# Not a pigeon, but needing major help!



## rialize (Dec 28, 2005)

I'm sure some of you remember reading about the orphaned pigeon I found about a month ago. I hoped that I wouldn't run into any other needy animals for at least a few more weeks, just so I could focus on George (the pigeon), but it seems my chances of avoidance have finally run out.

A small chickadee flew into our glass sliding door, and was severely stunned afterwards. I wasn't home to witness it, but my brother, who found it, said the bird was laying very stiffly on the deck in front of the door. He gently picked it up and put it in a box in my room, so I could take care of it as soon as I got home from school - I am the only animal expert in the family, so he did what he could.

I came home and took the bird out of the box and wrapped him in a soft rag. The first thing I noticed was that he was panting - so I immediately got some water. Most wild birds will open their beaks in defense and anger when they are disturbed by a human - but he only sat there, and looked around. When I offered the water, I had to touch the water to his beak before he realised it was there.

Second, I noticed that when I sat him on my finger, his body tilted slightly to the right. His right eye was also closed, and any movement with my hand that I made to his right side was left unnoticed. His left eye was only open momentarily - with this eye, he noticed the movements I made. 

He only reacts to my touch - not the movements I make. Whenever I wrap him up in his rag, he falls asleep within a few minutes. He is no longer panting, but seems exhausted and disoriented.

I need to know if it is safe to keep this little bird in the same room that George is in, or not - I don't want either of them getting hurt. Also, can anybody help me in diagnosing this little bird's problem, and give me some suggestions on how to help him out?

Thank you!


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## Pidgey (May 20, 2005)

Sounds like you need someone like TAWhatley who does different kinds of birds. There might even be a chickadee rescue site although starlingtalk might be the biggest one for little birds. 

Sure sounds stunned and there are a million different things that can happen including neurological problems. One thing's for sure, being such small birds, they don't have the resources that pigeons do--that is, they can't take long periods of food and water deprivation like pigeons can. Your best bet is usually to try and find which vet in your area handles wildlife of the type and get it to them.

Pidgey


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## Birdmom4ever (Jan 14, 2003)

Where are you located? Did you check the "Resources" section of this forum? If not please do, and try to find a rehabber or wildlife center in your area. http://www.pigeons.com/prd.htm

It sounds as though the chickadee has neurological damage and needs help ASAP. As Pidgey said, tiny birds like that don't have the reserves and fortitude that pigeons have. Time is of the essence.


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## Maggie-NC (Jun 22, 2005)

Hi rialize - your best bet right now is to keep the chickadee in a low light, quiet room, by himself. Try to get him to a vet as soon as possible. If you have worked with pigeons, you know how to use a heating pad and keep him warm. Watch him carefully because he may not feel well enough initially to move off a heating pad so just make sure it doesn't get too hot. I wouldn't worry about giving him food or water right now but he will certainly need both by tomorrow morning (providing this happened today). The rule I always went by is not to feed at all the first day until they poop. Right now he just needs to recuperate from flying into the window.

It may take even a couple of days for him to shake this off. Pidgey is right that you can't let these little guys go too long before feeding. They eat both seed and insects so you can put a few small seed in with him and, if you can, give him small mealworms. If you put any water in with him make sure it is in a very small container, like the lid to a gatoraid bottle. If he has neuro problems you don't want him drowning in a larger container.

Good luck

Maggie


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## naturegirl (Nov 7, 2005)

ok I can definately say in my opinion he has trama to his head probably swelling going on. My vet told me when a few I took care of did this same thing that most swelling goes down within 3 days. Keep it warm and quiet and destress it if you can by darker area and also warmth. Like Maggie and Pidgey said get it to a vet ASAP. Hopefully it doesn't have spinal injuries. Good Luck, listen to these 2 ladies they know what they are talking about.


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## rialize (Dec 28, 2005)

Thank you for helping -

I've left messages with all 4 wildlife centers that are in PA (I live in the area of Reading, PA). I'm not sure if they will get back to me, though. The last time I called, which was for George, I never got a call back from any of the centers.

