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Whats the basic 101 for taking care of a baby pigeon

783 views 27 replies 3 participants last post by  Marina B  
#1 ·
I found two baby pigeons in a cardboard box in my balcony, they look a few days old but im not sure
No sight of the mother so i decided to take it in and add tissues and a small towel for bedding, been googling to take care of it but more tips would be really appreciated because i dont want it to die 😭
Thank you so much!
Image
 
#2 ·
They need a heatsource. A heatpad works well, second best option a hotwaterbottle covered with a soft blanket and them on top. If not warm enough the food won't digest.

Get a handrearing formula for baby parrots from a petshop. Do the consistency of tomato ketchup. Also a cut-off syringe as in photo where babies will stick their beaks inside to eat. Watch some videos on youtube: how to feed baby pigeon.
 
#4 ·
I read somewhere that red lamps work well for heating but also someone else objected by saying that that gas produced by the lamp can be deadly, we live in a hot climate so we dont have heating pads even for winter so is there any other method i can use?
 
#7 ·
Yes ive been using my hot water bag and putting a towel on top
The eyes open and close
And they keep pecking each other every once in a while and then sleep again
Me and my dad tried feeding it by slightly opening its beak and slowly dripping the formula in its beak and letting it swallow by itself and repeating the process
Hoping thats okay
 
#8 ·
I see you have 2 threads going. Lets stick to this one. You will aspirate them if you put food inside the beak. Get a syringe as in the photo. Cut of the needle part and put a rubber glove over the opening and fasten with elastic band. Now cut an x into the opening. The baby will stick the beak inside to eat. Might need some guidance from you the first time. Baby will eat and then withdraw to breath, then level the syringe so that food does not enter the trachea. Watch some videos on youtube how to do this properly: how to feed baby pigeon.

They peck at each other cause they are hungry. There should be plenty of droppings inbetween feedings, then you know food is digesting well.
 
#9 ·
Oh okay thank you so much for this info
I actually tried letting them eat by themselves for a good 20 minutes but they kept refusing and trying to peck at me, so my dad opened the beak a bit and i put small drop of formula and let it swallow. One of the bird breeders told us to just put a small tube in its beak and give it 6ml of formula 3 times a day so i thought that puting the tube us a bit extreme so i give drops

But i will try to make it eat by it's own
Thank you so much for your help
Ill keep you updated on the progress of eating
 
#10 ·
They are much too young to eat by themselves. Try anything where they can stick their beaks inside, that is how they get fed by the parents. They put their beaks inside that of the parents for feeding. Even a plastic bag with the corner cut off will do. Just guide their beaks inside the opening. Or try a teaspoon where they can suck up the formula. They peck at you because they are hungry.
 
#11 ·
I tried feeding them the way you said and i assisted them a bit but they ate by themselves for the most part

Now tho
One of them always wants to keep its eyes closed, ate lesser than the other one and isnt bothered by the constant pecks and chirps of its sibling

I wish i could attach a video but it isnt allowing me
The active one looks quite distressed that the sibling isnt responding, im worried the sleeping one might not make it although i gave it formula and a few drops of water
 
#19 ·
Make sure there's no airbubbles in the formula. Get a jar of human baby applesauce (or make your own by boiling peeled apples and then mash up everything). Add some to the formula and feed to them. Post photos plse of them and the droppings.
 
#20 ·
I watched your videos, although I could not open the last one. Both seem fine. Droppings should be brown and firm with a white dot on top. Can you post a photo plse? Just to make sure: you are feeding them a formula for baby seedeating birds and not human baby formula?