# Injured juvenile pigeon found - advice needed North Wales, UK



## Miloko (Aug 25, 2009)

Hello all,

I am in the North Wales area of the UK.

Last night we discovered a juvenile pigeon on our doorstep. It did not appear to be able to fly as it scampered and fluttered quickly towards the road after we opened the door. A car drove over it after it reached the road (which is just three steps away from our front door), but it was lucky enough to be in the center, un-hit by the wheels, but rolled, de-feathered and terrified by the whoosh of the car over it.

I quickly recovered the bird from the road and while I held its wings in their natural position it struggled enough to allow me to determine that its bones seem to be intact. After one night in a dark box with warm bedding and a well wrapped hot water bottle the bird is alert and moving well on its feet. I have now transfered it to a larger cardboard box with 'bars' cut in the side to allow plenty of natural light. The box base has been lined with well secured plastic and then topped with newspaper to allow me to keep the inside clean and changed while he recuperates. 

Now that I have had a chance to study the bird (named Sam by the children), it appears to have small cuts where it's large feathers have been ripped off, a small cut to its foot and a general lack of feathers on one wing. Wings are held in a good, natural position, which I find promising. It is only after some research on the internet I have come to realise that he is a juvenile, since his beak still appears long and he has yellow tufts on his head, back and chest. The bird is a solid grey colour with whitish underwing and belly. 

I have noticed a couple of flies are bothering the bird, crawling in it's loose feathers. I'm not sure what to do about those. 

I am very willing to care for the bird for as long as it requires to recuperate, but it does not seem to wish to feed itself or take in water. I have offered dried seeds, fresh water and a mush of porridge oats and water (to attempt to hydrate as well as feed). The bird is either too bruised and battered to feed or is too young to know how. 

If there is anyone in my area that is more experienced than myself and wishes to take on the bird, please do get in touch. Otherwise, any advice from those in the know is welcomed.


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## Skyeking (Jan 17, 2003)

Thank you for helping this little juvenile pigeon.

Here is a link to UK rehab sources, I hope you can find someone near to help.

Click on the second link:

http://www.pigeons.biz/forums/showpost.php?p=392827&postcount=3


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## Feefo (Feb 8, 2002)

Thank you for rescuing him. He is actually a fledgeling, not even old enough to classify as a juvenile...and to think that people would run him down rather than stop! It breaks my heart at this time of year to take any car journey because of the baby woodie road kills I see.

So far you have done everything right, but you might have to force feed him defrosted peas and corn, about 100 a day. I aim to do that in two feeds, but it really depends on the baby. If he starts to pant with open mouth stop immediately and wait until he calms down. This video shows how to do it:

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

Also leave wild bird seed and water near him, he will learn to eat very suddenly!

When you open his mouth can you ensure that it is clean and pink? Any growths, or blueness, would need to be investigated.

What part of North Wales are you in? We might have to look across the border as there are few places that we have information on in Wales and the ones that we know of are in the south.

This is a more up to date resource list (I haven't had time to update the PT one):

http://pij-n-angels.forumotion.net/pigeon-resources-f8/matilda-s-list-england-vets-wildife-sanctuaries-wildlife-hospitals-bird-hospitals-that-treat-pigeons-wood-pigeons-and-collared-doves-t256.htm

We also have contacts in Blackburn and Preston that are not on the list but could help look after him.

There is this one at New Quay, but I have not checked whether they are active and take pigeons:

New Quay Bird & Wildlife HospitalPenfoel Cross Inn, Llandysul, Dyfed SA44 6NR 

01545560462 

Please keep us updated!


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## Miloko (Aug 25, 2009)

Location wise, we are in Bangor, North Wales.

Thank you so much for your help with Pigeon Sam. Since my own care of the little guy is going well at the moment, and I do not believe he has any fractures or signs of infection, I am not going to seek contact with the numbers you supplied around my area for the time being. Although having the options for contact should his condition worsen quickly is very reassuring. I do not believe that our local vet is wild animal friendly (since they once refused to aid a seagull in distress I had come across), so I will not be leaving him with the vet, even if I do at some point need to seek medical help. 

