# Lethargic feral pigeon. Need advice.



## adrian528 (4 mo ago)

This is a new case. I think is a she. Feral pigeon and part of the flock but unfortunately in a bad shape today. Cannot stay stable on her legs like the legs muscles are weak so her body is moving down/front and back/down without moving the legs. Still has appetite. Does not drink water for now. I put a drop of apple vinegar. She came for help very close to my feet like half of meter maybe less which for me was amazing comparing with other feral pigeons distance of 2 meters and she slept for like 5 min while the other pigeons were eating. Her partner came a few times to convince her with his dance to leave my living room and go with him but she could not because of her health. Today I cought her in my living room with my balcony door closed. She is still free inside my living room but she does not react like she is trapped. Gave her pigeon seeds(she is eating now) and water.
I will keep her overnight to see how she is in the morning but I do not know how to help her more than this. I am also afraid not to be contagious for her flock which by the way stayed and were agitated unusual late on my balcony trying probably to retrive her even if I gave them enough to eat. Soap opera nothing less. I posted a picture of her droppings. Any advice? Thanks.


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## adrian528 (4 mo ago)

Picture of her.


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## Marina B (May 5, 2011)

Her droppings don't look good. Keep her for longer. Why don't you invest in a cage. It's easier esp when it comes to cleaning. Can you take a flashlight and check inside her beak and back of the throat for any unusual growths. Yellow cheesy or whitish. Sick pigeons act very tame. If she is eating, food is not getting digested. Is she rotating her crop? Making circular movements esp after eating?


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## adrian528 (4 mo ago)

Marina B said:


> Her droppings don't look good. Keep her for longer. Why don't you invest in a cage. It's easier esp when it comes to cleaning. Can you take a flashlight and check inside her beak and back of the throat for any unusual growths. Yellow cheesy or whitish. Sick pigeons act very tame. If she is eating, food is not getting digested. Is she rotating her crop? Making circular movements esp after eating?


I am not experienced and I had terible terible moments yesterday to catch her after she slept all night on the bookshelf. I look in her throat and she is clean. I do not have a cage so I let her free in my living room and she went in to a hyper agitated state flying toards the window curtains and the close door trying to be free. That was in the morning so I let her go. She came back in the evening and she ate and when I close the door trying to have her sleeping for the night she went hyper agitated again hitting the curtains and balcony door wanted to be free. I let her out again thinking that I am not going to see her again because of the shape that she is. Today surprise! She came back for lunch together with her flock. She eats well but the problem is that she cannot keep her balance on her legs. She is moving like a rocking chair. Head is straight and she does not move in circle. My questions are: if she has PPMV can she recover by herself? Is there anything I can give as home remedy to help her like probiotics and electrolytes? I do not think I can put her in a cage based on the experiences that I had. She is not tamed and will not accept a cage and will try to hurt herself. In the meantime I have the other 12 ferals asking for food, fighting for dominance and of course pooping all over. I have all the fun in the world!


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## Marina B (May 5, 2011)

Eating is a good sign. Are her droppings still the same? I don't think she has PMV, something else is causing this. Can you get probiotics for pigeons/birds? Continue giving acv in the water twice a week. If you can get probiotics, add some to the drinking water the day after giving acv. Acv creates a hostile environment for bad bacteria and the probiotics helps the good bacteria to grow.

You can also wet the seeds with a bit of oil or lemon juice and sprinkle some cinnamon on. Try to get vitamins for birds if possible to add to the seeds as well.

Lets hope she don't deteriorate. Check her droppings every day.


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## pigeons of the pier (6 mo ago)

If she’s sick there’s a risk she will get the other pigeons sick if she isn’t isolated. I’ve kept many feral pigeons in cages while they recovered, and they did climb the bars of the cages but they never hurt themselves. She’s only flying into the glass because birds don’t understand glass. To catch her I would turn off all the lights and throw a blanket over her.


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## Marina B (May 5, 2011)

I had a look at images of pigeon droppings online, and there was one similar to those produced by her. Salmonella/paratyphoid infeçtion. Unfortunately she will need antibiotics to cure this. Try to feed her seperate from the others as well as a seperate waterbowl.


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## adrian528 (4 mo ago)

I hope is not Salmonella. She should be dead by now. Internet says a sick pigeon with Salmonella dies between 1-3 days. This is the fifth day and she still comes for lunch. I even see a little bit of improvment on her legs. She does not rock like before. She is not in the best shape though. When she eats(and she has big appetite) she is spreding a lot of seeds around because of her head moving left an right too much. Anyway I do believe her health is improving somehow. I posted a picture of her droppings from today.


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## Marina B (May 5, 2011)

Looks much better! They are fussy eaters, she is probably scattering the seeds around to find the more tasty ones.


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## adrian528 (4 mo ago)

👍


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## adrian528 (4 mo ago)

Marina B said:


> Looks much better! They are fussy eaters, she is probably scattering the seeds around to find the more tasty ones.


She is fine. Outside 2 Celsius and freedom. Inside 19 Celsius and me. Does not know what to choose. 😃 Attached picture from today.


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## Marina B (May 5, 2011)

Looking good. Hopefully choose you and the 19 degrees!


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## adrian528 (4 mo ago)

Marina B said:


> Looking good. Hopefully choose you and the 19 degrees!


minus 3 Celsius outside and snow. They chose me for a lunch break. 2 pictures attached.


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## Marina B (May 5, 2011)

What clever birds! I hope they will soon realize it will be better spending the night as well. Free food and accomodation!


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