# I have just found a baby pigeon



## Sokha (Aug 9, 2004)

This little guy/girl was found by my little ****zu and my golden retriever while going for a walk. They came to it and started to lick the little guy. I was went over to see what they have found and to my surprise a beutifull all white little baby pigeon. It looked alittle roughed up and knew their were cats in the area so i brought it home for some care.

I made a home for it in my old dog kenel with left over wood chips and towels. The little guy looked week so i knew he was in need of food and water. I got a bowl of water and dipped my finger in and dripped some watter on the tip of his beak. No response from him, eyes shut and all. A few more times i tried this and his beak started to slurp up the water at the end of his beak. His eyes started to open and she started rubbing my finger as if was his parents. He started even making little sounds while confidently drinking the water off my finger. 

I am about to head out to get some food for him. Im wondering How old he is. I will attach a picture at the bottom to see if anyone can help identify his age. 

Does he look like he will need feeding from a needle or would he be ok from hand fed food??/


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## TAWhatley (Mar 6, 2001)

What a darling little bird! Thank you (and your dogs) for helping it!

It looks to be old enough to start on a seed based diet but could probably use at least a few feedings of liquid formula once it's rehydrated. In lieu of baby bird formula, you might want to soak a few pieces of dry dog food until soft and puffy and hand feed pieces of that. That will give the youngster a good boost.

Please keep us posted.

Terry


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## maryco (Apr 1, 2002)

What a sweet sweet baby pij you have there, thanks for helping him out! 

At this age they grow so quickly, try to warm him up and rehydrate him as you are doing, then you can either feed him baby bird formula with a syringe (no needle) and gently squeeze some on the sideof his beak (his right side, your left if he is facing you) and squeeze behing the hole that is located right behind the tongue (Do NOT get anything in the hole because it's the windpipe and the bird can easily aspirate and die)
Another method I like to use is soaked seeds, I soak wild bird seed for about 4 hours then handfeed it to the baby by placing my left hand around the back of his head and using my index finger an thumb to keep his beak open then with my right hand I put a bunch of the seeds in his mouth and he swallows. Do this until the crop feels full (the crop is located in the chest are right above the breast (keel) bone. And the crop will feel like a beeny baby when it's full of seeds- It should not be too full though so he has no room to breathe or will choke.

In 2-4 days or so you can soak whole dry peas and corn and handfeed it to him, this method is very and you can give him about 15 peas/corn to fill his crop. 
Water should be available to him at all times, and try to get some pigeon grit as well. A good pigeon mix will help wean the baby off the handfeeding too in the coming weeks.

Hope that helps!


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## Snowbird (Jun 24, 2004)

Just an addendum to what has been suggested: please make sure this youngster is plenty warm and secure indoors 24/7. 

It probably needs to catch up on protein/fat so the dog food recommendation might be the ticket for a while--you can also offer seeds and begin the weaning process at the same time. If you have a coffee grinder, you can powderize the dog food, any grit you have--just a pinch--oyster shell or pick stone type-whatever, add vitamins, and probiotics, maybe powderized pigeon seed mix, plus other possibilities and mix with hot water (it will be just a warm mixture). Mix to a comfortable consistency and hand feed to start the day of right.

And what is the story with the right wing--just some lost feathers or is there some trauma there?


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## Sokha (Aug 9, 2004)

*Hes doing great!*

looks like hes a charmer to the family. My dad loves him already. The right wing has dog slober on it and made the feathers damp and look like its missing. He looks great now that he is all dry. Fed him Baby bird formula this afternoon and he is bouncing around with alot more confidence. 

He is inside the house with all of us and im just wondering if there is any health issues we should be aware of. I my self has practiced good hygene both for his sake and ours by washing hands before we handle him and after.

A lil input on this would be great, and thanks everyone for replying to our needs. We decided to call him luchy from all the trauma that he has survived.


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## Snowbird (Jun 24, 2004)

A concern is the saliva from the dog even if the skin is not broken. One opinion is to use antibiotics in such cases as a precaution. Another opinion is to give him a good bath and watch for any signs of a set back--if he loses energy, is listless, pufffed up, I would get him to a vet at that moment, appointment or not.

The bird could use better nutrition than baby formula at this point--it only has a limited amount of time to grow up.


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## Feefo (Feb 8, 2002)

Hello,

The baby itself should not pose a health risk to you or your pets, but maintain normal hygiene standards. However the saliva of mammals carries pasteurella and birds can develop pasteurellosis (which can be fatal) if they ingest it through preening after being licked...so it is best not to let the dog lick the bird again.

