# Found young Pigeon: HELP!!!



## tinkerbelle (Sep 24, 2004)

Me and my friend were walking home from school and we found a young pidgeon, under a bridge, on the sidewalk. We left for a while, but when we came back his mother still wasn't there. We tried again, but to no avail. So we took him home. He has a little yellow fluff still around his neck and head, sticking out through the feathers, and his sides have undeveloped feathers. His beak also looks kind of bulgy, probably because he does not have fully developed feathers around his mouth. He seems kind of sleepy and squeaks when you pick him up or move him around in his box too much. He won't eat; we've offered water, some dry rice, and bread. He is currently being kept in a cardboard box, about 1.5' by 2'. There are no visible injuries, and he doesn't seem to favor one foot or wing over the other.

Does anyone have any suggestions? This is what happened to my other fledgeling. It wasn't a pigeon, but a songbird, but he wouldn't eat and died overnight. I'm sort of frantic here. Somebody please help!!


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## tinkerbelle (Sep 24, 2004)

O btw, there is no band on his foot or anything, and (s)he can't fly yet.


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## Brooke (Sep 22, 2004)

Hello,

Go to the pet store, or if you have one near you, a bird store and buy a baby bird formula. A good one that I have always used is by Kaytee and I think that it is called baby bird formula. You will have to use a syringe to feed it to him. You can usually get one of these free at any pharmacist. Just make sure you take the needle off. Open his mouth and put the syringe in as far as it will go and deposit the food. Make sure the food is warm, but not too hot. I usually warm the water before I mix it with food. You will want to do this three to four times daily. It is too young to eat seed and bread, and at this point it needs the nutrition from the formula. Don't worry you can help the baby bird. I have saved many pigeons this way! The food is cheap and will last a long time if you keep it in the freezer. THanks for helping the sweet baby. It will quickly warm up to you and depend on you. Please let us know what happens.

Brooke


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## tinkerbelle (Sep 24, 2004)

Is he really that young? He's looks almost fully grown to me... Maybe I can go bike to the pet store sometime today. Is there anything I can do in the meantime? I read somwhere that a temporary food for songbirds is soaked catfood... would this work for a couple of hours? I have a mother who might not be too happy when she comes home... :/ ^.^


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## Brooke (Sep 22, 2004)

Yes, he is very young. THe yellow are downy feathers which protect the squab from cold before the feathers grow in and he is probably making small noises because he is hungry. Try to get the food as soon as possible. In the meantime you could try to syringe water into the mouth or put water in a small bowl next to it and see if it drinks. I am sure that it is thirsty, usually the formula has enough water in it, but who knows how long the baby hasn't eaten for. You could also try putting very small bird seed, like millet, to see if it will take a couple. IT will probably just peck at the food and release it since it is probably still too young. Keep it warm, but not too hot so that you don't dehydrate it.


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## Brooke (Sep 22, 2004)

As for your mother, tell her that baby pigeons are pretty clean since they can't fly, and that you won't get any diseases from it (a common and ignorant myth). just put a paper towel under the little baby and change it when it needs to be changed- usually soon after they eat. It won't make a lot of noise. If you can't keep it until it is old enough, try to find someone in your area that will take it and care for it. What state/city/country do you live, maybe someone on this site could help out. I would be happy to take it if you are near Seattle, WA.


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## tinkerbelle (Sep 24, 2004)

Well he's got feathers... there's just down sticking out from under it. I'm working on getting some pictures so you can see exactly what I mean. I'm not very good at explaining...

-Tinks


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## tinkerbelle (Sep 24, 2004)

Let's see if this works... My camera is very bad, but there is yellow down sticking out through his feathers around his neck, head, and even wings.


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## tinkerbelle (Sep 24, 2004)

Grrrr those are worse than I thought. I need a new camera. But you can see how he's almost completely grey, he's got feathers, and his wings look fully formed to me. He also has huge feet. His beak is kind of lumpy, too.


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## tinkerbelle (Sep 24, 2004)

Me and my friend (with whom I share this account) named him/her Aldwyn. It means 'Old Friend', according to her. She may be on sometime later... for now, this is Tinks.


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## tinkerbelle (Sep 24, 2004)

I tried getting some closeup pictures of his head, but they turned out really bad, sorry.  I need a new camera.


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## tinkerbelle (Sep 24, 2004)

Can anyone tell me how old he/she is and what I should feed him/her? Should I still go with the baby formula?