Overall health update:
His eyes are very clear and clean. His beak clean, pink and unmarked inside or out. 

I found one small graze on his back under his wings and a few little sores where his large wing feathers are torn from one wing. The scrape on his back may have been from the tumble on the road. I treated those few cuts last night with a warm saline solution as advised by a friend who has nursed sick chickens. He seemed happy for the treatment and allowed me to clean him up. 

He was absolutely infested with flies and mites (which bothered me and him), so I have treated him with a avian insecticide which had instructions for pigeons on the label also. Taking care to shield his eyes. 

My first attempt at feeding him last night was poor and I was quite concerned about him dehydrating (he only took one soggy seed and a very tiny piece of mushed fruit cake in water). This morning, after watching the feeding video you provided I realised that my husband and I were not putting food far enough into his beak for him to swallow. I decided to take action on my own, seeing as my husband will not be home until late this evening to help again. Wrapping him gently, but firmly in a tea towel, I nestled him in my arm so that I had both hands free to maneuver his beak. In this way, I was able to feed him forty pieces of defrosted sweetcorn dunked each time in water to add some extra moisture. He ate gladly once it was far into his beak! Good news for Sam!

Right now he is resting in his box after being treated with the insecticide and I will go up to him shortly to change his newspaper bedding to be rid of the dead flies, then re-supply him with a clean bowl of seed and his deep, ceramic bowl of water. He will not take from the water, even if I dip his beak, but I am hoping he will learn soon so that his water dipped feed is not all the moisture he gets.

As we have two cats, we are keeping Sam in a box (with slats cut out for sunlight and air circulation) in our bedroom. Not a very pleasant experience for us at the moment, but I am hoping in time that he will mature enough and become healthy enough to be moved temporarily into a rabbit hutch or alternative on our bedroom balcony outside. 

Thank you everyone. I will keep you updated on all news.


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## PoppyFieldVet (Apr 9, 2009)

Im no expert and may be completely wrong but make sure you've checked all over him, under feathers etc. The flies make me think of fly strike, where they lay there eggs in wounds, some only small. Rabbit owners will know about this, it can happen very quickly. 

He's a lucky woodie, thank you for looking after him!


XxX


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## dishan (Aug 20, 2009)

tnx to help the injured..


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## Feefo (Feb 8, 2002)

> Im no expert and may be completely wrong but make sure you've checked all over him, under feathers etc. The flies make me think of fly strike, where they lay there eggs in wounds, some only small. Rabbit owners will know about this, it can happen very quickly.


I hope that these are just pigeon flies, but it is important to check rescued birds very carefully for fly eggs , not only wounds but the bottom of the feather shafts and orificices including ears. I had one incident in which I missed the eggs and the next day the poor dove erupted with maggots. She only survived because I happened to look in on her one last time before leaving for work and saw there was something wrong.

http://www.pigeons.biz/forums/showthread.php?t=21043&referrerid=560


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## Feefo (Feb 8, 2002)

If he makes a full recovery *and he is releasable *you might want to enquire at the Wirral Park Wildlife Rehabilitation Unit, they say they take all wildlife, but I think it is always wise to double check their policy on pigeons. We have no first hand information on them, feedback is always welcome!: 

Wirral Country Park Wildlife Rehabilitation Unit
Station Road 
Thurstaston 
Wirral 
Cheshire 
L61 0HN 
Telephone: 0151 648 4371


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## Miloko (Aug 25, 2009)

I have checked Sam as thoroughly as possible (he wriggles a lot as you can imagine) for any signs of fly eggs. I will check each time I lift him, as other areas may be uncovered each time to let me get another look. These flies were very comfortable living in his feathers, so I am hoping they were pigeon flies he has always had and not new acquaintances of his. If maggots do suddenly appear should they be bathed away with water?

