# Not eating enough



## Rachel25 (May 2, 2009)

I found a young pigeon last week, was down, looking sad and very emaciated. Had a few stray strands of yellow fluff. Took home and started rehydration and exact. Has put on weight nicely. My question is, will he learn to start eating on his own? I have a felt a few seeds in his crop but not consistently. I have a flight cage outside and out him out there with seed and water and he doesn't seem interested. Just sits there all day. I do not think I am over feeding on the exact. He is certainly not eating enough on his own. What shall I do?


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## Brummie (Feb 16, 2009)

Rachel25 said:


> I found a young pigeon last week, was down, looking sad and very emaciated. Had a few stray strands of yellow fluff. Took home and started rehydration and exact. Has put on weight nicely. My question is, will he learn to start eating on his own? I have a felt a few seeds in his crop but not consistently. I have a flight cage outside and out him out there with seed and water and he doesn't seem interested. Just sits there all day. I do not think I am over feeding on the exact. He is certainly not eating enough on his own. What shall I do?


This may sound silly, but he/she may not be aware of where the food is coming from. If you can get the bird's attention, stir your fingure in the feed bowl, I know it sound's silly. But there is a chance the bird will become attracted, and realize that's were food is.


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## Skyeking (Jan 17, 2003)

Rachel25 said:


> I found a young pigeon last week, was down, looking sad and very emaciated. Had a few stray strands of yellow fluff. Took home and started rehydration and exact. Has put on weight nicely. My question is, will he learn to start eating on his own? I have a felt a few seeds in his crop but not consistently. I have a flight cage outside and out him out there with seed and water and he doesn't seem interested. Just sits there all day. I do not think I am over feeding on the exact. He is certainly not eating enough on his own. What shall I do?


He needs more time to put on weight and regain his health and energy, trust me, once he puts on all the weight and feeling better, he will eat, and sometimes hunger alone will force/drive him to eat.

Continue what you are doing, it may take time, but eventually he should eat on his own. Once he has put all the weight back on and is full of energy, wean onto seeds only-he won't need the exact. You can hand feed him seeds, especially if he is drinking on his own. A tablespoon 4 times a day, should do and then allow him to drink. You should also give him some probiotics as that will get the weight on, give him good gut flora-which is crucial-and stir the appetite. You should also continue to leave a bowl of seed and water for him, and continue to generate an interest to him feeding himself, by stirring seeds with fingers and dropping a few around him, and do this before you feed him-be consistent. Hunger is the best motivation to get him weaned. *But the motivation of hunger should only be used once he has fully regained his health.*


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## Rachel25 (May 2, 2009)

I am not sure he is drinking on his own, have never seen him do so. He is also very aggressive for a pigeon, he lunges and pecks me very aggressively when I go near him. Also resists feeding with the exact. He seems strange, just sits in one place in the flight cage, doesn't fly down to where the food and water is. The only time he has seemed to eat any seed was when he was in a pet carrier in the garage and the seed was right next to him. I can't have him in the garage right now as I have a sick pigeon in there.

He is approx 280grams. How many times a day should I give him exact?

Where would I obtain probiotics that you are referring to. Is it in powder or liquid form? What about Vitamin D?

Thanks so much for your advice?


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

Rachel25 said:


> I am not sure he is drinking on his own, have never seen him do so. He is also very aggressive for a pigeon, he lunges and pecks me very aggressively when I go near him. Also resists feeding with the exact. He seems strange, just sits in one place in the flight cage, doesn't fly down to where the food and water is. The only time he has seemed to eat any seed was when he was in a pet carrier in the garage and the seed was right next to him. I can't have him in the garage right now as I have a sick pigeon in there.
> 
> He is approx 280grams. How many times a day should I give him exact?
> 
> ...



Hi Rachel. This is a ferral pigeon that you found isn't it? If so, then it is very normal that he would be aggressive. He doesn't know people, and it is instinctive to protect himself. That could also be why he stays in one spot in the flight pen. He may be scared. Or he could have other issues. He could be sick. 

