# found a baby pigeon and he won't eat



## Gabe Toole (Sep 14, 2005)

i found a baby pigeon,

it has all its feathers exept for its head feathers. but it can't fly

i fell out of its nest, but i can't reach it and i don't know what nest is the
right one. i need help. he won't eat and he is to araid to be hand fed.

what should i do. :


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## vivian (Jun 24, 2005)

Ware are you?? Is there a nearby rehab or shelter???


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## Pidgey (May 20, 2005)

Well, young pigeons like that never like to eat from you until they've decided that you're "okay" which usually takes about three days. So, you usually have to hold 'em and force their beaks open and put item by item down 'em. Also, they don't have a clue how or what to eat on their own because they've never seen food in that form before.

There's a member on here named Phil who has really done a lot of work figuring out how to communicate with them and get them trusting you and eating out of your hands, so to speak, in fairly record time. But, to keep the bird alive in the interim, you first need to teach him how to drink out of a bowl by way of gently pushing the back of his head to get his beak about halfway submerged in the water (minimum 1/2" deep). It might take a few times before he gets the idea. The thirstier he gets, the quicker he'll catch on to that one.

Anyhow, you can feed him thawed frozen peas and corn. You don't want to feed him canned anything because of the salt. What you're going to try to get him to learn to eat is dove and pigeon mix or a wild bird seed minus the big sunflower seeds at first. There are a few ways we can go on this including dried puppy chow bits dunked in water. Let us know.

Pidgey


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## pdpbison (Mar 15, 2005)

Hi Gabe Toole,


Thanks for the plug Pidgey!


Well, unless I have made a 'bad' ( traumatiseing) capture, meaning one where I had to chase a youngster through brake schreeching traffic or something, or whatever, so it was scared of me...

I have no recollection for years now of getting in any Babys or youngsters who were not eating and happy in the first ten minutes so long as I observe some poits of politeness in their terms. Ill or injured ones may be a different story sometimes if they have withdrawn in dispair already and will need some special attentions to inspire them to come-around.

If someone else did the 'bad' capture, I am still in the clear with a new Bird so long as I observe the basic manners that make sense to that Bird.

Which for present purposes, consists of making sure to move s-l-o-w-l-y with everything if you are ear them...and...if you hold them, hold them for a little bit just above your eye level and talk with them CLEARLY i positive terms about what you itend to do with them, ie, "I'm gunna feed you look after you and make sure you are safe.." and so on.

As for inviteing them to eat and drink...make a body temperature glass of water, and if you think the Bird has not eaten anything for some time, in it dissolve a good pinch of Salt and one of Sugar and moisten your finger tips in it and gently from the front, massage the Bird's Beak with your warm moist figer tips...do this while the Bird is standing on it's own on some thing that has enough room for them.

If they accept the invite, they will nuzzle and or nuzzle and squeak, maybe pump their shoulders...maybe just tentatively, but if even a little then one has made some good progress.

You may then gently guide their Beak with figer tips held softly on the sides of their Beak, gently guide it into the glass of tepid Water or tepid Water with the electrolyte in it, and they will drink. After a time or two of that they will drink with no finger tips needed when you offer water. 

The same as for them to be easily and happily fed. For which I offer them their food in the hollow side of a regular Baby Nipple, and gently pinch the nipple so it touches the sides of their Beak. Food should be about like a milkshake, and may be made from various thigs or include store bought powder formula stuff intended for Baby Birds.


Make sure the Water is tepid...ad likewise with their formula.

Food wise, untill they are pecking well on their own, they need to be fed.

If you like, write me from your regular e-mail and I can send you some practical info on all of that. I am at [email protected]

I am workig on a well organized version of it for our forum here, but I have had no time or room in my punkin head to finish it for posting here in a polished form to make it an easier reference.

Make sure the Bird may be warm, for which an electric heating pad set to 'low', with a hand towell layed on it will usually work just fine...

Can you tell us what the poops look like so far? If it has made any?

Make sure also to keep away any Dogs, Cats or children and have it i a calm, safe place. If in a bathroom, keep the toilet covered.


Best wishes, 

Phil
Las Vegas


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## Gabe Toole (Sep 14, 2005)

*thankyou*

thank you for replying so quickly. i am in durham north carolina

his poop is brown and not runny and not to mushy.

he is getting used to his terarium. can pigeons eat bird seed?

he climbed on my arm today. but i havent seen him eat.
he is missing feathers an his upper neck below the head. it looks like they
got ripped out. when i found him kids at were chasing him around. 

any suggestions would be great.

thankyou


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## Skyeking (Jan 17, 2003)

Hi there,

He is not going to eat on his own as he is used to his mother feeding him.

You may need to hand feed him small pieces of soaked and drained puppy chow, or thawed peas or corn, from the freezer. Do you have any of these. Gently open the beak with thumb and forefinger, and put a piece on the back of tongue and allow the bird to swallow. Then repeat. The bird needs to eat about a tablespoon of food at each meal.

You may need to have someone help you hold the bird if he struggles,until he gets used to the idea that you want to feed him and fill his little belly, not hurt him.


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## vivian (Jun 24, 2005)

Could you try to gues his age? The age of this little guy can narrow down a few things.


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## John_D (Jan 24, 2002)

Treesa has given you sound advice on feeding. I'd just like to add that if I have a really squirmy little pigeon, I wrap a soft towel around him so his head peeks out, holding him gently so as not to put pressure on his chest. Easier to deal with then.

John


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## v2rot8 (Aug 22, 2005)

Hey Gabe!

I, too, found a pigeon that had been "kicked out" of the nest and was quite young. She was missing feathers along the back of the neck, between her wings and on her under belly and beneath the wings. It was so very hard to get her to eat! Here's what we did:

I wrapped her in a soft t-shirt, basically, she was "mummified" and oh-so-cute! I bought some frozen corn kernels and gently defrosted them in the microwave (if the kernels are too hot, then make sure they COOL). I was so terrified of hurting her! I had to gently lift her head back and pry open her beak. I was most afraid of hurting her little eyes. Gabe, I'm telling you, my husband and I were in tears! But, I finally convinced her (after a day or two) to trust me, and once she had one juicy corn kernel in her mouth, she knew what to do. She still was quite squirmy, but she complied. I also bought an eyedropper, and filled it with unflavored Pedialyte (my little one was de-hydrated).

The feeding does get EASIER. If you have someone to help you, then it will facilitate the process. Everyone on this forum can point you to helpful links and give you excellent advice.

If I can do it, you can! Just keep posting your concerns and questions on the board, these guys are pros!


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