I sat him in a shallow dish of seeds, so he could feel them with his feet, and he started pecking right away, sitting in the dish. He also drank some more water as soon as I offered it. He has been pooping ever since I first got him out of the box this afternoon.

He did make an attempt to bite me, and he also made an escape from my hands, and flew a little way before landing on the floor and sitting there, looking dazed. Now, I have provided a heating pad, and a comfortable box for him. He seems content and is sleeping on his rag.

What should I look for, tomorrow morning, as signs that he is releaseable or unreleaseable?


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## Maggie-NC (Jun 22, 2005)

You willl need to be careful in handling him because all the tiny birds are as slippery as eels. Don't let him exert too much energy right now. Just monitor the heating pad closely. That is a really good sign if he is trying to bite you. 
As long as he is still looking dazed, just keep him as you are doing.

Tomorrow morning, if he doesn't appear dazed, you can try releasing him. I always worry about keeping them confined too long particularly since the weather in your area is probably pretty cold and you don't want him to get too used to the heat. You can do a trial run in a small room that has no mirrors or anything that he can fly into, like a commode, and see how he does. Just remember they are really hard to catch but be very gentle.

Maggie


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## BrianNAmy (Nov 2, 2003)

If he flew head-first into a glass door, be thankful he survived the impact  

It sounds like a combination of shock and/or neurological damage (concussion). After some time you might notice a difference and he might fully recover. Some of the ones we've seen that have permanent damage are blind in one eye, have trouble holding their balance, or a number of things like that.

A bird that small is... um... difficult to treat at best. For the larger ones, we give them a 1/2 cc or so of Dexamethasone but those would be 100 times larger than the one you have. I don't even think there's a dosage for a bird that size!  

Warmth, quite, and a secluded place (A cage on a heating pad, facing a window with the back covered with a towel for some privacy for instance). I would also contact a local vet/rehabber as soon as possible to let them know.

Until he recovers, you can try hand feeding him but let him rest first and keep him as stress-free as possible.


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## Pidgey (May 20, 2005)

naturegirl said:


> ok I can definately say in my opinion he has trama to his head probably swelling going on. My vet told me when a few I took care of did this same thing that most swelling goes down within 3 days. Keep it warm and quiet and destress it if you can by darker area and also warmth. *Like Maggie and Pidgey *said get it to a vet ASAP. Hopefully it doesn't have spinal injuries. Good Luck, listen to *these 2 ladies *they know what they are talking about.


I'm a... what? Hang on, lemme check sumthin'... okaaaaaay...

Nope. Wrong answer!

Just because it says "Matriarch" up there doesn't mean... _that!_

Pidgey


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## pigeonmama (Jan 9, 2005)

Nope, Pidgey most certainly isn't of the feminine persuasion. He's just a "wanna be" 
Daryl


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## Maggie-NC (Jun 22, 2005)

I wasn't going to say a word.  This should give Victor a chuckle since he has questioned the matriarch title several times.

Naturegirl - Pidgey is a male.

Maggie


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## Pidgey (May 20, 2005)

RooKooKoo!

Pidgey


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## Skyeking (Jan 17, 2003)

LOL I got a real laugh out of that one Pidgey!


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## mr squeaks (Apr 14, 2005)

...and THAT IS WHY I suggested the thread, "Your Handle and How You Got Started," WHICH Maggie so aptly started and titled.  

I have a hard time figuring out if some members are male or female. There was a suggestion that I just ask but I wouldn't feel comfortable - even a private e-mail saying, "uh, excuse me, but are you a male or female?" 

Of course, I SURE didn't help matters by using MR. Squeaks for my "handle," but my gender was settled in the above mentioned thread... 

I do know, however, that _Matriarch_ is STILL a thorn in the side of a few male site members...


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## Lin Hansen (Jan 9, 2004)

Pidgey said:


> RooKooKoo!
> 
> Pidgey



Of course, I imagine you're also doing the "dance" too, to go along with the RooKooKoo, right? LOL  

Linda


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## Whitefeather (Sep 2, 2002)

Hi Naturegirl,
Believe me, it's hard to figure out who's who around here sometimes.  
In many cases it's just a guessing game.  

Cindy


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