I have given thought to Sam's future, if he continues to recover and grows to maturity. The Wirral Wildlife Park may be a good option, as you suggested. It is close enough to travel to easily (less than an hour's drive).

But iff possible, I would like Sam to rejoin the flock that he belongs to locally. Nearby, we have a botanical garden run by the University and they keep a loft for pigeons on the land, allowed to come and go freely and fed by the gardeners. It might be possible that Sam came from that flock, or their nearby 'cousins' in the woods by the sea. The area is quite idyllic in pigeon terms and I believe he may have a peaceful life there with his own kind.

It's a bit early at the moment, but if things progress with him and I get him to the point of independence, I will look at local options like the botanical gardens flock.

Who knows, he might be happily reunited with his family that way! Wouldn't that be something?


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## Feefo (Feb 8, 2002)

> These flies were very comfortable living in his feathers, so I am hoping they were pigeon flies he has always had and not new acquaintances of his.


That sounds like the pigeon fly, they sidle through the feathers and look exactly like a house fly, but a bit flatter and a they are a lot harder. It is bluebottles that would cause fly strike and they don't hang around when you handle the bird.



> If maggots do suddenly appear should they be bathed away with water?


The thread that I posted a link to has full details, but basically you flush them off with saline, then pick out any remaining ones with tweezers and treat the pigeon with ivermectin or moxidectin to ikill any that may remain inside.. Our local sanctuary picked out something like 150 from a bird's ear! 



> they keep a loft for pigeons on the land


Why have I been thinking Sam is a wood pigeon rather than a feral? If he is a feral then Wirral Country Park might not be the right place, unless they have a dovecote or a loft. The Botanical gardens sound ideal for a soft release .

Actually, reading back, there must have been a photo that identified him as a woodie...wasn't there? Wood pigeons wouldn't live in lofts but they would be happy to roost in the trees nearby and feed with the ferals. However, they do better if they mix with other woodies before release and are released as part of a mini flock.

Cynthia


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## Miloko (Aug 25, 2009)

Those sidling flies sound exactly right for what I was seeing before he was sprayed. Thank goodness, because removing maggots, although not beyond me, would definitely put a dark cloud over my appreciation of him for a while!

I wonder now, whether he is a woodie or a feral. The following is a photo I found online that looks exactly like Sam. I don't have clear pictures of him from in his box, I'm afraid.


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## amyable (Jul 7, 2007)

Well if he looks exactly like that, it's a Woodie.
The white wing strips are the best indicator.

Janet


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## Feefo (Feb 8, 2002)

Yes, he is a woodie...and a fledgeling. 

I was so certain that I had seen a photo of him before, but I think that your description in your first post was so good that it left me with a strong visual image! ( _his appears long and he has yellow tufts on his head, back and chest. The bird is a solid grey colour with whitish underwing and belly_.)

A feral pigeon would have been a lot easier to examine, woodies squirm like mad. 


Cynthia


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## Miloko (Aug 25, 2009)

Quick Pigeon Sam update for the day: 

Fed on two meals of fifty pieces of corn and peas today. Still won't drink when his beak is dipped, but the food is dunked in water to keep him hydrated. He gets agitated before his meals, but after he is fed he is docile to handle and seems curious and alert (not to mention utterly lovable and charismatic). He is REALLY strong!

The graze on his back and the cuts on his wing have dried out and scabbed in a healthy looking way. No signs of infection. He wanders around his box and stretches his wings doing his little bouts of exercise. 

Lots of dark poop today, with whitish bits. Enough to need to change his news paper twice. I think that's a good sign. 

I'll keep you guys updated, for any of you that may be interested in his progress. I am very pleased to be a new member of the pigeon talk community! I have mentioned your invaluable help to a number of friends.

