# Worrying sounds made by pigeon, not sounding like cough



## jumpyarachnid (Oct 31, 2020)

Hi.

Today was a sad day as one of the pigeons I've recently brought has passed away - he was sitting most of the time quietly and calmly in the cage, drinking water and eating normally. He did not want to fly anywhere. I found him on a garbage bin at night when it was humid and it was getting cold. I sadly found him dead, once I came back from a short trip.

He was sitting in a parrot cage when the other pigeon was released, freely flying around in the bathroom. The other pigeon does not eat himself, but he drinks the water by himself. Whenever he sees my hand or me, he's coming to me, making squeaking noises, raising his wings and then plays with my hand with his beak.

Now, after feeding him today for the last time (we feed him two-three times per day, but recently only twice so he can maybe learn how to eat by himself as his bowl is always full), his squeak was different. I have no proper, descriptive words to describe it but the closest to the original would be - hoarse or a dry cough during squeaking.

There's no bird vet in my town, all I can do is to get some meds from the familiar vet (it's semi-legal here to keep wild birds, but they tend to put them down at the gov-paid clinic).

I've attached videos of him and the squeak: 



 Sorry for the quality, I'm barely using my phone's camera and I have no clue what has happened after the first few seconds. Let me know if you need more samples of this sound.


As a side note - this is not the first time I found a wounded/sick bird, but only the second time he/she died . All others were successfully released.


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## jumpyarachnid (Oct 31, 2020)

I've managed to make 2 more videos showcasing the noise much better and I am concerned that it is getting worse. Sounds like a lungs issue - at least that's what I would think of in a case of a human...

Here's some squeak, you can hear it's not clear: 



Here's a longer video, you can pass it to 0:20 to hear the very weird noise I am so concerned about 




I've also noticed that he started reaching his feathers more often as if he was biting them or trying to scratch himself? As if he has an itch.

I am really confused - parasites? lung infection? something neurotic?...

Please, help me help him! 


@EDIT: By the way, he is with me for a little bit over a month already. I found him slightly wounded and mostly featherless, afraid and hugging a wall of a building. He had a little bit of yellow fur on top of his head.


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## Marina B (May 5, 2011)

A change of voice is normal as they get older. The squeaking is changing into a coo. He is not that young anymore, should be able to eat seeds by himself. You can play with the seeds by using your fingers, do the same with water. Is he keen on getting fed? 

You can check with a flashlight inside his beak and back of the throat for yellow growths that might indicate canker. Quite common amongst youngsters, but can easily be treated with metronidazole.


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## Marina B (May 5, 2011)

He might have mites/external parasites. Try to get a product for that from your local petshop.


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## jumpyarachnid (Oct 31, 2020)

He loves getting fed, but to do so I have to press sides of his beak to force him to open it and only then I can carefully put some seeds. He swallows them and squeaks for more.

I'm trying to teach him to feed by both playing with seeds in fingers and also on the open palms - sometimes he seems to be trying grabbing a seed or two from my palm but after a failed attempt he squeaks again for food.

I'm also afraid he will not be able to live on his own as he is quite often flying on my shoulder, hand or arm and just sits there.


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## jumpyarachnid (Oct 31, 2020)

In regards to mites and other parasites, we have a dog and a cat. We use Frontline to secure them, do you think it will be fine? My worry is that it might be too strong for him/her.


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## Marina B (May 5, 2011)

Plse don't use the frontline, this will kill him. Rather get something specific for birds.

You can also feed him defrosted green peas. Defrost a few in lukewarm water and pop one at a time deep inside his beak over the tongue. Much easier than seed. Feed him 30 to 40 peas 3 times a day. They quickly learn to eat peas by themselves, so always leave a small bowl filled with peas for him. Easy to digest and have lots of moisture. Once he starts eating the peas, you can start adding some small seeds.

He might be too tame to be released. They do need to spend some time in an aviary before releasing to get used to the area. After releasing, will need backup water and food supply. When raised by humans, they don't know where to find food, water and shelter.


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## jumpyarachnid (Oct 31, 2020)

Until now he was fed with dried pea, dried corn and sunflower seeds together with some wheat seeds - he grew really fast and big. He drinks without my help but he still wants to be fed. :/

I wonder whether keeping him wouldn't be cruel?


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## Marina B (May 5, 2011)

Rather try the defrosted peas. They are soft and picking them up are much easier for youngsters. No, it won't be cruel to keep him. It will be cruel to release a pigeon that is so used to you and depend on you for survival.


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## Hania41806 (Oct 21, 2020)

My pigeons were exactly the same with feeding. Try sprinkling some seeds on the floor of his/her container or cage. After about a day of having seeds on the floor my pigeons figured out that they are able to pick it up and eat it. Then I started skipping some of their feedings and they eventually stopped even taking from me. (they would still take out of my hand, they just didn't let me feed them.)


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## wood pigeon 3032 (Oct 28, 2020)

jumpyarachnid said:


> I've managed to make 2 more videos showcasing the noise much better and I am concerned that it is getting worse. Sounds like a lungs issue - at least that's what I would think of in a case of a human...
> 
> Here's some squeak, you can hear it's not clear:
> 
> ...


he is so cute he is a baby pigeon probably fell from nest when he plays with your hands he tries to get fed to feed him get a few seeds such as corn milet wheat peas and crush them with water then get them with a syringe and put a brocken balloon on the hole hold his beek and put in through slowly feed him he wont like it but keep doing it until hes full check youtube video another option is to get the crusht food in your hand and colse your hand so when the pigeon tries to get fed he will eat


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