Hi everyone,
I’m looking for help, information, and advice, anything that will aid my sick birds. As Charis suggested starting a new thread describing my birds’ problem here I am.
It started three years ago when one of the houses in the neighborhood was sold and new owners moved in. Existing pigeon loft was demolished and pigeons were shooed away.
Couple of pigeons decided to move to the palm tree in my garden and make it a new home. Soon they made their nests, raised first youngsters and palm tree was looking as Christmas tree decorated with white pigeons.
Then I found first squab lying below on the grass cold and hungry. I took it inside the house provided some heat, water and seeds. After three weeks it was big enough and I let him go. He was lucky that managed to survive because I knew nothing about nursing baby birds. Since than I’m trying to help all sick, young, injured birds that I manage to find on time in my garden. Believe or not some of them come inside the house seeking help. One pigeon walked in and perched on the potted plant in my lounge. My wife took him outside thinking that he could not find his way. Pigeon walked in again and perched on the same plant. We gave him some water and seeds and he spent four days there. On the fifth day, he went outside and it is still coming twice a day to be fed.
Veterinarians – I tried getting professional help for sick birds without any success. More than ten times I took sick birds to various avian vets and all of them died. I live in Johannesburg – South Africa and pet industry here is good money making machine. One would think that paying for service should get you one. Unfortunately this is not a case. I didn’t get one vet doing tests on my birds, blood samples or anything that will provide correct diagnose of the bird disease. I was facing two options; to keep on paying vets and watching birds die or to try helping them myself. Last time when I was at the vet with dove having crop canker, I was told that treatment will cost me more than to go and purchase ten doves from the pet shop. That was the reason I started helping birds myself.
Sorry for this long introduction, but I want you to know what is the reason I ask for your help and why I can’t get any vet’s help. All my birds are sick and feral.
Presently I have eight birds with various problems. Six of them are in process of recovery (three with PMV and three with Adeno virus). My problematic ones are two of the birds.
Senegal dove – feathers are falling and not growing back. I found it injured six months ago and treated wing wound with hydrogen peroxide. Wound healed fine, but feather started falling and presently is almost featherless. It has yellowish liaison at the base of the beak and overgrown and twisted nails. Otherwise it is in good condition, eating and pooping well. Poops are firm and healthy looking. It is alert and active whole day, just featherless. I tried everything available on the market to promote molting (vitamins, supplements, minerals, various seed combination and nothing. I wouldn’t worry if I knew that it will be OK like this, but the problem is preserving body heat. Presently there is a heater working 24 hours by the cage (it is winter in SA).
White Pigeon – I found it on the ground a month ago. It was lethargic and I took him inside. After a week it was fully recovered, eating flaying around and I decided to let him stay for another week just in case… Week later it started raining and piji’s stay was prolonged again. Four days ago his neck started twisting to the right side (like having a lump). I wasn’t worried because it was alert and eating well. Then diarrhea started and it started falling to one side. I started molting heavily, new feathers are coming right, but it can’t walk or stay on his legs. There is no paralysis both wings and legs are fine. It is alert and eats and drinks when I feed him, but it lies on one side and scratches all the time. I managed to stop diarrhea with chlor-tetracyclin.
Please help!
Kind regards Plamen
I’m looking for help, information, and advice, anything that will aid my sick birds. As Charis suggested starting a new thread describing my birds’ problem here I am.
It started three years ago when one of the houses in the neighborhood was sold and new owners moved in. Existing pigeon loft was demolished and pigeons were shooed away.
Couple of pigeons decided to move to the palm tree in my garden and make it a new home. Soon they made their nests, raised first youngsters and palm tree was looking as Christmas tree decorated with white pigeons.
Then I found first squab lying below on the grass cold and hungry. I took it inside the house provided some heat, water and seeds. After three weeks it was big enough and I let him go. He was lucky that managed to survive because I knew nothing about nursing baby birds. Since than I’m trying to help all sick, young, injured birds that I manage to find on time in my garden. Believe or not some of them come inside the house seeking help. One pigeon walked in and perched on the potted plant in my lounge. My wife took him outside thinking that he could not find his way. Pigeon walked in again and perched on the same plant. We gave him some water and seeds and he spent four days there. On the fifth day, he went outside and it is still coming twice a day to be fed.
Veterinarians – I tried getting professional help for sick birds without any success. More than ten times I took sick birds to various avian vets and all of them died. I live in Johannesburg – South Africa and pet industry here is good money making machine. One would think that paying for service should get you one. Unfortunately this is not a case. I didn’t get one vet doing tests on my birds, blood samples or anything that will provide correct diagnose of the bird disease. I was facing two options; to keep on paying vets and watching birds die or to try helping them myself. Last time when I was at the vet with dove having crop canker, I was told that treatment will cost me more than to go and purchase ten doves from the pet shop. That was the reason I started helping birds myself.
Sorry for this long introduction, but I want you to know what is the reason I ask for your help and why I can’t get any vet’s help. All my birds are sick and feral.
Presently I have eight birds with various problems. Six of them are in process of recovery (three with PMV and three with Adeno virus). My problematic ones are two of the birds.
Senegal dove – feathers are falling and not growing back. I found it injured six months ago and treated wing wound with hydrogen peroxide. Wound healed fine, but feather started falling and presently is almost featherless. It has yellowish liaison at the base of the beak and overgrown and twisted nails. Otherwise it is in good condition, eating and pooping well. Poops are firm and healthy looking. It is alert and active whole day, just featherless. I tried everything available on the market to promote molting (vitamins, supplements, minerals, various seed combination and nothing. I wouldn’t worry if I knew that it will be OK like this, but the problem is preserving body heat. Presently there is a heater working 24 hours by the cage (it is winter in SA).
White Pigeon – I found it on the ground a month ago. It was lethargic and I took him inside. After a week it was fully recovered, eating flaying around and I decided to let him stay for another week just in case… Week later it started raining and piji’s stay was prolonged again. Four days ago his neck started twisting to the right side (like having a lump). I wasn’t worried because it was alert and eating well. Then diarrhea started and it started falling to one side. I started molting heavily, new feathers are coming right, but it can’t walk or stay on his legs. There is no paralysis both wings and legs are fine. It is alert and eats and drinks when I feed him, but it lies on one side and scratches all the time. I managed to stop diarrhea with chlor-tetracyclin.
Please help!
Kind regards Plamen