For anyone interested in viewing my daily updates on Sam, please feel free to request friendship on Facebook:

http://www.facebook.com/Miloko


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## Charis (Feb 11, 2007)

Jess...Are you keeping him in that box with the flaps closed?


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## amyable (Jul 7, 2007)

Love the picture, he is a real sweetheart (as all baby Woodies are!) 

Thanks for keeping us posted. It's good to know how things are turning out.

I've picked up a new fledgling today, not too happy about being force fed I must say but hopefully will appreciate me more after having a much needed meal.
I've been given a few mighty wing slaps, so yes they can be quite strong even at this age.

For those of us not on Facebook, do keep us posted here aswell.

Janet


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## Miloko (Aug 25, 2009)

Hello!

I will definitely keep things updated here as well as Facebook. 

The box that he is in at the moment doesn't show clearly in the picture I have put up. It's large enough to spread his wings without touching the sides and he can walk around it comfortably. Two of its sides have slits/bars cut out of them to keep the box well lit and aired. He is near a window and seems to like to sit the side where he can see the world through his cardboard bars. I do keep the top flaps closed because he is strong enough to flap and scramble out of the box and could do himself injury in the process.

Does his home seem unsuitable for his recuperation? I could construct something else if you advise it, but I must reiterate that the box is not intended for housing after he is over this youngster stage.


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## plamenh (Aug 11, 2006)

You can put grill or mesh cover on top of the box to have more light inside.
Other option is to borrow old cage instead buying one. A lot of people keep old parrot cages.


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## PigeonQueen (Aug 13, 2006)

Hello, I would buy a big dog crate and put a brick in the middle so he has a perch to stand. The crate should be big enough for him to flap his wings. The bigger the better. You could cover half of it with a towel to give some cover and place it where the bird can get some natural light.

I was just wondering, is there a Wildlife rescue centre for birds in Colwyn Bay? I ask because I am sure there was some sort of bird rescue centre there 20 years ago. A long time I know!!

Good luck. Jayne


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## PigeonQueen (Aug 13, 2006)

Hi there,

Please could you check out these two places as they are the nearest rescue places to you. Wood Pigeons are emotionally very fragile and not easy to raise as Feral pigeons so it would be best if you could get him to a rescue place that is used to looking after woodpigeons/wild birds.Make sure that they will not put to sleep before parting with your feathered friend.

ANGLESEY WILDLIFE CENTRE, carewen.
phone 01248 79689 .

excepts all wildlife, offers sanctuary and advice.Please phone first.


Also ZOO SOCIETY OF WALES, COLWYN BAY, CLWYD

EXCEPTS ALL WILDLIFE BUT MUST RING FIRST AS THEY MAY NOT HAVE SPACE. PHONE 01492 532938

Please let us know if either one can help. Good luck Jayne.


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## Feefo (Feb 8, 2002)

He looks a lot younger than I thought! Poor baby, what was he doing in the road at that age?

Cynthia


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## Miloko (Aug 25, 2009)

Good morning everyone,

Sam doing fine, still accepting the feeding without too much of a problem, good coloured poop and very calm behaviour. I have put a request out amongst friends to see if I can borrow a large cage from someone, but for now he is sitting by the window enjoying the view and the sunshine, so not too unhappy with his accommodation. Just spoke to a neighbour to tell him to keep an eye out for any of Sammy's siblings that might have ended up near the road like him. If he spots any other birds in danger near the road he said he will come over and get me. Otherwise, he will leave them out where their mother can feed them. 

Just tried calling the two numbers supplied by PigeonQueen, thank you! Left my number with their answering service and will see how that goes. 

Seeing as he is very young and the apparent difficulty in raising a woodie, does it now seem out of the question that he could be later released locally? Also, I certainly don't want keep on the way I am going with him if he has a better option elsewhere but with some past experience of 'rescue sanctuaries' that wasn't so fantastic I also don't want to hand him over to anyone that will not be willing to put the time into his difficult feeding times and watching his health diligently. Sam has decided that he will only allow me to handle him and gets upset if anyone else comes near. I can see the emotional fragility in him that you mentioned. It makes me wonder whether handing him to a new carer at this stage, before he is old enough to feed himself, might add to his trauma?

