# White-Winged Dove having 'leg spasms'



## jamesdenoyonpattee (Aug 19, 2014)

I have a rescue white-winged dove, Morning Glory, with an issue I have been wondering about. 
It is a mobility issue: at least a month ago I noticed that when she was feeding at her seed trough, she would suddenly rear back, put her belly to the 'ground' and slap her legs in front of her. She was acting as if she had been startled by something. She seemed to only be doing this at her seed trough, so I figured she must have been frightened by something when she was feeding at her trough. 
But now she is doing this while feeding on the floor, or when she watching the pigeons at the window, or on a perch and she gets startled. She is able to break into flight in the middle of these episodes.

She has had other mobility issues since she was a fledgling: one foot does not function and her balance is not so great when she's walking (due to spinal injury from bird attack as fledgling).

She perches and naps normally. She sleeps normally, except for times when she loses her balance, but she settles down. 
I have a film of this leg issue, sort of a spasm, but I don't know how to post a video, or even if I can.

If no one has encountered anything like this, how do I connect with a vet online? I live in San Salvador and do not want to put Morning Glory through the stress of visiting a vet, unless I know that it's going to help her.
Jay


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## Skyeking (Jan 17, 2003)

*Did you change her diet or housing or anything else since this started happening? 

What does she eat?

Does she get nutritional supplements?

Does she go outside daily?*


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## jamesdenoyonpattee (Aug 19, 2014)

*Morning Glory, White-Winged Dove, San Salvador*

Skyeking,
Morning Glory's housing and diet had not changed. 
I feed her mycio, a natural grain here, alpiste mixto, and chopped snow peas (the peas not pod). I make sure she is hydrated.
I don't give her supplements; I don't know if I could find them here. Could I give her chicken feed? 

She does not go outside, but she has direct sun (through glass) in the morning and afternoon. (I just read that Vitamin D is not produced by sunlight through glass - so I will take steps to correct that!)

Thanks for the response. If you have any further suggestions or references with regard to nutrition, that would be helpful, but I will make an effort to make sure her diet is proper and that she is getting truly direct sun exposure. 

Does vitamin D deficiency match the symptom?

Jay


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## Skyeking (Jan 17, 2003)

*I would add vitamin D3 and calcium to her diet. Calcium is a nerve vitamin and helps relax muscles and is also important to the nervous system and necessary for good egg shell formation. Vitamin D3 is necessary for calcium absorption. 

Try to buy her a bird mix specifically designed for doves with whole seeds. Cracked seeds or broken seeds is not good and can cause issues of mold.*


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