# please help me!



## SaarSchnitzer (Aug 25, 2009)

Im 12 and i found a bird that is around 27-29 days old.... it looks as if both his eyes have been scrached out and hes completly blind.... since i found him he didnt eat or drink but he tryed to eat bread by pecking it and he coudnt get any... he likes to be petted and held.... if he survives until i leave back home from isreal myaunt will take him on. but i dont know what to do or what to feed him..i dont know much about birds but i took care of one that fell out of the nest at around 10 days and i had him for 20 days untill he died from the fall...
Thank you,
saar 
p.s. i dont know if its a he or she but im just reffering to him as a he..


----------



## Feefo (Feb 8, 2002)

If the bird's feet feel cool or cold then place him on a hot water bottle wrapped in a towel or under a lamp. Don't place him in the sun or next to strong heat and keep checking to make certain that he is not too hot. Let him rest for half an hour.

If he has been without food or water for some time he will need to be rehydrated before he is fed. Unless he is passing plump moist poops, mix 1 pint of warm water with half a teaspoon of sugar and half a tablespoon of glucose, or honey, or sugar. Dip the pigeon's beak in a bowl of the warm soltion taking vare to keep the nostrils uncovered and hold it there a while. That should stimulate him to drink. Keep doing this for a couple of hours. I usually leave it overnight before I feed a pigeon that is dehydrated.

Can you get some frozen corn and peas and defrost them, or some fresh corn and peas? 

You can hand feed it abot 50 a day, using this method. 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uU1SO0ZJoow

I prefer to wait overnight before feeding a bird that is dehydrated. 

Can you describe the damage to his eyes? Sometimes they can be so swollen and bloody that it looks as if they are permanently blind, but this might not be the case. 

If you have any colloidal silver then rinse his eyes with that. Otherwise you can use the sterile saline used by humans as an eye wash.

What part of Israel are you in? It is a small country and we might have a member close to you that can show you how to care for the little one.


----------



## SaarSchnitzer (Aug 25, 2009)

*thank you*

thank you for the information... i am pretty sure he is blind and he might also be deaf... i cant acually see an eye or blood its kind of puffy and the skin looks alot like the skin on the feet. and it also looks like that around the ears area. in my house in isreal there are alot of pigeons nesting in the roof so i think the mom raised it until she found out he was deaf and clawed out his eyes... then dropped him from the roof. but i am guessing the story.
i live in nyc but my family lives in bat leham haglilit... near hifa... and i am curently visiting them (i visit 3 times a year)


----------



## Feefo (Feb 8, 2002)

Thanks, I have sent an e-mail to Hilary, I hope that she is still in Israel.

However bad things look, keep hoping and bathing the eyes. You would be amazed at how well pigeons cope with blindness and how well they can heal!

Cynthia


----------



## SaarSchnitzer (Aug 25, 2009)

ohh no... i just read another post and he has bumps on his head... what does that mean... i put him under a lamp and his feat are nopt worming up... i dont know what to do... i cant get a look at his tong.... thanks for calling and helping. hope he will survive.im trying to feel him now


----------



## Feefo (Feb 8, 2002)

What sort of bumps on his head does he have?

What post did you read?


----------



## SaarSchnitzer (Aug 25, 2009)

i read the post about finding the pigeon in the yard..
the bumps are just like small bug bites but the skin is just like the leg skin


----------



## plamenh (Aug 11, 2006)

Try to give him water with sugar first.
When he drinks, let him relax a little and try to feed him with defrosted corns slightly warm them not to hot. Open his beak and put corn inside and push it gently. Let him swallow and repeat with next one until 50.
You can check bumps later.
Do you have chamomile tea at home?


----------



## Feefo (Feb 8, 2002)

The lumps sound like pigeon pox. It can affect the eyes and look pretty bad, but feral pigeons can recover from it.