I'll let you know what advice I receive from the people I have called.

Best of luck with your new baby, Janet!

- Jess


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## PigeonQueen (Aug 13, 2006)

Hello Jess, Ive been phoning all over North Wales this morning to see which organization might be willing to offer sanctuary and care for your woodpigeon.
Unfortuantly because it is a Woodpigeon no one is willing( so far) to take the bird.

I am still waiting to hear from the Anglesey Wildlife Centre. There was only a taped message and I have had no response. Their phone number is 01248 440689. The other number I gave you is unobtainable.

I think you may have to look after the bird until it can eat and fly on its own.

There are other Wildlife Sanctuaries that would probably take a Woodie but you will have to travel outside North Wales.

I know of two excellent places but they are both in Surrey on the London Boarders. If you are willing to travel that distance please let me know.I dont have a car otherwise I would come and pick up the bird myself.

I think you are doing a very good job and hope you can hang on as there may be a small chance of finding someone who rehabs Woodies in your area.
Please keep us updated as we are very interested to know how your woodie gets on. Thank you for caring. Jayne


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## Miloko (Aug 25, 2009)

Hello Jayne,

I appreciate your efforts in making those calls. I got a taped message from both numbers you posted (one of the numbers wasn't valid (Anglesey Wildlife Centre), so I found an alternative for the same place online. No response so far, but that's okay, I think any advice they could give me I could find just as well from the good people on this forum. 

Really I am only after advice about his future chances because the more thought I give it, the less beneficial to him it seems to be, to hand him over at this young age when his care is so intensive and any potential sanctuaries are no doubt overworked as it is. Like you say, I can care for him until he can feed himself and his feathers have developed then we can re-assess his prospects.

Worst case scenario (as I see it) he will not recover his wing feathers enough for flight or become too human tame to leave us. In that case he has a place with us for the rest of his life. My husband and I will house and feed him. 

Don't worry! Sam is in safe, loving hands. He won't be cast out by me to anyone or anywhere that isn't right for him. 

I will continue to look after Sam and keep this forum updated on his progress. As a little news update, I just took a stroll into the woods (surrounded by beautiful wood pigeon song I might add! There is a large population here) and brought back a small branch for Sam. I have wedged it into the slats of his box low down so that he can hop on and perch properly. He'll be more comfy there than perched on his ceramic water bowl.

- Jess


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## Miloko (Aug 25, 2009)

Had contact with the Anglesey Wildlife people. They are happy to take Sammy when he is able to feed himself and has regained feathers for flight. He would be introduced to a loft though, as they currently have ferals in care there. There was a suggestion that Sammy could be brought there for a short while, to integrate with other birds before release into the wild.

Good to have a contact locally.


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## Feefo (Feb 8, 2002)

That is good news. I will add them to the resources list as they take ferals too, which is great. I had seen them when I found the New Quay place but I thought it might be too far from you.


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## Feefo (Feb 8, 2002)

Yes, they prefer to perch on branches whereas feral perch on bricks or wooden ledges...if he goes to the Anglesey Wildlife loft, can you ask them to provide a branch perch for him?


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## PigeonQueen (Aug 13, 2006)

Hello Jess, thanks for the update. It is a relief that this Woodie will have a future. Woodie may become too tame to be released but if you are willing to keep him, well that would be great.

Please keep us all updated with the latest news and thanks once again for giving Woodie a chance.

Jayne


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## Miloko (Aug 25, 2009)

Today's update on Sammy:

Yesterday, he started acting wobbly and disoriented and I put it down to dehydration. I started giving him rehydration fluid (a pinch of salt and a pinch of sugar to a glass of water) with the use of a small piece of sponge to squeeze droplets into his beak. After settling him in his box for the night he rested slightly on his side, supported by a wing 'crutch', keeping himself propped. He was alert and had eaten all of his evening feed, so I was willing to leave him overnight on a wrapped up hot water bottle.

