# How to put a bird down?



## Grim (Jul 28, 2007)

I have a almost fully feather squeaker who was born with tiny little eyes. I believe it is blind. Today I found him out of his box and he just keeps waving his head around like he is brain dead. Very slowly moving his head in slow motion. The parents fed his sibling and totally ignored him. He used to squeak and get fed and even when i picked him up he had no recollection of what was going on. I think this bird needs to be put down before it starves to death. Any ideas? I feel bad and have no idea if it is suffering.


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## Charis (Feb 11, 2007)

You could start hand feeding to see if he improves. He could be cold and dehydrated which could cause the behavior you are seeing. If you do chose to do that, which we would all recommend, please follow the protocol in the resource section...warm...then hydrate.... If the bird is indeed blind, it can still have a happy life and you could offer it for adoption.
Should you decide to euthanise...a vet would need to do that.


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## Grim (Jul 28, 2007)

Here is the poor guy.


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## Grim (Jul 28, 2007)

This is a video of the head movement. Please forgive me I have not scraped the floor yet today.


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## Charis (Feb 11, 2007)

Please follow the steps outined by Cindy in this link. It desn't look to me like the bird is so bad off it needs to be put down. After all , we don't put down blind people animals should have the same respect.
http://www.pigeons.biz/forums/f6/basic-steps-to-saving-the-life-of-a-pigeon-or-dove-9457.html


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## Pidgey (May 20, 2005)

Let's get some food in him for now and do it the hard way if you can't tubefeed him. Just roll dried peas and corn down him one at a time if nothing else. Yes, he looks blind. Yes, it looks like a permanent condition. No, there's no need to for him to be put down. I can understand if you don't want to keep him but maybe somebody else can and would. Can we just give him that chance?

Pidgey


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## Grim (Jul 28, 2007)

Well I am not running around searching for an axe to chop his head off. That is not how I am. Thats why I was asking. I placed him back in the nest and low and behold he was eventually fed. His crop is full. Have you watched the video? Does he do that because he is blind or is he sick?


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## Skyeking (Jan 17, 2003)

Grim,

The bird needs to be hand fed to see if he is just malnourished-or looking for his mom and dad, then you should take the bird to an avian rehabber and have them determine if the bird is indeed mentally incapacitated/malformed due to breeding. Don't let it starve to death.

I have seen the bird and this may not just be a case of the bird being blind, but someone with more expereince should determine this.I did notice the difference between the two squabs as the head is smaller between the eyes, but I don't know if that is just because of the eyes, or more.

I have had a blind pigeon that I baby sat, who had lost his eyes in an accident, he would move his head strangily, but he was as healthy and normal in every aspect.


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## Skyeking (Jan 17, 2003)

I have left a message with Doreen our local rehabber, not sure where she is but I have left a message for her to call me.

Perhaps you can take the bird to her to have a look at it.


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## Grim (Jul 28, 2007)

Ya I feel bad for him. His sibling runs around and eats with the others. This poor guy sometimes wanders around but I always have to put him back in his bowl which he seems happy when he feels his bowl. He is even banded to be a flier since I never knew how he would turn out little eyes or not.

To recap though he is officially full from his parents so he can at least comprehend feeding still. I honestly think he is going to pass on his own soon. Even though he made it this far.


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## Grim (Jul 28, 2007)

Yes Treesa I am going down Corey tomorrow. I have to get your meds back to.


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## Whitefeather (Sep 2, 2002)

Grim,
With regard to the possibility of this bird being blind, here's the link to a post about how our Rae Charles gets along. We've had her nearly four years & she does wonderfully. 

http://www.pigeons.biz/forums/showpost.php?p=208215&postcount=14

For whatever reason, I must have deleted the picture referenced in that post. 

Cindy


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## Skyeking (Jan 17, 2003)

I just talked to Doreen and she is willing to take a look at the youngster, and also raise it to where it is independent and can eat on its own, if you can't. She already has the other white blind racing pigeon, so she is used to having them, and she may be able to find the sweety a home.

