# Injured bird



## amanda33 (Aug 5, 2008)

Hello, I don't know anything about pigeons, we feed them that is all. I found this pigeon yesterday when I was walking my dog. I actually thought he was dead until he looked at me sideways. He can move his neck he just can't lift it all the way up. He is alert, and he does look better than yesterday. I was told to keep him safe and warm for a couple of days and see if he gets better. Is there anything else I can do? Also, I have been giving him water from a syringe and holding his neck up so he can drink, is that the way I should be doing it? He just sits on the floor with his head on the floor.


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## Lovebirds (Sep 6, 2002)

amanda33 said:


> Hello, I don't know anything about pigeons, we feed them that is all. I found this pigeon yesterday when I was walking my dog. I actually thought he was dead until he looked at me sideways. He can move his neck he just can't lift it all the way up. He is alert, and he does look better than yesterday. I was told to keep him safe and warm for a couple of days and see if he gets better. Is there anything else I can do? Also, I have been giving him water from a syringe and holding his neck up so he can drink, is that the way I should be doing it? He just sits on the floor with his head on the floor.


Amanda, thanks for picking this little one up. Do you mean the bird can't stand up? We've got some members in CA, but I don't know off hand how close they are to you. Hold on a sec.............
Can you post pictures of the bird?


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## Lovebirds (Sep 6, 2002)

I sent a PM to one of our moderators who is in CA. I don't think she's real close to you, but may know of someone who might help.


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## amanda33 (Aug 5, 2008)

Hello. No he can stand up, is well hydrated from what I have read. He can stand up just fine, he can only fly about 8 feet before he gets disoriented; well that was yesterday, I haven't let him fly yet for fear of him hurting himself. It is his neck that he can't hold up in a proper position, but he can move it. I was told that it is just a neck injury and he will get better or he will not. I just went to check on him though and he had his head up. Not for too long, but yesterday he couldn't even do that. I have in a carrier with a towel and another towel on the back on top to help keep him warm. I am looking for a heating pad, but I don't think he needs one, his body temp is warm and he is alert. I just gave him a water bowl with a little water in it so he can't drown, or anything and so far he is looking great. I am getting some food for him in a little bit so I will see if he wants to eat later. Thank you so much for looking for someone. Even if you can't find anyone, I think with instruction I can take care of him until he gets better. Plus it will be easy to release him once he is; him and about 30 of his friends live in my backyard.


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## Skyeking (Jan 17, 2003)

amanda33 said:


> Hello, I don't know anything about pigeons, we feed them that is all. I found this pigeon yesterday when I was walking my dog. I actually thought he was dead until he looked at me sideways. He can move his neck he just can't lift it all the way up. He is alert, and he does look better than yesterday. I was told to keep him safe and warm for a couple of days and see if he gets better. Is there anything else I can do? Also, I have been giving him water from a syringe and holding his neck up so he can drink, is that the way I should be doing it? He just sits on the floor with his head on the floor.


Thank you for helping this poor needy bird.

Please follow these guidelines:

http://www.pigeons.biz/forums/showthread.php?t=8822

Have you tried to feed him, some liquidy formula will do?

Are there any injuries? Any lesions down the throat?
Is he light weight, is the breast bone prominent?

Here is a link for help:

http://www.pigeon-life.net/prd.htm


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## amanda33 (Aug 5, 2008)

oh, no I can't post pictures of the bird, my camera is broken at the moment. He is a wild grey pigeon, I can't remember the correct latin name at he moment. He is very pretty though and is still very bright eyed. Also he tolerates being held to be given water, but I am hoping be the end of the day he will be able to drink by himself. I don't want to cause the poor thing any more discomfort than I have to. Do you think I should but a heating pad under the house to keep him warm? It is plastic, but I could put under the towel that he is on, but I think it would him too warm, what do you think?


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## Skyeking (Jan 17, 2003)

If he is cold he will be fluffed up, you can put the heating pad on low and wrap a towel around it, before you set him on it. If it is too warm, then give him an area where he can move and sit free of it and he will let you know.

