# Baby pigeon sick



## Amar2424 (May 18, 2019)

I found a baby pigeon on May 2nd and he was approximately 10 days old now hes about 25 days old. I fed him this morning with bird seeds mixed with water and I put him in a box with a warm water bottle covered in a shirt so it doesnt burn him and put him next to it and covered him again with another shirt. After about 15 minutes I wanted to check on him and saw that he was panting, beak open and he couldnt stand on his two feet. I gave him water and he stopped panting but he still cant use one of his legs. Did I overheat him ? Im scared and dont want him to die. Please help.


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## Marina B (May 5, 2011)

Pigeons pant with an open mouth when they are too hot. You should always give them space to move away from the source of heat when there's a possibility of overheating. How is he now? Eating, drinking? Rinse the leg with cold water and maybe you can get an aloe vera product from a pharmacy to put on the leg.

At 25 days old they don't need additional heat.


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## Amar2424 (May 18, 2019)

Thank you for the reply. He is currently resting in a box without additional heat and he was in the sun a little bit. He is showing a little bit of leg activity but still not standing or walking. He is chipper after all. Drinking water and I will feed him later


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## Marina B (May 5, 2011)

Might take a while for him to start walking properly again. But if he is eating fine, then he will be ok.


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## Amar2424 (May 18, 2019)

Thank you for the advice I will keep an eye on him. Do you think feeding him seeds (that are powdered with a mixer) mixed with water is a good diet for him. Should I feed him something else or is this enough ?


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## Marina B (May 5, 2011)

The best to feed a baby pigeon will be a handrearing formula for parrots and parakeets. Contains all the minerals and vitamins that they need. If he is growing and doing well on the seed, stick to that. He is now the right age to be weaned. You can leave some small seed with him and get him interested in eating by playing with the seed by using your fingers. You can do the same with a small bowl of water.

Once he start eating seeds, he will need grit to help with the digestion. I hope you are planning on keeping him. Reared from such a young age, the chances of survival once released is very slim.


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## Amar2424 (May 18, 2019)

He is already drinking from a cup and pecking seeds when I show him. How should I keep him. Should I make a small house on my balcony with water and food containers or will he eat in the wild ?

And why do they have a slim chance of survival ?


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## Ladygrey (Dec 10, 2016)

Amar2424 said:


> He is already drinking from a cup and pecking seeds when I show him. How should I keep him. Should I make a small house on my balcony with water and food containers or will he eat in the wild ?
> 
> And why do they have a slim chance of survival ?


Pigeons reared by a human don’t learn to forage and know where the food is, they learn that by following their parents around when they learn to fly. 

It’s a hard call to keep him secure or let him gradually out as he matures, sometimes they come back to eat and then disappear for reasons unknown. 

He can be kept as a pet, unlike other species of true wild birds that would not do well in domestic situation . So the choice is yours.


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## Amar2424 (May 18, 2019)

Ladygrey said:


> Pigeons reared by a human don’t learn to forage and know where the food is, they learn that by following their parents around when they learn to fly.
> 
> It’s a hard call to keep him secure or let him gradually out as he matures, sometimes they come back to eat and then disappear for reasons unknown.
> 
> He can be kept as a pet, unlike other species of true wild birds that would not do well in domestic situation . So the choice is yours.


Thank you for the answer. I just want him to have a nice and long life. I will have to think about how to keep him. There is also a guy somewhere here that keeps pigeons as like a hobby. Would it be smart to give the pigeon to him ?

He also started limping which is a good sign because he couldnt even stand and had to push himself with his wings, he is doing much better now.

Also how can I entertain and/or play with my pigeon so he isnt bored or is that not necessary ?


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## Marina B (May 5, 2011)

They can also get human imprinted when raised by humans from a very young age. Meaning: they don't know that they are pigeons and would rather associate with humans than other pigeons.

If possible and you are allowed to do it: You can always close off your balcony and turn it into a aviary. Maybe you can adopt another young pigeon to keep him company. Otherwise, getting him adopted is a much better option than just putting him back out on the street again.

