# Pigeon /w Tied Tangled Feet Thread / String HELP!



## FlyingPigeon (Jan 11, 2010)

Hi,
I found a pigeon and his feet are tangled in thread. I have tiny salon eye brow scissors to try and remove the thread, but I was wondering if this is the best method to remove it? Is there anyway to soak the feet /w something so the thread breaks down on its own? I can provide a picture if needed. Please help!


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## John_D (Jan 24, 2002)

Hi

The thread is unlikely to just break down, but you may make it easier work if you could rub in liberally something like Bach Rescue Cream or other non toxic cream or gel before trying to remove the thread.

Are the feet swollen and discolored due to tightness of thread, and more particularly are any toes necrotic? Just occasionally, we have come across a case where the thread is the only thing that is holding a foot on!

We also use a seam splitter tool for getting under the thread.

http://www.pigeonrescue.co.uk/footinjuriesstring.htm


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## FlyingPigeon (Jan 11, 2010)

Hi John,

Thanks for the reply I highly appreciate the response. The feet are swollen, but the under side of the foot isn't. The sole of the foot that is. I can't try to cut the thread on top because the swollen skin hides the thread. However, on the sole of the foot I was able to use the eye brow scissors and gently snip thick strands of thread/string. At first his foot could not open much, like the toes were too close together, but as I cut the hair/string on the underside his foot opened more and more. Some of those strands are quite close to the flesh and hard to get under them. A seam splitter will be helpful with the blunt end or those areas as the scissors are pointy ends.

It is night time now so I can't work on it more. My family helped me by holding a bright light during the day while inside the house. I will continue to work with the strings tomorrow for sure. Likely after I get a seam splitter... if I can find one. A good one at that as the cheap ones don't cut that well....

I was extremely careful when doing this as to not injure the pigeon.

I think it is a combination of brown thread and human hair? I'm surprised that human hair gets tangled in pigeon feet and can tighten enough to do this. 

There are some areas that are white, and I think I remember seeing one spot that was black.... I am hoping that as I remove what I can of the thread the rest of the string on the top of the flesh slowly release itself.... 

I live in L.A. California so I am not sure if I can find some of the UK branded products. Any suggestions on U.S.A. alternatives? I see the Bach cream is available at walmart... I will check if my local walmart has it and keep some in stock in case I need it for another pigeon.

Right now the pigeon is sleeping, and I think he kind of understood that I was trying to help him remove the thread. He did not struggle as much as I thought he would. When I saw him he was flight walking. He can stand but I think he chooses not to unless necessary due to the pain. 

I read the website you suggested and searched for Nem oil in walmart and got these two. I am not sure which is he one needed?

http://www.walmart.com/ip/Neemaura-Naturals-43659-Neem-Topical-Oil/28646415

http://www.walmart.com/ip/Neem-Oil-for-Garden-Organix-South-16-oz-Oil/31170282

For anti bacterial I have neosporin will this be of use?

Also... do I need baby scissors? I don't think they will help due to the already swollen flesh. 

Thank you for linking me to the site I have book marked it.


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## Skyeking (Jan 17, 2003)

*You can use the Neemaura topically. Yes, you can use the Neosporin topically. 
Baby scissors with blunt ends can be used. You should get metacam for pain. *


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## FlyingPigeon (Jan 11, 2010)

"Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug for oral use in dogs only", 

Hi,

It says that metacam is for dogs only. Is it safe for use in pigeons? About how much would it be given?


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## Skyeking (Jan 17, 2003)

FlyingPigeon said:


> "Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug for oral use in dogs only",
> 
> Hi,
> 
> It says that metacam is for dogs only. Is it safe for use in pigeons? About how much would it be given?


