Help With Naked Pigeon

[Hillybean]

Hey Everyone,
full of personallity he is!

Mr.Burns, wings slaps (lol) and pecks! lol!
It is so cute, because well he doesn't have very big wings.

He is eating/drinking good.

Ok, inside of the cage when the pictures were taken is one of his toys that came with him, his pigeon bumpers (8 inches high), and his heat mat (the rainbows,sun and clouds).

Here they are!








He is so VERY CUTE!!!
-Hilly

[Trees Gray]

Hi Hilly!

Wow, he sure is cute! I am glad he has such a nice environment to stay snuggly in.

Thank you for providing him a wonderful home, and for sharing the pics.

[Dezirrae]

Awwwww - thanks for those great pictures Talk about personality +! Especially the second picture - I immediately thought "Strike a pose" (Madonna)... LOL. Glad everyone is settling in nicely

[mr squeaks]

OH MY! What a GREAT home he has, Hilly!!

I would sure be willing to bet that his lack of feathers is genetic! He just doesn't "look" like he has any "disease" and doesn't look at all sick!

What a cutie...that face says it all! Mr. Burns is gonna be known as MR. PERSONALITY!

He sure will be one of the SPECIAL PT PIJIES!!

Many thanks for the great pictures...keep 'em comin'!

Love, Hugs and Scritches from

Shi & Squeaks

P.S. I sure hope he'll let you hold him! He looks like a bird who was BORN to be cuddled!

[Lovebirds]

OMG..........He's ADORABLE........CUTE...........what can you say????? Lucky little featherless piggie FOR SURE to have you as his mom..........

[TAWhatley]

OMG, Hilly! What an amazing little bird. Thank you so very much for giving this little one a home. I know s/he will have all the best with you.

It is a bit shocking at first glance but once I thought for a moment, it really was no different than the times I have been to the Lily Sanctuary (parrot rescue) and saw a new arrival that had plucked itself. I realize that Mr. Burns is not a plucker, but the impact is the same. A naked Cockatoo is even more of a shock than little Mr. Burns.

Bless both you and Mr. Burns! You have a lovely set up for this little pigeon person!

Terry

[pdpbison]

Hi Hilly



Ohhhhhhhhh...those little poofy 'tufts' make him downright Glamorous..!


Golly...such a cutie...


Any Pigeon's Wings are really a lot smaller than we would think...all those Feathers make their Wings seem BIG...!


Good luck..!


Phil
l v

[pittsburgh24]

Hi Hilly, thanks so much for posting the pics, he's looking a little insecure..lol..
give him a couple of days...he'll be dancing around like old self...the bumper pads are a good idea, thanks for taking him in.
Beth saw the pics as well, she misses him give him kisses for us.

[Margarret]

Hilly,

He absolutely melts my heart. What a honeybun he is. Thank you for the pictures.

Take a look at this site.http://www.abc.net.au/canberra/stories/s1392592.htm I had recalled that somewhere they had knit sweaters for injured penguins so googled it and found a pattern. I'm wondering if Mr. Burns would benefit from a nice little knit or two made of very very soft baby yarn. If I had his measurements I'd be willing to try to knit him a sweater that would fit him to keep his little back and chest warm and yet be cuddly and comfortable and washable. I could sort of use this pattern and adapt it. Is this crazy thinking???

Margaret

[TAWhatley]

Originally Posted by Margarret

Is this crazy thinking???

Margaret

Well, if it is crazy thinking then there's two of us crazies I have absolutely zero ability to knit or sew or anything of that nature, but it did cross my mind that Mr. Burns could use a sweater or two. I was thinking of the toe and foot portion of a nice fluffy sock with a little hole cut in the toe for Mr. Burns's head to go through. Simple things for the non-handy such as I ..

Terry

[Lovebirds]

I too think something to cover him would be great. I don't know about Hilly, but it seems my hands are ALWAYS cold. I even run my hands under hot water before handling any featherless babies as I know my cold hands would be a shock to them. I think something to cover just his body would be great. He just looks "cold" to me. Even in the winter time, inside the house with heat on, we would be chilly if we ran around naked.