Pigeons don't really play. You can put a mirror in for him, they love to watch themselves and that will probably be enough entertainment for him. They also like to bath. You can put down a large dish filled with water for him, just make sure he can get dry afterwards in a nice sunny spot.


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## Amar2424 (May 18, 2019)

Marina B said:


> They can also get human imprinted when raised by humans from a very young age. Meaning: they don't know that they are pigeons and would rather associate with humans than other pigeons.
> 
> If possible and you are allowed to do it: You can always close off your balcony and turn it into a aviary. Maybe you can adopt another young pigeon to keep him company. Otherwise, getting him adopted is a much better option than just putting him back out on the street again.
> 
> Pigeons don't really play. You can put a mirror in for him, they love to watch themselves and that will probably be enough entertainment for him. They also like to bath. You can put down a large dish filled with water for him, just make sure he can get dry afterwards in a nice sunny spot.


Thank you for the info. I will think of something. Also I have a question: How is he going to learn to fly and about when will he try to learn. Will I have to teach him or will he instinctively learn.


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## Ladygrey (Dec 10, 2016)

Amar2424 said:


> Thank you for the info. I will think of something. Also I have a question: How is he going to learn to fly and about when will he try to learn. Will I have to teach him or will he instinctively learn.


If he has room to do it, he will do it on his own, they usually start by going up to a perch from the floor or table he may be on.. you can set him down on the floor across from his cage or place he sleeps and eats that can be up off the floor and then he can decide to go fly up on it and use his wings. They don’t fly a lot if kept in a house or apartment because there just isn’t enough room, they usually try book shelves and the like, then you know he’s maturing.


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## Amar2424 (May 18, 2019)

Ladygrey said:


> If he has room to do it, he will do it on his own, they usually start by going up to a perch from the floor or table he may be on.. you can set him down on the floor across from his cage or place he sleeps and eats that can be up off the floor and then he can decide to go fly up on it and use his wings. They don’t fly a lot if kept in a house or apartment because there just isn’t enough room, they usually try book shelves and the like, then you know he’s maturing.


I will keep an eye for that. Cant wait for him to mature and fly. Thank you all for the help.


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

He will need vitamins. You can buy some bird vitamins that go in the drinking water. If he couldn't walk or stand, it sounds like he needs calcium and D3. How do his legs look? Are they straight and strong? Can you post a picture?


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## Amar2424 (May 18, 2019)

Jay3 said:


> He will need vitamins. You can buy some bird vitamins that go in the drinking water. If he couldn't walk or stand, it sounds like he needs calcium and D3. How do his legs look? Are they straight and strong? Can you post a picture?


I tried taking a picture but it was impossible with him freaking out and fluttering his wings so I will have to think about how to approach this situation with some help. One of his leg is weak and it collected itself (his toes arent spread out they are just straight). And the other leg seems fine as he is using that leg to jump around his box.

I did find some vitamins in a pet shop near me in their online catalog so here's a picture :


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## Marina B (May 5, 2011)

Jay3, the baby was accidentally overheated and that's why he can't use one of his legs. He will however benefit from vitamins, you can add some to his food. A photo of the little one would be nice. Wait till after he has been fed, when he is relaxed and quiet.


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## Amar2424 (May 18, 2019)

Marina B said:


> Jay3, the baby was accidentally overheated and that's why he can't use one of his legs. He will however benefit from vitamins, you can add some to his food. A photo of the little one would be nice. Wait till after he has been fed, when he is relaxed and quiet.


I do have some photos and videos of him, I can post them later.


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## Amar2424 (May 18, 2019)

Here is one from 4 days ago.


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## Marina B (May 5, 2011)

Sweet baby. He has lots of missing feathers, will definitely benefit from vitamins. Does he have missing feathers on the breast area as well? Sometimes the formula does that, but that can also be an indication of canker which is quite common amongst fledglings. If he ever loses his appetite and start drinking lots of water, then you must know something is wrong. Not too scare you, but just so that you are aware of it.


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## Amar2424 (May 18, 2019)

Marina B said:


> Sweet baby. He has lots of missing feathers, will definitely benefit from vitamins. Does he have missing feathers on the breast area as well? Sometimes the formula does that, but that can also be an indication of canker which is quite common amongst fledglings. If he ever loses his appetite and start drinking lots of water, then you must know something is wrong. Not too scare you, but just so that you are aware of it.


