# Need help on rehab and release of juvenile rock dove in Calgary, Canada



## SaveWallace (Dec 6, 2010)

I found a feral rock dove a few days ago in a park about 500m from my house. He was being pecked to death by a mapgpie. I chased away the magpie and then brought the pigeon (Wallace) home to get a chance to recover.

His wings are fine and there was a wound on his rump where the magpie had pecked at it but Wallace has preened over it. He is eating and drinking well and is flapping his wings alot. I think he is ready to go. The only problem is that I think that he was likely a fresh fledgling from the nest. He still has a bit of down around his neck and his bill looks a bit different then an adult pigeon's bill. And he makes these little peeps that don't sound like adult pigeon's call. 

It is the winter time in Calgary and I am concerned about his chances of survival if I release him right now. But at the same time I feel that the longer I delay the release the more tame he is likely to become. I am trying to handle him minimally. He is such a sweet calm little bird, that it is tempting to keep him but I think he would be happier as a free flyer. Plus, I don't think I could provide a coop for him because of the number of squirrels in my neighbourhood. I have bird feeders and it has been impossible to keep the squirrels out of them.

Does anyone have any suggestions? Should I try a release in the park when the weather is better? It is a few blocks from my house so it wouldn't be very easy to monitor his progress. Does somebody know a rehabber in the general area that might take him and then release him with a rehab flock? Any suggestions would be appreciated.


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## TAWhatley (Mar 6, 2001)

Thank you so much for rescuing Wallace! Please do hang on to Wallace for at least a bit more time while we try to assist in locating a rehab situation for Wallace. I think it would not be in Wallace's best interests to release him/her at this time of year at such a young age.

Terry


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## pdpbison (Mar 15, 2005)

Hi SaveWallace, 


Can you post some images of him himself? And, some good, close up, in focus, well lit images of his freshest poops?


He is not releaseable at this time, or, he would not have been in that jam with the Magpie...he would simply have flown away or eluded them.


So, he is either too young to be on his own, or, sick, or injured in some manner.


Is he pecking and eating well? Drinking Water on his own?



Best wishes!


Phil
Las Vegas


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## SaveWallace (Dec 6, 2010)

He is eating and drinks readily when I provide him with water through an eye dropper or water bottle with the metal ball in it. I haven't checked his poops this weekend because he stayed with a friend while I was out of town. I will post some photos sometime tomorrow.


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## Dobato (Jul 3, 2008)

Sue, I agree with with Phil, too late in the year to consider release to give him his best chance at success, you need to wait until spring now.

Karyn


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## tony_333 (Oct 6, 2008)

SaveWallace,
If you need any help with any questions or concerns, I reside in Calagry feel free to shoot me a email [email protected]


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## Jaye (Mar 13, 2008)

That's nice of you, Tony. Also, besides what Dobato says about the weather...._it sounds like Wallace is too young and needs acclimation to a Feral flock_ before releasing him, too....


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## SaveWallace (Dec 6, 2010)

Keeping Wallace until the spring is not an option for me and I don't think it would be the best thing for him if I intend to release him. So if you have any ideas of who might be willing to take him with the intent on releasing him (a rehabber) please let me know.


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## Dobato (Jul 3, 2008)

tony_333 said:


> SaveWallace,
> If you need any help with any questions or concerns, I reside in Calagry feel free to shoot me a email [email protected]


To start, try contacting Tony_333 (above) and see what assistance he could offer you.

Karyn


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## Pawbla (Jan 6, 2009)

tony_333 said:


> SaveWallace,
> If you need any help with any questions or concerns, I reside in Calagry feel free to shoot me a email [email protected]


Hey Tony,
Would you be able to foster Wallace for a while? I have seen you have other pigeons. If you have a coop, you probably have some ferals around, right? Maybe you could socialize Wallace with them.
Of course, you two are ones who should arrange it, but I'm just saying that if you can, I think it would be good for the little guy.


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## SaveWallace (Dec 6, 2010)

*Pics of wallace*

Here are some pictures of Wallace and his poops. He seems to be doing well. He is quite alert and perches on the ladder that I placed in his cage. He is drinking when I provide him with the water bottle. I still haven't seen him peck at the pigeon seed but my friend who looked after him on the weekend said that he did see him eat a piece of apple.

Should I be letting him out of the cage for some exercise? He got out once and flew into the window. Does anyone have any suggestions on how I can make the cage more comfortable for him?

I will talk to the person who left their email previously but if anyone else has comments on how to release him in the winter or a place where he could go I would appreciate it. I am able to keep him for awhile longer but winter lasts into May or June in Calgary and it is impractical with my job to be able to look after him for that long.


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## Dobato (Jul 3, 2008)

SW, you need to get some food into this little guy, at this age their parents would still be feeding him. His droppings really do not have solids in them, meaning he has not been getting much food, what you see there is mostly residue of his digestive process lacking real solids from food being digested. Pigeons are not fruit eaters, they are grain eaters, I am going to post a few links on how to get some food into him. You also need to place a water dish in his cage, small, but at least 1" deep.

