# Eurasian collared dove can't stand or walk anymore



## Arcturus (Oct 24, 2014)

Hello everyone, I do not breed or got any doves as pets. Two weeks ago i chopped down tree and found dove chick in grass. Since then I've been feeding it. Did not had any feathers at all. Now it's almost fully feathered. It grew pretty fast and looked healthy. Started to run and jump. I moved it to another place where he could stand on branches. He was strong enough to stand there all the time. Been there for two days or so. Yesterday after I finished feeding it, suddenly it could not stand on right leg. Leg looks fine, it can move it but can not stand. I decided to put it back in improvised nest in bucket it was before. Left leg was still functional. That was yesterday morning. It eat normally entire day just could not use leg. Since this morning it can't use both legs but still wants to eat and eats normally. Wings seems to be still strong as before. I am puzzled and i do not know what to do and what is happening. For now i will keep feeding it in hope that it will get better but it does not look that way.

This is bird few days ago before feeding.


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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6WNjj6dWO0A
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## John_D (Jan 24, 2002)

When we have rescued baby/young collared doves who had fallen from the nest or just left it too early, we have found some who could not use their legs. We treated them for calcium deficiency, by giving them individual doses of a Calcium + Vitamin D3 liquid supplement. They needed this rather than just providing grit, since the Vitamin D3 is essential for processing the calcium.

I don't know what you have available to you, but this is an example of the supplement (numerous companies make this kind of supplement, not just Calcivet).

http://www.birdcareco.com/bcc-catalog/united-kingdom/cage-birds/calcivet


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## Arcturus (Oct 24, 2014)

He could use legs, this happened suddenly. From perfectly healthy bird in literally just few minutes he could not use right leg. He was still jumping like crazy as usual but not with right leg. Since this morning same thing is happening with left leg. He eat this morning and still eating seeds on his own but from hour to hour it looks worse to me. It looks like his body in cancelling. It's all shaking. I keep it warm and I'm out of ideas. 
Can doves get lethal viruses or something?
He also seemed like panicking and trying to run away from something, like when bird sees predator. I had allot of ducks but all they need is pond, i never had doves before. I waned to let it free when gets old enough but at this moment it seems that it will never happen...


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## Jass SamOplay (May 29, 2012)

Thanks for saving this dove.
What's the weather there?
Please give her calcium and other supplements as has been advised. Also keep her inside if it panics. She can hurt herself in hustle and that might be the reason she wasn't able to use her legs suddenly.


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## Arcturus (Oct 24, 2014)

It's mid autumn here and pretty cold at the moment. Bird is inside all the time and in warm. I tried to give him calcium diluted in water but dos not want to drink anything but clear water. I do not have access to other bird or any other supplements. I guess if it's some kind of virus it would be dead already, It's third day. When i found him I did not even know what he eats and how. I watched tutorials on youtube how to make feeder. I give him mix of corn meal and rye bread in warm water. I am puzzled because wings seems to be still strong. He eats normally, third time today plus bread crumbs on his own. Sometimes i force fed him corn chopped on half which was previously in water or slightly cooked to be easier for digesting. I wont still give up on him, maybe he could get better. Few days after i noticed that he grabs my fingers to stand i moved it to stay on branches all the time, even sleep like that to get stronger. I wonder was it to early for that. Maybe he's in pain because of it? Im not sure.

This is him when i found him:











Few days later:










Maybe after a week

After feeding:



















And this is video from the first post just one day before his right leg collapsed:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6WNjj6dWO0A


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

I wouldn't make him perch on branches. If he wants to perch he will, but don't force it.
Also, you would mix the calcium and vit. D3 into his formula.


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## Skyeking (Jan 17, 2003)

Jay3 said:


> I wouldn't make him perch on branches. If he wants to perch he will, but don't force it.
> Also, you would mix the calcium and vit. D3 into his formula.


*Yes, upon seeing your title that was my thought exactly....the youngster is in need of calcium/D3.*


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## Arcturus (Oct 24, 2014)

Jay3 said:


> I wouldn't make him perch on branches. If he wants to perch he will, but don't force it.
> Also, you would mix the calcium and vit. D3 into his formula.