If he do has canker what should I do about it ? And what are other common symptoms.


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## Marina B (May 5, 2011)

Symptoms will be: loss of appetite, drinking plenty of water and producing watery droppings, loss of feathers on breast area, making rotating movements with the crop and in the advance stage there will be yellowish growths in the back of the throat.

Canker can easily be treated with metronidazole, for a youngster that size 40 mg once daily for 7-10 days. Don't know where you are located, there's a product by Medpet called Meditrich which is quite good. Maybe your friend that keeps pigeons will know about this.

What does his droppings look like? He is on a seed diet, so it should be round, firm, brown with a white dot on top. Almost resembling a raisin.


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## Amar2424 (May 18, 2019)

Marina B said:


> Symptoms will be: loss of appetite, drinking plenty of water and producing watery droppings, loss of feathers on breast area, making rotating movements with the crop and in the advance stage there will be yellowish growths in the back of the throat.
> 
> Canker can easily be treated with metronidazole, for a youngster that size 40 mg once daily for 7-10 days. Don't know where you are located, there's a product by Medpet called Meditrich which is quite good. Maybe your friend that keeps pigeons will know about this.
> 
> What does his droppings look like? He is on a seed diet, so it should be round, firm, brown with a white dot on top. Almost resembling a raisin.


They are firm with a white dot but also leave a little bit of a stain around it between yellow and brown.


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## Marina B (May 5, 2011)

Sounds good, nothing to worry about.


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## Amar2424 (May 18, 2019)

Marina B said:


> Sounds good, nothing to worry about.












Here is one more picture I took of him today.

I also wanted to ask you when he starts flying and exploring will he see cats and dogs and other predators as dangerous or will he just not care and potentially get hurt. Do I need to worry about that?


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## Marina B (May 5, 2011)

Yes, he won't see cats and dogs as predators so you will need to be very carefull. Keep him in a seperate room from your other animals.


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## Amar2424 (May 18, 2019)

Marina B said:


> Yes, he won't see cats and dogs as predators so you will need to be very carefull. Keep him in a seperate room from your other animals.


There are some cats and dogs in the neighborhood and I wont always be there to protect him from them. What can I do about that ? I cant keep him in the house because of my mom.

Can I give him to my friend that keeps pigeons. I know that he wont see himself as a pigeon but would that be smarter ? Would the other pigeons bully him ?


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## Marina B (May 5, 2011)

I think getting him adopted will be the best option. He won't survive out there on the street. The parents teach them where to find food, water, shelter, protection against predators like cats and dogs. Without those survival skills he won't make it.

Your friend will need to do the introduction to the other pigeons slowly. First keep him in a seperate cage so that they can get used to him, and he to them. But first wait till he is able to eat properly by himself and a little bit older.


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## Amar2424 (May 18, 2019)

Marina B said:


> I think getting him adopted will be the best option. He won't survive out there on the street. The parents teach them where to find food, water, shelter, protection against predators like cats and dogs. Without those survival skills he won't make it.
> 
> Your friend will need to do the introduction to the other pigeons slowly. First keep him in a seperate cage so that they can get used to him, and he to them. But first wait till he is able to eat properly by himself and a little bit older.


I will talk to my friend. I started feeding him pea's and he really likes them. I read that whole seeds are hard to digest so im trying to teach him to eat by himself with peas. Is that a good idea ?


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

When he starts picking up the peas by himself, you can add seeds for him to pick up. Once you add seeds to his diet, then add pigeon grit as well. It helps him to grind up the seeds for digestion. Can you post a picture of him standing, from straight on? Kinda close up?

Your friend would need to introduce slowly anyway, as pigeons are territorial and usually some of the males will give the new bird on the block a hard time.


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## Amar2424 (May 18, 2019)

Jay3 said:


> When he starts picking up the peas by himself, you can add seeds for him to pick up. Once you add seeds to his diet, then add pigeon grit as well. It helps him to grind up the seeds for digestion. Can you post a picture of him standing, from straight on? Kinda close up?
> 
> Your friend would need to introduce slowly anyway, as pigeons are territorial and usually some of the males will give the new bird on the block a hard time.



