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## TAWhatley (Mar 6, 2001)

Looks like two and a half to three weeks old. See if the bird will peck at some small seeds like finch, canary, or parakeet. It may be just about old enough to start eating and drinking on its own. If it doesn't seem to catch on to eating seeds, you will need to feed it the baby bird formula.

Terry


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## tinkerbelle (Sep 24, 2004)

Thanks... She wouldn't eat anything hard i offered or drink from a little cup, and I've gotten some baby formula. There's just one huge problem... she won't open her mouth, and if I try to get it open, she struggles and now she's really afraid. She squeaks and shivers if she sees the syringe. But I did get a little bit in, I think... What should I do??


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## Brooke (Sep 22, 2004)

You have to force the pigeon to open it's mouth. I usually will pry the mouth open with one hand and then force the syringe in with the other. YOu may want another person to hold the mouth open for you. It takes awhile to get used to it. You have to force it to eat. You won't hurt it, although it seems like it when it wiggles to get out of your grasp. Try it. Where do you live? (country, state, city?)


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## TAWhatley (Mar 6, 2001)

Please read the thread in the General section titled "2 Hatchlings" .. there is a wealth of great information about feeding babies and alternative methods for doing so.

Take care not to get too forceful and end up injuring the youngster, but you do have to manage to get it to eat/drink or you have to manage to feed it.

Have a look at the thread I noted, and please keep us posted.

Terry


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## tinkerbelle (Sep 24, 2004)

It does seem like I'm hurting it... It's deathly afraid of me now. Whenever I touch it it squeaks... I live in US, Illinois, Naperville... some 2 hrs southwwest of chicago.


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## tinkerbelle (Sep 24, 2004)

I got about half a teaspoon in... how do I know when she's full??


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## Lin Hansen (Jan 9, 2004)

Hi Brooke and Tinkerbelle,

Can Tinkerbelle possibly use the "balloon over the syringe" method....may be easier than forcing their beaks open...I am trying to copy and paste what I mean from another post...don't know if it will work. If it doesn't, Tinkerbelle, click on Search option and type in "balloon syringe" and click on the thread that pops up...It will instruct you on what to do and even has a picture attached. *********************************

This has been successfully used for baby pigeons. It may work for yours if he is still at an age where he would only seek food from the parent (not pecking for own food).Syringe with end cut off, and a piece of ordinary plastic balloon stuck over the end, and a slit cut in the balloon. Baby's beak guided through slit so it could eat mixture as if naturally feeding from parent's beak/mouth, with frequent stops to ensure baby got air. You could use Kaytee Exact or liquidised chick crumbs. At least it may get some food in him.

(pic attached)


Other possibility - soak peas, maize (maybe some small grains too) from pigeon mix (or peas, maize from a friozen vegetables pack) in fresh boiled water for 30 mins. Feed one by one direct into his mouth. A juvenile can take maybe 40 - 50 items in one session. Takes a while, but again it gets food in him.

John
Attached Images


Okay, think it took the words but not the picture....do what I said with the Search option to see the picture.

Hope this helps

Linda


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## Lin Hansen (Jan 9, 2004)

Hi....

Didn't mean to be repetitive.....Terry's reply got posted while I was busy fooling around with my reply....Terry's right...just click on "two hatchlings."

Good luck


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## vgri (Sep 7, 2004)

Tinkerbelle, 
If you have a hard time keeping it still to its mouth, you may want to try to gently wrap it up in an old T-shirt or towel. If you warm up the cloth a litle, maybe for a few seconds in the microwave, he may fight you less. Talk to him with low voice as you approach him. It is important that you get some food into him or at least water. 
Violeta


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## TAWhatley (Mar 6, 2001)

Tink .. a half teaspoon is not nearly enough. You need to feed until the crop (the area on the chest at the base of the neck) is plump from being full of food. You can actually see/watch the crop fill out as you feed. Keep doing the best you can, but for sure, read the thread that I posted (2 Hatchlings) and also note what Linda and Violeta have posted.

Terry


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## tinkerbelle (Sep 24, 2004)

I've gotten a few teaspoons into her... All while you helpful peeps were posting this stuff. She does fight, but not so badly I can't hold her... the only thing I still don't get is this crop thing. Is it the whole fuzzy thing above her chest? It seems a little squishy now that I've got something in her, if you feel through the feathers a bit. I've been feeding her that Kaytee exact stuff, and it seems to work fine. She still doesn't have proper feathers on the undersides of her wings, and on her sides, and also there's this long bone thing with noe feathers on it down the middle of her belly. If she really stretches it sticks out alot. Is this OK? This is my first time with a pigeon, and the last bird I have, a fledgeling songbird, died overnight, probably because my mother made me put it outside overnight. 

