# Will not feed himself!?



## EmilyP (Jan 26, 2014)

Hi, i have a pigeon who will not feed himself.
Just over two weeks ago my neighbor brought round a 14 day old wood pigeon that she had found in her garden. He had 2 bad injuries to his head and his right eye was sunken in and dry, we thought he might have been attacked by a bird and pulled from the nest. I cleaned up the wounds and gave him some antibiotics and eye drops; he is a lot better now just waiting for the scabs to fall off and feathers to re-grow. 

He has been fed on peas, sweetcorn, apple, cabbage, and a ready brek and seed mix 3/4 times a day as well as having bowls of seed, grit and water available at all times.

I was wondering if by this stage he should be feeding himself, he never touches the stuff in the bowls or anything i put on the floor of his cage. When i present food to him he attempts to peck at it but fails to pick it up. 

This is a link to a video of him trying to eat: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dA962TSd0dw


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## Marina B (May 5, 2011)

Well, he did ate the pea! You can start by leaving a small bowl of peas with him. Play with the peas with your fingers and he will start eating them if he's hungry enough. Skip the morning feeding and just do the above. Once he's eating peas by himself, you can start adding some seeds and he will eventually start eating those as well. You can teach him to drink water by dipping the tip of the beak (not over the nostrils) into a small bowl of water.


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## FredaH (Apr 5, 2016)

Aww bless him he's just a little mite and soon will pick up the seeds and throw them to the back of his beak. I've got a six week old tumbler pigeon I hand raised from hatch and she has literally only just started eating by herself a few days ago, with me feeding her she wasn't bothered with seed but she did exactly what your little one is doing, just practicing for now. He'll eat when he's ready and has shown you he can. They just suddenly start eating and drinking by themselves although I think my girl has taken much longer, the other five I hand reared were all weaned by four and five weeks. All different I suppose. 
He's a little beauty and lucky to have you.


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## EmilyP (Jan 26, 2014)

Hi again, sorry for the delayed reply.
Thank you both for your replies, i have been doing as you said and cutting out his morning feed and playing with the peas to try and get him interested and it did work on one occasion but since then he has been worse. He wont even look at the peas now and i have noticed he isn't holding his tail up anymore when he perches (he doesn't perch very often). I'm starting to think there is something else wrong with him but i don't know what? I have checked him over from head to tail and cant see anything that would be causing him pain or discomfort, he is still very alert, squeaks at me whenever he sees me and is eating his porridge well. Does anyone have any ideas as to what could be wrong?

Thank you,
Emily and Jeffrey Pigeon


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

Can you post a good picture of him? He is still young, and no other birds to teach him. They learn by imitating their parents. He also needs to learn to drink if he eats seeds. Try feeding frozen peas that have been defrosted and warmed under warm running water. Not dry peas. Once he knows those as food, he should start trying to pick them up by himself. Dry peas are not the same. The defrosted and warmed peas are easier to pick up.


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## EmilyP (Jan 26, 2014)

This is Jeff, I have been trying with defrosted frozen peas


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## EmilyP (Jan 26, 2014)

sorry selected the wrong picture, these show his full body.


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

The lack of feathers on his throat indicate that he probably needs to be treated for canker.


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## EmilyP (Jan 26, 2014)

I cant see any signs of it in his throat but if you think that will help? what does he need?


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

Doesn't always show in the throat. I think Metronidazole is the best treatment, but don't think you can get it over there. Will probably have to use something like Spartrix that you have in the UK. 

If you are on Facebook, I suggest you join the Pigeon Rescue group which is a network of rescuers and some rescue centres in the UK:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/PigeonProtection/

They would probably have a better idea of what you can get and where. May have other suggestions as well.


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## EmilyP (Jan 26, 2014)

Hi again, I treated Jeff with harkers 4 in 1 and he still has his tail down, he had the tablet 4 days ago now. Does it take a while to clear up if it is canker or could something else be wrong? Today he has started shaking, not often, but i noticed several times he would shake almost like he was shivering. It only lasts a second and he doesn't seem distressed by it, could this be linked with the droopy tail?


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## EmilyP (Jan 26, 2014)

... and he is still not feeding himself


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## FredaH (Apr 5, 2016)

Mine shake when they're excited or nervous so it may not be that he's sick but just unsure of a situation or person, mine do it to each other now and then too. Brags apple cider vinegar is good and helps the digestive tract with the enzymes it contains - I add five drops in a half pint water bowl a couple of times a week. I'd imagine the Harkers will take a while to work, most medicines do but metro would be better if you know anyone who has some.
He looks great btw so you're obviously doing a good job. Lovely little fella.


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

4 in 1's don't often work as there is not usually enough of any one med to do any good. When you treat a sick bird, you should use the right drug. Not a combo that has a little of this and a little of that in it.


