# 20 days old wild pigeon - won't eat - force feeding??



## kommamus (Oct 4, 2008)

Hi all
I just found a juvenile pigeon - he and his sibling were on the ground - the sibling already dead and two magpies trying to kill him - so I took him with me.. He is very scared and display normal eating behaviour.. so I have for two days now been force feeding him by holding him while squirting food down his beak - being careful not to put food down into his trachea.. But I'm worried, because I have not been able to find any info regarding force feeding and which amounts to feed and how often.. So far I'm feeding him 4 times a day - 5-10 ml each time of a mix of buckwheat flour, rice protein powder, linseed oil, D-vitamin, water and probiotics.. I have bought a special rearing mix but my tube is too small to be able to squirt it into his mouth so monday i'll be able to find a bigger tube.. He has water in his box (cardboard with holes for light) and I have followed the advice to try and guide his beak to the the water but he won't drink.. 
I really hope someone can guide me in regards to if I'm doing ok by him and if not what to do different.. my biggest question is how much food to feed him - I can't really tell wether his crop is full or not.. I brought him to the vet and she said that he is healthy.. 
Hugs Eline
ps. I call him Svend


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## Feefo (Feb 8, 2002)

Hi Eline,

At 20 days I would feed about 30 mls three times a day, letting the crop empty between feeds.

This is a link to a thread that demonstrates different ways of feeding squabs: the syringe and balloon, the baggie method, the bent spoon...

http://www.pigeons.biz/forums/showthread.php?t=9682&referrerid=560

Cynthia


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## kommamus (Oct 4, 2008)

Thanks for your reply - he is doing fine now - won't drink though (i tried the dipping the beak method).. When should he start eating seeds? And as I'm forcefeeding him he gets a bit dirty around the beak - I try washing the food remains away, but should I give him a proper bath (he is still very afraid - so that might be impossible and far too stressful for him).. At what age are pigeons old enough to be released into the wild??


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## Skyeking (Jan 17, 2003)

You can wipe him off with a damp cloth, if he is feeling fit, he might even bathe on his own. Try putting a bowl (spill proof) of water in front of him, he might surprise you and drink and bathe, if it is warm enough.

It will take a week or longer to get him on an all seed diet, but start introducing the seed to him now, leave it sprinkled around him and in a deep bowl. Move the seed around with your finger, so he can see it, that will help generate an interest.

They start slowly picking up seed, dropping it a few times, but once they get to aactually eating and swallowing one seed after the other they are weaned. Their tongue has to learn to work the seed back, as well as they're beaks getting used to picking it up.

At 6 weeks of age, he may be ready to be released, depends on his progress. Do you have a wildlife sanctuary anywhere near,where they can prepare him for release?


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## kommamus (Oct 4, 2008)

Thanks for your advise - he is now weaned and will have even less of being fed.. he still won't drink though, so I do force some water down him with pipette.. and I soak the seeds in water as well.. I have tried the beak in water thing a thousand times - but no.. He has now started vocalizing a lot, and nibbles on my hand and up my arm when i give him seeds in his cage - what does this mean?? Because he refuses to let me feed him, but seems to run after my arm.. with his wings up.. and squeaks.. And sometimes when he has his wings folded his one wing kind of twitches, or bobs up and down - but according to the vet he is fine.. it just looks strange..


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## Feefo (Feb 8, 2002)

He is identifying your fingers as the "parental beak", by squeaking and nuzzling the beak he is asking for food.

Try the syringe and balloon method, it sounds as if he would adapt to that. 

http://www.urbanwildlifesociety.org/WLR/BabyPij&DuvFeedg.htm


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## kommamus (Oct 4, 2008)

ok - thanks.. I'll continue feeding him myself then as well as providing seeds.. and oh, I found out he is a wood pigeon - he is becoming soo handsome 
But what about the wing-twitching? anyone??


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## Feefo (Feb 8, 2002)

The wing twitching is part of the food begging.

If you are going to release him then you should try to get him to a sanctuary that has other juvenile wood pigeons being rehabilitated. They imprint quickly on humans and can become too tame to release successfully.

Cynthia


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## kommamus (Oct 4, 2008)

I would love to take him to a sanctuary, but I can't find any!! I live in Malmø, Sweden..


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## Feefo (Feb 8, 2002)

I sort of guessed that when you called him Svend.

I can't do a search for sanctuaries in Sweden, and I can't even think of any other members there, but you might be able to find something if you google.

Cynthia

C


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## kommamus (Oct 4, 2008)

yes!! I finally found a place where they will take him in and rehabilitate him.. all of the other places wouldn't take him because he is "just" a pigeon.. stupid!! I'm soo relieved becauseI have been soo worried that he would become too imprinted on me because of the forcefeeding - and also worried that he wouldn't be strong enough when released.. This place I found is in Helsingborg, a veterinarian hospital where they also have a voliere - perfect!!
Thanks for all your advice as well


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## Feefo (Feb 8, 2002)

Great!!!! That is excellent news. Can you PM their details, just in case we ever get another woody in your area?

Cynthia


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## kommamus (Oct 4, 2008)

The link is http://www.alternativmixen.com/kfv.htm - the KFV works together with a veterinary clinic and they have flight volieres - my impression yesterday was that they really cared about "my" pigeon and that he is going to get the best of the best The veterinarian clinic has the website: http://www.dinvet.nu/default.asp - they can be called directly and will give you instructions


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