I just went and chiecked on her, and she's in the corner of her box, looking quite alert. I think I'll put a hot water bottle in a corner of her cage... I guess if she's cold she can move toward it, if not, she can go to the other end of the box...


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## tinkerbelle (Sep 24, 2004)

I estimate that I've fed her about 2.5 teaspoons now. Should I feed her more? Her crop... or at least what I think is the crop... is a little squishy now.


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## TAWhatley (Mar 6, 2001)

Well done Tink! Now you're getting there .. yes, the squishy thing is the crop and it should be filled with food until it feels kind of like a beanie baby or a nice fresh marshmallow. Warmth is very, very important for baby birds as well as sick or injured birds. Just being warm and having water can often save a life. I know it's hard to "tell" Mom stuff .. but the warmth is so very important.

You've probably fed enough for right now. Wait for the crop (squishy thing) to empty (go flat) and then feed again .. that will probably be morning for you. You don't need to sit up all night doing this .. even birds have to sleep.

You have good instincts about this .. keep it up and keep us posted.

Terry


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## tinkerbelle (Sep 24, 2004)

Aaaw, thanks! Yes, I think I'll go to bed now. I've let her rest since I last posted, for about half an hour, then tried that suggestion of wrapping her in a t-shirt so she doesn't struggle that much. It seems to help a little, and she's taking this pretty well, too. I fed her another half a teaspoon, after which she really started to squirm, so I figured she'd had enough. She's also been pooping quite alot...  I think that's good...? She has a big cardboard box, about 1.5' by 2'. That hot water bottle is a medium glass jar, wrapped in a few layers of paper towel, and she has newspaper, like 7 layers, on the floor. I wouldn't say this is instinct... I'va had alot of help from all you guys... thank you all so much! I'll stay in touch, I'll probably be back on tomorrow morn!


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## tinkerbelle (Sep 24, 2004)

Update! Aldwyn is doing quite well, and I am surprised he/she is even alive. Every other bird I've had has died (that's one other bird). He/she looks fine, and I think there's actually new feathers on the undersides of his wings, though I'm not sure. I'm getting better at feeding Aldwyn, too, but he/she has been pecking at everything he/she can reach, and squeaking like crazy. Have I maybe not been feeding Aldwyn enough?


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## vgri (Sep 7, 2004)

Congratulations for keeping your bird alive Tinkerbelle! If the bird is pecking, it may very well be that she is still hungry. Ideally she should switch on seeds fairly soon. I don't remember what did you last write about bird seeds: did you manage to get her any? If she has seeds available, is she pecking at them? Can you tell if she is eating them? How does the crop feel? Half full? Full? Keep up the good work! You are doing very well!
Violeta


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## re lee (Jan 4, 2003)

The fast method I have used for many years. When I have hand fed young or sub raised youngbirds. I use a catheter syringe. 30 and 60 cc. Then use chick starter. I run warm water put the chick starter in a bowwl mix it let it sit. It will swell up as it asorbs the water. If a little more water is needed I add more. Try to keep it a little soupy. Then when it cools to just warm I put it in the syringe. Open the young birds beak. And shoot it down the throat Until the crop is full. You can easyly quess The amount on the birds age. And It takes just less then a second to feed the bird. chick startere is medicated. So it helps keep the young bird healthy too.


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## tinkerbelle (Sep 24, 2004)

Well I've got a big jar of Kaytee exact baby bird hand feeding formula, and I've been feeding that to her through a syringe, but I can only get in a little at a time, abpout 1/8 of a teaspoon. Last night I fed her and I'm pretty sure her crop was full... but when I enter the room and go to pick her up, she squeaks, jiggles her wings a little, and starts pecking my fingers like crazy. She doesn't stop squeaking until I leave. Today I put a bowl of water in and she actually took a drink. On the first day when we got her, she wouldn't drink water. I also put in a little dry and soaked rice, little pieces of bread, and a bit of finely chopped horseradish. She pecked at the rice a bit, but I'm not sure she ate much. Should I maybe try to leave some of the baby formula in there too? I'm in the same room now and she's been squeaking nonstop since I entered and put my hands near her...


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## Feefo (Feb 8, 2002)

Hi Tinkerbelle,

Just stick to the Kaytee Exact and the bird seed for the moment.