As far as the probiotics, you can either buy them online from pigeon supply places, to which I can give you the links if you want them, or you can buy them from health food stores. They have powdered form, or a liquid, flavored one that you can give to him with an eye dropper to the back of the throat. Even yogurt that has live cultures can be given to him. This would help his gut flora, and would help him digest the food better, and maybe make him want to eat more. You can also pick up NUTRI-STAT, or something equivelant to it at pet stores. It is a high calorie food supplement for dogs and cats, but can be given to birds also. It will halp to put weight on the bird. It contains vitamins and minerals as well. I have found it very helpful in putting a bit of weight on a bird who needed it.
He probably ate better in the pet carrier because he felt less threatened. Not out in the open, where he may be afraid. Unless he is sick in some way, he should adjust, and start eating eventually, but if not, try putting him in the pet carrier, where he did eat, for part of the day with food and water, and see if he eats while in there. If he will let you, you could try holding his beak gently, and lowering it into a small dish of water, to give him the idea to drink. Hold it there for a few seconds. Just don't stick the whole beak in so that the nose is submerged. If handling him is to frightening for him, then this probably won't work. The crate for part of the day may work better. Good luck with the little guy, and please keep us updated.


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## Lovebirds (Sep 6, 2002)

Jay3 said:


> Hi Rachel. This is a ferral pigeon that you found isn't it? If so, then it is very normal that he would be aggressive. He doesn't know people, and it is instinctive to protect himself. That could also be why he stays in one spot in the flight pen. He may be scared. Or he could have other issues. He could be sick.
> 
> As far as the probiotics, you can either buy them online from pigeon supply places, to which I can give you the links if you want them, or you can buy them from health food stores. They have powdered form, or a liquid, flavored one that you can give to him with an eye dropper to the back of the throat. Even yogurt that has live cultures can be given to him. This would help his gut flora, and would help him digest the food better, and maybe make him want to eat more. You can also pick up NUTRI-STAT, or something equivelant to it at pet stores. It is a high calorie food supplement for dogs and cats, but can be given to birds also. It will halp to put weight on the bird. It contains vitamins and minerals as well. I have found it very helpful in putting a bit of weight on a bird who needed it.
> He probably ate better in the pet carrier because he felt less threatened. Not out in the open, where he may be afraid. Unless he is sick in some way, he should adjust, and start eating eventually, but if not, try putting him in the pet carrier, where he did eat, for part of the day with food and water, and see if he eats while in there. If he will let you, you could try holding his beak gently, and lowering it into a small dish of water, to give him the idea to drink. Hold it there for a few seconds. Just don't stick the whole beak in so that the nose is submerged. If handling him is to frightening for him, then this probably won't work. The crate for part of the day may work better. Good luck with the little guy, and please keep us updated.


If this is the same bird, and I assume it is, she stated in the other post, that this bird had a band.

http://www.pigeons.biz/forums/showthread.php?t=35734


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

Rachel, I meant to ask, have you checked his throat to see if it was clear of canker or anything? It is hard to tell you how much or how often to feed him, without knowing how old he is. Is it possible to post a picture of him? Feed him till his crop is full. Not hard full, but like a soft pillow. In a few hours, check to see if it has emptied. If not, wait a while and check again. When it is empty, or nearly so, feed him again.


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

Thanks Renee, I missed that one. 

Rachel, have you tried to locate the owner yet? They would probably be interested in knowing where he is. If he is so young, he probably isn't from so far away.


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## Charis (Feb 11, 2007)

Rachel...You have three thread going on this bird. It's getting confusing. Please keep all questions to one thread so we can better answer questions and help.


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

I was going to suggest that same thing. If you miss one thread, you have absolutely no idea of what is going on. Just keep updating this in the same thread.


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## Rachel25 (May 2, 2009)

I have different posts because these are two different birds. The racer with the band is the sick one and the feral is the one who won't eat enough.


