[Iowa lino]

My pigeon has been with me for a few weeks and had been eating fine, but recently he's been eating less and less seeds. I'm not sure if he's sick or if he's just tired of seeds but idk what to do. He shows signs of wanting to eat and drinks plenty of water but when I try to offer him different things like cut up carrots or apples he just pecks at them. I noticed he hates stuff that are wet? For example if I give some cucumber he would shake his head each time it touched his beak. Anyway im not to sure what I should he's been like this for a few days and I'm starting to get worried abt his weight.

 

[Doves Witness]

Post a photo of the bird, and some of his droppings if possible.

Are the seeds that are being rejected all from the same source (same commercial seed mix)? If so perhaps they are in some way tainted. Try serving him seeds from another source and in a different/clean dish. White rice from your kitchen for instance. If he eats the rice then I'd guess that there is something wrong with his regular seed mix.

Wet veggies and fruit are the last things the feral pigeons here eat when they are mixed with seeds, but they do eat them eventually.

 

[Iowa lino]

He ls a less than a year old (from what I was told) and his droppings is light brown and isn't always clumped together like the other pigeons I've had.
A little bit of back story my friend and I found him in a canal and saved him but was fine for the most part but his wings were already clipped so im not sure if he's just a wild bird someone tried to raise or if he's a pet that ran away. He's unusualy friendly to people and is very tame for a "feral" pigeon. He follows me everywhere and when I bring him outside he doesn't seem very interested in trying to leave or forage.
As for the seeds I started him off with pigeon/dove mix and tried him on budgie mix (which he prefers being hand fed) and wild mix (his least favorite) but he only eats a few seeds from each tho I haven't tried rice yet so I'll keep u updated.
also thanks for replying I disn't think anyone would respond

 

[Doves Witness]

He's very cute and looks more than a month old, but less than three months old (the operculum at the start of the upper beak usually turns white between two and three months of age.)

The droppings definitely look like something is amiss with his digestion of food because the fecal material isn't homogenous and it should be consistent. Given his age and that he isn't with his parents, I'd bet that probiotics would help. Avian / bird-specific probiotics would be good, but even just a tiny bit of yogurt with "live cultures" mixed onto seeds would supply some friendly / beneficial bacteria that are normally found in the intestines and which help in digesting food. Feeding seeds that have the hulls removed may also help, as the hulls are generally fiber that is more difficult to digest. A bit of grit such as seed-sized pieces of crushed egg shell (boiled to eliminate bacteria) might also help him to grind the seeds more thoroughly, and it provides extra minerals as well.

 

[Iowa lino]

Do u know of any place that sells avian/bird-specifics? most of the pet or vet places around my area cater more to cats and dogs. Also i forgot to mention he sometimes shakes? or like quivers? He stops sometimes when I pet him or hold him but do should i get something for that?

 

[Doves Witness]

I use the avian probiotic at the link below, and have no complaints.

Amazon.com : HealthyGut™ Avian Probiotics Dietary Supplement for Parrots, All-Natural Digestive System Formula (120 Servings) : Pet Supplies

Amazon.com : HealthyGut™ Avian Probiotics Dietary Supplement for Parrots, All-Natural Digestive System Formula (120 Servings) : Pet Supplies

www.amazon.com

Young pigeons shake, squeak, shrug their shoulders, and sometimes flap their wings when they want to be fed. He's probably hungry.

 

[Marina B]

It's also possible that he can only eat a specific type of seed and has never learned to eat the others. Fill his bowl with the seeds you normally give and check which ones disappear first. If this happens every time, then he needs to learn to eat other seeds as well.

 

[Iowa lino]

Thank u guys for ur help I'll get the probiotics and see how it goes, I still have a few questions so I'm glad this site exist ^^