# Found an adult pigeon missing feathers



## broken feathers (Aug 24, 2010)

Hello, 

I found an adult pigeon outside the grocery store this evening. One of the employees asked if I wanted it and said that it had been there for several days and can't fly. He helped me get it into a box and I brought it home. It appears to be alert and healthy except that it's missing the long feathers from one wing and from its tail. He/she can flap and flutter, but not fly. He/she doesn't move around much at all, maybe from nervousness? I don't know anything about pigeons! Will the feathers grow back? Should I take it somewhere where they know how to care for it? What should I feed it? I've given it water and some bird seed mix that I feed to my other pets, but she/he doesn't seem interested. She/he has pooped once. It looks a little green, but not very watery. Will he/she be more unhappy in a cage? Should I have not taken her/him home? The grocery store employee and I were worried that an animal or person might hurt it if it stayed where it was. I would be so grateful for any advice, please!

Hannah


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## pdpbison (Mar 15, 2005)

Hi Hanna, 



Well, how sweet of you and the Grocery fellow to want to help this Pigeon.


What you describe of the missing Feathers is typical of an escape from a predation scenario.


If a Pigeon escapes from a God or Cat having caught them, the Bird can sort of 'let go' of Feathers, which leaves the preditor with a mouthfull of Feathers, and can allow the Bird to escape.


However, being caught in itself, can cause a systemic infection. 

Cat Claw tips, making tiny punctures, can introduce Bacteria into the Bird's system, which, over a few days, can end up killing the Bird.


We will have to guess he is now on day three or day four, since his escape.


This is usually the end, if such an infection is occuring, though some strong individuals might hold out a little longer.



Some individuals manage to refuse infection, and for them it is not an issue.

Trouble is, you can not tell who is who, till say, day five.



If there is a Petsmart near you, maybe you could get the 'Triple Sulfa' Antibiotic Medicine.

Or, if you have a sympathetic Vet you can appeal to, then Cipro/Baytril/Enroflaxyn would be good also.


What is your location?


Can you post some images of him?

And, some good close-ups of the so far poops?



White paper towels, lining the bottom of a cardboard Box...with some look out holes cut into the sides at Eye level...and some sheer fabric layed over the open top...is a good way to keep one, if you do not have a cage.

Have the box up high on a table or Book Case or something, not anywhere low.


Phil
Lv


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## pdpbison (Mar 15, 2005)

Images a.s.a.p.

and of the poops


If he is dehydrated, rehydration solution would be best, and that for a while, before offering Seeds.


We need to see the poops...


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## broken feathers (Aug 24, 2010)

Thank you for answering!

I will try giving her/him some rehydration solution right now. Then I will go borrow a camera from my friend to take some pictures. I have him/her in a rabbit cage covered with a towel on top of the cages of my pet rats, so he/she's up high. Right now I have wood shavings in the bottom, but I will change that to paper towels. I will also go to Petsmart to get the medication. 

I'm in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Know pigeon people around here? 

Thank you again for your help!
Hannah


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## Jaye (Mar 13, 2008)

Albequerque...cool.

Go here: www.pigeonangels.com

...and go to the section entitled "Matilda's List". There is a listing of avian vets and pigeon-friendly rescue facilities by geographic location. Perhaps there is a rescue facility near you. 

A visit to a vet wouldn't be a bad idea, however clarify that he is in your care and therefore there will be no killing of the pigeon. A vet can prescribe any of the meds above or below.

...has the pigeon eaten any food ?

Is his demeanor alert or is it lethargic ..eyes open and looking around or eyes closed a lot ?

He probably does need meds and quickly. If you cannot get the stuff suggested above, do you have any human-grade antibiotics such as penicillin, ampicillin, cipro, amoxycillin, Ceclor ???? And also will need a plastic syringe.

If there isn't a pet supply place or a vet/rescuer near you, I can conceivable express-mail you some antibiotics and a syringe with directions. It may well be the bird doesn't need the meds...but more often than not, they do. So if it's a no-go on anyone locally, PM or e-mail me (click on my username to the left) and I can send you some meds fast.

Thanks for saving him/her ! Keep us posted and hopefully we can pull the bird thru.


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## broken feathers (Aug 24, 2010)

Thanks for the resources. Looks like there is one vet in Albuquerque listed. 

He's looking really alert. His eyes always seem to be open and looking around. He cooed at me when I put the paper towels in the cage. Just now he was eating and occasionally tossing seeds out of the cage. I wasn't sure how to get him to drink the rehydration solution. I put a bowl of it in his cage, but when I tried with an eyedropper he wasn't interested and just shifted around uneasily. I didn't persist because I don't want to traumatize him! How will I administer the medicine?

I'm including some pictures. There is one close up of the poop. He's pooped at least twice in the last two and a half hours. The water looks brownish because I used brown sugar (I don't buy white sugar because they often use animal bones in the refinement process - not vegan!). I tried to get one of the missing feathers, but he didn't want to turn all the way around.


