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Feral Pigeon, Bright green poop .. need help!

4K views 21 replies 5 participants last post by  Flying_Pidgy 
#1 ·
Hey everyone, My next door neighbor at work came to me and said there was a pigeon that was stuck over the weekend inside his shop. It didn’t have access to water or food for 2-3 days or so.

Anyways, now I have him. He’s been drinking water well. I’ve made an ACV (bragg) solution for him and he’s been drinking that. He has eaten some seeds on his own but not as much as a pigeon normally would. He’s fluffy alittle but, but not as much as a normally sick pigeon would be. He’s very alert. When I put water for him he will run to the end of the cage.
I played YouTube videos of pigeons cooing and he was responsive to that.. he walked up near the phone and squeaked at it, indicating he’s a young bird. I estimate him at 5 months or so.

As pictured, his poops are watery green with little solids. I didn’t want to medicate him with anything Incase it’s a liver issue and I didn’t want to over work it. (not that I have any at the moment if I wanted to)

He/she currently weighs .8oz or half a pound. I’m located in Ceres, Ca which is next to Modesto.
 

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#4 ·
I just grinded some of those seeds, and during the next feeding i will mix the grounded seed mix with some garlic water solution and feed him alittle bit of that... Hopefully that's more easily digestible and it could get the nutrients faster. A handfull of seeds sure does grind down to very little amount ... I'll make sure not to over feed him.
 
#6 ·
He looks young, probably doesn't know how to eat by himself. Best to forcefeed will be frozen peas defrosted in lukewarm water. Feed him 30-40 peas 3 times daily, total 90-120 per day.

Put him on your lap, facing to the right if you are righthanded. Reach with your lefthand over his body and head. Have a pea ready in your righthand and put deep inside the beak over the tongue. If he spits it out, you are not putting it in deep enough. Give him time to swallow and continue with the next one. They quickly learn to eat peas by themselves, always leave a small bowl with him. Once he starts eating them, you can add some small seeds.
 
#7 ·
I’m fairly certain he knows how to eat .. he just doesn’t have as much as an appetite . Update: this is “his” poops this morning. There’s some solids in there atleast since yesterday’s feedings so that’s a positive sign. Weight is still the same. The seeds you see aren’t undigested seeds, they just fell in there. I fed him again today and will feed him again in a few hours
 

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#8 ·
Update: Good news and bad news

Good news is he seemed to have an interest in food on his own 5 hours after i first hand fed him this morning. He ate some seeds and has been drinking a lot of water. He doesn’t seem lethargic. I did put him in front of the sun for 10 min today and he opened his mouth to “cool off” I brought him back in the shade. He must really like acv water because he sure likes to drink a lot of it.

Bad news is the poops are still green , and the last two poops have just been watery with no solids in them.
 

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#10 ·
Update:
His poops appear less watery have more solids in them. He ate roughly 60 + grains on his own today which is amazing news to see him have an appetite. He’s been drinking his acv water and he seems to love it- concentration doesn’t seem to bother him at all. On Friday I had him on garlic water so yesterday and today he’s on ACV. I haven’t weighed him but he appears more full and less fraille. I want to see what his poops look like . He’s at work but I’m watching him through my camera to make sure he has water and if he’s eating.
 

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#17 ·
His poops have been consistently solid and nice. Every here and then he will have a watery clear pee or mixture but I want to say it’s more from drinking a lot of water. He drinks a fair amount of water. I should be releasing him sometime this week. I wonder if 100 degree weather is too hot for a release or does it not matter ?
 
#20 ·
Are you going to do a soft release? He just looks so young and vulnerable to me, and the squeaking that he did indicates that he is much younger than 5 months. I don't know your setup, but I would suggest keeping him for another month in an outside aviary if possible. Then do a soft release, he might need to return for food and water.
 
#21 ·
Yes that is a hard call, if he was any younger when you rescued him I would say keep him. Reminder: pigeons in the US are from domestic stock and are not true wild species, so keeping them in a domestic situation is not a bad thing, they live longer with Shelter, regular food and water and vet care when needed. But in this case he was an older youngster , so it could go either way I suppose.

I think the only pigeons I would release back to be feral , would be a sexually mature adult, as they probably have a mate out in their flock and I would try to find that flock near where the bird was rescued if possible.
 
#22 ·
Update: his poops and everything have been consistently perfect for a week. He is going through puberty :p ..

He has been anxious to get out now and i could feel he is telling me its time to go !

I gave him enough food to eat and drank plenty and released him at work where I found him. He ROCKETED out and circled around and sat up high on a building and flew up and left again. He has seen the environment so he may be back sometimes for food and water which i'll supply for him.

He definitely has his wild feral side intact. He also gained a few ounces and hes now half a pound prior to feeding.

I'm really happy that he recovered and can go on in his life. I hope he will remember that he was saved :)
 
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