I think this is mistake i made. It was probably too early to force him stand all the time specially to sleep like that, but I do not know anything of doves. I read on the internet that parents doves force chick to fend for himself so i did that. Today is two weeks since i adopted him. Unfortunately all i have is calcium for humans which is flavored and it seems that he does not like taste of it. He still eats even on his own pecking crumbs and seeds. I think that he's trying to use legs bit more today, or it's just wishful thinking, I'm not quite sure. He is not giving up yet and neither am I. I will give him anything that I have access to.


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## Skyeking (Jan 17, 2003)

*You should get a baby bird formula, they do have the calcium/D3 needed for a youngster. *


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## Arcturus (Oct 24, 2014)

Skyeking said:


> *You should get a baby bird formula, they do have the calcium/D3 needed for a youngster. *


We do not have that here, i live in rural area. We got bakery and few stores, however i managed to trick him into eating calcium (which also contains vidamins D and K). I diluted it in water and mixed with his cornmeal and rye bread. After that I squeezed remaining water from it and gave him semi-dry and then he's done some pecking on his own. I will probably give him bit more before i go to bed.
I watched that pair of doves for a long time, they changed tree few times this year and did not managed to have chick because they make so bad nests that egg falls down every time. It's just few branches piled randomly. That pair of doves lives around my yard for years and i rarely saw that they managed to rise chick, I am not even sure how they manage to maintain specie with such incompetence. They finally did it in autumn, who would know that there is featherless chick up in the tree in October...


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

He isn't getting all that he needs from cornmeal and rye bread. He needs different seeds and peas. Can you mash this into what you feed him?


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## Arcturus (Oct 24, 2014)

Jay3 said:


> He isn't getting all that he needs from cornmeal and rye bread. He needs different seeds and peas. Can you mash this into what you feed him?


I am putting calcium plus vitamins D and K in his food. He definitely uses legs more than previous days but still cant stand like before. I will continue giving him this and will see if he gets better.


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## Jass SamOplay (May 29, 2012)

Hi,
Thanks for uploading pics Arcturus. The dove is sooooo cute...
Please don't feed her anything sugary or flavoured. Handraising+sugary supplements may predispose the bird to candida.
I'm happy your efforts are paying off and you've helped the bird survive. If the dove is eating on his own,you can give him a mix of grains,seeds,cereals and legumes which might be easier for you to get since you live in the country. You can provide him with a mix of grains and he will be happy to eat them. You can also collect grit for him which he'll need to digest his feed.
Check every evening if the bird has eaten satisfactorily by touching his crop,if he's not eaten enough you can feed him green peas and few corn which have been frozen and thawed. They're very easy to feed and take no(less) time.
Oyster shell tablets which have elemental calcium+vitaminD3 shall be available near your place. They come for humans so I think you'll find them. Ask for them. They're gonna be excellent source of calcium and other trace elements your dove needs. If you get them which you will, tell us the strength and we here will guide you about how much to be given.

You shall not force the bird to use perches and stuff. He will be happy to play and use them when he has enough strength and is ready for them. When he's ready he'll himself try to lift himself up by flapping his wings,picking his weight up slowly and gradually.

G'luck,keep us posted


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## Arcturus (Oct 24, 2014)

Jass SamOplay said:


> Hi,
> Thanks for uploading pics Arcturus. The dove is sooooo cute...
> Please don't feed her anything sugary or flavoured. Handraising+sugary supplements may predispose the bird to candida.
> I'm happy your efforts are paying off and you've helped the bird survive. If the dove is eating on his own,you can give him a mix of grains,seeds,cereals and legumes which might be easier for you to get since you live in the country. You can provide him with a mix of grains and he will be happy to eat them. You can also collect grit for him which he'll need to digest his feed.
> ...


Unfortunately I do not have access to any other supplement except one that I've mentioned before. I started giving him that yesterday evening and it appears that he uses legs more than previous day. His feathers looks raged now because he can not stand properly and fix it, he used to do that all the time. I always take care that he goes to sleep with full crop, in fact I always make sure that he is not hungry or thirsty. I also massage crop to make him burp that surplusage air. It's a stubborn little bird and always want it his own way. Even with weak legs when he saw yesterday that I'm preparing food he threw himself from bucked with wings and rushed toward me. This is what i got available and what he eats: corn meal, rye bread, sesame seeds which are used as bread topping, splitted corn seed (slightly boiled or previously submerged in water). Sometimes i need to force feed him with corn but sometimes I just need to put his beak between my fingers and he opens it on his own and swallow. I wish that he's at least equally smart as stubborn.