It is best that you don't shoot liquid down a pigeon's throat if you don't know how to do it, if fluid gets into the trachea the pigeon can aspirate and die very quickly...the trachea is just in front of the throat so it can be dangerous.

Please try to get it to feed itself. This link shows another method that might help you (in the pigeon rescue album).

http://community.webshots.com/user/mrenya 

Cynthia


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## tinkerbelle (Sep 24, 2004)

Thank you, Cynthia, I'll check it out!


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## vgri (Sep 7, 2004)

Thank you Cynthia for cautioning Tinkerbelle on the catheter method. I do not know all that much about birds, but when I first started volunteering at our wildlife center, they told us that if not done correctly the method could easily lead to a dead bird rather than a fed bird. If I understand correctly Tink, you said you offered breadcrumbs and rice. Although that does the trick if you really cannot get her anything else and the bird is starving, I was told many times that it is not good for the birds to feed on bread and rice for long. If you manage to go to a pet store, make sure you buy some birdseed. It is not expensive and it is much better for your little Aldwyn. Also, I don't know about leaving the liquid formula in her box. I think it spoils pretty quickly and she also may get it onto her feathers, and that would mean more squeaking when you'd clean her up. Have you tried cutting the bottom part of a syringe, covering the hole with a balloon membrane, and cutting a little slit in the stretched membrane? Your Aldwyn might feed a lot quicker if you just guide her beak into the slit, so she gets to the Kaytee Exact emulsion on her own.
Keep up the good work, 
Violeta


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## Izzy (Sep 17, 2004)

I have to give a HUGE thumbs up for the syringe/balloon method! I fed my two squabs with an eye dropper the first few days, but they were soooo tiny. From looking at your picts, he/she could definitely use the syringe method. Mine took too it immediately and they were just 6 days old when I first tried this method.

It's a bit messy at first, but you have no worries about where the food is going, lol! I was amazed that they knew exactly what to do once I put their beaks into the balloon slit and off they went, eating away.

Good luck, I'm hoping everything turns out well for you and your new friend. 

Izzy


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## tinkerbelle (Sep 24, 2004)

Unfortunately I do not have a syringe free for cutting up. I'm getting so worried! All Aldwyn does is squeak, and I can only get so much into him/her without feeling so sorry for him/her because he/she squirms so much. I'm also broke... no birdseed until next weekend.  I can try to borrow some money from my sis maybe. I'll also need to find that syringe. The one I'm using now was lent to me by a fried, and I don't think she'd want it cut up. And also, what do you use to cut it? The plastic seems pretty thick... Thanks guys for all your help!


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## tinkerbelle (Sep 24, 2004)

I got an idea and made an improvised ballon/syringe. It didn't work. He's in my lap and he's squeaking and trying to eat my hand apparently. And now he's walking on the keyboard and trying to eat it. I'm worried to tears, guys. He just doesn't want to eat. He's pecking at the keys and my fingers. He's screaming like he's insane.


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## tinkerbelle (Sep 24, 2004)

Well I've finished feeding him and he feels really full and it's finally QUIET! I sing alot and usually as I'm coming up the stairs, singing, he can hear me and starts to make a racket, chirping like crazy from his room. It's finally quiet, apart from a small chirp every once in a while.


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## ZigZagMarquis (Aug 31, 2004)

Hang in there Tinkerbelle. You got food in him, right? You must be doing fine then.  How did you get him to eat??


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## vgri (Sep 7, 2004)

I wanted to send you a private message but I did not know how, so here I go: I would like to send you some seed for dear Aldwyn. No bird of his caliber should go hungry  If you email me your address I could do it. 
Is this ok here: to ask Tink for her address? I want to help, and although I have Paypal, I don't think Tink has it on her end. Let me know Tinkerbelle!
Violeta


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## Izzy (Sep 17, 2004)

I have Paypal also and it's free to join. I get my monthly check this upcoming Friday, October 1st and would be more than happy to send a little something to help also. It wouldn't be much, I wish I could do more, but hopefully it would be somewhat helpful.

I wish I could offer some advice, but everything I know about pigeons I've learned the past 10 days! I have no clue what Aldwyn should even be eating, but I'm sure Violeta and/or others know.

Violeta, if you get in contact with Tinker, you can let me know if she gets a paypal account or let me know how you are handing this. You can email me directly at [email protected]

Izzy


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## TAWhatley (Mar 6, 2001)

Tink, can you please privately e-mail your snail mail address to those who have offered to help out with food and supplies?

