# Found a pigeon BLIND? SHAKING? AHHH



## Angie2008 (Sep 28, 2008)

I found a pigeon 15min ago
He is an adult pigeon, and probably male
I know he is blind, he has no idea where to walk and leans on one side usually, sometimes walks a bit normal.
His eyes not hit or anything its just wide open and normal pigeon eyes
His eye pupils are going small and big
Her blinks a lot
He is shaking so much
I have three pigeons and I never had a bad case of a pigeon shaking so badly
Is he nervouse and scared? 
I need help
Also he can sit and lie there but shake to the bones like he is cold but its not cold outside
He does have bugs but I can take care of that.
I'm just scared what to do, I do give him food(seeds for now) but I have to put it down his throat.
I want to feed him but he can't do it on his own
He is scaring me cuz I don't know what to do
I don't want to go to the spca...I think its him and he ran away or something....but beside the point....HELP???
He would very much appreciate it


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## pigifan (Nov 2, 2005)

Thank you for rescuing this pigeon. It could be PMV.

It affects the nervous system and the symptoms may include tremors, twisting of the neck, placing their head on the floor and looking upwards, loss of balance, flying backwards, picking up and tossing seeds away.
After some weeks of supportive care the disease runs its course and the pigeons usually start to improve.

If the pigeon is blind then it must have become blind quite recently since blind pigeons don't survive in the wild for very long. I think there would have been some evidence of injury in the eye area (blood?).


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## Angie2008 (Sep 28, 2008)

Thank you so much for replying, his eyes seem fine, there is no blood in or around the eyes...but now his eye pupils are going really big and he shakes a lot....can it be a seizure?

His eyes also does not seem to have anything inside either
He does breath hard at some moments


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## John_D (Jan 24, 2002)

Hi

Place him somewhere warm and quiet, somewhat out of very bright light (direct sunlight, for instance). A small cage, cardboard box, pet carrier... anywhere safe, with something to lie on like paper kitchen towel where he cannot damage himself.

Pass a hand near to him on one side, then the other, to check if he reacts, showing that he can see the movement. Shine a torch into the eyes to see of the pupils change in size.

It may well be that he is not blind, but suffering from a neurological problem which could be caused by several things ... some kind of poison; head trauma through flying into something or being struck; pigeon paramyxovirus.

If you offer him seed, does he show any sign of trying to peck at it, but not getting any? Does he turn in circles or stagger backwards? Does he twist his neck in any odd contortions?

(OK, since I started I see Pigifan has already suggested paramyxovirus)

Tremors could be a sign of illness or stress, no way of telling right now.

Once he is settled, if he isn't already, also check his poops.

*Is he breathing with an open beak?* Respiratory problems could possibly be a further indication of some toxic substance, with the other symptoms.

John


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## pigifan (Nov 2, 2005)

Please also read AZWhitefeather's sticky "Basic Steps To Saving The Life of a Pigeon Or Dove on how to save a pigeon's life"


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## myrpalom (Aug 12, 2004)

Hello Angie
and thank you for caring for this pigeon.
I think this bird is in shock.
If he cannot/does not want to eat, it would be better not to force him.
For the time being, I would keep him in a quiet, warm and dark place where he can stabilize.
I would give him a bowl with water (more important than food) on room temperature, or even better:
To a cup of warm water add a pinch of salt and sugar, mix well. 
If he does not drink, you can try to use an eye dropper and put drops along his beak every few minutes.

Also look at this thread:
http://www.pigeons.biz/forums/f6/basic-steps-to-saving-the-life-of-a-pigeon-or-dove-9457.html
where you will find more information.
Myriam


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## pigifan (Nov 2, 2005)

"his eye pupils are going really big"

Does this happen irrespective of the light source ?
Could it be that when you approach the bird to look at the pupils you are in the path of the light source and as a result the pupils perceive the reduction in the light intensity and they grow bigger ?


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## Angie2008 (Sep 28, 2008)

Thank you all so much

To answer some question so I can help him better, his eyes are going smaller when I put some light to his eyes, but he does not want to drink or eat, he does lean on one side only.

When I tried to feed him, he does not spit it out, howere when I give him water, I use the eye dropper and the water comes out of his nose and mouth.

I didn't see him fly and I wouldn't try since he doesn't even know where to go abd like to walk towards the right more.
He sits but leans to the left and freaks out once in a while...

-Angie


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## Angie2008 (Sep 28, 2008)

his eyes were going big and small on thier own but they do go smaller when I shine light into the eye


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## Larry_Cologne (Jul 6, 2004)

*Leaning on one side*

Leaning on one side (if you can see that he choses to do this) may indicate injury and pain on one side, such as, for example from broken leg or wing (but not limited to this).

Do as JohnD recommends keep him warm and safe, and give him access to water or solution as Myriam/myrpaloma suggests, while you do your research. 

Where are you located, roughly? We often have resources and/or members in the vicinity. 

"Shivering" may indicate a neurological problem, but true shivering, as I know it, comes from the violent movement of the muscles in an attempt by the body to generate heat. If he is warm enough, he shouldn't shiver from being cold, and you don't indicate that he is "light" or very low in weight, since you have other pigeons and would have noticed and would probably have informed us.

Don't panic. We have all been in your position before, and most of us will be there again.

Larry (in Cologne, Germany). 

Larry


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## Pidgey (May 20, 2005)

Birds don't shiver because they're cold. When they're obviously sick or injured, it'd be a neurological disorder. Barring trauma, I'd tend more to expect some kind of neurological infection (brain). Don't suppose you can post a picture of the poor fellow, can you? You wouldn't happen to have any antibiotics, would you?

Pidgey


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## Angie2008 (Sep 28, 2008)

It was cold, so I put a warm bag of water near him, he cuddle near it so I put a blanket over him. He stopped shivers last night.
I spent my night with him
This morning when I woke up, he fly aroudn the house when I got up.
His eye sight came back and he can fly straight and walk fine.
My mom came home this morning and told me that he probably got hit by a car, because my younger sister found him on the road after a car past by.
My dad put him in a tree, so probably he fell and got even more tramatized.
I let him out this morning since he wanted to fly so badly.
I left food and water out for him, one of my pigeons are following him and keeping him company.
Thank you everyone for all your help!!! He appreciates it a lot and he is doing fine 
At the moment he is cleaning himself with a friend next to him^_^

-Angie


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## Skyeking (Jan 17, 2003)

pigifan said:


> Please also read AZWhitefeather's sticky "Basic Steps To Saving The Life of a Pigeon Or Dove on how to save a pigeon's life"


http://www.pigeons.biz/forums/showthread.php?t=11265




Angie2008 said:


> It was cold, so I put a warm bag of water near him, he cuddle near it so I put a blanket over him. He stopped shivers last night.
> I spent my night with him
> This morning when I woke up, he fly aroudn the house when I got up.
> His eye sight came back and he can fly straight and walk fine.
> ...


PLEASE do keep him inside for observation for a few days or more IF necesssary. Thank you for rescuing him.


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