Please call her at 951-0889, I have already told her all about the bird, so she has some history. But call before you go over, as she can be anywhere at any time of day, because it's baby bird season.


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## Skyeking (Jan 17, 2003)

Grim said:


> To recap though he is officially full from his parents so he can at least comprehend feeding still.*I honestly think he is going to pass on his own soon. Even though he made it this far.*


Grim,

Poor thing, what observations lead you to believe that?


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## Grim (Jul 28, 2007)

Because now he is moving his head like he can't control it. Almost like it is neurological problems. I will call Doreen if the parents stop feeding him. Until then I will keep a close eye on him. If he can live a happy life I will keep him.


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## spirit wings (Mar 29, 2008)

do you think he is inbred?...just a thought...I have to be careful with mine when breeding time comes. the breeder has the info of who is brother and sister...otherwise I would'nt have a clue...I have heard of some of the whites being inbred.


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## TheSnipes (Apr 9, 2007)

I wonder if the head movements may be due to limited sight *and* limited hearing? The little guy may have more than one problem. I do hope the rehabber can see him and help advise you.

_"Well I am not running around searching for an axe to chop his head off."_...I had to chuckle at that


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## Grim (Jul 28, 2007)

As far is inbred I don't think so. The birds have had 3 rounds this being the 3rd. All the other young birds are not only healthy but great fliers and intelligent birds. Yet I don't know for sure.


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## Pidgey (May 20, 2005)

You should see my Unie--she moves her head like Stevie Wonder all the time in order to locate where sounds are coming from. Their ear holes are just that--holes. They don't have the external ear structures that we and other animals have that can help with determinining sound origin direction. That means they have to "scan", rather like some people with limited sight "scan" with a nystagmus-like motion of the eyes.

Pidgey


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## Skyeking (Jan 17, 2003)

That's what Larry reminds me of-Stevie Wonder, and then he will roll his head backwards and almost touch his back with the back of his head. I would give him pieces of an alfalfa tablet and rice, just to supplement him for his nerves. 

Grim,

If he is going to end up on the floor by himself without any supervision-which might make him susceptible to other birds, you might bring him over to her tomorrow She will let you see the blind pigeon, (I call) Larry Bird. He does all kinds of weird head rolls, but he is as normal and healthy as every other pigeon, except for his sight.


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## Whitefeather (Sep 2, 2002)

Pidgey said:


> *You should see my Unie--she moves her head like Stevie Wonder all the time in order to locate where sounds are coming from*.
> 
> Pidgey


That's what Rae Charles does. 
She definitely has her work cut out for her, given the amount of cooing that comes from the aviary. 

It's interesting how she reacts when the sound is closer as oppsed to being across the aviary. She will begin to dance, coo, fan her tail, etc., as she knows someone has come to visit.  

Cindy


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## Dezirrae (Oct 6, 2007)

Awwww Grim - I'm so sorry to hear about the little guy. I'll be saying some prayers that he (or she) improves. I'll be following the thread for updates of course.

I'm not rehabber as you know and certainly not even close to an expert... but I was reading last night that a piji's normal "head bob" is to make up for a depth perception issue (sorry, can't remember where I read that) - but given that your little baby has issues with the eyes could s/he be moving the head around so much in an effort to over correct the depth perception issue? Suppose that's more a question for the experts here - but thought I'd throw it in...


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## maryjane (Jul 15, 2006)

You guys beat me to it....I was going to say, Stevie Wonder! I have encountered many blind people and animals throughout my life and many of them, if not most, move their head in kind of a regular "sway", some mildly and some more than others. My friend Jeremy had been blind since birth, and he does the head-sway thing mildly, he says it's just something he's always done and he believes it must help his other senses and that's why blind people (and animals) to it. I think this must be true. I hope your little Stevie Wonder makes it!


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## spirit wings (Mar 29, 2008)

how is little Stevie today?


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