# Found another baby pigeon - thin and fluffed up.



## Pawbla (Jan 6, 2009)

I found another pigeon today.

He's a really pretty guy. Different from most ferals here. His feathers are really soft... I found him under a bench in the bus terminal. He was standing on the corner, fluffed up. When I picked him up, I was like... there's no way he's alive. He is really, really thin. So I brought him home. He didn't poop in one hour (the time it took to get him home) and when I left him in the floor to prepare the other cage, I saw the poop was just water and urates. This is just lack of food, or could be something more?
I filled a sock with hot rice (my lamp died) and put it next to him.
Advice?


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## Pawbla (Jan 6, 2009)

Pics:
Head
Pigeon
Pigeon 2


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## Feefo (Feb 8, 2002)

The sock filled with hot rice is a good idea (is this dry rice?). If it is warm rather than hot, hollow it out a bit and settle the pigeon on it. 

When it is warm, mix 1/2 liter warm water with 1/2 tablespoon of glucose, or honey or sugar and 1/2 teaspoon of salt, put some into a cup and dip the pigeon.s beak in it to encourage it to drink. Don't try to feed it just yet, wait a few hours to make certain that its digestive system us able to digest food. 

Check the inside of his mouth just to make certain there are no cheesy canker growths. You could also feel around his vent area for any hardness or swelling and check whether the vent is clean.

Is he a squeaker or an adult? An adult will have a white cere (nose wattle). OK...I just checked and he is very young! A lot of youngsters leave the nest and are unable to feed themselves or to find food, so it is probably weakened by starvation. But the glucose in the water will meet its current energy needs without taxing his organs, so it will be OK not to feed it for a while.

Keep him warm (not hot) and quiet, that way he doesn't use up any vital energy.

Once he is eating (peas and sweet corn again!) and pooping after food we will be able to tell whether his poops are healthy or the result of starvation.


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## Pawbla (Jan 6, 2009)

Yes, dry rice. That's what I understood? Warm-hot. With the sock, you feel it like warm rather than hot.

The mouth is clean, I checked on the way here. The vent has some light green poop.

I put him over the sock. I'll give him the water with honey/sugar. Thanks a lot!


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## Mindy (Apr 2, 2009)

He is definitely young, he still has the Einstein little yellow fuzzy's on his head. I would check his mouth like feefo said, and see if its pink or white and if it smells or the yellow cheesy stuff is inside. I would definitely keep him warm and hydrate before you try to feed him. min


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## Feefo (Feb 8, 2002)

> Yes, dry rice. That's what I understood? Warm-hot. With the sock, you feel it like warm rather than hot.


That's right. When I have to go out to collect fallen-from-the-nest babies I take a "warm rice sock" with me, it is perfect for the job, because it can be moulded into the right shape.


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## Pawbla (Jan 6, 2009)

You go to collect babies, like, "let's see what I find?". Hahaha! It's useful, but it looses warmth quite fast in my opinion.

The inside of the mouth is pink. The bird smells horrible, so sadly it's not like I can smell his breath over that.


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## plamenh (Aug 11, 2006)

Did you feed him Pawbla? Does he drink?


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## Feefo (Feb 8, 2002)

> You go to collect babies, like, "let's see what I find?". Hahaha! It's useful, but it looses warmth quite fast in my opinion.


LOL, no...the vet calls me when someone hands in a baby, usually they are baby wood pigeons that fall from their fragile nests in the trees.

Yes, it loses warmth quickly, but is OK for my little trips and at home better than nothing and, of course it can be rewarmed very quickly.


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## Feefo (Feb 8, 2002)

Pawbla, starvation can cause a pigeon to have a bad smell, but just in case, can you feel its body gently all over to see if there has been an injury?


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## Pawbla (Jan 6, 2009)

No injuries, from what I can feel. He has a lot of feathers so I can't be 100% sure. He holds his wings a bit low but I guess that could be to avoid using up energy.

I haven't tried giving him a place to drink (he doesn't eat or move much so I thought he wouldn't drink anyways) but I'm giving him water + honey + salt with the syringe.