*The link says to use a single drop of metacam in the inside tip of pigeons beak as a painkiller.*


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## FlyingPigeon (Jan 11, 2010)

Hi,

I have been using the Neosporin for the last 2 days and I have seen some improvement for the pigeon. Both feet regained a nice colorful hue to the skin and the pigeon appears to have less pain when standing. I have also been working with the thread. Carefully removing bit by bit. I only spend about 10 minutes? a day as I don't want to stress the bird too much. I give her plenty of food and water. I believe it is a female pigeon because she makes the same sounds my previous female pigeon makes. Though I am not entirely sure. I still need to buy the metacam and the nem oil. I think I will get the nem oil first as in the back of the Neosporin states that it is able to relieve pain and I think it also mentioned inflammation. So I think it really is helping her quite a bit. Both feet are much more free than before. Walmart did not have the Nem oil so I will have to check ebay. 

http://imageshack.com/a/img36/7682/n3v0.jpg
http://imageshack.com/a/img834/7336/xt06.jpg
http://imageshack.com/a/img823/2078/jn3f.jpg

I also have some tree tea oil and it says it is anti bacterial on the back. I was wondering if the oil could also be used to help fight the inflammation and infection? It says it has to be diluted as it is concentrated it is only a couple of oz.


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## Skyeking (Jan 17, 2003)

*With the tea tree oil you cannot use it (even diluted) on any area that has broken skin as it will hurt.

You can find Neem oil at any health food store.



*


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## FlyingPigeon (Jan 11, 2010)

Hi There

Thanks a lot the anti biotic has been doing wonders. On the next day the feet got that nice red hue and quickly the inflmmation came down. I have been working on the thread which I see now that it is actually human hair and I have pretty much removed all of it. The feet open freely now and are free. Just the pigeon has some black growth which I think is necrosis. I am hoping that with time, rest, food, and anti biotics the blacked skin will fall off or heal.... I will take a picture when possible. The pigeon is very happy now and I think it knows the help I provided as it is not too afraid when I pet it.


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## Skyeking (Jan 17, 2003)

*Thank you for the update, keep up the good work and please do continue to update us.*


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## FlyingPigeon (Jan 11, 2010)

http://i.imgur.com/Jfx6YdK.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/Vj1roZL.jpg

Here is an update with both feet free from the wire  Hoping the little bumps and black spots will go away over time with rest and love!


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## Larry_Cologne (Jul 6, 2004)

I'm late seeing this thread, but I will briefly repeat what I have experienced, and what I have read in other's posts.

I have a scalpel handle with blades of different shapes. (In Germany and Belgium) scalpel and blades can be found at hobby shops, art supply stores, pharmacies and such.

My favourite blade, which I have used several times (but which is not always easy to find in stores) is a claw-shaped blade which is sharp on the concave side (the inside curve of the claw) and sharp for the first few millimeters on the outside curve, at the point. Nice sharp point gets under any thread. A gentle pull severs the thread or string. Using the tip as a point, one can snag the thread and pull it out from the tunnel or valley of overgrown skin, or one can use tweezers. Access to the thread or string is usually necessary only at one point. 

Most of the other PT posters used fine-pointed scissors. With scissors a bit more access space might be needed. With scissors there need not necessarily be any tugging on the string to remove it from the leg, since force is exerted only against the thread being wedged apart by the blades. With my scalpel there was negligible tugging needed; the cut was easy and quick.

The first time I attempted this, I spent an hour selecting various tools, snippers, cutters, tweezers, Victorinox Swiss Army Champion knife with small pliers and shrapnel tweezers, various wire cutting implements. Set up an ironing board at a comfortable level so my wife could sit across from me and cradle the wrapped pigeon in her hands. The cut and string removal took maybe fifteen-twenty seconds. It was over so quickly that I almost felt some disappointment. 

I have since then purchased fine-tipped scissors as a back-up, but I think my scalpel will do the trick when necessary. For years, I carried the scalpel with several spare blades as EDC in my hip pouch.


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## FlyingPigeon (Jan 11, 2010)

Hi Larry,

Wow, that sounds amazing! My mom helped me by holding a really bright Spot Light so I could see the thread within the Pigeon's foot. Not much light filtered through because of how tightly bound the feet were. With the Spot Light I could see the thread very clearly and would even see other threads that were much less visible.

Actually they were hairs! Sorry I keep calling them threads. Fine red hairs it looked like. 