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## pdpbison (Mar 15, 2005)

He does not appear to have suffered meaningful dehydration, so that's good.

He will drink on his own, from the small Water Cup.


What meds did you get?


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## broken feathers (Aug 24, 2010)

They only had the triple sulfa for fish, so the pet store bird lady suggested "Marvel Aid Oral Remedy." The active ingredient is Sulfadimethoxine 15mg/fl.oz. It says to just use that as the only water offered. Does that sound right?

Will his feathers grow back or will I need to find a permanent home for him?


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## pdpbison (Mar 15, 2005)

Hi Feathers, 



Okay, yeah, Meds in the Water is fine.


Run the details past us if you like, in order to be certain you have the dose right.

In this context, you need to figure out how much Water he is actually frinking in a day, or in 24 Hours, in order to calculate how much of the Medicine he is actually getting.

See if it has any taste, also.


I expect that once his Feathers grow back, he will be his old good Flying Self again, and would be able to be released.

We will have to see of course, how things turn out with that.



Please comntinue to post updates every couple days?


Along with images of the poops...


It'll help us keep an Eye on the progress.


Best wishes!
Phil
Lv


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## broken feathers (Aug 24, 2010)

That's good news! I certainly hope so! Do you know how long it might take for them to grow back?


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## pdpbison (Mar 15, 2005)

Ohhhhhhhhhhhhhh...a couple Months or so.


Maybe less...

Lol...


But, either way, this will give you two plenty of time to get acquainted.


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## broken feathers (Aug 24, 2010)

That's good, I look forward to getting to know him! (is it a him? her?) 

My landlord knows I have rats, so I'm hoping he won't notice an extra cage for a few months. 

Thank you all for your help, he's looking good so far!

Hannah


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## Jaye (Mar 13, 2008)

Should take about 3 weeks for feathers to grow back sufficiently for flight.

I would keep an eye on him ...look out for feather fluffing, sleepy eyes often, lethargy, increased breathing rate.

I agree w/ Phil....meds in the water sometimes doesn't come anywhere close to ingesting the dosages a bird needs. I will offer again, if you wish to PM me an address I can send you some cipro along with a syringe.

If not, do post how you are mixing the meds. But IMHO Cipro is better stuff than what you've found locally.

Are you gonna call the vet ? Might be worth a physical exam and maybe he/she can prescribe some antibiotic too. If the vet is on Matilda's list, it's a good one.

Keep us posted.


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## pdpbison (Mar 15, 2005)

Let us know more details on the Meds you got...

Powder? Liquid? Tablets?


Concentration per..?


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## broken feathers (Aug 24, 2010)

The medication is a liquid. On the bottle it says to use the full concentration (15mg Sulfadimethoxine/ fluid oz.) as the only water given for 5 days. Yesterday I gave him one cup; there is half a cup left. I just refilled it. He's also been eating the seeds I gave him. Is there any other food I should be offering? He still seems alert, he's hopped up onto the perch I made him in the cage. I had the cage covered with a towel, but I just took it off for him to be able to look around a little. He's looking and looking all over the place and studying me as I write this. 

If you were to send me medication, I would need to inject him? Gulp, what if I did it wrong? 

I would like to take him to the vet but...Matilda's List says that a visit costs $55. I hate to have money limit what I can do for him, but I just moved in, I haven't started work yet, and rent is due again in a week. Perhaps the Cipro would be a good solution. I'll send you my P.O. box.


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## pdpbison (Mar 15, 2005)

Hi bf, 



Okay, well...sounds good, sounds like you are doing well, and like he is doing well also.


You can gently have him on your Lap, on a Towel draped over your Lap, as you sit.

Bowl of Seeds in front of him...Watch TV or be on the Computer or whatever, and sort of hand out that way.

Just do everything really slow, gently, so he gets the message that things are friendly and acknoewledging of him as him.


Be nice also for him to be able to trot around a little now and then, in the floor, so long as the floor is Bird Safe, and nothing he could peck at which would be harmful...nor any inconvenient places he could trot into.

Trotting and so on to be under supervision, and or on his own recon if a safe secure room is available.


So, working toward being friends, 'pecking' with him or to invite him to join, 'pecking' in the Seed Bowl on your Lap, with a crook'd index finger, working toward being friends, will allow the best conditions for you both to enjoy his recovery and stay, while he grows his new Feathers.


Phil
Lv


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## broken feathers (Aug 24, 2010)

I'm glad for the friendship-building advice. I had him out with me in the living room last night. He didn't want to be on my lap, but was ok with sitting next to me on the couch. After a while he fluttered to the floor and walked around some. We kind of played peek-a-boo around some boxes. He hopped up to the bottom rung of a chair and hung out there until it was bedtime. 

