# Found fledgling mourning dove...



## imderanged (Aug 13, 2008)

*Found fledgling mourning dove... *MORE ADDED**

My husband an I found a little dove outside just a few hours ago. He has feathers but is not an adult, and doesn't SEEM hurt, except he can't fly well. He just kinda scoots along the ground. He did try and get away when I went to pick him up, but he was easily caught. Its dark out and he would just be a sitting duck for neiborhood cats (I live in a suburban area. lots of cats about, and cars. Infact it's a miracle we didn't run him over. He was sitting by the back of our car when we got out of it. We must have driven right over him, and just missed him with the wheel!!!) 
Anyway I decided to bring him in for the night. I gave him parakeet seed and a shallow dish of water. I have him in a 10 gallon tank in a quiet dark room. tomorrow I am going to try and call the shelter or a rehaber or something, or maybe I will get lucky and his parent will be out looking for him...Does anybody know anything else I should do in the mean time? Or who I should call in the morning? I'm in Brick NJ 08724. So far I found ONE phone number that says its for a bird rehabber in Ocean County NJ but I have no idea until I call tomorrow if its even a good number anymore! Any advice?


----------



## imderanged (Aug 13, 2008)

I just snuck in and took a quick pic of the baby....he's been pooping! And he moved closer to the food dish, but it doesn't look like he ate anything. He's very still, but he's holding his head up. I turned the lights back off and left him alone, it's 1:12 am here!


----------



## kippermom (Jan 11, 2006)

You're doing great so far. We might sometimes put a youngster on or near heat but this time of year and in an aquarium he probably will be fine...maybe add a washcloth he can cuddle on. He is young and perhaps that is why he cannot fly. He may need some hand feeding support...a small moistened piece of cat food sort of stuffed gently down his throat can help in an emergency. There are formulas you can buy at pet stores if this goes into tomorrow. You can also feel the front of his chest just at the neck to see if it feels sort of like a marble..this is the crop where he would have food if he had eaten recently. If you cannot feel anything in this little pouch and it seems perfectly flat, then he needs food. Others will be on soon with other ideas and even local contacts....try not to take him to a shelter. Most of these places will take a young bird but do not have the resources to hand feed or watch them closely and the progonosis is not really very good. You might also place the food dish and the water dish one by one right on front of his head and try to get his head to "dip" his beak into the water or seed...immitate pecking at the seed with your finger. You can also use an eye dropper to drbible some water solution on the side oif his beak. The "rescue" solution is a dash of salt and a sash of sugar in a few ounces of water. You saved him so far...hope these ideas help.


----------



## imderanged (Aug 13, 2008)

Thank you so much for replying!! I actually already did some of what you sugested. I just happen to have an under tank heater, because I keep reptiles. I plugged it in and set a hand towel over that side of the tank. I didn't want to stress him too much by handling him alot, but just now I decided to move him over to the towel myself. He actually flopped his way out of the tank and I had to go get him! So I guess he's doing ok!!! I do have some experience with birds, and when I had him in my hand his body condition felt good. He was warm but not hot, and his crop wasn't like a "marble", but it wasn't empty.

As far as nutrition...I don't have any cat food in the house, but I have parakeet seed, parakeet pellets, parrot pellet, dog food, & meal worms


----------



## little bird (Aug 11, 2006)

The only additional advice I would suggest you interchange the dishes. Put the seed in the beige bowl so it is kinda spread out and put the water in the deeper bowl so he can put his beak down into the water,....they drink by sucking the water like we would use a straw. Mourning doves are a protected species and must be turned over to a licensed rehabber or a vet. If you call your state Dep't of Environmental Conservation, they could probably tell you a rehabber in your area.


----------



## kippermom (Jan 11, 2006)

Parakeet seed if he will start to eat it, or the softened dog food, if the pellets are small enough would be preferable I think. If he takes water or the rescue solution, he'll survive overnight without food. If his weight seems good then he cannot have gone too long without a meal...maybe check for a parent hanging around in the AM or a nesting place where he could have dropped from. If no parent is obvious then he may just need a safe place with food and water where he can mature until he can be released safely...