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## Feefo (Feb 8, 2002)

> He holds his wings a bit low


Hmm...I took one of my pigeons to the vet because her wings were slightly dropped and she has coccidiosis.


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## altgirl35 (Sep 5, 2008)

oh boy i hope the package i sent you gets there sooner than i think it will.
do you have peas and corn to feed him??


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## Pawbla (Jan 6, 2009)

Food, yes. Would I have to treat my other pigeon as well? They're both in my bedroom :S.


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## altgirl35 (Sep 5, 2008)

i would keep them separate if you can as far away from each other as possible until your sure he is healthy.
make sure you don't cross contaminate especially when handling feces, so a lot of hand washing on your part.
one thing you may need to go out and buy that i didn't send was a de wormer, i didn't have much left.


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## Pawbla (Jan 6, 2009)

Tomorrow I'll go to see if there is any in the city...
I put him in another room. And yes, I always wash my hands before and after handling the birds. I hope my other bird doesn't get sick, at least ):


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## altgirl35 (Sep 5, 2008)

what about looking for some from people who have livestock, or a livestock supply place if you can't find any in town


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## Pawbla (Jan 6, 2009)

That's pretty much what I'll have to look for. I know a place that sells chickens and canaries. They may have a wormer. But I asked for something kinda simple (I don't recall exactly what) a while back and they didn't have it.


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## Jaye (Mar 13, 2008)

You are doing the right things. Right now he needs food and warmth. Do the peas and corn food popping into his mouth. Hopefully he is still strong enough to eat OK. If he really starts freaking out or open-mouth breathing, then make sure a piece isn't lodged in his throat or windpipe, and stop for the time being. If he eats OK, feed him pretty often...he needs to get his strength up. Hopefully, you can find wormer too.

Also, as you will be holding him to feed him, really make a careful examination of his body for any signs of injury...scabs, blood, scrapes, missing feathers, etc.

If he responds OK to the food keep feeding him. If he can get a bit more stronger and stable, then you can probably give him a rinse to clean him up...but don't do that yet because he may be too frail.

The word is out in the Buenos Aires feral pigeon world: "Fine Pawbla if you need help !"


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## Pawbla (Jan 6, 2009)

... and Pawbla will help xD.

I'll start feeding him, then ;3.

I think I can find a medicine that is for cocci and other things but in dogs and cats. If you'd help me with the dosage...

There are three options:

First:
Dimetridazole:	16,5 mg.
Sulfadimetoxin:	25 mg.
Excipients:	100 mg.

Second:
Dimetridazole:	165 mg.
Sulfadimetoxin:	250 mg.
Excipients:	600 mg.

Third:
Dimetridazole:	330 mg.
Sulfadimetoxin:	500 mg.
Excipients:	1.000 mg.

I don't know which one I'll be able to get, but I'd need the dosage for a normal bird and for an underweight bird. He's so thin! He doesn't reach 200gr for sure.


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## altgirl35 (Sep 5, 2008)

hold off on the meds for the time being, see how he seems in the morning with a little food, hydration and warmth, he may surprise you


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## Feefo (Feb 8, 2002)

I have had to completely edit this!

Try Asociación Colombófila Marplatense - Presidente D. OMAR MANDES Tele.: 473-5743 Av. Jara 1192 for information on where to find a vet, medicines etc. Don't mention "feral", just say you have a pet pigeon. (For non-Spanish speakers that appears to be the local Racing Pigeon Club)

This is another possible source of information, again don't mention ferals!

http://www.colombodromo-ar.com.ar/Templates/contacto.htm

Cynthia


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## Pawbla (Jan 6, 2009)

He still looks fluffed up...
Poops are dark green.


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## altgirl35 (Sep 5, 2008)

do you think you can find an antibiotic and a wormer, until then just keep going with fluids, food and warmth, it's all you can really do.
it may take 6-8 days for the package to reach you.
try that link, say she's is your pet and hopefully you can get some help


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## Feefo (Feb 8, 2002)

Keep her warm. Is she getting peas and corn? Starving pigeons will pass green poops, because they continue to produce bile even when there is no food.