You can use the link below to feed him thawed and warmed frozen peas and corn, but the smaller ones (baby peas) would be better than larger.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uU1SO0ZJoow

He may still be willing to try being feed from cut syringe and plus there is a link where you would use your hand to mimic his parents feeding him, there is also information on teaching him to self water from a dish:

http://www.pigeons.biz/forums/showpost.php?p=522672&postcount=2

Karyn


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## SaveWallace (Dec 6, 2010)

Thanks Karyn. The last links on how to self water and teaching them to eat seed appear to be broken. Do you mind sending me this information again?


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## Dobato (Jul 3, 2008)

Thanks for pointing this out, they were working when I first posted to that thread, don't know why they are now dead.

Anyway, here they all are again:

http://www.pigeons.biz/forums/showpost.php?p=522565&postcount=11 water

http://www.pigeons.biz/forums/showpost.php?p=523350&postcount=16 feeding seeds

http://www.pigeons.biz/forums/showpost.php?p=508006&postcount=3 feeding seeds

http://www.pigeons.biz/forums/showpost.php?p=507810&postcount=2 feeding seeds

In the video clip on hand feeding I posted, I mentioned feeding peas, but you can also feed raw, unsalted sunflower hearts, and pieces of raw, human grade, Spanish peanuts this way as well. I don't see any seeds scattered around either, so make sure there are seeds in a dish and a good amount scattered around his cage for him to peck at, you can help him by joining him and peck at the seeds with your forefinger to encourage him to peck as well.

(fixed links in other post as well)

Karyn


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## SaveWallace (Dec 6, 2010)

*update*

He doesn't seem to be interested in the bottle method with the pea/corn formula. Even when I put his bill in the nib he won't eat. He is still drinking water readily and pecking seed from the bottom of his cage. But he still doesn't seem to be taking in that much food. I guess I might try hand feeding peas to him but I am concerned that maybe his bill is damaged or too soft. It seems to be misshapen or is that normal for young pigeons?

In the meanwhile, I've left a message for Tony to see if he could give me some advice directly on Wallace's care and release but have not yet heard back from him. If anyone else knows of someone in Calgary that I might be able to contact please let me know.

Thanks for your advice!


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## Dobato (Jul 3, 2008)

SW, his bill is fine, this is just the beak of a juvinille pigeon and will change some as s/he matures.

Please try the "Poppa bird" hand feeding method by Phil (pdpbison) I posted for you and see how that goes, Also you can spread a few of the thawed and warmed peas around for him to peck at as well, as sometimes they have an easier time learning to self-feed doing this. But, in the meantime, you will need to spend time with him feeding him by hand if need like in the clip posted before, here it is again: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uU1SO0ZJoow , these sessions may take a bit of time, but as I mention his parent would still be feeding him at this age, so you are going to have to fill in as a substitute until he really is able to manage to get enough food into himself on his own to sustain proper nutrition and daily calories.

Karyn


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## SaveWallace (Dec 6, 2010)

The handfeeding seems to be working. His poops are more solid and more abundant. Is there a link or thread that shows what a health poop should look like?


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## Dobato (Jul 3, 2008)

SW, glad things are going a little better for him. At this age they can hold a surprising amount of food in their crop, so make sure you can at least start to see his crop start to bulge out a little, if you can manage at each feeding, it is also important that they have water right after feeding as well.

Here is a link to what some pretty ideal droppings should look like, so don't be discouraged if your little guy's look aren't like these, that they are improving is a good sign:

http://www.pigeons.biz/forums/showpost.php?p=137089&postcount=20

Karyn


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## SaveWallace (Dec 6, 2010)

I'm handing Wallace over to a rehab society today who will keep him until they feel he's able to fly and then they will try to integrate him into a nearby flock. I am nervous about it just because he is so young and it's winter time. 


The rehab place says that it will do a soft release. Can you tell me what a soft release entails so that I can make sure that they will look after him correctly and give him the best chance of survival?


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## Dobato (Jul 3, 2008)

SaveWallace said:


> I'm handing Wallace over to a rehab society today who will keep him until they feel he's able to fly and then they will try to integrate him into a nearby flock. I am nervous about it just because he is so young and it's winter time.
> 
> 
> The rehab place says that it will do a soft release. Can you tell me what a soft release entails so that I can make sure that they will look after him correctly and give him the best chance of survival?


SW, before you turn Wallace over, I would confirm their timing for this, as in are they going to wait to spring time, if not, I would not turn him over. Also can you clarify what they mean by "try to integrate" and get the details on how they do a soft release and let us know their procedures.

Karyn


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## joyful (Apr 1, 2009)

Hi, Wallace looks cute. It is so encouraging that he is recovering so well. 
I like the ladder he is standing on. 
please share with me where can I buy one?


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## Pigeon80error (Sep 25, 2010)

TAWhatley said:


> Thank you so much for rescuing Wallace! Please do hang on to Wallace for at least a bit more time while we try to assist in locating a rehab situation for Wallace. I think it would not be in Wallace's best interests to release him/her at this time of year at such a young age.
> 
> Terry


you know on your pet list? yeah? anyways is that a baby chick? the black one. Saffron.


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