# baby pigeon having trouble breathing



## matupper (Aug 1, 2004)

I spent so much time describing this poor baby's symptoms and when I tried to post it said I wasn't logged on. I am a new user and would love some advise on how to attach my JPEG image of this poor baby, and is there some sort of time out feature that would have cased my last post to bomb. I'll describe the problems I am having with poor baby when I know how to properly post....
confused in california
MaryAnne

Okay, that post seemed to work, so I'll use the edit function?? to add the info. 

In the past few days of caring for a baby pigeon it seems to be having problems. There is a loud hollow sound and visable in and out movement coming from the baby's lower chest....sounds similar to a panting dog...and there is a clear bubble under the skin above the right leg that expands and contracts...as the skin is so transparent, it is easy to assume there is most likely air (maybe cledar fluid) going in and out. During the expanding and contracting it bubbles out quite large (similar as to if you took a ballon and blew in and out of it). If I wasn't such an idiot when it comes to matters of pigeons, I might even assume it was a punctured lung (do they call them lungs?).

Just some history ....a week ago, my husband removed a pot light in our home due to the knowlegde there was a bird in the attic from the speaking sound. And there, sure enough was a baby pideon. I had seen the pigeons going in and out some time prior from outside, but our roof is very large, and the four attic openings we tried to find where they were nesting didn't provide results...there are so many spaces up there we have no access to. Anyway, after some research on the internet etc....I started to care for the baby. It was my hope the mom would also continue to care for it, so a made a small nest enclosure just outside our front door. I am still not sure how much I should be feeding it, but I have been using Peak Health Formula bird seed in a blender with water, I use a 3cc medicine despencer to feed the bird, and that seems to have worked okay. Today it just finally started to eat the dry seed on its own. (But still begs to be force fed) Despite the trouble breathing, the baby still acts hungry and maybe even more so now. I thought maybe I should bring it in the house for a few nites out of the cold? I don't know what to do, any advise?

Also, I have no idea as to the age of the baby, it still has a bit of the yellow tufts. I'm going to try to attach a picture.

Thanks in advance for any adivse you may have for me.
MaryAnne


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## TAWhatley (Mar 6, 2001)

Hi Maryanne,

I'm in California too (Lake Forest in South Orange County) .. where are you?

I do believe there is a timeout function here on the message board. If will be easier for you, just e-mail me your pictures to [email protected], and I will put them in this thread for you or on my website and post a link here.

If you want, please send me the rest of the information in a post with the pictures, and I will post that here also.

Terry


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## matupper (Aug 1, 2004)

*I sent you picture of baby via email....tks*

Do you know how to tell the sex of the bird?
Thanks for your help
MA


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## matupper (Aug 1, 2004)

*Your question I forgot to answer*



TAWhatley said:


> Hi Maryanne,
> 
> I'm in California too (Lake Forest in South Orange County) .. where are you?
> 
> ...


I'm in San Jose (northern California)


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## Snowbird (Jun 24, 2004)

The respiratory system of a pigeon consists of lungs and posterior and anterior air sacs. This allows them to breathe oxygenated air when breathing in and out. 

This sounds like there is a rupture to one of the air sacs, or if the youngster always did this then it could be congenital defect. It is not likely a fluid if it expands and contracts in time with the breathing. I have no idea what can be done, but it sounds like a job for a top avian vet (there is one in Oakley, if not in San Jose).

If you moved the nest far the parents will likely abandon. If you haven't seen them today I would but the bird inside over a towel with a heating pad set on low underneath. San Jose is not warm enough tonight. If it is near eating by itself then it should get more like a couple of ounces of food per day depending on the meal--some dried dog food soaked until soft will provide some valuable fat and protein if the youngster is skinny and not energetic (if the bird does not round out over the breastbone (keel)--if the keel shows up and the bird is kind of hollow around it), you should be trying to get more nutrition going in.


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## matupper (Aug 1, 2004)

*Thank you so much for the advise..*

The bird is demonstrating tremendous energy dispite how hard he seems to be working just to breath. The bird also seems to curl up and rest peacefully after it is full. The bird seems to be thriving fine in respect to eating etc. Always hungry.....I tend to be more worried about overfeeding than the opposite....I have yet to find him NOT wanting to eat more. What about water, should I be forcing this more? I don't see the bird drinking much? 

I think the mom has been watching....I may have even observed her flapping her wings loudly in an attempt to get a hawk to fly in another direction today....it is hard to know as there is so much bird life around here. But I only assume that she has stopped feeding the bird based on how hungry it is all the time, but who could know for sure?

Lastly, I bought this vitamin enriched Gourmet Eggfood, Featherglow Avian Diet that has a ton of various viamins, amino acids, salts and minerals. It indicates 16.7 % protein and 5.5 Fat. Is that enough protein and fat?

Thanks again for your advise, I will see if I can get this poor fella to a good vet tomorrow. I couldn't say if this defect was there all the time, and perhaps now only that it has grown so much is it more pronounced, or if something actually happened? But I hope we can save the bird.


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## Snowbird (Jun 24, 2004)

The protein and fat percentages you mentioned are fine. It looks like the nutrition is being well met by you if the bird is getting at least 60 cc/day.

The air sac condition is a concern and it would be so great if you can get it to a vet--and for this it needs to be an avian vet because dogs and cats don't have air sac morphology and a non-avian vet probably won't know what's going on.


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## matupper (Aug 1, 2004)

*Thanks Snowbird....*

I was just looking through the yellow pages as we speak, I am also going to ask my vet if they can recommend one that specializes in birds. I'll let you know how I make out later today.
Thanks for you kind attention with this poor sick fellow.
MaryAnne


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## Gefion (Jun 30, 2004)

*Great Avian Vet in Portola Valley*

Hi there,

I have taken pet birds as well as my newly adopted pigeon baby to Wildwood, they are in Portola Valley. I dont have their number handy, sorry.
What are your plans with your little fella? I am looking for a young friend for my now 2 month old pigeon.


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## matupper (Aug 1, 2004)

*Wow, truly, you would want it?*

Perhaps we could take it off line, but I would be so interested if I knew that someone caring would take this cute little one. I have become so attached, but and not very well equiped or knowledgable on pigeons. Where do you live? Can you send me an email so we can talk more about it?
Thanks
MaryAnne


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