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## Jaye (Mar 13, 2008)

Pawbla said:


> He still looks fluffed up...
> Poops are dark green.


You haven't mentioned if she/he is eating (?)


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## Pawbla (Jan 6, 2009)

He's eating. I'm hand feeding him.
I went to another vet and he said that he actually didn't know much about birds but he have me something for cocci. He didn't know what to use as a wormer though.

What can I ask there? About vets in my area? I doubt he'll know. But I could give it a try.


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## Feefo (Feb 8, 2002)

Ask about vets that are knowledgeable about pigeons and where you can get wormers etc (most pigeon fanciers will use these regularly). 


What were you given for cocci?


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## Pawbla (Jan 6, 2009)

Sulfonamides. The guy explained me the dosage, but he didn't say exactly how much it had.
The bird weighs 120 gr, by the way.

I'll call the racing pigeons thing and a guy recommended me another place, but I can't get the address. Let's see what I find.


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## altgirl35 (Sep 5, 2008)

i use a wormer called drontal plus (praziquantel/pyrantel pamoate/febantel) for most of my piji's, it covers alot, you can give him 1/4 of a pill and another dose in 10-14 days.


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## altgirl35 (Sep 5, 2008)

what's Sulfonamides, is it a pink liquid?


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## Pawbla (Jan 6, 2009)

No, a pill, but I guess it can come in a variety of ways. It's not the commercial name though, it's a general name since I don't know what specific thing it is. Better known as "sulfas", at least here.


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## altgirl35 (Sep 5, 2008)

i can't recommend a dosage cause i don't know what it is or the strength


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## Pawbla (Jan 6, 2009)

I don't know how much it is in there :/. The vet told me an approximate dosage and told me to try to keep it low since he was so underweight. But he didn't tell me exactly how much was in it.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sulfonamides
I don't know the commercial name, though. Neither the specific kind of sulfa that I have.
I tried a dose... it didn't kill him xD. And actually, his poops look better (I don't think it's because of the meds though...).


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## altgirl35 (Sep 5, 2008)

oh, just use the dose he gave you.
is he eating good for you.
can you tell if he is feeling any better


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## Pawbla (Jan 6, 2009)

Dunno. He is eating but he's still sitting on the cage. Today he attempted to fly from my hand... and he seems a bit more energetic.

Also, today I found some black little long bugs on his plumage. What are they? Is there any way to eliminate them?


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## Feefo (Feb 8, 2002)

Those are feather lice. They are harmless, they can be removed with a pigeon insect spray...I wouldn't use a spray for other animals unless other members can recommend a safe one.

He will take a while to get strong again, but he sounds as if he is on the way there.

Cynthia


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## altgirl35 (Sep 5, 2008)

that's feather lice and you have to get rid of them, they make them anemic and destroy their feathers again farm supply, sevin dust. 
there may be other ways that other members use, i'm not sure what you can find down there.
i usually use a mite and lice spray made from pyrethrin, that i can get a the big pet store chains


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## Pawbla (Jan 6, 2009)

I see one in the lab people usually get their pig products from, but I can't get the composition translation. I'll see if I find a pyrethrin based spray today.
Can't I just get a chrysantemum ? (j/k)


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## Feefo (Feb 8, 2002)

This is a list of some Dutch pigeon products available through the post:

http://www.colombodromo-ar.com.ar/templates/avio%20med.html

I think that it would be the avio-secticide aerosol you need. You have most probably already worked it out but _feather lice _are _piojos de las plumas_

This is a list of the pigeon products used in Argentina, though it doesn't say where to buy them:

http://www.fecoar.org.ar/medicamentos.php


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## Pawbla (Jan 6, 2009)

The Ruminal ones, I can get them in Buenos Aires but not until Dec. 23rd. I already asked my aunt to check the prices... I think I asked her for a womer, insecticide and enroflaxin.
The other ones, I can't pay them O.O. Fifty pesos for me are like fifty dollars for you. For you it'd be like ten and something dollars, though . Ahh, the devaluation of our currency... it hurts my wallet. I miss the times when it was 1 dollar = 1 peso.


