# Has my baby pigeon got something wrong with her wings???



## I love my pigeon <3 (Jun 24, 2011)

I rescued a young pigeon about a week ago, she was sitting next to her dead mother and was very frightened. 
She is now alot healthier looking (she's put on weight), but every time I go to feed her she whilstles ans squeals like crazy, her wings then begin to quiver.
Is she in pain or is it just excitement??
Also why does she whistle every time I go in to her room?
She'll begin flying soon I expect, she has lost the fleshy beak almost and only has the yellow feather tips around her eyes and a little on her body.
I don't want to give her to a rescue centre/wildlife hospital, because she isn't just a pigeon she is my baby and I know what they'll do. Yet I know that I can't keep her forever- because my mum won't let me 
What is the best thing to be doing with her now, I want to constantly cuddle her, but will this be bad if one day she has to be released?
Thanks


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## John_D (Jan 24, 2002)

'Adopted' baby pigeons usually see their adopter as a parent, and express that in the squeaking and wing twitching/flapping. It's not always easy to tell if they are hungry or not - they even do it when they have learned to eat seed out of a dish (we have two who only just left that stage behind  ).

After some weeks, the voice starts to sound like squeaking and honking (somewhat goose or duck like). After that phase, they then get their 'coo'.

Where are you? If you cannot keep him then he would need to go toa rescue place or sanctuary where they have 'orphaned' pigeons, and release them in groups to give them a better chance of survival. There may be one not too far from you.

We have to remember that they will not be used to foraging for food, and the longer we have them the less wary of humans (and maybe other possible predators) they can become.


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## Jaye (Mar 13, 2008)

Sounds normal to me. As John says, she/he is just begging for food.

The question for you is this: do you wish to keep her as a *companion bird* ? Pigeons DO make great companion birds (tell your Mum that !  ). Or do you wish to raise her until it's time for her to *return to the Feral world* ?

Make that decision now (or very soon) because it will determine how you interact w/ her for the next several weeks.

If the former, then you will need to provide proper housing. This might be a nice, large cage with plenty of out-of cage time inside your home (i.e. allow the Pigeon to free-fly in your home, perhaps with a moderate wing-clip to avoid accidental escape)...or, if Mum is not into THAT scenario... it might be an outdoor/indoor sort of enclosure or aviary or coop, if you live in a place where you can set up for that.

In which case, you can snuggle and baby and fawn over her/him all you want.

*If your intent is to release*, you are probably completely capable of doing THAT, too (perhaps with some assistance from someone else...your Mum, a friend, etc). 

In that instance, you don't want to 'baby' the baby as much. Certainly do the feedings, keep an eye on health, tend to cleaning her cage, and all of that. But lay off of the physical contact besides perhaps allowing her to "beak wrestle" you and wingslap you. At a certain point you will have to help her with 'flying practice' (indoors !) and then you will need to begin a Soft Release acclimation process (PM me about the details or do a search on the Forum).

Flying practice can begin at about 4 weeks of age, Soft Release process beginning at about 6-7 weeks. Do NOT release before the Pigeon is 8 weeks old...at the earliest.

Can you post a photo ? I am wondering how old he/she is already ?

Thanks for caring !!!! And saving her life !


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