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## EmilyP (Jan 26, 2014)

I used the 4 in 1 because no one really knows what wrong with him, his only symptom is the droopy tail. I thought by using that i was covering more possibilities. What is metro? I don't know anyone who has pigeons.


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

Metronidazole is used mostly for canker. Works well. 

Is he eating normally? Is he drinking more? Acting normally?


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## EmilyP (Jan 26, 2014)

He is still eating fine when he is fed, no sign of feeding himself and I have never seen him drink. Even when I put his beak in the water he just stares at it and doesn't drink! He's doing fine other than the droopy tail and the occasional shake, he flys well, is very squeaky when I go in the room, poos look good! 

Where would I get that from? Can I give him a different medication straight away or should I wait a while for the other to go out of his system?


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

Did you check out the face book group? They would have a better idea of what you have there. And may be able to help.


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## EmilyP (Jan 26, 2014)

I did post on there but didn't really get any answers. They just asked about his diet, said that they didn't think canker was the problem (no suggestion of any other causes for the problem) and then asked for a picture showing the tail but didn't comment again after that.


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

Can you get Spartrix? I know you have that there.
How long did you give the 4 in 1?


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## FredaH (Apr 5, 2016)

Posts often get missed on the group because the page moves so quickly with other posts and people are very scattered in going on, working, attending their own pigeons and being out of the house. I find early evening is the best time but you can bump your post as often as you like to give it more coverage. I'll look for it to bring it back up.


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

Well if they didn't know that the missing feathers under the chin are often the sign of canker, especially in a young bird, then I wouldn't depend too much on them to help me. Some go by the regular list of symptoms online. But those who have had experience with canker do recognize the other symptoms that may not be listed.
Again.................how long did you treat with the 4 in 1.


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## EmilyP (Jan 26, 2014)

Sorry I haven't been replying, I really appreciate your advice it's just not great timing for me as my dog is dying. I will order the spartrix (is it the harkers one?) as soon as I get a chance. He had the 4 in 1 probably about a week ago now.


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## EmilyP (Jan 26, 2014)

Also I do think he probably has a visual impairment or brain injury of some sort from his injuries when he was young as he still shows no interest at all in feeding himself and when he tries to peck at things around his room he always misses ? If I cut out meals he just starvs himself


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## cwebster (Dec 11, 2010)

EmilyP, am very sorry to hear your dog is not doing well.


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## EmilyP (Jan 26, 2014)

I have ordered the spartrix! Jeff has started to show a tiny bit if interest in the crushed corn in his seed mix but mainly just picks it up and throws it again. There are two other baby wood pigeons close by which I could take on to keep him company (and hopefully teach him to eat) but thought it best to ask your opinions first. My questions are, will they fight each other? At what age is a pigeons first full moult? I know they at least have a partial moult at six months to get there white around the neck but wondered when they are likely to grow new flight feathers? And the aviary I have for Jeff and his possible two new friends is 3metres by 1metre, is this going to be enough space for three pigeons, they can have visits to a larger aviary but this would only be occasionally..


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## EmilyP (Jan 26, 2014)

When i said about the other pigeons i didn't mean taking them from the wild, there is someone in my area who has been rehabbing them but cant keep them anymore! Any advice on whether you think this would be a good move or not would be greatly appreciated please


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

Should have gotten the Spartrix a while back. The sooner the better. When you do get it, make sure to treat for at least 7 days. Don't go by what the package says. Then will have to see if he needs it longer or not. You can't expect him to eat when he isn't feeling well. With canker they usually don't want to eat. His lack of feathers, and his body language points to his not feeling well. 
No. you don't want to keep any other birds with him as long as he isn't 100% healthy. Not fair to them. Just keep pecking with your finger like a bird to show him.

Get him feeling well and he will be more inclined to want to eat.


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## EmilyP (Jan 26, 2014)

Well sorry but my dog died, thank you for sympathy! He isn't even unwell, he eats enthusiastically just not on his own. I'm asking about the other two pigeons from a behavioural point of you, no one else can take them and a rescue centre would put them down as their flight feathers are badly damaged!


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## EmilyP (Jan 26, 2014)

And I didn't order straight away as I asked which specific medication but no-one replied! As you weren't specific originally I wasted £20 on 4 in 1, I'm a student so didn't want to waste yet more money


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

As far as what you have there for meds, I do not know, so can't always tell you what to buy. If you had said that you were buying a 4 in 1, I would have told you. I did say on July 12 to get the Spartrix, which I'm not that crazy about, but know you can get that there.
Did you come on here for sympathy or help with your bird?


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## cwebster (Dec 11, 2010)

Emily, am so very sorry for the lossif your dog. I just lost two very beloved frogs. As for the birds, if you are in UK, would contact the pigeon protection facebook group and see if they can help with the birds.


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