# El Gato



## johnnyksspeedshop (Oct 12, 2007)

I was on my way to class this morning around 7:30AM, and found a baby pigeon under a walking bridge right next to one of its parents dead. I left it there and studied at school til around 6:00PM, then took the hour long bus ride home. I got home, ate, hopped in the car and went to petsmart where i bought some Kaytee Exact. I proceded then back to school to get him (on the ground, next to a steel beam, next to a busy street). I presume a construction worker poisoned/killed the parent, as they were working on the bridge. I made it back home with the squeeker, around 9PM, cleaned out an old cage, and got it ready, then prepared some food and fed him, i think he ate a little using the syringe with plastic bag on the end method. Should I start mixing grain in with the Exact at this age? Ive raised highfliers/tipplers for many years when younger, but never had to hand feed. Here are some pics of El Gato:


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## Charis (Feb 11, 2007)

It's really a pretty little pigeon. I would continue with only formula for just now but I would put seed and water in the cage with him/her as well.
How is the pigeon acting?
Does it seem to be sick?
How much formula did you feed?


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## johnnyksspeedshop (Oct 12, 2007)

Charis said:


> It's really a pretty little pigeon. I would continue with only formula for just now but I would put seed and water in the cage with him/her as well.
> How is the pigeon acting?
> Does it seem to be sick?
> How much formula did you feed?



he is acting fine, his stool looks healthy, and i didnt see any mites on him. im not sure how much he actually ate, hes not really eating from it yet. i mixed 29ccs, but he may have only ate 1/8th that, if any at all.


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## kippermom (Jan 11, 2006)

If he stayed under the beam all day he probably had not eaten for awhile and really needs some nourishment and hydration. The 3 to 4 ccs you believe he ate does not seem like enough. How does his crop feel? Is he drinking? Check the resources section and threads at the top of this section for other hints on getting food and water in them. Good job on the rescue...now the challenge of getting him sound and healthy.


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## johnnyksspeedshop (Oct 12, 2007)

i believe his other parent(probably still living), must have still been feeding him. But I didnt want to to risk it, as the beam he was next to was on a median with roads on all three sides. I felt his crop when i first got him, and i think i felt a few seeds in there. I just went and tried to feed him again, but he was more interested in trying to escape, which is a good sign because hes running fast and healthy. But at this age, i think hes wild already, and knows what his parents look like. Should i try to force feed him food and water, or will he get hungry/thirsty enough to take it from me. He really is lively and just wants to escape.


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## johnnyksspeedshop (Oct 12, 2007)

and i walk by the bridge every weekday, but found him on a monday. so, in the worst case scenario is that he has been out for 3 days.


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## johnnyksspeedshop (Oct 12, 2007)

ok, hes still not readily eating food or drinking water. what should i do? i tried force feeding him water, but its very difficult as he shuts his beak and shakes his head.


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## Skyeking (Jan 17, 2003)

Have you seen him drink any water?

He needs to eat now. You can take soaked and drained (so it doesn't drip) puppy chow, and cut it in tiny pieces and hand feed that to him, or corn and/or peas. Gently open the beak with your thumb and forefinger and put in one piece at a time , in the back of the throat behind the tongue and allow him to swallow and repeat.

You can wrap him up or have someone hold him, but you have to help him. He is used to getting fed from his moms beak, he doesn't understand that you have food and how to even pick it up and eat it.


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## johnnyksspeedshop (Oct 12, 2007)

Trees Gray said:


> Have you seen him drink any water?
> 
> He needs to eat now. You can take soaked and drained (so it doesn't drip) puppy chow, and cut it in tiny pieces and hand feed that to him, or corn and/or peas. Gently open the beak with your thumb and forefinger and put in one piece at a time , in the back of the throat behind the tongue and allow him to swallow and repeat.
> 
> You can wrap him up or have someone hold him, but you have to help him. He is used to getting fed from his moms beak, he doesn't understand that you have food and how to even pick it up and eat it.



thank you, what should i do for water? i dont want it to go down his airway?


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## johnnyksspeedshop (Oct 12, 2007)

thanks for your help everyone, i got Baby Huey to take green peas soaked in water. tonight im soaking some green peas in a thick slurry of Kaytee Exact, to hopefully add some probiotics and other nutrients. he should be getting enough water from the peas, right? he seems very happy and not scared, once he found out i was trying to feed him.


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## johnnyksspeedshop (Oct 12, 2007)

oh, one more question. i fed it regular green peas that came frozen with no preservatives. Are those fine, or should i be soaking lentils or garbanzo or spring peas or something?


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## Dezirrae (Oct 6, 2007)

Baby Huey is so cute - Hope he's continueing to make good progress today. I think the peas you mentioned are okay. Since he's a bit less scared now have you tried dipping his beak into a bowl of water? I hope he's eating the formula better now since that has the nutrients that he needs.

Keep us posted on his progress! So glad you were able to take him in


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## johnnyksspeedshop (Oct 12, 2007)

Baby Huey is doing well, still on green peas and exact. Anybody know a good way not to get exact in his nose, haha? Here is a video of me grabbing Baby Huey of the street.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VxxVUpBjJKQ


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## mr squeaks (Apr 14, 2005)

Hope all goes well with HUEY!!

Glad you changed his name as El Gato, is "The Cat" in Spanish...at least the last I heard! Or were you being funny??

Wishing you both the best! Sounding good so far!!!

Hugs and Scritches from

Shi and the gang


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## little bird (Aug 11, 2006)

wonword said:


> Baby Huey is doing well, still on green peas and exact. Anybody know a good way not to get exact in his nose, haha? Here is a video of me grabbing Baby Huey of the street.
> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VxxVUpBjJKQ


Great video!! Bless you for rescuing Baby Huey.


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## TAWhatley (Mar 6, 2001)

Bravo, Wonword! Great video and great rescue .. thank you for both!

Terry


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## KIPPY (Dec 18, 2003)

That was a great video. 
You couldn't find a closer parking spot? 
I'm sure Huey will do good.


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## johnnyksspeedshop (Oct 12, 2007)

thanks everybody, he is getting tamer and tamer.

i knew el gato was "the cat" but i was just refering to him being a city slicker type. 

and i actually couldnt park any closer, as the u of m campus is kinda crazy. but i think my video editing friends liked that haha.


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## Birdmom4ever (Jan 14, 2003)

I really enjoyed your video too, Wonword. Good save! Please keep us posted on his progress. BTW, I could tell by the way you handled him that you're a natural bird person.


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## johnnyksspeedshop (Oct 12, 2007)

Hello, im sorry to say that baby huey was eaten by a hawk! But he was a cool bird! here is the last video of him fighting my wild pet kanye.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eS9kCFAjnoY


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## Skyeking (Jan 17, 2003)

Oh, my......I'm SO sorry.....


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## Birdmom4ever (Jan 14, 2003)

What a shame.


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