[pigeonmama]

Have to say, that is one handsome bird. I don't think I could stop with just cuddling, I'd have to provide a smooch or two also. Glad he didn't move here to Maine, brrrrr it's too cold.
Daryl

[WildbirdRecovry]

I am the rehabber who took Mr. Burns in June 30, 2006 to my facility for care. He was brought here by an employee of the vet hospital he had been taken to. I was unable to get ANY information on his condition or the person who dropped him off due to doctor-client confidentiality. Getting a complete history on birds admitted here can be critical to there care. It is fairly obvious that he wasn't hatched in the wild because I do not believe he would have survived past fledging if that long. I am confident that a breeder dropped him there and left no explanation. The vet clinic thought he was injured and never noticed that the lack of feather follicles caused his nakedness.
Mr. Burns was admitted obviously 'naked' but with no burns, abrasions, or anything to indicate this was not genetic. He has but a few feather follicles. You can see that they simply aren't there. There is no evidence that they once where there. He already had the sores on his elbows. He was treated with antibiotics for the sores and in case his elbows might have been the beginning of paratyphoid. He thrived here. Everything was tried to encourage molt - great diet, clean cage, etc. I even talked to my avian vet about trying hormones but she said nothing would work because he simply has no follicles to grow feathers from.
He lived in a Euro Cage from Corners Limited which has white plastic top and sides to prevent contamination from other birds. All my cages have full spectrum flourescent tubes within 18" of the bird. Research has show this to be the most effective and I purchase tubes with the closest factors to full sunlight. He had plenty of room to run around. I kept a heating pad wrapped in a towel at one end of the cage and he chose not to use it very often. I kept a digital thermometer to monitor temperature and it remained at 70-72 degrees at all times. This summer once the rehab room remained at plus 70 degrees, the heating pad was removed. Two of my volunteers made him a little vest (which I put in his care package to Hilly, but he would throw a fit(flailing around on his back) whenever we put it on him. I can't imagine he would tolerate a down vest and I believe a sweater would irritate his skin and damage the few feather follicles he has. There was much thought into all of these possibilities to help him.
I am so glad he has Hilly. He deserves all the attention her loving home will give him. I rehab 400 wildbirds a year and my time to love on him was limited. I do miss him terribly. I fell in love with the little guy immediately (who couldn't). Of course I will worry about him as his living arrangements here kept him healthy and happy for a year and a half. I do worry that he will stay warm enough but trust that Hilly will monitor the temp in his little house. Keeping a towel on top and sides will help. A room temp above 70 degrees kept him comfortable. Either the sun each day or a full spectrum set up on a timer would satisfy his body's need for UV and the conversion of Vit D. I LOVE the pigeon bumpers. I wish I had thought of that and will definitely use it in the future if needed. I have always used rolled towels to support and protect birds that come here unable to stay upright due to head or spinal trauma, or viruses, but Mr. Burns prefered to beat them up and drag them around.
Hilly, thank you and he LOVES the little friends I placed in his care package. He has one while I throw the other in the washer since he gets little poopy prints all over them.I trimmed his nails often. He did have a covered piece of wood to perch but prefered not to use it except to jump over.Please keep me informed and keep my email stormyoaks@aol.com if you ever have any questions.

[Lovebirds]

