Well, I have had Rain now for almost a month. He/she is fully feathered but acts like a baby, peeping and cheeping whenever he sees me as if he was still a little squab! He eats best if I put my hand into his cage over the food bowl--he thrusts his beak between my fingers and beats his wings excitedly as if I am going to give him formula still.
Obviously I cannot release him--Rain is a pet, pure and simple. He wouldn't have a clue how to find food on his own! LOL! I am feeding him dove food with grit sprinkled on the bottom of his cage. Anything else I can feed him? The pigeon food I use to feed Pidgeoto would be wasted most of the time--she wouldn't eat the big stuff. He likes to cuddle on my chest, so I take him out when I have time and carry him around with me for awhile every day.
The bump on the side of his beak/head is still there. I think his cere is malformed from the injury he received when he fell out of the nest. Not sure if it affects his breathing, but if it does I can definitely say that he wouldn't be able to go free--wouldn't be able to breathe freely to fly long distances. Fortunately he doesn't seem interested in leaving, so I guess that won't be an issue!
I keep hoping he will have some nice color, but the pigeons that I see in the area that he came from seem to be a uniform gray, but there is always time for that to change--lol! I can hope, but my daughter says he is ugly and only we can love him!! (She is the one who named him and despite her disparaging words she really likes him!)
Anyway. So now I am going to have to build a big cage for him. Can't leave him out in the backyard like I did with Pigeoto--no patio anymore, and I am afraid Rosie the St Bernard will eat him! Another weekend project for my brother in law I guess!
Sheri
Menageriemom
