# Anxiety about release



## Ferallife (Apr 26, 2020)

Hi, 
Around Feb 11, 2020, I rescued an obviously sick pigeon that seemed lethargic. While most of the flock would fly and play, it would sit down quietly. It was also fairly easy to capture her. For more than a month, she was only incrementally getting better. Lethargy, falling asleep while eating, vomiting frequently. An acquaintance gave me Spartrix. I put 3/4 of the tablet down her throat. Additionally, I put crushed garlic in her water bowl and she has also been eating a lot of black onion/ black sesame seed. Until March, I was sure she was on borrowed time. She’s better now. However, she does little head nodding movements from side to side and also looks upwards and opens her mouth wide.

Regarding her eating habits, I have few observations. She has a tendency to eat her own droppings despite me providing ample food. Seeds come out mostly undigested. Yes, I provide her with some grit. I give her poultry crumbles, rice, cooked rice, oatmeal, black seed, cracked corn, wheat and milo. But mostly, oatmeal has been her staple. 

For the last two days, she’s become very active, flies and grabs the cage with her feet. For the entirety of March and February, she seemed very contented just lying alone in the cage but now it seems like she wants out. She’s still wild and doesn’t get too close to me. I don’t want her to live a solitary, unhappy life in the cage but I have become attached to her. Knowing she’s safe, healthy and well fed makes me contented. The park in California where I found her, the pigeons live under a wooden pier and there are predators but most of them are fairly adept at surviving. Life is very hard though as where they nest and sleep have no protection from the rain and very strong winds. The water they drink is also quite dirty with 100s of waterfowl. 

I don’t know what to do. I don’t have a backyard nor a loft where she can fly a little and get adequate sunlight. I don’t really want to release her back to that very hard life. I was wondering if there’s a middle path. Someone who takes in wild birds. I live in Northern California. No point in contacting Palomacy as they’re always full and places like wildcare most likely won’t release them at the exact location. Plus, there’s the covid 19 pandemic to think about.

Any suggestions would be helpful.

I’m attaching several pics including where I first found her, the first day of her in the cage, pic from few days ago and flying pic from today morning.


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## Marina B (May 5, 2011)

If she has undigested seeds in the droppings, then she is not well. Does she have access to grit? She might have a yeast infection going on or else the canker has returned. Nystatin is good for yeast and metronidazole for canker.

Do you have a balcony? A soft release from a balcony will be perfect. You will need to close off the area and keep her there for a week or 2 after she has healed. Then open up and let her go. I'm sure she will return for food.

But first, make sure she is healthy. Check inside the mouth and throat for any yellowish growths that will indicate canker.


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## Ferallife (Apr 26, 2020)

I don’t have a balcony. I found her at a park 12 miles away from my house. I already gave her Spartrix for possible canker. I don’t recall seeing anything abnormal inside her throat. She is preening a lot possibly excessively. I don’t know why but she has stopped eating seeds mostly. She prefers oatmeal, poultry crumbles and even some crushed rice cereal cinnamon flavored which I give her. One thing to note is that she became very active the day after I sprayed her with lots of water.


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## cwebster (Dec 11, 2010)

She is lovely. Please make sure she is healthy before you even consider releasing her. Thanks!


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## Ferallife (Apr 26, 2020)

Thanks cwebster, 
She really is but she’s very afraid of me. She looks somewhat healthy to me. Can anyone tell me that 2.5 months on, would her mate have moved on (assuming he’s still alive)? I know it’s still the mating and nesting season now. Maybe she is anxious to get reunited with her mate? She tries escaping at dawn. The rest of the day she relaxes, preens and eats. She preens her breast and throat area a lot. Is that normal? She also tries to eat her droppings some times. I’ve never seen a pigeon do that. 

I would also like her to fly but I can’t let a wild pigeon that’s afraid of me to fly all over my carpeting and furniture and poop everywhere.


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## Marina B (May 5, 2011)

Can you post a photo of the droppings? Her mate will have another female by now. Only put down seeds for her. Does she have access to grit? Sounds as if she prefers soft food that digests easily, that is not normal. If there is still undigested seeds in the droppings, treat for canker and yeast. Use Meditrich for canker, 50 mg once daily for 7 to 10 days. For yeast, Nyststin.


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## cwebster (Dec 11, 2010)

Would keep her in a cage until she is well. We used to let Phoebe out in the house at first close to dusk, with a towel under her. Less messy.


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## Marina B (May 5, 2011)

It's always possible the canker returned, undigested seeds in the droppings is not a good sign. Can you check inside her beak for yellowish growths or whitish spots?


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## Ferallife (Apr 26, 2020)

Can anyone take a guess at this ones age?


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