Originally Posted by WildbirdRecovry

I am the rehabber who took Mr. Burns in June 30, 2006 to my facility for care. He was brought here by an employee of the vet hospital he had been taken to. I was unable to get ANY information on his condition or the person who dropped him off due to doctor-client confidentiality. Getting a complete history on birds admitted here can be critical to there care. It is fairly obvious that he wasn't hatched in the wild because I do not believe he would have survived past fledging if that long. I am confident that a breeder dropped him there and left no explanation. The vet clinic thought he was injured and never noticed that the lack of feather follicles caused his nakedness.
Mr. Burns was admitted obviously 'naked' but with no burns, abrasions, or anything to indicate this was not genetic. He has but a few feather follicles. You can see that they simply aren't there. There is no evidence that they once where there. He already had the sores on his elbows. He was treated with antibiotics for the sores and in case his elbows might have been the beginning of paratyphoid. He thrived here. Everything was tried to encourage molt - great diet, clean cage, etc. I even talked to my avian vet about trying hormones but she said nothing would work because he simply has no follicles to grow feathers from.
He lived in a Euro Cage from Corners Limited which has white plastic top and sides to prevent contamination from other birds. All my cages have full spectrum flourescent tubes within 18" of the bird. Research has show this to be the most effective and I purchase tubes with the closest factors to full sunlight. He had plenty of room to run around. I kept a heating pad wrapped in a towel at one end of the cage and he chose not to use it very often. I kept a digital thermometer to monitor temperature and it remained at 70-72 degrees at all times. This summer once the rehab room remained at plus 70 degrees, the heating pad was removed. Two of my volunteers made him a little vest (which I put in his care package to Hilly, but he would throw a fit(flailing around on his back) whenever we put it on him. I can't imagine he would tolerate a down vest and I believe a sweater would irritate his skin and damage the few feather follicles he has. There was much thought into all of these possibilities to help him.
I am so glad he has Hilly. He deserves all the attention her loving home will give him. I rehab 400 wildbirds a year and my time to love on him was limited. I do miss him terribly. I fell in love with the little guy immediately (who couldn't). Of course I will worry about him as his living arrangements here kept him healthy and happy for a year and a half. I do worry that he will stay warm enough but trust that Hilly will monitor the temp in his little house. Keeping a towel on top and sides will help. A room temp above 70 degrees kept him comfortable. Either the sun each day or a full spectrum set up on a timer would satisfy his body's need for UV and the conversion of Vit D. I LOVE the pigeon bumpers. I wish I had thought of that and will definitely use it in the future if needed. I have always used rolled towels to support and protect birds that come here unable to stay upright due to head or spinal trauma, or viruses, but Mr. Burns prefered to beat them up and drag them around.
Hilly, thank you and he LOVES the little friends I placed in his care package. He has one while I throw the other in the washer since he gets little poopy prints all over them.I trimmed his nails often. He did have a covered piece of wood to perch but prefered not to use it except to jump over.Please keep me informed and keep my email stormyoaks@aol.com if you ever have any questions.

What a wonderful summation of what's gone on with this little guy. I gave Hilly two of my babies that I had to hand raise, so there is NO DOUBT that Mr. Burns is in the best of the best of homes. We will all surely follow his "life" as long as he graces us with his presence. I'm still amazed and elated that the person who bred this bird turned it in to someone to care for. I honestly don't know of a single breeder (I'm talking about knowing PERSONALLY), except for myself, that would have even given Mr. Burns a chance to live. In my mind, that says something wonderful about whoever bred him to begin with. If they cared that much, I would suspect they would be happy to know about him now. Too bad that we'll never know who that person was.
Anyway.........MR. BURNS rocks!!! Best looking bald human OR animal I"VE ever seen...........

[WildbirdRecovry]

I am certainly glad the breeder turned him over to the vet clinic but if the breeder cared so much, why didn't he/she find him a great home or provide a quality home him/her self? I personally, (this is just my opinion after 30+ years of rescuing dogs, cats, horses, pet birds, domestic poultry and waterfowl, and wildlife), believe we need to stop raising animals for trade and concentrate on all these precious lives needing help first. Then become a conscientious breeder and always include providing homes for rescues as part of your program.
I hope that I do not offend anyone. All of you seem to love and truly care for pigeons but I see the dark side everyday and it isn't pretty. My frustration and extreme sadness over this problem is almost unbearable. I am inundated with domestic animals that have been thrown away and provide homes for all until I can find a better home than mine. I am sure many (or all) of you do the same. Mr. Burns breeder needed to find that perfect home. If he/she had intended that, then the vet clinic would have known his problem was genetic. They had no idea and neither did I until a very good friend (who rescues LOTS of pigeons) did some research and found out. The vet clinic truly believed he was a wild pigeon. Maybe he is but I still believe he would not have survived past hatching in the wild. Please somebody correct me if I am wrong as my pigeon knowledge is limited currently to providing good medical care and proper husbandry. I am learning and find the whole pigeon thing to be facinating.
Please, this is not intended to offend, just to give some food for thought.
I will not post again unless someone has a question concerning finding a rehabber or what to do if you find a wildbird in need.