Is there a name for the claw like tool you mentioned? It sounds useful I wouldn't mind buying one in case I need it for the future. Would you be able to show us a picture of all the tools you use to free pigeons? It would be good to get an idea on what can be used 

Thanks Larry!


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## Larry_Cologne (Jul 6, 2004)

*Scalpel and blade for removing string*

Here are some links:

Some websites and suppliers have much higher prices than others. The #12 blade uses a #3 scalpel handle. You can also use an X-Acto knife handle, or any of the inexpensive Chinese-made hobby knife set handles.

I would expect to pay maybe five dollars max for a #3 stainless steel scalpel handle. 

http://www.swann-morton.com/product/22.php










You can use any fine-pointed tweezers, such as those in most Swiss Army knives (Victorinox, Wenger) that have plastic handles. You can often pick up a spare tweezer for about a dollar at a Swiss Army knife distributor.


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## FlyingPigeon (Jan 11, 2010)

Hi Guys,

Thanks Larry that blade looks amazingly useful. I will have to get myself a #3 blade at some point. My mom actually found another injured pigeon that had human hair tangled around his feet. I went to work on the hair today and freed all of it in a few minutes. His left foot is the one that had the hair and his right is free of hair. Left has considerable inflammation. At one point I cut some strings of hair then tried to pull a single hair out only to cause some slight bleeding; very tiny. I went ahead and left it alone since that told me the hair was pretty struck in there. I got the rest of the hair out much easily and he is now 99% free of hair. I added the antibiotic Neosporin the version that also has pain relieving medicine. I'm sure in a couple of days the inflammation on the foot will go down considerably just like with the other pigeon. I will take a picture when I have a chance. For this pigeon I used the seam ripper for 70% of the work and it was quite useful. For the much tighter parts I had to use the fine eyebrow scissors. I made sure to dull the tips enough to not be sharp, but still useful to get inbetween he hairs.

I'm surprised that both these times it has been human hair that is the culprit  I never would have thought human hair would cause such terrible suffering that leads to loosing foot/feet. It is terrible.

On the other hand the other pigeon, which I call chickie, is doing much better. She can now walk perfectly well and both her feet have a nice reddish color that is more akin to regular pigeon foot tone. Inflammation is just abotu gone except for one foot on the right leg and a rear toe on the other. Compared to before though the improvement is remarkable. 

Also... when I was at the bus station the other day I saw a pigeon that could not walk... only flight walk and when it would do so one of the feet was swollen and would just dangle in the air. It makes me feel sad for I tend to see pigeon with swollen feet and the amount of work is numerous. Me and my mother doing the work feels like a very large task. 

I feel that if more people, if not all people, were to help then there would be much less suffering. I mean, I have personally rescued and helped several pigeons (15 or so?) over the course of two years not counting other types of birds that I have helped before. If more and more people would do it....

It is just wishful thinking. I'm happy to be able to help by as much as I can .


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## Skyeking (Jan 17, 2003)

*Thank you for the happy update.

Hair can do so much damage, I have read of a dog having lost a section of bowel after major surgery due to it swallowing long human hair-it strangulated the intestine, I myself make it a mission to educate people of the damage hair can do to innocent creatures.

Perhaps you can find a way to educate people in your area in regards to cleaning up and properly containing hair. Thank you for rescuing and rehabilitating another of our feral flock. *


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## FlyingPigeon (Jan 11, 2010)

Here is an update picture on the first pigeon.

http://i.imgur.com/yFn5xZE.jpg

She is much better now but still has some inflammation here and there. I am amazed at how well a recovery she has done. Though I don't believe her feet will heal fully mainly because of the big lacerations she has. Permanent deformation  

I am 100% sure that she feels much better now though. I will take a picture of the other pigeon when I get a chance. The inflammation on his foot has already gone down and his foot looks normal except for the crevices of laceration and some necrosis or scar tissue.