*Please see my earlier post for resources.


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## amanda33 (Aug 5, 2008)

He does have one injury that is visible, he has a small bald spot on the top of his head. It isn't very big and I think it might be from running into a window. Other than that he is in great condition and health. All of our pigeons are very well feed and he is a shinning example of that. Except for his neck and the disorientation that I saw yesterday (he doesn't seem to be so out of it today) there is nothing really wrong with him. I have taken in birds before but they were always very broken or very sick and didn't survive longer than a week.


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## amanda33 (Aug 5, 2008)

No he isn't fluffed up at all, that is why I was going to wait on the heating pad, at least until night time. He just seems tired and needs rest. I think that is al he needs anyway, and my that is also what my vet said.


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## Skyeking (Jan 17, 2003)

Well that definitely sounds good. He may have run into something and has trauma.

Please do offer him a bowl of wild bird seed or pigeon seed.


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## jenfer (Jan 7, 2008)

Amanda,

Can he eat on his own if you put a dish of wild bird seeds in front of him? He may be able to drink the same way (from a dish), but if he doesn't have control of his head/neck, be very careful that he doesn't drown.

Does he have any head tremors or neck twisting? Does he walk in circles or fly backwards?

I usually only put birds who are puffed up on heat. I use a disposable "hot hands" heat pack (made for humans for use in cold weather) on the floor of the carrier placed so the bird can stand away from it if he chooses.

Jennifer


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## amanda33 (Aug 5, 2008)

The hot hands is a great idea, I have those if he needs them later. No when I saw him trying to fly yesterday he was fine he just kind of crash landed because he can't put his head up. I found him in the bushes across the street. I gave him a bowl of water with enough in it to drink but not drown, that being a primary concern. I don't know if he can eat by himself yet, the food is on its way now. I just checked on him and he is asleep again. When he breathes he does make a slight gurgling sound,(I don't know how else to phrase it). He was doing it yesterday and it is very soft, is this normal? As far as I can see, he doesn't have any neck twisting or anything like that he looks sideways at you, but under the circumstances that is good.


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## Pidgey (May 20, 2005)

I've had a few that have crashed into things before and they can certainly be out of it and in-and-out of it for awhile. If there's the possibility of a head injury then you usually want to keep them a bit cool, if anything, in case there's bleeding inside the skull (you're not going to know one way or another on that). It's best to keep them in dim lighting to so that they stay calm.

Pidgey


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## Dezirrae (Oct 6, 2007)

Thank you Amanda for taking this piji in and caring for him/her! While I don't have any advice to add to what you already have I do have a question which may help others more knowledgable about injuries -- has s/he pooped and can you describe it? Is there anyway you could borrow someone's camera to post a picture or two - sometime people here pick up on injuries or symptoms from a picture that others wouldn't even realize was an abnormality. Even a photo from a cell phone camera would be helpful.

Good luck and bless you for caring!


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## jenfer (Jan 7, 2008)

Hi Amanda,

If he's a young bird, the small bald spot on the head could be from being pecked at by other pigeons rather than a crash landing. 

For trauma, I like to use homeopathic arnica. I have the Boiron 30 c pellets (about $6 for a vial that lasts forever). I dissolve one or two pellets in some spring water, then give a couple of drops alongside the beak a couple of times for the first day or two. For head trauma, there's also nat sulph, which you could use the same way following the arnica.

For anyone interested, there's some good information on homeopathy and wildlife rehab (co-authored by a vet) here: http://www.ewildagain.org/Homeopathy/homeopathictips.htm

Jennifer


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## TAWhatley (Mar 6, 2001)

Hi Amanda!

It sounds like things are going along pretty well for you and your rescued pigeon. Hopefully it will be able to eat on its own, and if that's the case then probably a few days of R&R will be all that is needed.

I'm in Lake Forest in South Orange County .. about 90 miles south of you. I don't know of anyone closer aside from Rena or Debbie in the Highland/San Bernardino area.

Please keep us posted.

Terry


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