[nikku-chan]

I found an Australian Crested Pigeon sitting on the road yesterday. It got up and was walking around, but i caught it easily as it didn't even attempt to fly away, only run.

It's super fluffed up. It jolts moves its head down sometimes. at first i thought it was trying to peck seeds, but it isn't. Even when perched on my finger, it sometimes jolts its head down. It doesn't turn it like a pigeon with PMV, just jolts down.

It flew about 30 cm last night, but only because it was very scared. I haven;t seen it drink, or eat, but i;ve been at work all day, so it might have, But it shows no interest when i'm there.

It weighs 130 grams. This species is far smaller than normal city pigeons obviously, but it feels so light, i think it might be underweight.

Its poos are a very dark green, and runny, with a tiny amount of white.
I started it on baytril .008mg a day, because i don't know what else to do.

It looks the same as yesterday, maybe a little worse. It sits with its head down and fluffed up heaps. Sometimes it shakes.

What should i do? I've supplied it with budgie seed, because i know these pigeons eat millet, but apparently they also eat insects and fruit. What other foods should i try? Should i force feed and water it?

When i give it the baytril, afterwards, it swallows for ages.

I looked down its throat, and its tongue kind of have blackish parts, but it could just be this species maybe.

It's very cute. I don't want it to die. What should i do next?

It looks like an adult, it has blue green and gold irridescence on its wing tips and its eye cere looks to be like an adults would.


Please help.

 

[nikku-chan]

also, its missing a couple of tail feathers, but it doesn';t have any other signs of being attacked. No puncture wounds.

 

[nikku-chan]

it just did a poo that was kind of gooey, with dark green, and quite a bit of uncooked egg-white looking stuff, and a bit of white urates.

It looked as though it was straining, it kind of lifted a wing a little, and moved its tail to the side, and did the poo, and then seemed to be trying to do more. Its bottom is a little bit messy now. I thought maybe it was egg bound, but i can't feel an egg, so i guess it isnt. And i think it is a boy anyway, based on descriptions of what the eye is meant to look like.

It just drank some sugar salt water, only a little bit. It still won't touch seeds.
It doesn;t seem to be alert for most of the time, but sometimes it has periods of alertness, and in one of these, it flew from my hand to the bed, about 4 or 5 feet away. So, it CAN fly. It's just too sick to want to.

Should i start flagyl too?

 

[Skyeking]

Thank you for helping this bird.

Always make sure to follow this link first:

http://www.pigeons.biz/forums/showthread.php?t=11265

Not knowing what is exactly wrong with the bird makes it hard to decide what the bird needs. IF you suspect canker then yes I would treat it, but you have to be careful not to overmedicate if you really don't know what is going on, if this bird is so weak.

However, make sure that you feed the bird if it isn't eating since it is drinking and is hydrated. It will go downhill fast if it has no food. How does the keel bone feel, is it sharp?

The egg white stuff and the poop, can you post a picture of it, and a pic of the bird?

Any sign of injury or other symptom?

 

[nikku-chan]

Hey Trees,

I've decided to call him Booey. I had no idea how pretty crested pigeons are..They're tiny, and their wings are so short, and decorated with such pretty colours, they look like royalty. His crest is so soft, it reminds me of baby hair.

I gave him flagyl before..i hope i didn't do more harm than good. I just feel helpless. The dose was on the smaller side to what some people dose when it comes to flagyl. 100mg/k a day.

I found somewhere that crested pigeons can weigh around 160 to 230 grams. He weighs 130, so i assume he is underweight. His keel feels fairly sharp, but it's hard to tell how thin he is because of his fluffyness.

I can post pics tomorrow after uni, my camera battery is charging now.

no other sign of injury. He does have lice/mites though. I found a few pigeon louse (the long ones), and i found 2 tiny roundish mites that moved really slowly, on his beak.

Should i spray him with lice spray? It's the pyrethrin sort. Or is this a smaller problem that i can remedy later when he's feeling better?

Should i feed him by dropping millet seeds down its throat, or should i feed it soaked dog biscuits? I know it is meant to eat insects in the wild.

let me know asap about the food.

 

[Whitefeather]

I'm so glad you came upon this pigeon before a predator did. Many thanks for rescuing him.

* I gave him flagyl before..i hope i didn't do more harm than good. I just feel helpless. The dose was on the smaller side to what some people dose when it comes to flagyl. 100mg/k a day.

I found somewhere that crested pigeons can weigh around 160 to 230 grams. He weighs 130, so i assume he is underweight. His keel feels fairly sharp, but it's hard to tell how thin he is because of his fluffyness.

** I can post pics tomorrow after uni, my camera battery is charging now.

no other sign of injury.
*** He does have lice/mites though. I found a few pigeon louse (the long ones), and i found 2 tiny roundish mites that moved really slowly, on his beak.
Should i spray him with lice spray? It's the pyrethrin sort. Or is this a smaller problem that i can remedy later when he's feeling better?

**** Should i feed him by dropping millet seeds down its throat, or should i feed it soaked dog biscuits?

*** ** I know it is meant to eat insects in the wild.

let me know asap about the food.

* Personally, if possible, I feel it's alway best to try & figure out what's going on before medicating. There are many natural products that can be administered. I would definitely continue with the rehydrating solution.

** Yes, pictures would be great.

*** This could be a BIG problem. If the bugs are crawling on his beak, he may have quite a few hiding under his wings, tail, etc.
I would consider dusting/spraying him. Make sure his face is well protected. Even though you spot some of the bugs on his beak DON'T dust his face.

**** The millet seeds are fine. Small pieces of soaked dog biscuits (or puppy chow) are OK, in a pinch. Thawed frozen peas are OK as well.
Just make sure he is warmed (where he is able to maintain his own body temperature) & well hydrated.