This morning he had deteriorated badly. He had been flapping in the night, and rather than get up to him I slept on, thinking he was strutting about with renewed energy. I was wrong. he had been lying on his side, beating one wing on the box in distress. He seemed to show signs of shock when I got to him. He was panting and shaking. I took steps to warm him well on a hot water bottle, with urgency in hydrating him in mind, then he took his morning feed of peas and sweetcorn, along with some porridge and some sponged in water.

I had to leave the house today for several hours so I got him propped in a towel in his box (by this point he was rolling about and not keeping himself upright). By the time we returned home he had wriggled from his towel and was on his back, scraping one eye on the newspaper while he panted and squeaked. There were no slid droppings and he had covered his own belly and tail feathers in a soft diarrhea. Most concerned that we were about to lose him, we rushed him to the out of hours vet. 

The vet had concluded that he has no serious injuries and is in decent condition. No infections or breakages. He injected Sammy with some B vitamins to rule out a deficiency and recommended that he be given rehydration fluid of a quantity of at least 25 ml per day, and more than this if possible. He has given us calcium powder to add to the rehydration fluid or food. Tonight I added it to the fluids. He advised that we continue exactly as we have done so far, but to raise his temperature to at least 22 degrees celsius (our bedroom is usually about 18-19) and concentrate heavily on fluids.

Sammy's status is still poor, but he has been returned to an alert condition. He seems weak and unwilling to stand or move from the spot he is placed in. To try to protect him from self injury overnight I have made him a rolled up towel nest to be placed in, where he has remained in a good position since I last fed him. I have removed the ceramic water bowl and seed bowl since they were obstacles that he was bumping himself on and he is obviously in no condition to learn to use them in this state anyway.

Instinct tells me that tonight Sammy's condition is a life or death situation. I'm not letting him go without doing everything I can to save him though, so wish me luck. I'll let him rest a couple of hours now while I get a little sleep myself and then I will get up to give him some more rehydration fluid. Leaving him untended until morning seems like a bad idea right now. 

- Jess


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## Feefo (Feb 8, 2002)

Hi Jess,

I am so sorry to hear that Sammy is ill. Did the vet consider that he was dehydrated?

The proportions for rehydration fluid are 1 pint warm water, 1/2 tablespoon glucose, honey or sugar and 1/2 teaspoon of salt. The solution has to be served warm. 

Does he have to be in a box overnight (do you have other pets that can hurt him? )

Please post if you can. I am sitting up late because I also have 2 baby woodies, about 5 or 6 days old, they fell from a tree. One of them is also falling over on his side. He is not dehydrated, I am wondering whether there is an internal injury...


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## Miloko (Aug 25, 2009)

Hello Feefo,

I feel for you, up late with the feathery ones!

It was hard going last night but I got some sleep in the late morning before getting up to give Sammy breakfast. He has had lots of 'out of the box' time with me in the past twelve hours, but we do have two cats. I have to keep him in the bedroom and I won't leave him out of the box while I'm not there. He's too unsteady at the moment to really move from his towel nest. He is sitting in it nicely now, as if he has come to appreciate the comfort and pampering while he feels rotten. He has a thermometer in his hospital box now, and we have managed a good 22 degrees celsius. 

My home made rehydration fluid is going down nicely, along with a pinch of the vet's calcium powder. The vet did agree that because his condition was previously good, it is most likely a nasty case of dehydration, although he could not be sure. I am seeing improvement in his strength and movement this morning, so good news! He is ultra-alert again and even did an unexpected and never seen before bit of preeening on his back. Ideally I want to wash the liquid poop off his legs and tail feathers, but at least the padding around him absorbs the mess and I can wipe it dry for now. I'd like to wait until he is a little bit stronger before I wet-wash the rear end of the water might chill him. I'll post again later with another update. 