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## altgirl35 (Sep 5, 2008)

are you close to the zoo, it looks like they may do some wildlife rehabilitation, they may direct you to who can help you
there is also this place but it sounds like it is far from you
http://intbirdrescue.blogspot.com/2008/01/ibrrc-team-headed-to-argentina-oil.html
this site has seal rehabbers but if you call them maybe they will know of someone in your area
http://www.pinnipeds.org/rehab.htm
here's few other wildlife places
http://www.realgap.co.uk/Ecuador-Animal-Rescue-Andes-Option-2
http://www.realgap.co.uk/Guatemala-Wildlife-Rescue-And-Rehabilitation
http://www.realgap.co.uk/Costa-Rica-Sloth-Rescue-and-Conservation
http://www.realgap.co.uk/Costa-Rica-Animal-Rescue
http://www.realgap.co.uk/Brazil-Wildlife-Rescue-Centre
http://www.ibrrc.org/penguin_network.html


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## Pawbla (Jan 6, 2009)

They're all far away and the shipping would take more or less that time :/. I'll see if I can get them before, though... Maybe when other family members come from BA.
How urgent is the lice thing?


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## Feefo (Feb 8, 2002)

> How urgent is the lice thing?


It is insignificant, they don't damage the pigeon's health and according to Dr Wim Peters there is no evidence that they damage the feathers They might get on your hand when you are holding the pigeon and tickle a bit.

I could send you a little sachet of pigeon powder to use if it won't cause trouble with the aduana.


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## Pawbla (Jan 6, 2009)

I don't know. But if it's not urgent I can wait for my aunt to come over :3.


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## altgirl35 (Sep 5, 2008)

i have to disagree with you feefo about the damage they can do to a bird.
a healthy adult bird can handle them because they can preen them out so they don't get out of control.
but a baby or a sick bird can easily become infested if they are unable or too sick to take care of their feathers.
they bore holes into the shaft of the growing feather where there is blood supply and weakens the feather usually causing it to break off as soon as it grows out.
i have a starling sitting on my head right now as i type that had the worst case of lice i have ever seen on a barely feathered baby, all her feathers broke off as soon as she got them, she was never quite right so she is a pet now.
the bird can become anemic also from the loss of blood, from those icky little blood suckers.
i wouldn't let her go more than a few days with them on her especially if you want to release eventually, it may delay her release because you will have to wait for her to molt new feathers, and blood loss is a big concern.
i treat for external parasites right away, even before get them warmed up and begin fluid therapy, it's must feel awful and i don't want them to spread to my other birds


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## Pawbla (Jan 6, 2009)

Actually I was going to delay their releases anyways because of Christmas and New Year, with all the fireworks and explosions and such I'm concerned about them.
Okay, let's see. I'll try to find something against lice tomorrow, but I can't really do anything if they don't have it because it'd take time to ship and it would be the same as my aunt bringing the meds.


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## Pawbla (Jan 6, 2009)

Also, there are a couple of things I find weird about this bird and I always forget to add:
* His nails are white. But that could be because of his color, right?
* His crop looks... too large xD. It's like too "tall". But I guess that could be just a particular thing of him.
* His tail touches the floor. And not just a bit, it looks like a broom on the floor. The ends of the feathers are "broken".


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## altgirl35 (Sep 5, 2008)

hi pawbla, i wouldn't worry about the toenails, not sure what you mean about her crop, can you feel anything there?? 
her tail may be hanging down because she doesn't feel good, that one i'm not sure about either, i hope she doesn't have a back injury, you'll have to wait and see if she lifts it when she starts to feel better
i just remembered another rehabber i know uses rubbing alcohol on a cotton ball and rubs it all over the feathers and skin, if you see any you can pick them off and drop them in a little alcohol to kill them, do it in a well ventilated area, don't soak her with it.