Have a read of this thread and scroll down to the photo in post number 27. Is that what yours looks like?

http://www.pigeons.biz/forums/showthread.php?t=20146&referrerid=560

There is advice in that thread about what to do.

Cynthia


----------



## SaarSchnitzer (Aug 25, 2009)

i will check if i have chamomile tea and if not i'll buy some... i tryed to give him water but he wont drink also he fights me when i try to force feed it and he spitts out the defrosted corn

i hope i can help the little creature..


----------



## plamenh (Aug 11, 2006)

Get someone to help you feeding. It is difficult to do it alone. Do not squeeze him when holding, as he needs to breath. You need to feed him and give water. Do it slowly and take your time. Use chamomile tea warm, not hot with cotton bud to clean eyes. You can also swab bumps with it. For bumps, you can use Tea tree oil, but not near eyes.
It really sounds as pigeon pox. It is like chicken pox in humans but not dangerous or contagious for you. Just remember to wash your hands when handling pigeon.


----------



## SaarSchnitzer (Aug 25, 2009)

feefo,
yes that is how it looks... is there a way to treat it? i dont suspect that the mother will want to take the pigeon back after its treated... can it see at all.... it doesnt look like it. 
his poop is very liquid and white without brown..


----------



## Feefo (Feb 8, 2002)

POx takes about 6 weeks to clear up, by thet time the mother will have other babies.

If you read through that thread it contains a lot of advice on treatment. Hopefully the eyes will be undamaged as the pox growths will be on the lids.

I will e-mail Surya, as she has had recent experience she will understand what you are going through and be able to support you.


----------



## SaarSchnitzer (Aug 25, 2009)

thank you so much


----------



## SaarSchnitzer (Aug 25, 2009)

it seems that he cant see but he loves to flap his wings and fly very low for short times... he seems very active and my brother will try to help me feed him. i will try to update on him everyday im with him.


----------



## plamenh (Aug 11, 2006)

Just be careful not to get hurt when it flaps arround, rather keep hi safe in box.


----------



## SaarSchnitzer (Aug 25, 2009)

*things are looking up for buetiful*

yes i have given her the name beutiful... he or she is now answering some of my commands and eating corn and drinking water with one tea spoon of suger... the pigeon pox have stayed the ame but she is definitly more energetic.
a question i have is why does the keep pecking me everytime i touch her, and why does she preffer to sit on me then be in her cage or on her bowl? is it natural? 
also once i give her 50 pieces of corn and she asks for nore what do i do?


----------



## plamenh (Aug 11, 2006)

Hi Saar,
You could have continued already started tread from yesterday as it is much easier to follow information. Anyway, I’m glad that things are getting better for Buetiful or Beautiful. It is still long way to go though. First to answer your questions:
Pigeons use their beak as we use hands. Pecking is their way to greet you. They don’t peck hard.
She (I presume it is a girl for now) prefers you to keep her because you provide warmth and security and food. In a way she is looking for comfort that usually parents provide. In a way she is bonding to you. You can put old t-shirt in the cage and make a nest as it is difficult to carry her around and he needs sleep too.
Baby pigeons do not know when to stop eating. Their parents feed them and they decide when is enough. If you overfeed her, she will have pains and acids in the crop. Rather leave her to beg for more.
Please check if you can get Tea tree oil to dab her bumps on the head and legs. Eyes you can wash with chamomile tea.


----------



## Feefo (Feb 8, 2002)

That is very good news.

Is she squeaking for food? Is she picking up corn herself or are you putting it in her mouth?

Cynthia


----------



## SaarSchnitzer (Aug 25, 2009)

thank you,

i dont know the sex but she looks more like a girl i'll try getting the tea tree oil. and i'll try putting a shirt. i trey puting her next to a pigeon just to compare size and everything and they look about the same size even though the other pigeon was older. i will make sure to not over feed it and the suger in the water is helping alot with the energy. when she climbs on me she flaps her wings so i think she cant see but i think she can hear me.