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## FlyingPigeon (Jan 11, 2010)

Guys, something odd has happened . The first pigeon I found has been doing great. No more hair around the feet and the swollen flesh has gone down. It has been like this for the longest time since I last reported. However, the heat here in Los Angeles has suddenly increased and coincidentally one of the toe's on the Pigeon's foot, the middle toe, has turned dark blue/black? I had not noticed it myself until a family member mentioned seeing the pigeon hopping around a little bit; in discomfort? I checked it out and yes her toe is blue/black. I instantly went on to add anti-biotic cream, but I see no improvement in tone. I checked the foot for any possibly left over hair/thread and found nothing. In fact, last time I put the anti-biotic cream a large crusty part near the joint where the toe joins the foot has fallen off. I thought of it as a good sign since I figured maybe it obstructed blood flow to the toe, but no improvement in tone. After the large white looking crusty flesh or scar fell of it left a large crevice. reminesense of the damage done to her toe by the human hair. The pigeon did not bleed when that crusty part fell off. The are looked clean and well healed. Though, I noticed that the laceration from the hair went as far down as the Pigeon's toe bone. The laceration went from top to bottom. The underside still looks to have... maybe... some flesh connected. Perhaps not. It is hard to tell but clearly on the top the flesh was completely lacerated down to the bone. 

I wonder if the heat had anything to do with the change in tone of her toe? She was doing fine before. Could walk well though she did seem reluctant to put weight on that foot, but not nearly as much as now. Honestly I thought she'd just eventually recover. I'm unsure as to what is happening. Could it just be a lack of blood flow to the toe because of the heat? it is odd because I thought that after the crusty area fell off it would have better blood flow to the toe. If there is any blood flow my best guess is either through the toe bone or perhaps on the under side of the foot.

http://i.imgur.com/E3bs0gj.jpg Here is the toe along with the other foot as comparasion.

http://imgur.com/l0pHPrh Foot my itself

http://imgur.com/REJHuvA Top view of the large crevice after the crusty flesh fell off.

http://imgur.com/CVEyaNw I believe you seen the the bone covered by scar tissue.

http://imgur.com/uZQAlH5 Front view

http://imgur.com/W5xVETh Gently showing the underside of the foot. 

P.S. after looking at the toe carefully... and noticing the degree of laceration from the hair... I do not believe she is able to move her toe upwards. I think the muscles/ligaments/tendons? are gone. 

I'm sorry guys. I hope this is not too serious. It is sad to see this as just recently a friend of mine mentioned to me that he has been having some liver problems. He is a nice guy and it is difficult to hear as I feel he is the type of person who shouldn't suffer due to his good nature. Has helped me when I was in a bind before and other people I know.


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## FlyingPigeon (Jan 11, 2010)

I forgot to add this picture:

http://i.imgur.com/2LVK8gu.jpg

This one I took a month back I believe. It shows her with her friend who looks to be doing well. In here she is clearly standing comfortably on that foot with healthy tone to the toe. I honestly felt she was doing great and was on her way to a great recovery. I saw no problems back then. The only thing I can honestly say might have affected her was the hotter weather.

Thoughts?

Update:

Just thought to add that in the past month I felt that both pigeons were healthy enough to release back into the wild. However, they seemed quite comfortable in their new dwellings that I felt bad about releasing them. So I thought about leaving a large window open near where they normally spend most of the day to let them fly out when they desired. Though... neither of them has chosen to leave. I don't mind them staying with us just it almost feels like they are missing out on their lives outside. I am unsure now if I should leave the window open due to the first pigeon's developments.

Thoughts?


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## FlyingPigeon (Jan 11, 2010)

Guys, the situation has moved to the point that today when I was applying the anti biotic ointment /w pain medicine I saw that her toe is... falling off. It looks like the bone itself is coming out and off. There is no bleeding and the toe is black as it has been thus far. Any suggestions on how to take care of her during this period? I am applying the anti biotic ointment on a daily basis and keeping her water supply / food full. I also don't bother her so she doesn't do any unnecessary movement. She still moves about and flys to her perferred location. Sits there and gets some sun before coming back to her home at around 6 o'clock. My best bet is that keeping the area where she rests as clean as possible? Clean droppings and change her bedding?


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