----------



## imderanged (Aug 13, 2008)

Thank you. I just switched the dishes like you said. He does seem to be alert. Just not strong enough to fly well. i'm definately going to start calling around tomorrow, I would try and keep a wild bird as a pet or anything. I unfotunately can't take on the responsiblity to hand feed him, I'm going out of town Thursday. honestly I thought he looked old enough that he wouldn't need feeding though. I figured he was a fledgling just learning to fly and hasn't got the hang of it yet. Am I wrong?


----------



## kippermom (Jan 11, 2006)

He looks old enough to be eating...may just need a little time to get comfortable. Reassess in the AM.... you've done all you can for the night.


----------



## imderanged (Aug 13, 2008)

oop just saw your last post after I replied. Thanks so much, it's 2:12 am here, so I think I'm gonna go to bed. I just had to make sure I did everything I could, or I wouldn't be able to sleep!


----------



## prophecy (Jul 10, 2008)

thats about the size/age of the one i found a few months back. if hes not injured, just monitor him,unless he gets worse from not eating. sometimes with wild animals,more attention is worse than just a little.wild animals stress when near humans,and are not keen on being fawned over.i had a very simular situation here, i just gave him a warm bed,rehydrated him the first day,fed him some moulting conditioner for my dove type seed and left him unhandled,but visually monitored him.he was good to go in about 3 days.he was most likely tired and over-heated/extended. i let him go where i found him and he flew off very quickly.
if you cant give him the time/dont know what to do, a wildlife rehabber is indeed your best bet. best of luck with him.


----------



## imderanged (Aug 13, 2008)

Ok....I spent the early morning hours in the ER. Long story, but when I got home around 8:30 he was still doing ok, but it didn't look like he was eating, just had thrown the seeds all over. around 10:30 I called the only number I could find for a rehabber in my area, but he hasn't called back . But, his parents came back, so I took the tank outside and put it in the grass with the top off. They did come for him. We are keeping a eye out for him and this time he was on the outside of the tank w/ his parents. The thing is even though I thought he looked old enough to eat on his own, his parents are feeding him. And he is still on the ground. What else can I do? Or will they protect him till he can fly away? I live in a suburban area, and I'm nervous he will go in the road, or a cat will get him.


----------



## imderanged (Aug 13, 2008)

*I really need help!*

I'm sorry to keep posting but I'm starting to get worried. I am due to go out of town for 4 days tomorrow. I tried calling the local shelter and the humane society. I thought maybe they would know who I could call. But the shelter didn't answer, and the humane society told me to call animal control or the COPS! I really didn't think they could do anything I couldn't do, infact they might just put it down. The girl on the phone suggested putting it outside for the parent to feed during the day, and take it in at night to keep it safe. But, I will be gone by tomorrow, and my mother does not think she can handle moving the tank, and puting him back in it at night. I have no idea what to do! Is there some way to protect him some outside? make a place for him to hide or something? I feel so bad for him, but I really cannot change my plans.


----------



## Lovebirds (Sep 6, 2002)

Have you tried this person? I"ll look for some others.

EATONTOWN, NJ 
Gretchen Rell (732) 614-8189


----------



## Lovebirds (Sep 6, 2002)

DONALD BONICA (732) 255-9270 
This may be the person you've already tried since it a guy. The web site says he takes passerines.......but I can't even find the word DOVE on their web site.


----------



## imderanged (Aug 13, 2008)

Thank you for your reply. it was nice of you too look up those names for me.And you were right, the second name was the rehaber who I called. But I neve heard back from him. But the good news is it doesn't matter now. The parents were still outside taking care of him when I left to go to the supermarket. My mother kept checking on them and said that on minute all three of them were out there and the parents were cooing at him. he was sitting up on the porch looking very bright and alert. Then the next time she looked they were all gone. So I think the parents finally suceeded in convincing him to fly away. So I'm happy. It's best that he satys with other birds.


----------



## Lovebirds (Sep 6, 2002)

That's great news. He appeared to be so close to being able to follow his parents. He's where he's supposed to be now and we'll just hope that he'll be ok. You gave him the chance to do that.


----------



## TAWhatley (Mar 6, 2001)

Good job everyone! I'm glad this seems to have worked out for the little dove! Gretchen is one of us pigeon folk .. don't know about the other rehabber.

Terry


----------

