# Same problem with Hardened skin!!!



## BHenderson (Sep 8, 2011)

I am trying to find some of the pigeons I have spotted, especially in the bus station, around my local area who have string injuries. I am going to sort as many of them out as I can by removing the string on their feet. Some of them have lost all their toes and have just a stump to walk on. My problem is that some of the pigeons I have tried to help have very hard skin around the string which has built up over time. I wish I could have got to these pigeons earlier, but I have to deal with the situation as it is.
Does anyone have ideas about how I could soften and maybe remove some of this skin to make it possible for me to get to the string. I am not happy to just try and cut the skin away, pigeons skin is different from ours and I could easily cause a very sore spot or even cause a bleed. Any suggestions welcome!

Brian.


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## Roger Siemens (Nov 12, 2011)

cut as much free as you can and get the string off the injuired feet, if they bleed a bit thats ok if you save them. the string will kill them or hurt them more, i ve seen it get over grown inside there skin, it looks painful. try to get it all off best you can and clean it with something to fight infections. cant do much for the stumpy little guys if there living they ll be ok poor things.


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## longlive_pigeon (Aug 17, 2012)

It is immense love for you to do so. How I treat string injury is that I try my best not to cut the string with scissors blade since this will only remove the exterior string but the string deep inside remains. Instead I try to use the scissors tip (as acute as possible) to untangle the string so that the part inside the skin will also fall off. Nevertheless, it is very easy to cause a bleed no matter how carefully the treatment is performed. Therefore, I will sanitize the scissors before to avoid infection. Hard skin, do you mean those appear dark? Are those dead cells already? Anyway, if the string is really deeply trapped inside and hard to remove, I would rather leave them there. It is very agonizing to watch pigeons blooding heavily if the scissors are forced to abrade with their flesh. They have to bear so much pain... After all, pigeons are very resilient and many with string foot injuries can still move (or hop) briskly for food. What I pity most are those not only with toes tangled together, but with two legs tangled together. Those can hardly move at all and are always sitting, very unlikely to compete for food. 

p.s. I have made a habit picking up strings, threads and hair mass on the street, wrap them safely, and throw into rubbish bin...to avoid any innocent pigeons legs falling prey to them...Precautionary measures


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## BHenderson (Sep 8, 2011)

I have heard of things people use to soften hard skin on their feet, I wonder if these creams would work for the pigeons. If the skin was a bit softer it might be easier to get the string off.


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## Roger Siemens (Nov 12, 2011)

nice, lol i have a habit of picking up pigeons and bringing them home away from string and such just saved 50 birds a few weeks ago from grain shed where there is alot of strings from feed bags, as well as a guy hired to shoot them. NOW I VE GOT 50 ROCK DOVES THAT need a new home at a farm in canada


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## Roger Siemens (Nov 12, 2011)

to soften up the feet and sores, hard skin let them bath in warm salty water, there might be creams you can get for pigeons, but sometimes simple is better


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## BHenderson (Sep 8, 2011)

You might be right about simple is best. I am going out to see if I can get a better pair of curved scissors and I am going to soak the feet in a mix of salt and Epsom salts, which I have been told help the blood flow in the foot. Thanks for the help.


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## Roger Siemens (Nov 12, 2011)

not to much salt, they ll want to drink it as well


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## Roger Siemens (Nov 12, 2011)

all the very best with the pigeon luck


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## Jaye (Mar 13, 2008)

You could also try a topical cream like HealX Soother. I dunno how long a Pigeon would tolerate a foot bath. It is just a matter of patience, IMHO.

I actually use an Xacto knife blade as opposed to scissors. Much smaller and pointier tip. Then I also use a blunt-ish sewing needle. Inevitable that some bleeding will happen. I just try to determine the course of the string and unwrap it, using the blade and needle to loosen it or in some cases where I think I have found the 'choke', cutting areas of the string. Then wash the foot, apply some pressure to staunch any blood, and once that stops apply some topical cream. I usually also give the Pigeon some Metacam both for discomfort and to see if the inflammation can be reduced.

Usually for a bad situation, one needs to take 2 or 3 runs at it over a period of several days.

Roger, nice save on those 50 pigeons. I have to say....sounds like that is one of those situations where the owner of the grain shed is really responsible for having created his own problem. You are a good guy !


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## Roger Siemens (Nov 12, 2011)

ya my friend and i just wanted to see what was in there and they have to get them out of the feed and grain, it was just a good plan to get them out, no homers, rollers or fancy birds just wild rock doves, it was just a good thing to do one friday night


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## BHenderson (Sep 8, 2011)

Thanks for the advice Jaye


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## Dima (Jan 15, 2011)

Pigeon can be put in a bowel of warm water with Epsom Salt for as long as you want. I used to do that and cover him with a towel in such way that he cannot come out ( do not suffocate) and in a dark room.


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