----------



## plamenh (Aug 11, 2006)

Of course she can hear you. By the way it is good to talk to them, calms them down.


----------



## SaarSchnitzer (Aug 25, 2009)

Is she squeaking for food? 
yes most of the time sometimes its just when i pet him or her.

Is she picking up corn herself or are you putting it in her mouth?
i am feeding her but when i can just pu it on the end of her beak and then she swallows


----------



## Feefo (Feb 8, 2002)

She is in good hands. The fact that she is eager for food must mean that she feels well, despite the pox.



Cynthia


----------



## Skyeking (Jan 17, 2003)

plamenh said:


> Hi Saar,
> You could have continued already started tread from yesterday as it is much easier to follow information. Anyway,


Both threads have been merged for that purpose.


----------



## SaarSchnitzer (Aug 25, 2009)

the only chamomile tea i could fine was with honey and lime too... is that ok?


----------



## plamenh (Aug 11, 2006)

I wouldn’t risk using other then pure chamomile tea as there may be some artificial colorants and aromas in it. Drop of Coloidal silver in the eye will also work if you can get some from health pharmacy.


----------



## SaarSchnitzer (Aug 25, 2009)

beautiful is looking more and more like a male each day... she is often hungry andenegetic oh yea and thirsty. she seems to like the protected cage.i found tea tree oil andchamomile tea. today i'll try to apply both. the trys to eat the food alone but she cant get the beak open enough to catch it.she is begging to sound like a grown pigeon but once i enter the room you squeal alot


----------



## SaarSchnitzer (Aug 25, 2009)

*Hes Flying*

i treated him or her and it seemd to soften up the pox around the eye with the chamomile tea.... he started to fly right after i let him go when i finished the other eye! when i cought him he kept flapping his wings and trying to get out of my hand... when i let him go he went up and then down... now hesa flapping his wings on my lap


----------



## plamenh (Aug 11, 2006)

Carry on like this and you will have full time job with spoiled pigeon.
You can treat him twice a day eyes with chamomile tea and bumps on the body with tea tree oil. Flapping wings is very good sign, young pigeons are full of energy and like to exercise.
You can get mixed seeds for wild birds and start feeding him a bit of these too. He needs variety in diet, whole wheat bread, small pieces of apple etc.
Do not give chocolate and avocado because they are poisonous for birds.


----------



## surya-s (Apr 14, 2007)

Thank you Cynthia for mailing the link, and Saar, you are doing wonderful with Beautiful. Getting the pigeon to eat was the most difficult problem i faced. Now that you have got him on a good diet and treatment he should should get well soon. Once the pox lesions dry up and fall off he should be able to see.
Hoping for more good news soon.


----------



## SaarSchnitzer (Aug 25, 2009)

hey,
thank you guys so much for the avice. i looked at one of his eyes and a pice fell off and surley there was a blinking eye under it. he is very hungry and i give him a meal in the morning afternoon and a big dinner to keep him full for the night. today i got mixed sees and he ate some corn by himself. he is looking like a boy by his color on the neck but i dont know when he tryes to eat he bites me and not the corn. he looks healthy and sleeps the whole night threw. he got ontop of my roo so i had to climb and get him down. hes ok though. he moves too much so im haveing a hard time to put the tea tree oil on him so i drop one drop on the pox is that ok?


----------



## plamenh (Aug 11, 2006)

When you using tea tree oil, take q-tips the cotton buds for cleaning ears. Deep it in liquid and swab pox bumps. Do not use this around eyes and on eyes. Eyes clean with chamomile. The healthier he becomes the more will fly and play. Can you find cage or basket to keep him in? It is Ok to be in the room when you are around, but it must be closed in cage when alone.
Also be careful not to let him out by mistake because he is not ready and will not survive.
Jou are doing great job Saar!


----------



## surya-s (Apr 14, 2007)

That is very good news. Now the little one should get better soon. Well done Saar!


----------

