# my pigeon can't walk.



## gideondelosreyes (Dec 9, 2011)

can someone help me? i don't know what to do with my pigeon.
he can't walk. there is something wrong with his legs, the fingers behind the legs seem smaller. its like it has no muscle or something. yesterday when i took them outside the cage for the first time to fly he flew then had an awkward landing, i didn't mind it at first because i thought it was the first time trying their wings so he was just trying to learn to fly but when the other to first timers got the hang of it and he still couldn't i got worried a bit. then when it was time to go in the cage. called them out to feed he was on the ground and couldn't even fly anymore. he can't fly and walk anymore, i was the whole time and i know he wasn't injured from flying. i looked at him this morning he couldn't even get up to feed. her cagemates steps on him a lot i think he's becoming more weak.
can anybody tell me what wrong with his feet? is there anything i could do?


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## nycpigeonlady (Jan 22, 2012)

Separate him from the others, bring him inside and put him on a heating pad, set on low. If he's not eating and drinking on his own, which he probably isn't, hydrate and hand feed him. 

Palpate his wing and leg joints doing the two sides at the same time so that you can compare - you're looking for any asymmetries such as swellings.
Do rodents have a way of getting into your loft or where you store the pigeons' food? It could be paratyphoid - it can cause wing and leg paralysis. Baytril (enrofloxacin, ciprofloxacin - the human equivalent) would be the antibiotic of choice. Since you have other pigeons, taking a fecal sample to the vet may be well worthwhile, that way if you have to treat the whole flock, you know exactly what you are doing, since the above is just a best guess based on limited information.


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## nycpigeonlady (Jan 22, 2012)

All of this may be obvious to you since you keep pigeons, but in case you haven't had to do this before, here are instructions anyway:

To rehydrate - mix a pinch of salt and a pinch of sugar in tepid-warm water until dissolved. Dip his beak (but not the nostrils) and hopefully he'll drink. If not drip it on the side of his beak with a dropper. Do not syringe it in his mouth because you may aspirate him (unless you know what you are doing).

Here are some good hand feeding instructions from our member Charis:

You can hand feed defrosted peas. Run some hot water over them until they are defrosted and slightly warmed. Put the bird on your lap and hold it next to your body. If it helps because you are having a hard time handling the pigeon, you can wrap a towel around it or put it in the sleeve of a tee shirt, with the head out the wrist. This method confines the pigeon without hurting him and makes it easier to handle. Gently open the beak and pop a pea at the back of the mouth and over the throat. It gets easier and faster, with practice, for both you and the bird.
You will need to feed 30-50 per feeding [depending on the size of the pigeon] and every time the crop empties until you know the pigeon is eating on his own.


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## spirit wings (Mar 29, 2008)

can you post a picture of him/legs/feet and his droppings? how old his he and do you know for sure he is a he.


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## gideondelosreyes (Dec 9, 2011)

i'm sorry guys for the very late reply.
i lost her next morning,  so i didn't feel like returning to this page.
anyways guys, thanks for your answers. i very much appreciate it.


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## HappyXD (Dec 2, 2011)

Man i'm very sorry for your loss How old was your pigeon?


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## gideondelosreyes (Dec 9, 2011)

about 3 months old. she was one of my first 3 hatches in my loft. 
thanks for your concern, i appreciate it.


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## Dima (Jan 15, 2011)

Where the legs splayed? Did you handfeed her?
I guess it's too late with the questions, but sometimes they splay their legs from the hip and all you have to do is keep them in a dounut towel. in a week they recover, if provided food and water.


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## bdpigeons (Feb 4, 2012)

You are going to have the same problem with others too unless you start giving Calcium with D.


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