Cynthia


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## Sokha (Aug 9, 2004)

*The little guy is doing awsome.. but has some freinds on his body*

sorry i havent been on board latley. He is eating like a horse.. he has grown a substanial amount and is in great condition. The dog slobber was a one time thing. If the dogs didnt find him, he would have been good as dead. So i think in this situation dog slobber didnt hurt. He didnt show no symptoms of any infections or any health problems. 

What does botther me are these parasites in his feathers. Their about 2-3 mm( milimeters) long and have a very long slender body. The head is small the abdomon is about the same size as the head with the thorax about 4 times as long as the rest of the body. They seam to hide between the feathers. Ive also knowticed a nother sort of paraise on him. Blkish redish 1-2 mm insects on the birst back bone between the wings. I have given him baths to which he seams to like im warm water which is filled in an icecream bucket up to his neck which he seams to enjoy verymuch. 

Can anyone help me identify these critters to wheather they would or not affect his health? 


Sokha


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## Skyeking (Jan 17, 2003)

You can take care of the lice and mite problem with a parakeet spray from the pet store.

Glad to hear the baby is doing well

Treesa


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## maryco (Apr 1, 2002)

Hello and so good to hear the little one is going great!! 

Good job and keep us posted..  

As Treesa said, those sound like Lice or mites and they are kind of creepy  .. The lice are brown, long and look like little wood spliters and they hide between the feathers.


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## Sokha (Aug 9, 2004)

yup those sound like what im dealing with. I will head down to the pet shop and see if anyone carries those sprays. Yuky stuff for sure. My girlfriend loved the bird and we have the little shizhu that loves to be around the bird as well. Now im concerned if they will go onto the little dog?? 

Thanks again for responding soo quickly


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## maryco (Apr 1, 2002)

Hello,

No, don't worry.. these lice are specific to birds and feathers.

Nothing to worry about


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## baker99 (Aug 27, 2004)

I just found a baby wood pigeon, well two local children foundit on a path, I know the best thing to do is put it back but there are a lot of cats around. Any advice would be appreciated, I will put a picture below as I have no idea how old it is or what to do, but am willing to do any care that is required.


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## baker99 (Aug 27, 2004)

well I got some advice from the local vet, so I'm going to try and give it some wild bird food and fresh water,then put it in a cardboard box overnight, tomorrow I will take it to a local bird sanctuary.


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## pigeon george (Aug 7, 2003)

*dust those lice*

in case you dont find a spray i use a product for horses called perimithien spelling is probly not right on, they use it in bags and hang from the ceiling in stabels i use an old paint brush just sprikel a littel on the brush and dab the feathers works great but avoid breathing this as with any insecticide


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## TAWhatley (Mar 6, 2001)

Hi Baker and thank you for helping this bird .. are you sure it's a wood pigeon? Looks more dove like to me by the color and tail. At any rate, that bird seems to be in pretty dire condition, so it's a good thing you have taken it in. Are you in the U.K.? If so, there may be another member here who is nearby and can help if needed. Please keep us posted.

Terry


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## Morgan Nic Greg (Jul 2, 2004)

TAWhatley said:


> Hi Baker and thank you for helping this bird .. are you sure it's a wood pigeon? Looks more dove like to me by the color and tail. At any rate, that bird seems to be in pretty dire condition, so it's a good thing you have taken it in. Are you in the U.K.? If so, there may be another member here who is nearby and can help if needed. Please keep us posted.
> 
> Terry


Hi, poor thing does look very sick  . I agree with Terry, it looks like a dove. Maybe a turtle-dove or a ring-neck dove.
Wendy


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## baker99 (Aug 27, 2004)

Thank you for replying, unfortunately when we checked on it this morning it had died, I know we probably did everything we could but I still cant help feeling guilty, I fell for the little guy, thanks again and keep up the good work.


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## Morgan Nic Greg (Jul 2, 2004)

That's awful... I'm sorry. At least you made is last few hours more comfortable.


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## AliBlack (Sep 8, 2003)

baker99 said:


> I just found a baby wood pigeon, well two local children foundit on a path, I know the best thing to do is put it back but there are a lot of cats around. Any advice would be appreciated, I will put a picture below as I have no idea how old it is or what to do, but am willing to do any care that is required.


Hi there, that woodpigeon looks very sick, (actually looks dead in the pictures!) did it survive long enough to get it to a wildlife hospital? It would have needed warmth, and fluids injected by someone experienced in bird care. Good job you brought him home.

Alison


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