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## Arcturus (Oct 24, 2014)

I can definitely see improvements now. He uses legs much more and can even stand from time to time. However he's continuing his stubborn ways. When he's clearly hungry and flapping wings asking for it does not want to eat when i give him. He just stuck beak in feeder, swallow twice and that's it. Then he's looking around pecking dots and letters on newspaper. I even bought mixed seeds today including sunflower seeds and some other. I have to force feed him so he would be quiet and do his bird things. I think that perfect situation for this little cheeky bird would be if I could be there all the time and give him one seed every 5 minutes to eat on his own.


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

What do you use for a feeder? Try sprinkling seed on the paper and see if he pecks it up.


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## Arcturus (Oct 24, 2014)

Standard feeder for pigeons. You can see it on youtube. You pour food in something than put nylon bag on top or cloth and cut the slit so he could stick his beak in it. It worked for two weeks but now it seems that he want something else. He wants someone to move seeds for him and then he will *maybe* eat it. I really don't have time do be with him all the time plus I am so ill that I feel like crap. I just force feed him and later give him water. He is better every day as i can see just acting like little dictator. He does not know that what I'm doing is good for him. He is either stubborn or very stupid bird, I do not have other explanation.
Anyways, right leg seems OK now but left is not yet like it should be.


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

He isn't stubborn or stupid. Pigeons are smart. When they reach an age, they don't want to use a feeder. Put the seed in a dish and let him practice pecking it up. He will learn. They do outgrow the feeder.


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## Skyeking (Jan 17, 2003)

Jay3 said:


> He isn't stubborn or stupid. Pigeons are smart. When they reach an age, they don't want to use a feeder. Put the seed in a dish and let him practice pecking it up. He will learn. They do outgrow the feeder.


*^^^ THIS.... Sounds like he is trying to wean himself/forage, follow these instructions.*


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## Jass SamOplay (May 29, 2012)

Squabs in my loft of this age would not eat all types of seeds at first. They try millet first and eat only millet for a couple of days or maybe for weeks. Then they slowly try other types,especially the bigger ones. You can't expect your dove to eat all types of seeds which he's new to,since you introduced them lately. If he's picking up seeds I would be glad he's making progress. He will slowly try them all and eat them as he ages.

As Jay3 has advised,sprinkle some seeds around him and let him try them. Feeder thing can wait until he learns to pick and eat satisfactorily. I would also suggest to motivate him to pick seeds when he's hungry by picking at seeds with your finger just like a bird would so he see you and learn.
Since you're handfeeding him he won't feel the hunger and won't try to eat much. You shall feed him twice daily in mornings and evenings if he's not ready to force wean yet but before feeding when he's hungry give him seeds to try on. His hunger will be his motivator to eat on his own.
When he becomes well healthwise,his wings and legs work fine and he learns to eat, you can give him seeds all day to pick. He will eat on his own when he's ready,just check his crop in the evening for if he's eaten good, if not feed him once daily in the evening...


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## Arcturus (Oct 24, 2014)

Thanks for the advices, he's much better now. I gave him bit of sand to peck along with seeds and he liked it. I know that birds tend to eat sand and pebbles to help them digest food. Problem is that he does not want to drink water with calcium and D3 so I boil corn split it on half and leave it in calcium plus D3 dilute to soak then force feed him. He drinks water on his own now because diet is dry since started refusing cornmeal and bread.

Here is newest video of little Gabriel:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xff85LkT_6s


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## Arcturus (Oct 24, 2014)

Just a quick update. Bird is growing well and seems to be healthy. Does not smell bad, or at least I'm not noticing. He's very active in the evening.
Few new pictures:


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## Jass SamOplay (May 29, 2012)

Thanks for the update...
Nice to know he's growing well, the bird looks thin though. Hope he becomes completely self dependant soon


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## Arcturus (Oct 24, 2014)

Jass SamOplay said:


> Thanks for the update...
> Nice to know he's growing well, the bird looks thin though. Hope he becomes completely self dependant soon


I am feeding him 3-4 times a day plus some bread crumbs and seeds in between. He is not thin but ragged because he could not fix his feathers for a quite a while. I can see that he's gaining weight. Even now I can hear him pecking in another room sporadically.


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## Arcturus (Oct 24, 2014)

Dove started to perch on his own and beginning to look like actual bird.


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## Jass SamOplay (May 29, 2012)

That's good news. He will be more confident onwards and will be on road to selfdependency. Don't give or push him to use high(er) perches.

