# Baby Pigeon Saved From Cat, Help Please! UK members respond



## Nickynocky (Apr 12, 2014)

Hello everyone

I found this beautiful little baby trying to run away from a cat this morning, some of her feathers at the back are a little scuffed up, but thankfully there's no blood or anything.

I called a wildlife rescue, unfortunately the woman wasn't very helpful, she told us to put her back and rescuing her was 'futile'. I refused to believe that so now I've come to you. I rescued a pigeon a couple of months back and the vet tried to put him down (he eventually flew off, healthy) so I'm nervous of getting bad advice again. 

I didn't want to put her back where I found her because there are TONS of cats.

So I'm wondering what you suggest for her now. She has lots of energy so is hard to handle so feeding her is almost impossible (for me anyway with my non existent handling skills) we put some defrosted peas down and water for her but she's not interested, so I'm wondering does she even know how to eat them yet?


----------



## Nickynocky (Apr 12, 2014)

p.s. I am in Hull, UK


----------



## Skyeking (Jan 17, 2003)

*What a little cutie!

The little one needs a nest bowl and some towels or pine needles to sit on-so she/he can grip onto it, or the legs will splay out.

Here is a wonderful UK link with info on caring for baby pigeons. The baby is probably not weaned and needs to be force fed for now.

http://www.pigeonrescue.co.uk/caringforababypigeon.htm *


----------



## John_D (Jan 24, 2002)

Please also check this page on the site Skyeking has linked to

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

even if no real damage appears to have been done.

The nearest listed rescue place to you would seem to be





> Selby Wildlife and Rehabilitation is a small, home based rescue and limited to the number of creatures they can take in so please ring them first to ensure they are able to take any further birds.
> 
> Low Mill,
> York Road,
> ...


If you are on Facebook there is a loose network of rescuers/rehabbers in the UK:

https://www.facebook.com/groups/PigeonProtection/


----------



## serinus (Nov 3, 2009)

*Woody*

There's plenty of good advice to be found on here,
also your baby is a wood pigeon (Columbo palumbus).
So is technically a completely wild bird, yet a lot of "rescues" are still snobby/elitest about them.
It's got just as much right to exist as something rare IMO.


----------



## Feefo (Feb 8, 2002)

She might be a bit young to know how to eat on her own, defrost the peas in warm water and put one at a time in her mouth, usually they get so fed up of the slow feeding they grab the peas for themselves. Also spill some small seed like canary seed around her to encourage her to pick up.

You could try putting her on a tree branch under strict supervision and watching to see if her parents find and feed her. You can always take her back in once she has been fed.

And have a good search for the nest. They can be quite low down and reachable, I saw a pair of babies grow up in the wisteria against a garden wall.

It might be a good idea to ask the vet that advised you about metabolic bone disease you last time to examine her, just in case...the way she us sitting in the photo is a bit peculiar. But don't let anyone put her down!

Can you pm me the name of the rescue centre that thought it was futile to try to save her?


----------

