[dnk]

Hello.
I found a young pigeon, yesterday in front of my building and gave him 3x10ml of water using a syringe.
He spent the night on the balcony in a shoe box ( i found him in 6p.m. 34'C) during the night it was about 22'C at 5 p.m.
Also, I blended some bred with water and also fed him using a syringe. He lies in this moment on a towel donut.
While reading this forum, I took a couple of pictures,

this morning, after 3x fed with bread blended with water (10ml in total)

this afternoon:

I just gave him about 20 peas, peeled off. by hand

I want to ask what to do next?
He can't walk, can't feed himself...
From time to time he claps the wings really hard when I open his beacon to put the food in.
As I can see, his muscle tonus is better then it was the last night.
p.s. sorry for my english...

 

[Marina B]

Please don't feed him bread. This will cause sour crop and he will die. Are the peas the frozen peas that you defrost in warm water? He will need to be fed about 90 peas per day divided into 3 meals of 30 each. Make sure the crop empties inbetween feedings. Don't put water in his beak. Rather dip the tip of his beak (not over the nostris) in a small bowl of water.

Can you check his legs for any injuries? He is a youngster that probably has not learned to eat by himself. You can leave a bowl of peas with him, he will soon learn to eat them. Then you can start adding small seeds. Can you get vitamins for birds and calcium?

 

[dnk]

The moment I saw your message not to feed them with bread, on another thread I stopped.
Yes. The peas were frozen, and I cooked them for about 15min and cooled them down to a room temperature.

His legs seem normal, no injuries visible, but is the position of his toes normal? They goes beneath him.

Yes, I'leave the peas in front of him.

Here is the current setup

Yes, I'm able to buy him vitamins and calcium, but where and how to gave him?
Pet shop maybe?

And Can I leave him until 6a.m. without intervening?
It's 10p.m. now in my country.
I gave him 10ml of water last night in 3a.m.

 

[Marina B]

The peas have lots of moisture, so don't be alarmed if he doesn't drink. No need to boil them, just defrost in warm water till soft.

Put your finger inbetween the toes. If he grips your finger, then the legs are not broken. If everything is just hanging limp, then he might have a spinal injury.

Yes you can get vitamins from a petshop. Sprinkle some on the peas before feeding. The calcium needs to have D3. Get liquid calcium to add to drinking water. Also get some small seeds to mix with the peas.

 

[dnk]

update:
our little one is getting better. He is a bit stronger then 2 days ago. he clean himself like a normal pigeon.
last night he started to feed himself by his own. today i'll add some sesame seeds combined with peas.
Peas rule!!!
His wing claps are much stronger then the first day, and i have impression he would fly away if I would let him do.
but desperatly wants to get out.

At the moment, I went on holidays with my little girl, and we brougth the pigeon with us.
We smuggled him across the EU border, at the sea side. No one of my owns wouldn't take care of him while we are absent. (they are scared, or something...)

unfortunatly, @Marina B it seems you were right. he is paraplegic.
No grip at all, and his tail is swinging when I move him gently from left to right as it was a pendulum.

If I let him fly away I think he would be dead in a day or two.
What to do next? Any sugestions?
Thanks!

 

[Marina B]

You are right, releasing him will be a death sentence. What country are you from?

I've heard of pigeons recovering from spine injuries, this takes a long time and they need to be kept immobile. So he is flapping his wings, but there are no movement at all in the legs and toes?

 

[dnk]

 

[Marina B]

I saved these photos from the Palomacy FB page. There are quite a lot of posts reg spinal injuries. You can make her a shoe and tape the toes to this. At least then the toes will be under her body. Hydrotherapy will help. Float her in lukewarm water (under your supervision). Calcium is highly recommended. Get liquid calcium with added Vit D3.

 

[Marina B]

It's important to put her on soft bedding. They can also get pressure sores. If you can't get liquid calcium, get powdered calcium and sprinkle some on her peas. She will need direct sunlight (not through a window). So half an hour every day will help (under your supervision).

Glad to hear she started eating by herself.

 

[dnk]

What country are you from?

Sorry, I missed this
I'm from Bosnia-Herzegovina, but right now in Croatia, on vacation

 

[dnk]

It's important to put her on soft bedding. They can also get pressure sores. If you can't get liquid calcium, get powdered calcium and sprinkle some on her peas. She will need direct sunlight (not through a window). So half an hour every day will help (under your supervision).

Glad to hear she started eating by herself.

Soft bedding will be tought.
No matter what I put under her her, (u-shape, donut shape pillow, little pillow...) she always move to another corner of the box, or leaves the box and goes under bed.
I'll go tommorow to the farmacy to get the calcium.

Right now I have only D3 liquid vitamine. Can I for example, put 2-3 drops in 5ml of water and sprinkle the peas?

 

[Marina B]

Why don't you get a box big enough for a pillow to fit in and put her inside there. Then put the box on a table (they feel safer when off the floor). Just make sure she can't get out.

The calcium must be for pigeons/birds, so rather try a petshop. Yes, you can do the drops. You can also give a drop of codliveroil.

 

[stargirl]

I have experience of a magpie with similar leg issues, so a few tips I can share.

For liquid calcium, try parrot supply stores online, or Amazon. It’s a common need for pet parrots so it will be available!

My bird was happiest in a bowl lined with a thin towel and a layer of sawdust. I put a heat pad (made for pet reptiles, cheap off Amazon) in the bottom and that makes her stay in it more happily too.

My vet consulted via email and said to give her metacam/loxicam daily for a few weeks. It’s an anti-inflammatory for animals, usually prescribed to cats and dogs. Birds only need a tiny tiny amount so if you know anyone with pets, ask if they have any left over from previous vet treatments! My magpie has 0.17ml daily (of the cat formula).

If she’s happy to be handled, it’s a good idea to do gentle physiotherapy to her legs every day to keep a good range of movement.

I really hope your bird improves! Thank you for trying so hard for her!