate.

I though that we were talking about the same thing! My mother fetched Harry home after the operation but when I gently lifted Harry out of the box to check the stump there was nothing there. They had severed the leg where it joins the body.

I can’t describe what a horrible shock that was. I really thought that with only one leg she would be unable to stand and ran up and down sobbing hysterically “Oh, they’ve killed her, they’ve killed her! She can’t live like this!”

Eventually I calmed down enough to telephone the vet who explained that they had cut to the thigh to avoid any possible bone infection and that she would be able to get around by hopping.

Harry manages quite well in the aviary, she has a mate and even manages to land and perch on one foot but she is unreleasable and her handicap affects her ability to compete for treats . It still upsets me terribly and I blame myself for it. Danny, with no feet at all, is so much better off.

This is why I never assume that the vet will do what I expect to be done now and spend a lot of time checking all the details!

Cynthia

[dodo]

I picked Lizzy up yesterday morning. I need to look after her for a couple more weeks I think. On Monday next week she needs to go back to have the bandages redressed. She is on oral antiboitics which I have to give her for a week (1ml dose morning and evening). I am surprised at how easy it is to give her these (touch wood).

The vet was so busy yesterday that I could only talk to the nurse. She gave me a rundown on what had been done but spent most of the time telling me what I needed to do over the next week. As for the right leg, even under the dressing it looks vastly improved, and there are 3 very good toes poking through the bandages. The left foot is very heavily bandaged, so I don't know exactly what they have had to do there. I'll find out on Monday when the dressing gets changed. But from the looks of it, she still might actually still have her left foot, but perhaps without toes. At the very least though, she is quite happily walking around on both limbs even with the bandages on.

I notice that when she sits on my hand, there is a nice lot of heat coming out of her feet, so the circulation is obviously pretty good.

She is being a troublesome patient. She has free reign of my 3.5 metre x 3.5 metre bathroom for recouperation, and she tends to like flying up from the floor to the vanity unit and back down again. If I leave her alone too long, she will find something on the vanity unit (like a brush or deoderant), and knock it down to the floor. Then I have to go and sit with her for 10 minutes and she is happy again. At other times she is in a bad mood and likes to bite my hands and "punch" me with her wings. Oh well, it is all for the best, even if she doesn't yet understand this

[cyro51]

She sounds like an NHP (Normal Healthy Pigeon)! Thank goodness you caught her. It is not only malnutrition or the loss of toes or feet that are a threat to pigeons with string injury but also the danger that the pigeon can easily bleed to death . Lizzie is very lucky and I am delighted that your patience paid off.

My bathroom also doubles up as an aviary for recovering pigeons and mine also exercise by flying from "perch" to "perch". I try to remove anything that could be knocked off a shelf.

Cynthia

[dodo]

Lizzy went back on Monday for her weekly checkup. The vet is very happy with the right leg but says it's possible the left leg may need a further amputation. At present, only the toes were amputated on the left leg. She now thinks the left leg may need to be turned into a simple stump. I'll know next Monday. She has now finished the antibiotics.

I have to say that I am becoming rather attached to this patient of mine. She has total free reign of the house, but chooses to spend much of her time in the large bathroom (even though I have the doors open the whole day).

Last night during a storm, she snuggled up into my neck and shoulder for 2 hours. She happily lets me pat her exactly as I would a cat, and even likes getting washed and dried with a hair dryer. I can pick her up and carry her anywhere and she never makes any attempt to fly off anywhere.

I can't leave her alone for long - I just want to keep going in and patting her. I love watching her eyes close as I do this. If she is left alone for too long, she starts to flap and fly around in the bathroom until I come in. Then she is happy if I give her a cuddle next to my chest.

I just hope the fact that she is now so settled down and used to me won't jeopardise in any way my attempt to return her to the flock. I think she is a sook actually

[cyro51]

Hi Jonathan,

Your post brought tears to my eyes. It is so rare for an adult feral to become that tame that quickly. It reminds me of Ray's Bernie http://www.urbanwildlifesociety.org/...ePijStory.html and Mary's Dotty (who also has a stump).

Lizzie must be aware of your care and concern and appreciate it. She might not be willing to leave her home with you ...and you may not be able to part with her! Perhaps between you you could reach a compromise that involves some free flight and the comforts of home?

Cynthia

PS The Bernie link didn't work directly for me, but when I pressed "GO" on my address bar it opened.

[maryco]

Hi Dodo and thanks for the great update!

Wow! Lizzy sounds like a great bird!

Just around this time of year 2 years ago I caught a feral pij (Dotty) who is my pet, same as Lizzy he has some problems (a stump and the 'good' foot was getting weak)
Not sure how he endedup with one stump and one good foot but he is doing very well in here and adapted really nicely to us humans even though he was one of the most alert and careful in the wild (kinda like Lizzy as well, the ones with an injury or problem are always super alert though once they are caught they make wonderful tame birds very quickly, quite amazing!)

I hope Lizzy's recovery is speedy and like Cynthia said maybe something can be worked out

[Lin Hansen]

Hi Dodo,

So happy for you and Lizzie that everything is coming along so well....you worked hard and long to catch and help her and you both deserve every success!

I am sure it will all work out in the end. Just wait and see how it goes.

Good luck and best wishes,
Linda

[dodo]

Thanks again everyone. I'll give another update after Lizzy's next visit to the vet. Cynthia, you were thinking exactly what I was thinking. The birds happiness is by far the most important thing. If she seems happiest in the wild the entire time, I'm happy to do that. But if I find she hangs around an awful lot and still lets me "capture" her after being released, that could be an indication she wants to be a "part timer". It will actually be quite interesting to see exactly what she does when I finally take her out the back door. By the time I do that, she will have been living in my house for perhaps a month.

[dodo]

Hi all,

Just another update. Lizzy went to the vet for her fourth visit today. One week ago, on her third visit, a second amuptation operation was performed on her left leg, the first operation 4 weeks ago having been deemed unsuccessful (the vet wanted to do the minimally invasive surgery possible the first time, which was fair enough - I was not charged for the second operation).

Nevertheless, the surgery on the right foot was a success first time around, and it's now looking like the right leg (minus one toe) is good to go. It has been unbandaged for a week and is looking good and very functional. When the vet returned her to me today after re-bandaging, she said the left stump is progressing well. So I am much more optimistic that she can make a sufficient recovery such that I can, in time, release her.

As for her behaviour, she no longer wing slaps me and quite enjoys her very frequent pats. She has also developed a fetish for "wing tickles", where I tickle her rib cage under her wings. She seems to get a real kick out of this

Anyway, another update will be forthcoming in around a week.

[Lin Hansen]

Hi,

What great news.....I am glad Lizzy is coming along so well. Thank you for keeping us all updated.....best wishes for her speedy recovery.

Linda