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URGENT!! just rescued pigeon.

3K views 25 replies 7 participants last post by  Feefo 
#1 ·
hey, about an hour ago i picked up a rather young looking pigeon while walking my dog.. she was just laying there next to the bushes. i've brought her home since she was very vulnerable to attack. she seems to have trouble walking and is lying downed puffed up and seems sleepy (it is around 12.30-1.00 am when i picked her up). her breathing is rather deep and her poop is a brownish color, with a roundish shape (yeh she pooped on me, TWICE)

I made her the water mixed with salt and sugar solution and put a cap of water with it near her beek. she was surprised and moved her head back and then stretched her neck out twice... when i tried again, she lightly pecked at it.

HELP! this is my first time rescuing a pigeon. IF SHE LIVES THROUGH THE NIGHT I'LL TRY AND TAKE HER TO THE VET ON MONDAY.
 
#3 ·
is it cold? maybe she is sick and weak thust not being able to get away ... first thing i would do is check for broken wings-legs. does any stick out or look off?? second i would take her or him and open its beak gently and look down her throat for canker .. it will be like a yellow nasty looking thing like a corn seed or cheese .. or puss ... then i would keep her warm and if you have any feed allow her access to it.
 
#4 ·
yes it is pretty cold outside. is the sleapyness normal, could it be dehydration??
i'm a bit afraid of inspecting her. i don't want to harm her by accident. her wings look good. though her legs are a bit unstable, rubbery like. i think i'll let her sleep tonight before i start to handle her some more.

i've placed her in a box with some kitchen paper at the bottom and wrapped a towel around and underneath the box. i put a small heater set at medium level about 2 meters away on the floor.
 
#8 ·
If you have a heating pad, put a towel on it and set it on LOW. Put her on this in a box or cage. She needs to be warmed before giving her fluids or food. If she is cold, her body can't process the food, and it will just sit in her crop and make her sick. She needs to be rehydrated with the sugar salt water you have offered her. You could fill a small crock with the water, which should be tepid. Try to gently dip her beak into the water by holding her head to it. But don't cover her nostrils at the top of her beak. She may drink some this way.
 
#9 ·
Good advice by Jay.

Also...I know you don't wanna stress her/him...but..DO check for any external wounds or such...scratches, blood, scabs, abrasions, missing feathers.

Also...gently open the beak and look inside the mouth. Does it smell foul ?

Is there any sign of phlegm or white or yellow spotty growths ?

You are correct, a Feral in even half-decent shape would attempt to flee. But this little one sounds like she/he is quite ill, if in fact she's a Feral.

Can you post a photo ?
 
#10 · (Edited)




yes i have changed the wet paper.

ok so i just took these a couple of minutes ago. she is a bit more active today. i think she drank a couple of drops of water last night. i've tried picking her up and today she tried to get away by flapping her wings.. i don't think she can fly though. her wings look fine as she's able to move them and don't look injured. SHE CAN'T WALK. every time i place her back in the box, she lands on her belly and wobbles a bit to move. her left leg has a tendecy to peek out from under her left side until she tucks it back in. what could this be? broken legs?
 
#15 ·
Questions are good....that's what were here for :)
Is she on a heating pad? She needs to be warmed and rehydrated (sugar and salt in water) before feeding any food. Have you seen her drink yet? If you have some wild bird seed, you could sprinkle a little in front of her to see if she's interested. No bread...no nutritional value, its just a filler.
 
#16 · (Edited)
If she has been warmed and rehydrated , what you could give her now is Nestum or puppy biscuits soaked in warm water, mash them up, open her beak gently and put a little bit in the lower beak, wait for her to swallow befor giving more. Feed little and often, watch the poops to make certain that she is digesting.

If neither of those available then day old wholemeal bread, soaked but not too wet. (Day old, because fresh bread encourages yeast infection.).

I have given frozen corn defrosted in warm water, you could try that but mash the corn up a bit first as someone on this forum fed it to a juvenile dove and it stayed in the crop.

What part of Spain are you in? You could contact Lapalomatriste, even if Myriam isn't near you she might know someone that is.
 
#17 ·
In addition to the above, just to be on the safe side can you read this?

Collared doves can get stressed easily. If while you are handling or feeding it starts to open its mouth, put it somewhere quiet and dark immediately and leave it to recover as stress can cause it to have a heart attack.

Please do not feed it immediately, it may be suffering from shock and/or dehydration.

Check under its wings for wounds which could indicate it had been caught by a cat (or dog). Cats carry the pasteurella bacteria in their saliva and a pigeon can die of pasteurella septicemia within 24 hours, so it is important that it is treated with antibiotics (preferably one that combines amoxicillin with clavulanic acid such as Synulox, Clavamox or Clavaseptin) as early as possible.

If it feels cold it is important to warm it up on a hot water bottle wrapped in a towel (so it is warm but not hot) or on a heat pad set low, or under a 40 watt angled lamp for about an hour.

After the pigeon has been warmed (that will take about an hour on a heat pad) mix 1 pint warm water with 1/2 tablespoon of glucose, or honey or sugar and half a teaspoon of salt. Dip the bird's beak in the warm water to encourage it to drink, you can also dribble it at the edge of the beak, but don't try squirting the water into the birds mouth as it might aspirate it and die or develop pneumonia.

Do not try to feed the bird yet. It might not be well enough to digest the food, which could kill it. The glucose/honey/sugar will provide the energy it needs for the time being.


Pop a clean white kitchen towel under the bird so that you can monitor its poops. Ideally these should be plump and soft but not runny, of a khaki colour, topped by a cap of white.

Please check its head and body carefully for ticks, these are very common in collared doves..
 
#18 · (Edited)
thanks for the advice man. i've given her a better look today and she doesn't seem to have any open wounds. Her left leg seems to be paralyzed. she has some movement in the right leg but none in the left. when she lays down, her left foot/claw sticks out from the bottom of her chest. to move she uses her wings... atleast she is more responsive when i pick her up. she flaps and spreads her wings well.

she's eaten literally 2 bread crumbs and her poop seems to be more of a dark green today (it was dark brownish yesterday), with a bit more liquid.

what do you guys think about the paralysis? is it fixable?
 
#20 ·
I don't think I know anyone in Tenerife!

The paralysed leg. Is it warm? Is it stiff? Is it always out of position? Can it be moved back to the right position without hurting or distressing her? Could you take a photo?

I am wondering whether it could be a splay leg, but it could be a recent injury.
 
#21 ·
hey guys, this morning i took her to the vet. her left leg is broken and partially healed. the vet says it will take her a while to learn and gain strength in her right leg to be able to walk. though, were not sure if she'll make it. she is weak at the moment and i guess, time will tell.

she does not drink any water! i might just have to go back to the vet so he'll show me hot to give her some via syringe.
 
#23 · (Edited)
hey guys, terrible news. she passed away a this afternoon.. when i woke up this morning i could tell she had declined in health. it's really frustrating as yesterday she was looking better and i had gotten her to start to drink water normally again...

i'd like to thank you guys for your quick and thoughtful replies. they came in handy and i'll definatley remember your advice if i ever encounter another bird in need.

thnx
david
 
#26 ·
I am so sorry. Collared doves are difficult, unlike feral pigeons they can be fine one minute and dying the next. Thank you for looking after her, for taking her to safety, for looking for advice, for taking her to the vet. She was lucky to be found by you.
 
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