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## Pawbla (Jan 6, 2009)

That would be something good to do at least until I can get the spray. I'll do it tomorrow.
The crop just looks like it's got a very big space assigned on the body. Not something I'd worry about as a health issue, but she just looks weird when you see her facing upwards.
I'll keep you updated on the tail too, then.
Oh, and her skin looked a bit too yellowish. That's because of malnutrition, right?


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## Feefo (Feb 8, 2002)

Hi Pawbla,

Can you post a photo of the crop and tail problem?



> i have to disagree with you feefo about the damage they can do to a bird.


Actually, it is Dr Peters (Fit to Win) that you are disagreeing with , I have not left a pigeon with feather lice on it to assess the results!  And as far as I remember I haven't had an infested squeaker, so no personal experience to go on.


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## altgirl35 (Sep 5, 2008)

i see it alot, and mites, only saw those nasty pigeon flies once, boy did those things freak me out, so fast and would land on me!
that babies feathers got wrecked also, i'm not sure if it was because of the flies or the parents over preening because it looked like he had been plucked and pecked.
i think a 3rd of the babies i get have some kind of external parasite.
poor seagulls get infested also when they are really sick or injured
for wild birds they are just a nuisance they have to deal with, and it is one thing if out of control that makes the parents abandon the babies or toss them out, or the babies bail ship before they are ready.
some wild birds practice anting, they actually pick and and place ants in their feathers because they secrete some kind of chemical that gets rid of parasites, smart little things they are


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## Feefo (Feb 8, 2002)

> poor seagulls get infested also _when they are really sick or injured_


Chickpea, one of our keepers had a couple on her when I took her to the vet last week. We never see them on the keepers, the vet said it could be a sign that she was ill or run down.


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

Found this online. I should think that getting rid of them as soon as possible would be important. 

-----------------------------------------------
Feather lice

Birds with feather lice appear bedraggled, where the lice have eaten their feathers. Affected birds will itch and suffer from lack of sleep. If you think your bird is suffering from feather lice, take him to the vet immediately. 

http://www.pethealthinfo.org.uk/birds/health_feather.html


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## spirit wings (Mar 29, 2008)

Pawbla said:


> That would be something good to do at least until I can get the spray. I'll do it tomorrow.
> The crop just looks like it's got a very big space assigned on the body. Not something I'd worry about as a health issue, but she just looks weird when you see her facing upwards.
> I'll keep you updated on the tail too, then.
> Oh, and her skin looked a bit too yellowish. That's because of malnutrition, right?


yes can you post a pic of the bird standing up? are you sure it is a feral pigeon? what you are describing sounds like a pouter of some kind...?


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## Pawbla (Jan 6, 2009)

I guess it's feral because I found it as a young bird (still has some yellow fluff) and it has no band. It's like the normal "feral off nest" situation for me.
Sounds? He hasn't made any sound yet, actually. I haven't heard anything coming from his throat, contrary to the other pigeons that keeps making noises hehe.
Here you can see the ends of the feathers of the tail, they are touching the floor. It's a closeup of the next image. Points of the wings look bad too, but the explanation couldn't be the same for the tail then.
Here he is today. He looks way better. He started walking around a bit and everything.

I fought with lice a bit ago. I only found one and (luckily, in some extent) he was moving a lot so I couldn't check very deeply. I got a cotton with alcohol and rubbed it against what I thought that would be the places where the lice eggs would normally be (I thought they may be in "hotter" areas, like in humans?).


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## altgirl35 (Sep 5, 2008)

aww he's so cute pawbla, could be from the lice, or him just dragging his feathers around when he was starving.
he's not squeaking for you?? maybe because you found him a bit older, so he has some fear of you and doesn't view you as the mom yet..yet..


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## Pawbla (Jan 6, 2009)

I'd rather have him not see me as a mom, it'll be harder to send him back to nature then xD.
I hope the feathers get good again when lice is gone. He hasn't been able to fly yet.


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## Skyeking (Jan 17, 2003)

Pawbla said:


> *I'd rather have him not see me as a mom, it'll be harder to send him back to nature then xD.*
> I hope the feathers get good again when lice is gone. He hasn't been able to fly yet.


