# Please help



## SummerLynn (May 21, 2013)

Hi everyone,
I come feeling lost! Tonight I took my daughter to softball and all the little girls were excited to see two baby birds in a nest up in the dug out, which was fine. They looked, and left them be, yay. Then two rotten little boys came along and knocked the nest down with teh babies, and tore the nest apart. I scooped up the two little birds and got them out of the way of fast little feet, but of course i couldnt put them back (they'd fall off the ledge) and there wasnt a nest to put them in. So my choices were A) leave em there on the ground (LOTS of foot traffic they surely would have been trampled) or B) bring them home...so I went with option B. I came home and IDd them as mourning doves (I know, this is a pigeon forum but I'm desperate) and found them to be approx 6 or so days old? A friend told me to mix baby formula, wheat germ, and rice ceral and feed it to them. I did, and they did eat so yay for that. I have questions though...

1. How often should they be eating? How much? will tehy overeat or stop when full? 

2. Temp to keep them at? 

3. I will post pics as soon as I update them, once those are posted can someone confirm an approx age? 

4. If I hand feed them and they are around me, my kids, and dogs....can they ever be safely released?


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## SummerLynn (May 21, 2013)

Baby 1 (has more feathers)









baby 2


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## Woody Pigeon (Feb 3, 2013)

Welcome to PT SummerLynn. Pigeons and doves are both columbidae, they're the same, so don't worry. They should be safe to release after hand feeding, don't believe the human touch rejecton tales. I believe they should stop eating when they are full, although you do have to be careful.

Not very good with mourning doves personally, though I will try and get some attention from those in the USA.


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## GimpieLover (Dec 18, 2005)

Please follow these basic first steps. They are critical. 
http://www.pigeons.biz/forums/f20/basic-steps-to-saving-the-life-of-a-pigeon-or-dove-11265.html
And where are you located so we can help you find a rehabber in your area


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## spirit wings (Mar 29, 2008)

SummerLynn said:


> Hi everyone,
> I come feeling lost! Tonight I took my daughter to softball and all the little girls were excited to see two baby birds in a nest up in the dug out, which was fine. They looked, and left them be, yay. Then two rotten little boys came along and knocked the nest down with teh babies, and tore the nest apart. I scooped up the two little birds and got them out of the way of fast little feet, but of course i couldnt put them back (they'd fall off the ledge) and there wasnt a nest to put them in. So my choices were A) leave em there on the ground (LOTS of foot traffic they surely would have been trampled) or B) bring them home...so I went with option B. I came home and IDd them as mourning doves (I know, this is a pigeon forum but I'm desperate) and found them to be approx 6 or so days old? A friend told me to mix baby formula, wheat germ, and rice ceral and feed it to them. I did, and they did eat so yay for that. I have questions though...
> 
> 1. How often should they be eating? How much? will tehy overeat or stop when full?
> ...


good save!, they should only be fed when the crop goes down and is almost empty, they may not stop when full, the crop should look like this pic in this link
http://www.thegardeningblog.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/baby-dove-day-3.jpg
temp should be about 85 to 90, no heat needed when they feather out. you can release them when eating on their own..do a soft release with a bird feeder in the yard and do not handle only to feed for now. the age looks to be almost a week old.


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## Vet Technician (May 21, 2013)

The biggest concern you should be aware of at this point is aspiration. If the formula is to runny and they aspirate even a drop into their lungs it will kill them. You will know this has happened if they go to squeek and no sound or very little is heard. Try to keep their food AS SOLID AS POSSIBLE while still being soft. You can soak dry cat food or dog food and roll it into little balls to feed them. I also like to use Gerber mixed grain baby cereal but be careful that it is not runny at all when mixing it. Baby birds have to be warm to digest and their average body temp runs about 104-106' so be sure to keep them warm, it should also be noted not HOT, they can overheat just as easily and this could be fatal as well.


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## SummerLynn (May 21, 2013)

Thank you all. So far so good, they are eating well and seem active.


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## SummerLynn (May 21, 2013)

oh and for someone else who asked, i'm in west central pennsylvania


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## Skyeking (Jan 17, 2003)

SummerLynn said:


> oh and for someone else who asked, i'm in west central pennsylvania


You might be able to find some help here:

http://pij-n-angels.forumotion.net/t224-matilda-s-list-united-states-o-w


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## SummerLynn (May 21, 2013)

Thank you. I actually talked to centre wildlife center today, they are the closest one to me and are 3 hours away :/ that's tough with two small children etc. She gave me some helpful info though and hopefully I can do this. So far the babies are eating and active and stools look good. 

I was wondering about washing them? after they eat, they are covered in the moosh lol ive been tryin to wipe them down with a moist paper towel but that stuff is sticky lol


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

Wiping them down with a wet towel is about all you can do at this point. I think an old face cloth or something made of terry works better, as it is rougher than a paper towel. You can then just rinse it out and hang to dry. Easier if you do it right away, rather than letting it dry and get hard.

How are you feeding them?


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## SummerLynn (May 21, 2013)

Ive tried a few methods but the one that works best thus far is to us the back side of a baby bottle nipple. i fill it with the formula/rice cereal/wheat germ mix and they go nuts!


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

Have you tried the syringe, cut off at the end, and covered with self adhesive wrap, to which you have cut a slit into where he can put his beak? You can fill the syringe, and don't have to keep filling, as you would with the baby nipple. But whatever works is great.


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## SummerLynn (May 21, 2013)

Nope I havnt tried that. Probably less messy lol


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

It can be messy too, but I think it's pretty easy and as I said, you don't have to keep filling it up. Probably still need cleaning up though.


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## Woody Pigeon (Feb 3, 2013)

SummerLynn said:


> two rotten little boys came along


By the way, you know who they are or know any of their family members? Could you report them to the ASPCA (I thinks thats the US equivanlent of RSPCA) for animal cruelty?


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## SummerLynn (May 21, 2013)

Thank you everyone for your help! I woke up yesterday and they babies werent looking good at all, they were lethargic and falling over, wouldnt eat etc. So I made the 3 hour trek and got them to a rehab center. They said I can call on Tuesday and see how they are doing. I did everything in my power, I just hope it was enough.


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

Thanks for the update. Please let us know how it goes. And thanks for trying for them.


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## nancybird (Jan 30, 2011)

Jay3 is right you don't have to keep filling it up.It's a good way to do it.


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## Skyeking (Jan 17, 2003)

*Glad to hear they are at the rehab center, keep us updated. Thank you.*


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