At this age he doesn't need to be fed 4 times a day. Two crop full feedings daily,once in the morning and once in the evening will be good. Water and grit shall be made available to him all the time.
He will moult and replace all his feathers with new ones starting at four months of age.


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

Yes, feed him enough, but in a couple of feedings, and leave seed with him so that he can learn to eat on his own. He will eventually try picking it up on his own.


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## Arcturus (Oct 24, 2014)

He's sick again. Started to vomit yesterday everything that he eats. Does not digest anything. He is getting weaker and weaker by hour. It seems that he will not survive very long.
After almost two months taking care of him this leaves bitter taste in mouth...


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## CBL (May 13, 2014)

Poor thing, so sad since you tried so hard. I had doves fall out of nest and simply put back into tree in a plastic bowl and parents went back and fed them.


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

Have you checked way down his throat for anything cheesy looking? Vomiting can be a sign of canker, which is very common, especially when birds are stressed or have been ill.


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## Arcturus (Oct 24, 2014)

I have not seen any sores inside beak and I am amazed that he's still alive, barely but alive. Yesterday afternoon he was virtually dead. Man... I'm 30 years old, been in army, worked hard jobs, and cried cause of dove, he grew to my heart.
Like i said, he was cold like fish and hardened like dead bird, barely breading with opened beak. I wrapped him in old towel and forced him to drink warm water. After a while he started to move. I unwrapped him and put near furnace, I make fire in the evening. Then I continued giving him warm water every hour.
He vomited seeds he had day earlier. Puke is clean, no slime, just what he's been eating. Suddenly he started to walk, very weak but walking. At midnight I saw that he puked more seeds and I could swear that he's crop was empty, he even stood up and drank water on his own. This morning I felt one more corn seed inside crop and he's not yet puking it. Since he barely digested anything in past two days I made mix of cornmeal and rye bread, he's baby food. I squeeze water out and force feed him, I do not see how he can get better other way. Every time he swallows I force him to sip water. I repeat that some every 4 hours and giving him water hourly to keep that food flow and prevent it from clothing inside crop. In between he sleeps near furnace which is still warm since yesterday. I already thought that he's dead and had my moments of sorrow, all I can do now is to try to keep him alive.


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## CBL (May 13, 2014)

Can you put a bit of sugar or honey in his warm water. Keep giving him warm sweet water every 30 mins, over him a drink. Then try to get your hands on some infant baby food cereal, oat or wheat and make little pellet balls of food and force feed him that. When they get really weak, the warmth, and warm fluids every 30 min to gain his strength back is good. Had a racer down on the highway, he was staggering and literally dead bird walking and I did this, also gave him sugar water with pinch of salt. I would say in one cup of water 1/2 teas sugar or honey or glucose and pinch of salt and allow him to drink that warm. Then the baby cereal with warm hydration solution I just mentioned and he should gain some strength if he is not sick. A lot of the time a bird may be ill and not feel well enough to drink or eat and thats all he needed to help himself. You did good last night keeping him warm and giving fluids. Keep up his strength and see how it goes. Only small feedings but feed a little bit all day long even if one pellet per hour. If you have powdered carnation instant milk, you can sprinkle some of that on his food as well, for calcium and digestive aid. I read that somewhere and did that for pigeons as well before I was able to find my probiotics. Something in the powder is good for them. You wouldn't think so but it is and I cant remember what it was exactly but the process of the powdered milk kills any lactose that would be otherwise not good for them. You could always google that info.


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## Arcturus (Oct 24, 2014)

Gabriel is dead...
I just want to thank everyone for advices you gave me. I tried everything I knew and learned along the way, but it was not enough.


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## Arcturus (Oct 24, 2014)

I created this web page in memory of my little dove:

http://gabrielthedove.blogspot.com/


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## PamperedPigeon (Sep 23, 2014)

Arcturus - I am so sorry for your loss...I too had a hand-raised baby dove that I ADORED...he loved to fly around the house and would fly to us when we would call him...he was always so happy to see us, and had the sweetest little personality...alas, he had an accident, and didn't survive...I was devastated beyond words...I miss him to this day. Your letter to your friend was beautiful, and made me smile and tear up.


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## CBL (May 13, 2014)

Arcturus Im so sorry to hear that, but thank you for trying so hard and caring for that little bird.


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