Here are his legs. He started walking again so thats a good sign. And he started to pick up peas after a little time has passed.


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## Marina B (May 5, 2011)

That's good. Don't be alarmed if the droppings change, when on a pea diet it becomes greenish and mushy. You can start adding small seeds to his peas, he will start pecking them as well.


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## Amar2424 (May 18, 2019)

Marina B said:


> That's good. Don't be alarmed if the droppings change, when on a pea diet it becomes greenish and mushy. You can start adding small seeds to his peas, he will start pecking them as well.


Will do. Anything else I should look for ?


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## Marina B (May 5, 2011)

As long as he is eating well, then you know all is good. Let us know how he adapts to the other pigeons. I will go visit him every day if I were you.


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## Amar2424 (May 18, 2019)

Marina B said:


> As long as he is eating well, then you know all is good. Let us know how he adapts to the other pigeons. I will go visit him every day if I were you.


I sure will. Im going to miss him. He is eating quite well to be honest. And he started to run around my room again. His legs are on full speed.


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

Just make sure they introduce him slowly to the others, and things should be fine. Let us know.


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## Amar2424 (May 18, 2019)

Jay3 said:


> Just make sure they introduce him slowly to the others, and things should be fine. Let us know.


So he started to fly a bit. He did fly to my bed from the floor this morning so that surprised me but im happy. I have one question. Would it be cold for him to sleep on the balcony ? Hes in a box that has styrofoam around it and the box has a roof i made, he cant get out of it but it does have some square shaped holes I made. If I covered him with a blanket at night, would he be cold on the balcony or would he be fine ?


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## Marina B (May 5, 2011)

What is your temperature at night? Also, make very sure that nothing can reach him on the balcony. A cage will be a better and safe option to keep him in.


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## Amar2424 (May 18, 2019)

Marina B said:


> What is your temperature at night? Also, make very sure that nothing can reach him on the balcony. A cage will be a better and safe option to keep him in.


It doesnt drop below 10°C at night. I already have a cage.


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## Marina B (May 5, 2011)

I'm sure he will be fine then. Just cover the cage with a blanket. And make sure no predators can get to him. Put the cage on a table, they always feel safer in a high spot.


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## Amar2424 (May 18, 2019)

Marina B said:


> I'm sure he will be fine then. Just cover the cage with a blanket. And make sure no predators can get to him. Put the cage on a table, they always feel safer in a high spot.


I encountered another problem. My friend who keeps the pigeons cant adopt him because he thinks the other pigeons are going to peck him to death. I dont know what to do with him. If I keep him he could get killed by all the cats in my neighborhood. And the vets here dont adopt animals. There is a shelter for dogs and only dogs. What should I do ?


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## Marina B (May 5, 2011)

Your friend is the only option now, try to convince him. I'm sure your baby will be fine, but the introduction needs to be done slowly. Does your friend live closeby? You can actually start with the introduction by taking your baby there every day in his cage. Spend time with him amongst all the pigeons, then he will be less terrified. Let him come out of the cage and stay with him. He needs to spend time with the other pigeons so that they can get used to each other.

Wait till he is older before leaving him there. He will need to be able to defend himself against the older pigeons as well. All of this will take time, but it's a much better option than just putting him back out on the street.

Otherwise, start looking for someone else to adopt him.


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

Marina B said:


> Your friend is the only option now, try to convince him. I'm sure your baby will be fine, but the introduction needs to be done slowly. Does your friend live closeby? You can actually start with the introduction by taking your baby there every day in his cage. Spend time with him amongst all the pigeons, then he will be less terrified. Let him come out of the cage and stay with him. He needs to spend time with the other pigeons so that they can get used to each other.
> 
> Wait till he is older before leaving him there. He will need to be able to defend himself against the older pigeons as well. All of this will take time, but it's a much better option than just putting him back out on the street.
> 
> Otherwise, start looking for someone else to adopt him.


^Good advice.


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