* That is true, but it also means you are taking extra good care of him.


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## Feefo (Feb 8, 2002)

I am posting all this just to dispel any concerns about the danger of the pigeon feather louse so we can get back to the little one's other health problems!

I _think_ that the pigeon feather louse is species specific (because of it's name Columbicola *columbae*). Maybe other species of birds have lice that are more harmful ?

Anyway....there are two types of pigeon feather louse and the one that Pawbla described _as black *little long bugs *on his plumage _ are a fair description of the *Long Louse*. There is another louse, called the *Small Louse*, that can damage feathers...that one is small and round.


This is a quotation From Oropharma (who produce pigeon products): _ Some ectoparasites, like the long feather louse (Columbicola columbae), are very frequently seen in pigeon lofts. This *feather louse which is quite harmless *places his eggs against the feather shaft and only feeds himself with the feather debris._

http://www.oropharma.nl/en/duiven/html/ectoparasieten.html

I have got these quotations about the Long Louse from my home library:

From "Fit to Win" by Dr Wim Peters, South African vet with an interest in pigeons:

(On the long feather louse) _"Feather lice are reported to cause damage to the feathers and it is claimed by some that the pin holes sometimes seen in the flags of the primary feathers are due to feather lice. We have found no evidence to support these claims and believe that feather lice do not physically damage feathers. The parasite is very common but even when occuring in great numbers, *it is not detrimental to the bird's health*."_


From Pigeons by Matthew M Vriends, Dutch born biologist/ornithologist with various advanced degrees including Phd in Zoology:

_"Found on the flight feathers and guard feathers of the whole body, *long lice **do not cause many problems, since they feed on feather scurf and do not damage feathers as was previously thought*. Sick birds that are not able to control the lice are susceptible to heavy infestations. Young birds may have particular problems with this louse"._


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## Pawbla (Jan 6, 2009)

Nice to know. So I can wait for my aunt xD. He is preening his feathers. Not much, but I can help him by taking them off if I see them.


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## spirit wings (Mar 29, 2008)

quote feefo: post... Found on the flight feathers and guard feathers of the whole body, long lice do not cause many problems, since they feed on feather scurf and do not damage feathers as was previously thought. Sick birds that are not able to control the lice are susceptible to heavy infestations. Young birds may have particular problems with this louse".

That is what I was thinking too, as I have read that before... there are a number of different external parasites...some suck blood... these do not...just makes them look unthrify... I would have to get them off asap though... they give me the creepies...lol..


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## Pawbla (Jan 6, 2009)

They are kind creepy to see walking around the poor bird o.o
I hope they go away with the alcohol, and if not they'll go away with the insecticide. I just gotta find one here or wait for my aunt xD.


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## Pawbla (Jan 6, 2009)

Remember the other bird wouldn't drink on her own?
They BOTH started to do so!

Also, I felt they needed to be more outside the cage (after all, a room is a bigger cage) but I needed a place that could be cleaned after since urates stain. So I left them in the bathroom. I removed everything that could be harmful for them (bleach, sprays, pointy stuff) so I think they'll be okay?


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## Feefo (Feb 8, 2002)

I have also used my bathroom as a recovery cage for pigeons. The only worry in my bathroom was that I had to watch out for black mould...I think that might just be a problem in the UK because of the climate.


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## Pawbla (Jan 6, 2009)

Here there is a bit of mold, but it's the green one from humidity, over the top of the door. Should I be concerned about it?


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## Feefo (Feb 8, 2002)

This is not a subject that I know very much about but even so I am pretty certain that green mould is implicated in aspergillosis.

I would use a mould killer to remove it, but remove the birds from the room first and don't put them back in the room until any fumes have cleared.

While we are on the subject I should mention that the pigeon's respiratory system is delicate, substances that are harmlessto us, like room fresheners and aromatic oils, can kill them. Overheated Teflon is particularly deadly.