Good luck with those babies. I hope you got a little sleep, too.


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## Feefo (Feb 8, 2002)

I am so relieved that he is improving, I absolutely freak out when a pigeon gets ill.

I quite agree that you can't leave him out of his box and unsupervised if there is a cat around. I have two felines and they can be little devils, very clever at opening closed doors.


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## Miloko (Aug 25, 2009)

Sammy update:

I have finally got him back to something close to full health! Days of constant tending, cleaning, feeding and rehydrating now mean that he has found his feet again (literally), he has learned to feed himself from a bowl of peas and sweetcorn (with a bit of wild bird seed mixed in now) and his poops are perfectly pigeony as they should be. No more runny gunk. 

The feathers he lost from his wings are reappearing as little feather buds and quickly, too! He spends all of his out of the box time using my hand for support while he practises his flapping. He has certainly gained weight, and now enjoys a regular bath in my bathroom sink (just plain, warm water). He is very tame now, which will dictate his future a great deal. We are giving serious thought to whether he will be able to go back to the wild. A semi-wild option has been considered, where he has a home base with us and freedom to come and go and be fed. Because they aren't loft birds, how does a person go about comfortably housing a woodie without having him loose in the house?

The main things with his care now are keeping him clean, giving him plenty of company (he is SO bright and curious and seems to get miserable quickly if he has nothing to do), and I have continued with the syringing of rehydration fluid for now, since I have yet to see him drink from a bowl. 

Hurray for Sammy! 

I was very proud of him today when he climbed up my t-shirt to sit on my shoulder and get a good look around. He also had a hilarious position propped against a rolled up towel on our bed while he watched a show on our laptop and ate from a 'TV dinner' bowl of corn. 

- Jess


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## amyable (Jul 7, 2007)

Hi Jess,

I was so pleased to read your latest update on Sammy. I haven't been on for a while and the last post I read was when Sammy was so ill. It must have very upsetting but well done for getting him the help he needed. 

Your care and love has certainly pulled him through and he is one very lucky Woodie to have been found by you.

You're right, release into the wild is not a good idea if they have become too tame, and I know from experience how adorable they are so it's hard to keep detached when looking after them, and so inevitably they get comfortable around you.

If you're just hand rearing then you can judge just when they are getting too tame and hopefully pass them over to a rescue centre to mix with other Woodies ready for release in a group.
It's a difficult one when you've had to keep him for recovery from injury and sickness, as you've had to be more hands on. I'm sorry I can't advise you as to how to keep him if he's not to be released, maybe Cynthia can help with that question.

I wish you and Sammy well, and hope he continues to improve.

Janet


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## Miloko (Aug 25, 2009)

An update for you lovely people that helped Pigeon Sam and myself through his difficult babyhood.

He's doing great! He's getting big now and needs to spread his wings and get some exercise, so he lives 'free range' in our bedroom with his box-house cut open to provide a shelter if he feels vulnerable. He still loves to sit in the towel nests I have been making him since he was very poorly. Like a baby with a comfort blanket if he sees one of those being set up for him he's on it immediately. He's still very young looking but definitely has that distinctive pigeon shape to his physique now. I don't handle him as much as I did before because all of the new feather buds he has coming through from where he lost so many are quite delicate. Instead I pick him up onto the bed while I'm about and give him a stroke and a bit of a chat. 

He can fly across the room clumsily, even with just the buds of feathers on his once-damaged wing. Great to see. 

He feeds himself independently from a bowl of seed and a dish of water when he feels like it. His dish of water is big enough to bathe in and he messily does so now and then. Each morning I give him a little platter of peas and sweetcorn to supplement his seed and he loves 'em. 