Today he was a bit grumpy, grunting at me when I reached into the cage to change his food and water and put in new paper towels. Once I tried to stroke him and he tried to peck me! Tomorrow I'll have time to let him out again in the afternoon or evening and we'll see how that goes. 

Hannah


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## pdpbison (Mar 15, 2005)

Hi Hanna, 


Sounds good.


He might not elect to be downright friendly...but, at least he understands he is in a friendly situation where, a little grumpy or not, he will have less stress or worry.

He will see you as a sort of fellow creature, a different species of course, who might be annoying, but, is not threatening.

Sharing Seeds during these Couch Times, might be a nice gesture to win him over a little more...you pecking with a crook'd index finger, then setting the Bowl over for him if he is close enough...and then 'pecking' along with him.

Just make sure you make any movelements very slowly...very very slowly...and hands low, close to the 'ground' or other surface, always, if reaching toward him, or electing to 'peck' with him, and so on.


Never Hands at his Eye level or higher, which to him, will seem threatening.


If he knows you are not going to steal or domineer his Seeds, he will understand you are very positively sociable.


Phil
Lv


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## broken feathers (Aug 24, 2010)

I'm happy to report that we're getting along quite well, although I don't really want him to become too tame because that won't serve him well when I release him. He trots around when I'm home and flutters onto low things, like the coffee table, chairs, or empty boxes. I try to peck with him, but mostly he doesn't like me to move at all when I'm that close. I scatter granola on the floor and pretend to peck it, then I back off and he comes and eats it. He's taken to going exploring a little ways, then coming back to check on me, then trotting off again. 

He likes the bath tub for some reason. We were looking at each other in there (I mean, I wasn't taking a bath or in the bath tub, just nearby!) and I noticed that his chest feathers, etc. look kind of a different texture. It occurred to me that maybe he would normally have found somewhere to take a bath within this week I've had him. Do they do that? Do I need to provide some way for him to bathe? He preens himself all the time, is that enough?


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## pdpbison (Mar 15, 2005)

You can set a large Frying Pan, or a Cake Pan or some low Cassarole Dish or other, something two or three inches deep, and big enough for him to be in...

Cool Water...lay a Towel on the floor, set the 'Bath' on the Towel...

Splash it lightly with wiggling fingers so he gets the drift...then walk away a little ways and just be about your routine business, or read a Book or something so he does not feel you are watching him.

When rather 'wild', they are usually a little shy about being watched if Bathing.


He would probably love to take a Bath.


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## broken feathers (Aug 24, 2010)

He did indeed LOVE taking a bath! He finally got to yesterday (I changed the location of the bath pan and then he was interested, whereas before he was not). He pecked at the water, then stepped in and dipped around. He liked to kind of lay in the water, while holding one wing straight up in the air! When he got out, he flapped vigorously to dry, then settled down for a nap on the floor. 

I'm concerned, though, because today I've heard him sneeze twice. Is that a cause for worry? I know with my rats it can be very bad, what does it mean for pigeons? Is it from the bath?


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## pdpbison (Mar 15, 2005)

If he keeps sneezing, we can go through some things.

A couple of sneezes over one day, is not beyond a normal reaction if he had something irritating his sinuses ( bit of dander, dust, whatever...)


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## broken feathers (Aug 24, 2010)

Great news. He's stopped sneezing and is doing well! Thanks!


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## broken feathers (Aug 24, 2010)

Hello! 

I'm very pleased to report that the pigeon is doing very well! His right wing feathers are almost as long as the ones on the left now, and his tail feathers are growing back quickly, too. He spends all of his time outside the cage, except when he wanders in to eat or drink. He can fly up to the top of a bookshelf, where he likes to perch. He's molting all over the place! 

Is he almost ready to get back to his own life? Is there anything I need to make sure of before I let him go? Any special procedure for letting him go? We've noticed that he looks chubbier than the pigeons we see outside, like he's gained weight staying here with us. We tried not to overfeed him, but he's not getting any exercise inside. Will this mean he's slower when we let him go? Will he get hit by a car? 

Anything else you can tell us, that we don't know to ask about, would be great! Thank you!


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## pdpbison (Mar 15, 2005)

Hi BF,




Glad to hear..!

Good going you two! ( You and Mr. Pigeon )...


Baths...and when he bathes, see if his Feathers roll the Water off pretty much.


Good Feather condition is critical for a Wild Bird, so they do not get soaked if out in the Rain.


So, see how his Feathers seem when he Bathes...under Feathers on his lower side will get loggy, but all else should roll the Water off easily.


Olive Oil 'glistening' his Seeds is all round good for him, and good for his skin and preen Gland nourishings.


If he can fly from the floor to say, seven feet up in like eight 'flaps' ( you can count them ) then he would qualify as being in good shape far as Muscles and all...


Do you have or can you borrow a Gram Scale to weigh him?


Images of him?


Images of some fresh poops?



Best wishes!


Phil
Lv


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