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## Pawbla (Jan 6, 2009)

Ahh, it doesn't matter anyways now because my mother forbid me to put them there again :/. She says they're dirty and make a mess. I don't know why she's complaining, as it will be ME who cleans the bathroom. She said I couldn't bring more birds home, too, esp. pigeons because they make a mess. I hope I can convince her otherwise soon.

Also, he's pooping green, small, shapeless poops now :/.


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## goga82 (Aug 17, 2009)

u are one lucky lady for real.
ever since my baby feral died, accident, i havent been able to find another baby in need.
im walking downtown on purpose where i know wthe nests are and no luck
but u my lady are on the roll 
send me some of your good fortune 
maybe one day i find another baby.....
i envy u
good luck with little baby, he looks just like jojo did, white flight feathers..
they are the best birds to keep, and to have as pets, they better than a dog as far as companionship
good luck 
goga


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## Pawbla (Jan 6, 2009)

Lol, I'll send you some fortune while my mom doesn't allow me to take my fortunes home .
I read about your accident. I don't allow people to get into wherever the birds are when they're not in their cage, I always fear that something like that will happen. I try not to move a lot when I'm with them because I fear that, when looking at one, I'll step on the other one.
I'd recommend parks. I've found many birds on parks. If you're in USA I think you're in winter; maybe in spring or summer it'll be easier to find them. I never find birds in winter.
They are amazing birds indeed... really friendly, and can be tamed easily.
Dogs are different. They don't poo on your clothes and you can do other things with them. On the other side, birds are amazing to just watch x3. They're more independent, kinda like cats.


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## altgirl35 (Sep 5, 2008)

tell that to my cockatoo pawbla! she won't let go of my shirt or untuck her head from under my chin


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## Pawbla (Jan 6, 2009)

Lol! But parrot types are more social. I was thinking about birds like canaries and such.


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## altgirl35 (Sep 5, 2008)

i know, i'm just kidding


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## Pawbla (Jan 6, 2009)

I discovered that, if he's in front of the cage and you open the door, he goes into the cage. He's pretty tame :/. Besides the weird poop, he seems fine. He flies whenever the other bird flies, and he's pecking a bit.


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## altgirl35 (Sep 5, 2008)

the nervous ones always want to go back in their cage where they feel safe.
no sign of the package yet???


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## Pawbla (Jan 6, 2009)

No u.u. I was expecting to get it soon in case this boy needs it, but... dunno.
Let's see on Monday!

Yeah, he seems more cautious than the other bird... so no wonder, haha.


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## Pawbla (Jan 6, 2009)

I'm starting to put them outside (caged of course). I leave a lot of seeds and the garden gets filled of birds. But just sparrows, I use a sparrow mix. What kinds of seed can I use to lure pigeons?

I found a pigeon flock, but I can't really do a soft release with that flock because of the place they are in.


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

If hungry pigeons are around, they'll come to any seed.


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## Pawbla (Jan 6, 2009)

There's a nest up in my roof and they don't come down for me u.u. Maybe they prefer bread?
I even left whole corn... I don't know.


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## Jaye (Mar 13, 2008)

Granted, Sparrow mix is small-seed. Can you get any safflower seeds ? Pigeons love safflower seeds. Also, they are probably observing....figuring out when it is safe. I agree, they will come down eventually, as long as there are no preadators around.

Why can you not use the flock you found for a soft release ? Is it too busy an area ???


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## Pawbla (Jan 6, 2009)

Yes. It's right in the downtown of the city. Totally crowded, even in the most unexpected times.

I had never heard of those seeds... I'll try to see if they have them when I go to the bird store.


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## Pawbla (Jan 6, 2009)

I found the powder (not spray) for lice. I haven't seen more lice since the alcohol thing but... just in case. I applied it yesterday and there were no adverse effects today.


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## Kavita (Feb 23, 2010)

I've found that a fruity baby food mixed with water and some bird vitamins make a good meal for my pidgeon when she wasn't eating seed... I used a straw to feed her with (only a few drops at a time or else the bird could choke) and she seemed to love it.


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