# Baby pigeon advice



## smcg23 (Aug 16, 2020)

Hi, I was contacted last night about a baby pigeon (about 14 days old I think). Someone had found him on the street and has had it for 4 days but they didn't know how to feed him so he's basically been starved. I picked him up last night and immediately warmed him with a hot water bottle and started giving him baby parrot formula with a cut off syringe and glove. He ate very well and was squeaking and flapping his wings. I've fed him twice more since then, with his crop emptying in between. He's excited for food every time. I've made the formula quite watery as I thought he would be dehydrated. My question is, his poop is very liquid and dark brown (pic attached). Is this to be expected at this stage, because of the starvation and dehydration, or should it be firmer now.I've only had him around 12 hours or so. I plan to take him to a rescue but want to make sure I do the best for him while I have him with me. Thanks.


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## Marina B (May 5, 2011)

If the formula is very watery, the droppings will be too. You can mix his formula till it has the consistency of tomato ketchup. It's good that he is excited getting fed. Are you sure he will be ok at the rescue centre, meaning do they do pigeon rescue?


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## smcg23 (Aug 16, 2020)

Hi Marina, thanks for your response. Yes the rescue is pigeon friendly. Ideally I'd like to keep him and raise him myself but I know he has a better chance of being released if he's with other pigeons. I just hope they have the space for him, they are inundated with babies at the moment. I will make the formula a little thicker for the next feed and hope it improves the texture of the droppings. There is also a strange smell coming from the poop, a very strong almost chemical smell. I haven't smelt anything like it before. Doesn't smell rotten or cheesy. Could that be the starvation, or could it be caused by an infection?


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## Marina B (May 5, 2011)

Can be a sign of infection or canker. Any smell coming from the mouth? I guess the rescue centre will give him a checkup. They are easy to raise, but as you said his chances of longterm survival will be better when raised with other pigeons. He will also become human imprinted when raised by you.


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