# found very sticky pigeon



## Oso_ (May 25, 2013)

I found a pigeon sitting on the sidewalk at 1am when I got off work this morning. I thought it was very strange that a bird would be sitting that early in the morning. I went over to it and it didn't even move. I picked it up and it made a weird squeaking sound. I tried to get it off my hands and had a really hard time doing that. I put it inside my bike basket and took it home. I put it in the tub and coated it in dawn dish soap. I have given it several baths and it is still sticky. I coated it in canola oil and that didn't work either. I then tried corn starch and that helped a bit but the bird is still so sticky. I dried it off as much as I could and put it in a box with some water. I am not really sure what to do with the poor thing. I feel like being sticky is its only problem at the moment and if I can just fix that it can go back outside. I live in Tempe, Arizona.


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## Skyeking (Jan 17, 2003)

*Here is a link on caring for baby pigeons:WARM up, hydrate, then feed. http://www.pigeonrescue.co.uk/

Have you tried dawn dishwash liquid?, (the original)that may cut the grease. 

Here is a list of rehabbers and vets if you need help: http://pij-n-angels.forumotion.net/t95-matilda-s-list-united-states-a-k

*


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## Oso_ (May 25, 2013)

Yes I was using dawn dish soap and he is still very sticky


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## spirit wings (Mar 29, 2008)

the feather part is worrisome but not the most important thing ATM, feeding him is.. he is a young bird and may need or proabalby needs to be hand fed. defrosted peas at room temp can be put in the back of the throat and he will swallow them. repeat till the crop is full which is the little holding sac on the lower throat or chest..40 peas at a time if the crop is empty..feed again when it emptys. the peas also give h20 he may beed to rehydrate.


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## Skyeking (Jan 17, 2003)

spirit wings said:


> the feather part is worrisome but not the most important thing ATM, feeding him is.. he is a young bird and may need or proabalby needs to be hand fed. defrosted peas at room temp can be put in the back of the throat and he will swallow them. repeat till the crop is full which is the little holding sac on the lower throat or chest..40 peas at a time if the crop is empty..feed again when it emptys. the peas also give h20 he may beed to rehydrate.


*^^ THIS MOST important!! check the above link (caring for baby pigeon) for feeding*


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## Oso_ (May 25, 2013)

I don't have any peas I am about to run up to the store though. Is there anything else I should get for him?


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## spirit wings (Mar 29, 2008)

wild bird seed and some dried yellow or green peas for when he gets to eating on his own..start with the defrosted peas and work your way to the seeds and grains. his feather should molt out and more baths in the future can help his feathers go back to normal.


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## Oso_ (May 25, 2013)

Awesome I can get all that! he has 3 days to get out lol... only slightly kidding. I am moving in 3 days. Anyone know how to get sticky stuff off of birds. I was reading on google and I think that he might have fallen in a pigeon trap and got free. It was windy yesterday so there was probably enough dust on the trap that he didn't get stuck very well. They are building a new place next to where I work and maybe they put traps up on the construction site?


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## spirit wings (Mar 29, 2008)

that is a good question, and sometimes the dawn is the only thing that may help..but he may have to just molt out to loose all that. what are you going to do with him when you move ..he will be imprinted on you and not ready for a realese anytime soon, esp if his feathers are not right. did you contact any rehabbers from the link?


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## Oso_ (May 25, 2013)

I really don't think that this bird is that young. He has full flight feathers and a nasty attitude. He isn't imprinted on me he hates me. He pecks at me every time I try to touch him. I haven't contacted any rehabbers yet.


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## spirit wings (Mar 29, 2008)

I can tell from the picture he is young.. young almost weaned pigeons look very adult like to people who are not familiar with pigeons they feather out way before they eat on their own.. the beak with the cere being pink and not developed is a way to tell. even then he can not be released with his feather in a mess. he won't make it.


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## Oso_ (May 25, 2013)

Oh thats cool I had no idea! He just looked like all of the other pigeons to me. He seems to really like eating the corn and peas. At first he wasn't sure but I just put them on my hand and he went to peck at me and got a corn instead xD I have called around and most of the rehabbers want me to drop him off. I can't though since I don't have a car


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## Oso_ (May 25, 2013)

I was talking to my mom about the bird and she told me to try wd40 and goo gone any objections to this? I think the main ingredient in wd40 is fish oil. And goo gone is citrus


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

No. Those would both be bad for the bird.Don't worry about the feathers right now. He's not ready to be released yet anyway. Too many baths are too much for him too. That is very stressful for him which isn't going to help him any. A stressed bird gets sick. Right now getting the bird rehydrated and then food into him is priority.
Can you offer him a small bowl of tepid water, into which you have added a pinch of salt and a pinch of sugar to one cup of water? You need to get him to drink first. A bird that is dehydrated shouldn't be fed. After you have gotten him to drink a few times then he can be fed. The feathers are the very least of his problems right now. That can wait. Please---NO MORE BATHING.


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## Oso_ (May 25, 2013)

So like a homemade pedialyte solution? Sorry I admittedly don't know anything about birds. I'm great with fish, cats, squirrels, chipmunks ect lol but not birds. He is drinking the water that I gave him but I will add the salt and sugar to it. I will skip the bath again. I think he is feeling better, he is definitely more feisty tonight. I had him inside the bathroom while I was at work since I do have a cat. I have left my cat with my fish and chipmunks and she has never showed any interest in them but I know I shouldn't let them interact since the bird will be going back into the wild and I don't want him thinking that cats are okay.

edit: does he look alright?



Ive never really given much thought to these guys but I think he is pretty cool even though he is a total jerk. In my vertebrate zoology class we had to dissect a pigeon which was kind of sad. I am glad I get to see the living thing up close.


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## spirit wings (Mar 29, 2008)

he looks pretty good, just make sure he is eating enough for now, when he can fly well then you can think of doing a soft release into a flock. just so you know people can keep pigeons as they are not a protected species and non native..all pigeons here come from domestic stock and can be kept as a pet. but that is not always the case some like to release them.


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## Oso_ (May 25, 2013)

There is a large flock of pigeons on campus they have 24/7 access to water and most of the students feed them. Then there is the flock that lives on the street that I work just above campus. They pretty much have 24/7 access to food but with the construction site I am still supicious that they put up traps. Ive seen that people keep pigeons as pets but I'm actually slightly allergic to birds. The feather dust makes my throat itchy. xD


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## Oso_ (May 25, 2013)

Just a little update. I found a rehabber that is willing to pick up the bird today!


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## Skyeking (Jan 17, 2003)

*That is an awesome update. Thanks for letting us know.*


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## Miss-Sassypants (Sep 25, 2010)

The pigeon is very beautiful. I hope the rehabber is reliable and won't put him down or anything. He looks sooo cute.

I secretly wished Oso would have kept him!


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## Oso_ (May 25, 2013)

The rehabber specializes in pigeons and doves, she looked him over and said he probably wouldn't have to stay with her very long. She seemed very nice. I can't imagine why he would be euthanized since he seems to be very healthy. Just still a little sticky


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