# Baby Pigeon found...please help



## ValxX (Aug 29, 2005)

Hello...okay, so I am 18 years old, and I reside in Brooklyn, NY. I found a baby pigeon today outside of work, and there is an animal hospital across the street from me, so I took it there, and they told me if I leave it there, they would put it to sleep, so I took it back to work with me. It's in a cardboard box right now, lined with lots of ripped paper towel and we fed it some bread and water from a syringe. Now, I would take it home, but I start college tomorrow....I don't know what to do. I don't want to leave it alone to die...it's tiny...here are some pictures of it that I took with my phone. Please help.


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## Skyeking (Jan 17, 2003)

Hello and Welcome to Pigeons.com

Thank you for helping this youngser and not relinquishing it to the animal hospital. 

What a cutie!

Make sure the youngster is out of any air drafts and kept warm, with a towel in the box or tissue to keep the feet from sliding out from under him.

The baby looks to be about two to three weeks.

Here is a resource sight for helping this youngster:

http://www.duckpolice.org/BirdWeb/PigeonResourceWeb/pigeonresource.html


Here is a link to find a rehabber in your area:

http://www.pigeons.com/prd.htm


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## Birdmom4ever (Jan 14, 2003)

Hi Val, welcome to Pigeons.com. Thank you so much for helping this baby. From the photos I'd guess it's about 3 weeks old. If you haven't done so already, please read the post "Basic Steps to Saving the Life of a Pigeon or Dove." http://www.pigeons.biz/forums/showthread.php?t=11265

Please also check this list to see if there is a rehabber in your area who can take the little pigeon: http://www.pigeons.com/prd.htm. Or you might try calling some other vets. Some will take pigeons and treat them for free if you relinquish the bird to them. But be sure to ask what they will do with it. Some, like the animal hospital you encountered, just euthanize them.

Here's a listing of avian vets: http://www.aav.org/ 

The baby will need to be fed until it learns to eat on its own--at least a week or two. Are there any apparent injuries? Does it seem ill? Babies this age frequently fall/fly out of the nest when they aren't yet ready to be on their own. The main things for now are providing the chick a warm, safe place (box w/ old towels is fine) and making sure it stays hydrated. You could also try offering it a little wild bird seed. If he isn't able to eat yet you'll need to feed him baby bird formula such as Kaytee Exact. It's available in most pet stores. There are other links on this forum with detailed information on tube feeding and other methods. But it sounds as though you need to find someone to take the little pij ASAP if you are starting classes tomorrow.


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## pdpbison (Mar 15, 2005)

Hi Val,


Thank you for rescueing this little Pigeon from peril...  

If you decide to try and feed and raise this youngster, I can send you some useful feeding and method info in the regular e-mail...just write to me from your regular e-mail.

[email protected]

Unfortunately, most naive overtures tend to alienate or frustrate the young Bird which makes further even if correct methods compromised from the Bird being distrustful from impostions already foisted on them.

Pigeons of this age are used to feeding in their own terms, which consist of tepid, watery Food (mostly Seeds at this age) being offered in some manner where they insert their Beak into the open Beaks and throats of their parents to feed from, but may be guided to insert their Beaks into something we can provide also, to feed and be fed...

For them at this age, feeding and being fed are personal-intimate gestures of acceptance and security. Normally they will never see a Seed untill they are good enough fliers to accompany their parents on grazing forays.

Likely yours is still happy and open minded...and would respond well to gestures in it's terms,, and would soon be interested in pecking and self feeding if guided to it gently and progressively.

Anyway, let me know if you are interested and I will send...it can make everything so much easier and happier for you and for the Bird.

If I could make the information short enough I would just post it here but it is too long, since several things need to be spelled out at length to be understood.



Best wishes, 

Phil
Las Vegas


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## ValxX (Aug 29, 2005)

Thanks so much. Well, my mother flipped out when I told her, and said if I bring it home, she'll throw it out, so a co-worker took it home with her. I know she'll take good care of it, so I feel like a huge weight has been lifted off of my shoulders because I know that bird is in good hands.


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## VeganHeathen (Aug 28, 2005)

Is your friend who took the bird wanting to keep him/her permanently? I've been looking to possibly adopt a pigeon, and I reside in Brooklyn.


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## TAWhatley (Mar 6, 2001)

VeganHeathen said:


> Is your friend who took the bird wanting to keep him/her permanently? I've been looking to possibly adopt a pigeon, and I reside in Brooklyn.


There are always NYC birds in need of either temporary homes during rehab or of a good permanent home if they are not releasable. If you decide to adopt, please let us know, and I'll put you in touch the the pigeon rescue group there in NYC.

Terry


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