# baby pigeon saved but badly hurt



## Guest (Sep 1, 2009)

A neighbout brought a baby pigeon to me last week that was being pecked by the older pigeons and doves in the coup. I didn't have a clue how to help and couldn't get any of the Kaycee exact that everyone keeps talking about. I'm from the UK but in the Algarve and the pet shops keep shoving a bag of seed into my hand, with the instructions to soak the seeds and then force feed the baby bird.

So anyway, I finally found somehing called Baby Pap ex, which is a complete baby food for budgies according to the packet. I have the seed on hand for when it's ready to wean I guess!

My problem is that the bird isn't gaining weight very quickly, and she gets exhausted while eating and falls asleep. She has had a bout of bright green poop which stopped after a couple of days and she began eating again yesterday. Now today, she's cold and her crop isn't emptying. I put her in the sun and she warmed up. While out there I put her on some wood shavings and a kitchen towel to let her absorb the heat of the sun for a few minutes. She was very lethargic and I noticed a couple of spots of urine like poop which had lines of blood in it. What am I doing wrong? I have become very very fond of the little angel and really want to help. I'm feeling helpless and ignorant. Please help.... Dawn


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## plamenh (Aug 11, 2006)

Babies should be kept warm all the time. take hot water botle or plastic one, fill with warm water, wrap in towel not to be to hot.
Soon someone from UK will be online to help you more.
How old is baby?
Can yoiu post some pictures?


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## altgirl35 (Sep 5, 2008)

hi dawn, how are you feeding her?? how old is she?? as for keeping warm, can you get a heating pad to put under part of the container you are keeping her in to keep her warm.
depending on her age she may need supplemental heat to digest her food


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## Feefo (Feb 8, 2002)

Hi Dawn.

You could fill a hot water bottle and wrap it in a twoel, lie her on that so that she and the crop warm up. If you don't have a hot water bottle then a plastic bottle filled with warm water would do.

Did you give her the food warm?

Probiotics like natural yoghurt can help.

I took in two very young babies last week, they were cold and the food wasn't moving from their crops. When I discussed this with OwlMomma on this forum she said that she uses warm molasses. This page http://www.pigeons.biz/forums/member.php?u=17542 will show you her contact details so if you want you could e-mail her for further details.


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## Reti (Jul 20, 2003)

Please post here if anything is wrong with the baby.
Keep her warm and quiet. Do NOT give water if s/he is gasping for air.

Reti


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## Teresa (Jul 10, 2005)

Hi Pijidawn,

There really isn't much available for feeding baby pigeons in Portugal. I use Avibaby or a similar proprietary food for seed-eating baby birds, but I have to say that they don't really like the taste. It's best to use thawed frozen peas and sweetcorn, peeled and slightly mushed up. (Pigeon fanciers use baby chick food, I think, but that's not widely available to the public.)

The bloody diarrhoea is very worrying. It could be several things
http://www.chevita.com/en/pigeons/symptoms/index.php
but I would bet Salmonellosis is one of the culprits, and that can be tackled with either Synulox or Baytril. You should be able to buy them at a chemist's over the counter, saying it's for a sick pet, and that's what your vet recommended over the phone. (Failing that get a Portuguese person to do it for you -- they'll find a way!)


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