# Need some help/advice.



## Guest (Dec 19, 2008)

Hi ....A little over a month ago we adopted a white ringneck dove from our local humane society. We have been looking for a partner for it ever since. SO today I was browsing craigslist to see if anyone had any. And there was an add that had been posted not 15 minutes before hand that read: Found white dove. I called the woman to let her know if nobody claimed it then I would love to adopt it. Thats when she told me that the poor thing was perched on top of a high school where a kid threw a rock and HIT it and it fell FROM THE ROOF. So a teacher scooped it up and called her since she has many birds at home. (this is the woman whom I got it from) Once I saw the bird my heart sank... espically since this woman said "Oh, I clipped its wings when I got him home to keep him from flying!" I know she was just trying to help him out..... But I feel bad for the lil' guy! So he is at our house now where I am trying to help it out! Anyways it ends up to be NOT a Dove but the cutest white pigeon. Leg is slightlly swollen, I have a heat lamp for him and he is in a cat carrier right now with seed and water, grit and millett. He is resting quietly on the towel in the bottom of the carrier. I have added Amoxtex(antiboitic) to his water and sprinkled Vitalize (Stressed bird Formula) on his food. I will keep him in the carrier until his leg is healed. We want him to stay with us. But want to care for him properly too. So any help would be appreciated. How long will his leg take to heal ? and after that can he and the dove be housed together? Can we take him out of the carrier to hold him or just leave him alone? He is so sweet and I just want him to sit in my lap. Also since now, his wings are clipped .... Will they grow out? Sorry I have never clipped any of our birdies wings so I am unsure of how that works. Also, would some hard boiled eggs help him??? Thank you to anyone who helps me out with advice. I just want to do what is best for the poor lil' guy!
Thanks -Jenn-


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## EgypSwiftLady (Jan 14, 2008)

Hello Jenn I'm so glad you took this pigeon and are caring for it.

Is the leg broken or just bruised? You should take it to a vet for xrays if you are unsure, unless you know how to feel for the break then you would need to splint the leg. The healing time depends on what damage was done. Its good that you have a heat light on the poor pigeon it will help.
I would never keep a pigeon and dove together because pigeons are more aggressive than doves and can hurt the dove severly. They can have supervised free time together but never leave them unattended. I have a house pigeon and dove who get free flight time together but the dove has no fear of the pigeon and the pigeon will in fact go after her.
I would wait to hold the pigeon for a few days until you know more about the leg and to give the pigeon time to settle in. 
The feathers on the wings will grow out with the next molt so no need to worry. 
A bit of hard boiled egg won't hurt at all.
I hope this helps you and keep us posted on how the pigeon is doing.


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## jameswaller (Nov 4, 2008)

*injured dove*

adopted a dove,need a mate,clipped wings,food source,s?? first things first,,.. do not worry about a mate until healthy-use a large mirror in the cage,..feathers grow back/soas flight can resume,.eggs-no,-stay with pigeon food/wild bird food,..being hit by a rock can compromise things,close observation and time will tell,.asprin can be given for pain.ie.(half of a baby asprin with a pinch sugar,once a day)-donot know about antibiotics!,..is there an open wound,threat of infection??..what does the aviarien vet say??..hope this helps,keep him calm at room temperature,s,..happy holidays..james waller


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## FloridaLuv (Dec 19, 2008)

Thank you.. I have treated and splinted our finches leg. It healed nicely with no problems. I can not feel a break, in his leg. (I grew up on a farm with chickens and turkeys so I am somewhat familiar.) He can bend it without problems; it is just swollen and he holds it up. Because he was found outside I was using the antiobotic as precaution.(My bad  )since reading the last post I have taken it out and put a drop of Organic ACV in his water. Also I took him because the lady who got him from the school was not going to keep him and was going to let him back outside. I couldn't leave him .... I am guilty as charged for letting my heart lead the way. SO Im not trying to do a thousand things at once, I understand first things first. Im just trying to help him out, and do what is best.


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## EgypSwiftLady (Jan 14, 2008)

FloridaLuv said:


> Thank you.. I have treated and splinted our finches leg. It healed nicely with no problems. I can not feel a break, in his leg. (I grew up on a farm with chickens and turkeys so I am somewhat familiar.) He can bend it without problems; it is just swollen and he holds it up. Because he was found outside I was using the antiobotic as precaution.(My bad  )since reading the last post I have taken it out and put a drop of Organic ACV in his water. Also I took him because the lady who got him from the school was not going to keep him and was going to let him back outside. I couldn't leave him .... I am guilty as charged for letting my heart lead the way. SO Im not trying to do a thousand things at once, I understand first things first. Im just trying to help him out, and do what is best.


Its a good thing you did take him because white pigeons are usually hawk bait, so don't feel bad. 
Since you know its not a break I would give him time to rest and get used to his new surroundings. I think I would stay away from the asprin though, I've never heard of giving it to a bird before.
As long as he is eating and drinking and he doesn't have any open wounds you may want to hold off on the antiobotic, but I would keep a heat light on to give him some extra warmth.
I think your heart told you the right thing to do.


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## FloridaLuv (Dec 19, 2008)

*Thank you! *

 Thank you! I trust my heart.... It hasn't lead me wrong yet. I will post in a few days on how he is doing. I spent hours on here reading all the information and can't thank you enough for your kind words of encourgment. What a fantastic find.  Happy Holidays. ~Jenn~


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## FloridaLuv (Dec 19, 2008)

*Update on Willow! )*

Just wanted to leave a message on how Willow is doing.... we are thinking that it is a "she" and not a he...  Is there a way to tell on a white pigeon? But anyways, She is doing much better. She is starting to place her foot down today and apply pressure to it every now and then. It is the pad of her foot that is swollen. But she still holds it up after a few minutes. And she loves the heat lamp. She is eating and drinking... all though it seems like she isn't drinking enough, or maybe just she drinks when I'm not around. It just seems when I fill her dish that it doesn't go down very much from morning to night? This morning I held her for a few minutes after cleaning up her never ending poop... ( Hubby has named her Poops-A-Lot) lol...... and I noticed two small bugs by her eyes. So I took them off and squished them.. I Think it is mites and so I will go for mite spray this afternoon. She is so very friendly and when I open her cage door she walks right into my hand .... its so cute. We live in Tucson and I am wondering if there is a good vet that someone might suggest for us. And which mite spary I might get? I have to say I never thought as a piegon as a pet but she has stolen my heart.....


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