He's a fantastic little guy and we have been lucky to know him and have him with us so long. I'm going to re-assess his living conditions when he has his adult feathers coming through. Perhaps a perch higher off the ground than the one he has now will be in order and we can finally reduce the temperature in our bedroom from tropical conditions! Maybe he will even end up having a house on our bedroom balcony, with a chance to come and go eventually. We'll see.

A little sweetheart.


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

Oh, he's cute, and it sounds like a bit of a spoiled little guy. What a lucky bird.


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## amyable (Jul 7, 2007)

What a great update. I'm so pleased to see he's fighting his way back to good health.

Janet


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## Miloko (Aug 25, 2009)

*Two Year old Samuel J. Pidge*

Hello all,

It has been a while since I posted an update about our rescued wood pigeon, Sam. That's a good sign I suppose, since he has been in extremely good health since his early sickness and injury. As I mentioned before, due to his lengthy recovery as a juvenile he became imprinted on myself and my human family, so has remained with us as a much loved part of the household. He is now coming up for two years old. He still lives 'free range' in the upper part of our house, where he has his own perches, toys and favourite spots. 

I have noticed a (hopefully) small problem with his feathers lately, but before I go into that, here is a picture of Sam before he started his most recent moult. As you can see, he has his own herb garden and 'feeding station' there in the picture. Something else worth noting is that he is trained to poop only on a sheet of newspaper. I say 'trained' but really he took to this habit by himself. I think he enjoys the sound of the 'crinkle-plop'.

Here he is!










My husband and I have become a little bit concerned about his feathers. The often break off at odd points, grow in to be a little malformed or even have a curl to them. The malformed ones are in his wing where he was first injured so I take that to be damage to the structure of the cuticle, but the curly ones are on the back of his neck. It looks very much as if he is copying my curly hair style! The ones that break off are only in his tail.

Do you think the curly neck feathers and breaking off tail feathers are due to something like 'fret lines' from early injury, or could malnutrition be to blame.

Here is a break down of his diet:

Daily amounts of: chopped mixed nuts, hulled sunflower seeds, peas and sweetcorn, cut herbs and greens. I also add a pinch of a nutrient and calcium supplement called nutrobal that my vet gave me for him. He also has access to some small ground chicken grit that looks to consist of ground seashells and stones. 

Any ideas about our scruffy wood pigeon?


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## Feefo (Feb 8, 2002)

He doesn't look scruffy to me! I love his feeding station.

Try offering him a larger range of foods...perhaps you could add mung beans, mixed corn, safflower, canary seed and barley (these are found in the pigeon mixes that we use : Bamfords TK Conditioner and Bamfords Super Molting mix.) And add a few bird vitamins to his drinking water.

You could also grow some peas for him, in the wild they eat them at all stages of growth (but NOT sweetpeas they are toxic).

BTW, are you spraying him with water?

Cynthia


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## Miloko (Aug 25, 2009)

Hello Feefo,

He doesn't look very scruffy in that older picture but he's a bit on the shabby side now. It's not hugely obvious, but when he spreads his tail you can see the problem feathers in the middle of it. 

I will see about adding a few more things to his diet. He has got peas growing and he likes the shoots. He also likes strawberries and strawberry leaves, so gets those now and then. He likes herbs too, like coriander, mint and basil. When it comes to grains he's a really fussy eater. I've tried a lot of different dried foods and he'll selectively eat just the sunflower seeds, nuts and the corn. 

I add his dried vitamins and calcium to his wet food, like the peas and sweetcorn. I do have some liquid bird vitamin mix that I could add to his water, so I'll do that tomorrow. I haven't used any of it in a while, but that's a good idea. I'll leave the dried vitamin out on the days he has the liquid one though, since I don't want to overdo it.

I don't spray him as such, but he has regular showers in our bathroom. We have a shower rota that goes 1)eldest child 2) youngest child 3) Sammy Pidge 4) Me. He's quite high in the shower cubicle pecking order, really! He does love the water, but he's lazy and expects me to throw water under and over his wings rather than make any effort himself.


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