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Help my baby feral pidgeon is not eating!

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feral pidgeon
2K views 17 replies 5 participants last post by  Pawbla 
#1 ·
i found it yesterday, it's full fledged, and can fly a bit, its feathers are abit fluffed up too. i fed it bird seed i got at the pet shop, and it ate some, however, IT LIKES BREAD MORE. then today it will not touch the seeds and only eats a bit of bread. It's not active in it's 2 sq ft box. but it's eager to fly when outside the box. So i can't really say it's sick or stuff. oo and then i don't know if this will help but it was pecking at my fingers ech time i lower my hand into the box that it lives in. is it even fully weaned? if i have to force or hand feed it, how?
 
#3 ·
I'm under the impression the bird is not fully weaned. Usually finger-pecking means that he wants his food!

You can buy some corn or peas. You have to hold the bird gently and open his beak, while you put the corn/peas in his mouth. Do not shove them in the throat, let him eat them by himself so he starts eating by himself. One at a time. When the crop feels squishy, you stop and he's full :D.

Only do this after checking if there is food in the crop and if he doesn't have any food!
 
#10 ·
Pawbla,
I tried opening it's mouth, but it's twisting furously and held it's beak shut, and now it won't even peck at my fingers..... it practically ignored any food in front of it's nose....


If this bird is not eating on his own yet, then he doesn't even recognize it as food.
 
#6 ·
I press gently with my thumb and index and open it with the thumb's nail. I'm right handed so that's the hand I use. I stuff the food with the other hand.
Also, you can wrap him in a towel to prevent from twisting.
First times will be hard until he learns that that thing you're doing means food.
Let me take a pic.
 
#8 ·
It's easier if you put the bird on your lap, and against your body. If it helps, you can wrap it in a towel, or put it in the sleeve of a tee shirt with the head sticking out the sleeve. Open the beak, and pop a pea or corn to the back of the throat. Let the bird close his mouth to swallow. These are frozen peas and corn, defrosted under warm running water. Make them warm but not hot. Feed until the crop feels squishy, but not hard. Not sure how old this bird is, but it will take somewhere between 35 and 50 pieces per feeding. You will have to do this a few times a day. But feed only after the crop empties. Never feed when the crop still has food in it.
 
#9 ·
You can show him how to drink by lowering his beak, but not over his nose, into a small dish of water. Do this a few times, and he will learn to drink.
 
#12 ·
thanks guys, that really helped! i was relieved to see that i finally managed the hang of force/hand feeding. after the 2nd feeding, i scattered some bread and grains on the floor, and was glad to see that it's pecking at it. though it just lifts the food up and drops it??? is this normal? Also, are pigeons full fledged long before they are completly weaned? Oh, and about the water, i dipped his beak in it, and he still completly ignores it......
it's not sick, i think, just starved after he's kicked out of the nest.. i can easily feel it's breatbone, but it's not like sleepy all the time..
 
#17 · (Edited)
Coryn, are you feeding him frozen and thawed peas and corn? Don't just give him regular corn. Frozen corn is soft. Also, as was mentioned, it does contain some moisture. Instead of leaving him with dry bread, leave him with the frozen, thawed out under warm running water, peas and corn. These are a bit easier for him to learn to pick up as they are soft.

It's very important to get him to drink as he can dehydrate quickly. Keep trying with him. Hold his beak on each side and gently lower it into the water. Don't cover his nostrils. Do this several times if you have to, and eventually he will learn.
 
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