Members wanting to help .. I think it might be best to send food and supplies (like a couple of syringes and balloons) to Tink rather that try to do the PayPal thing or sending money. Tink's age shows as only 14 so the PayPal might be difficult to handle on the receiving end. Just a thought or two.

Terry


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## TAWhatley (Mar 6, 2001)

*Private Messages*

For those needing to send a private message to another member ..

Click on the link titled Private Messages in the upper right of the screen .. right under the Welcome and you last visited ..

Once in the private message section, look on the left and click on the link to send a new message. Make sure you know the user name of the person you want to e-mail. This will be in the upper left of one of their posts to the board.

If you have private e-mail waiting for you when you log on to PigeonTalk, you will get a message and a link to click on for reading and replying to them.

Terry


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## Feefo (Feb 8, 2002)

Hi Tinkerbelle, 

1) Take a plastic bag, put some formula in it and force the formula into the corner of the bag. You will have a fat little bag of formula. Cut a slit in the bag and guide the baby’s beak into it, try to keep the nostrils out of the food. The community webshots link that I posted earlier will show you the photograph of this method.

Let the pigeon slurp while you count to 4 slowly, then remove the bag so the baby can breathe, then let it have another sip to the count of 4..



2) Bend two sides of a teaspoon inward so that the baby sees it as its mother’s lower beak. Guide the beak towards the spoon and see if it slurps that way. Look in the thread “New Arrivals” by Diogenese in Emergency care. Post 13 has a good photo of how to bend and use the teaspoon to feed a baby pigeon.

Cynthia


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## tinkerbelle (Sep 24, 2004)

Hey, this is Tinkerbelle's friend who found the Aldwyn with her. I'm currently in possesion of the bird (we trade off). Anyway, he had been pecking at things for quite a while. Though as Brooke mentioned earlier, he's really young. Should I get bird seed or anything other than the baby formula? Is there a special brand that anyone thinks would be good?


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## Feefo (Feb 8, 2002)

Yes, bird seed would be great. He might not eat it at the moment burt he wil learn to pick it us and consider iwhether it is food or not.

Pigeon mix is best but if you can't get that buy some wild bird seed and remove the unshelled sunflower seeds (they are not very good for baby pigeons.

Cynthia


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## Feefo (Feb 8, 2002)

How is the baby today?

I am concerned in case she is not getting the enough of the right nourishment. As I am in the UK I don't know the distances between places, but there is the Fox Valley Wildlife Centre at Elbury Woods, Forest Preserve, Elbury, County kane...if you are anywhere near there they might check the pigeon over for you and advise on feeding. Or if you telephone they might be able to recommend someone nearer to you. The telephone number is 630-365-3800.

Cynthia


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## TAWhatley (Mar 6, 2001)

I agree with Cynthia and am also concerned about whether the bird is getting enough nourishment. I do hope you will at least contact the wildlife center for help in locating someone near you who can help you out with advice or perhaps actually take the bird.

Terry


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## tinkerbelle (Sep 24, 2004)

Aldwyn is doing MUCH better. When I was feeding him right after school, he actually shut up and took the formula without squirming around too much. He still has been pecking at stuff when the shirt's not wound tight enough around him, so I'm going to get some birdseed ASAP. He poops a lot. Are there any signs for when a pigeon isn't getting enough nutrients?


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## Brooke (Sep 22, 2004)

I am glad to hear the the baby is well. A lot of poop is a good sign that it is getting enough food. Are you keeping the towel around it all the time? Try to let the feathers and skin breath and allow the pigeon to preen it's feathers. Small seed would be good to get so that it can practice picking it up. Keep up the good work and feedings. Cute name for the bird!


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## tinkerbelle (Sep 24, 2004)

No, I'm not keeping the towel around his ALL the time. He just has it when I'm feeding him. My mom's definetly going to get some bird seed today, and I'm hoping that he'll respond to it better than the baby bird formula. I think Aldwyn means "Old Friend" in welsh. It just sounds cool.


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## tinkerbelle (Sep 24, 2004)

Yay! He's actually eating the seeds! I'm soo happy. *does little victory dance*. I think that Aldwyn's ready to fly, since he keeps on flapping his wings in the box where I keep him. Also, I haven't had time to take him out because of school, hw, and the cold. How would I teach him to fly? Would he just know instinctively?


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## TAWhatley (Mar 6, 2001)

Good news with the self feeding! Aldwyn will know how to fly .. he just needs room to practice a bit. Make sure there's nothing that can hurt him while he's learning .. no sharp objects, no hot stoves, no open toilets or sinks/tubs full of water.

Terry


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