*** ** Pigeons don't eat insects.

Please do keep us posted.

Cindy

 

[Birdmom4ever]

Actually, some of the exotic species do eat insects and/or fruit. I don't know much about crested pigeons, but have seen them at the zoo and they're beautiful.

130 grams sounds light even for a small species of pigeon. Nikku-chan, I think soaked dog biscuits are a good idea. It sounds to me like this bird is starving. Do make sure it's properly hydrated before attempting to feed it, though.

 

[nikku-chan]

Good news so far...

He's eating seeds by himself. I put one into his mouth a few times, and he suddenly realised it was food, and today, he is gobbling the seeds down.

I haven't seen him drink again, but i'm pretty sure he is behind my back.

Should i stop with the baytril or the flagyl? or both?

He is still fluffed up, and seems not very alert until i really get him out and do something he doesn't like, or show him the seeds. He is far livelier than he was though. His poos are a little less runny, but still runny all the same.

He is a small species, but yes, i am sure he is underweight. It's good that he is eating now.

I read that he eats fruit, seeds, and insects. But mostly seeds. Apparently he is meant to like soft foods too, like cooked rice, and vegetables. I'll try some with him tomorrow, and some dog biscuits, for protein. I don't know if he could get peas down. His beak is so dainty.

I'll post pics in an hour.

It's amazing, these pigeons are common in my city, and i've never thought anything of them. It's so different when you're holding an actual bird in your hand, and get to admire how beautiful it is from close up.

 

[Skyeking]

I'm glad he is eating on his own, that is great news.

I would continue the baytril for the full course, especially if he is responding to it.

I would love to see a picture of this crested pigeon, I bet he is beautiful!!

 

[Pidgey]

Is there any chance that he's a young adult? A rather large percentage of freshly-weaned birds just don't make it because they essentially starve to death. I've seen a small percentage of young birds in my own loft get sick because it never seems to occur to them to stick their heads in the waterers to drink and so you have to teach them. Anyhow, you can get stools like you're describing in starving birds. And, with starvation comes disease. If he starts going back up within 24 hours of eating plenty, then you're probably in pretty good shape but it's always hard to say. I've sure gotten a hold of a lot of wilted young birds in my time.

Pidgey

 

[Birdmom4ever]

I'm so glad to hear he's eating on his own and I look forward to seeing photos! I agree with Treesa that it would be good to continue the Baytril for now. When vets prescribe it, it's usually for two weeks. Flagyl is usually given for five days, at least that's what it's been when my vet has prescribed it.

 

[nikku-chan]

It is possible that he is young, but i don''t think he is that young. He has his iridescent feathers, which aren't found on juveniles, according to some things i have read, and his eye cere looks the same as pictures i have seen of adults. It is difficult to tell though because it's very hard to find decent info on this species.

I sprayed him with pyrethrin today, and put him in a cage. rather than a box.

i put him on the perch, as i found him perching on his water dish yesterday, and he liked it. He has since jumped down to gorge on more seeds though. He is becoming more scared and jumpy with me too, which is a good sign. I can't wait until he gets better and i can release him. It will be such a good feeling. I've never released a bird back to the wild before.

He just cooed! It sounded like an owl going "hooo!"

This is a pic of when i first found him. Look how fluffed he was!

This of his iridescent feathers. There are more, than in this pic. Its hard for the camera to pick it up though.

A close up of his eye cere, and of his markings

and, a full body shot. (he doesn't normally sit like this, it's just his tail was squished on that angle.

 

[Skyeking]

Sounds like he is feeling better from all the signs, he is absolutely GORGEOUS!!!

Please do continue to update us, and yes we will be looking forward to this release, too.

Thank you very much for sharing the pics, glad he isn't as fluffed as he was too on that first pic.

 

[TheSnipes]

What a beautiful bird! So glad he seems to be improving, I sure hope he is well and can be released soon.

 

[philodice]

I would guess that he is 4-5 months old. Almost fully grown but still if you look closely around his beak it isn't fully grown in with the feathers. Just a guess from looking at my young birds. So the theory that he may have run into trouble feeding himself may be true.
The lice could have been taking a lot out of him. Perhaps a touch of canker, which is pretty common in cases such as this. I think you are doing a great job with the medication and diagnosis.

 

[Birdmom4ever]

What a stunningly beautiful bird! Thank you so much for sharing the photos. Good work.

 

[nikku-chan]

Thanks guys.
I know, he is beautiful. They're very common around here, so no-one takes any notice.

That's good then, that it could have only been starvation. I'll keep him for the 2 weeks of baytril, fatten him up, and then he can be on his way.

I still see a few louse under his wings, and i sprayed him 2 days ago.
Can i spray again? should i spray under his wings?

 

[Lovebirds]

wow.........he's pretty! I hadn't seen the pics until now. It won't hurt anything to spray him again. If they have a bad case of buggies, sometimes you have to hit them twice.

 

[Maggie-NC]

Booey is a lovely pigeon. I have never seen one before.

I'm wondering if he should be wormed? Seems like most wild birds get them and that could be part of his problem. I would definitely continue with the full days' dosing of the medicine.

 

[Littlecoo]

I love the crested pigeons and have all the time in the world for those gorgeous little guys. It is soooo cute watching pairs of them running around together on their short little pijie legs lol. I am glad to hear that little Booey is doing well. I have cared for a few of these pigeons in the past and I used a similar care/feeding regime that I use for doves for these guys. They seem to also prefer to spend time wandering around and feeding on the ground so I give them as much ground space as I can and put everything on the ground for them except for some higher perching space for security/nighttime.