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## Rachel25 (May 2, 2009)

And no the feral does not have any lesions or other in his mouth. He looks good and digests the Exact well. I think you could be right about him feeling scared in the flight cage and more secure in the carrier but he needs to be outside right? I mean he is certainly big enough. I am going to continue Exact feedings but wish he would start eating seed more. I even put seed and water next to him on his platform in the flight cage and then he took off because he seemed afraid of the water dish. What is his deal? He just seems to want to starve unless I feed him Exact.


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

How big is the flight cage? Anyway you could put the carrier in there, or at least a box of some kind, like a nest box, with a roof of some sort, so that he has a place to go into? That might give him a feeling of security. No, he doesn't actually HAVE to be outside. You could keep him inside until he is more stable and eating on his own. Just put him in the flight cage for a few hours a day for excercise, although, if he doesn't move from one spot, I guess he doesn' get much excercise anyway. I'd keep him in til he was eating on his own, and I was sure that he was drinking water on his own also.


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## Rachel25 (May 2, 2009)

Flight cage is 8ft tall, 10ft wide. Its a good size.

Can you list the probiotics by brand name or send me a link to where they could be purchased?

Thanks


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

Rachel, here is the link for the liquid probiotics that you can just place in his mouth.
http://www.iherb.com/Liquid-Probiotics


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

Rachel, here's more.
Here is a link for Foys Pro Bios, at Foys pigeon supply. http://www.foyspigeonsupplies.com/catalog/670-678.html

Here is a link for New England Pigeon Supply, for 68 Soluble. It contains vitamins, electrolytes, and the good gut bacteria. It mixes in the water, and the birds don't seem to mind the taste at all.
http://www.nepigeonsupplies.com/cat...?page=1&category=Vitamins%20and%20Supplements
Vitaking has a good gut bacteria. Here is the link. http://vitakingproducts.com/storefronta.htm

You can also give him yogurt with the live cultures in it.


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## Charis (Feb 11, 2007)

Here's the link to a pigeon supply in Georgia. It may have the same products and be closer.
http://www.globalpigeon.com/


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## Rachel25 (May 2, 2009)

Thanks for the link, I have some other questions? Can you give Vitamin D to a pigeon and if so where can you get it. Do they sell anything at regular pet stores like petsmart/petco?

Also I keep reading about all the different things a pigeon should eat. What kind of feed should I get and where from. The feed stores here don't seem to sell many things pigeon related?


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## Charis (Feb 11, 2007)

I don't think you need to give him Vit D.
You can buy Dove mix at petsmart/petco. Farm stores/feed stores often carry a regualr pigeon mix but most sell it in 50# bags.
For the time being you can feed defrosted corn and peas. Did we go through how to feed?


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## Rachel25 (May 2, 2009)

Yes please explain how to feed


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## Charis (Feb 11, 2007)

For the time being, defrost some corn and peas. Open the birds beak and pop individual pieces at the very back of the mouth at the throat. The bird will swallow only if you put them in the mouth this way. If you put the pieces in the side of the mouth or the middle, he will spit them out. You need to feed 35-40 each feeding and when ever the crop is empty. Never add food to a crop that is parctially full. 

If you are going to pick up a hand feeding forumla, such as EXACT then it's more complicated.


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## Feefo (Feb 8, 2002)

Hi Rachel,

Some youngsters take a lot longer than others to feed themselves. One of my very early rescues was a juvenile who could not fly, so I took him home, where I realised that he couldn't feed himself. It took 4 weeks for him to learn how to do that! 

Feeding him solids like defrosted peas and corn helps, because that way he learns to identify food by sight and by the way it feels in his mouth.

Cynthia


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## Rachel25 (May 2, 2009)

Thought I would share some postive news, today I fed him Exact and put him out in the flight cage. I noticed that today he was moving around alot more. I happpened to glance outside and he flown down to the seed dish and was pecking around. Not sure if he actually ate anything but at least it shows he is interested. Yay!! I'm very happy about this.


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

I'm glad. It's nice to hear good news. Maybe he will soon eat on his own.


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