# Advice needed -- Rosie's sick



## downtownbirdies (Apr 7, 2006)

Hi everyone, 

Rosie is our 1 year old feral rescue. This morning, at feeding time, she was stumbling when she walked. She seemed to fly OK, but was dragging her wings and flopping pretty badly when she walked. We thought she might have had an injury, since otherwise, she seemed alert and in good spirits.

We brought her in to the emergency room with an exotics/avian vet on duty, but as luck would have it, she was acting fine by then and they couldn't find anything wrong with her. The lab was closed, so they couldn't test for anything until tomorrow.

Got her home, she walked perfectly and then flew up to her feeding shelf, drank and ate for a bit. We thought she might actually be fine, but...A half hour or so later, we checked on her again and she was on the floor hunkered with her tail down. Now, she walks fine but can't (or won't) fly. We urged her to fly. I held her and tossed her up from my hands but she only flapped and glided/fell to the ground. She is normally a bit jumpy (can't usually hold her) and is very quick to startle and fly, so this just isn't right. 

Her poops before today have been normal, we think, although they were a little runny with white after the vet today. She also laid an egg this evening. She has no obvious neuro signs, no head tilts, no respiratory signs, no discharge. When I held her, her wings trembled for a short bit, but I think that might have been nervousness. She lives with our male Capuchine and they get along well. He is fine right now. 

What could be wrong with her? We are going to bring her back to the vet tomorrow for a blood panel, but the vets at the hospital have no particular experience with pidgies, and I am worried they won't have a clue. Please reply. Thank you for your help and wisdom.


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## Pidgey (May 20, 2005)

Does sound kinda' ominous. Does she get plenty of calcium?

Pidgey


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## KIPPY (Dec 18, 2003)

> We urged her to fly. I held her and tossed her up from my hands but she only flapped and glided/fell to the ground.


I don't think you should try that again.
I would just keep her warm and let her relax someone should reply shortly with some good advice.


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## downtownbirdies (Apr 7, 2006)

Yes, she gets Hi-Cal grit, ground oyster shell and a vita/mineral supplement mixed in her seed and in a bowl.


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## Pidgey (May 20, 2005)

I've seen them wobbly for a lot of reasons but they're usually pretty doggone sick or weak from starvation. This just doesn't seem like that. Don't know what to tell you, wish I did.

Pidgey


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## downtownbirdies (Apr 7, 2006)

KIPPY said:


> I don't think you should try that again.
> I would just keep her warm and let her relax someone should reply shortly with some good advice.


Thank you so much. Yes, we put her in her nest bowl/box to rest. Just so you know, I didn't toss her up in the air, just about an inch above my hands. (Kind of like a "Wheee! with a baby.) She flapped off on her own choice, but could only manage a controlled glide/fall. She landed well, but it is clear she's not really flying.


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## feralpigeon (Feb 14, 2005)

Is this her first egg?

fp


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## downtownbirdies (Apr 7, 2006)

feralpigeon said:


> Is this her first egg?
> 
> fp


No, she has been laying most of the year, about every three weeks.


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## Pidgey (May 20, 2005)

Tell you what--feel around on her joints, wing and leg. Compare each joint with the opposite side. See if you feel any of them that feel puffy or possibly larger.

Another thing you might do is take a thermometer for taking human temperature and get the bulb down below her "armpit" pushed up against the actual body. Try to keep the wing down over it and keep it all pressed in pretty good. See if her temperature comes up to 107-ish.

Pidgey


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## downtownbirdies (Apr 7, 2006)

Pidgey said:


> Tell you what--feel around on her joints, wing and leg. Compare each joint with the opposite side. See if you feel any of them that feel puffy or possibly larger.
> 
> Another thing you might do is take a thermometer for taking human temperature and get the bulb down below her "armpit" pushed up against the actual body. Try to keep the wing down over it and keep it all pressed in pretty good. See if her temperature comes up to 107-ish.
> 
> Pidgey


Should I do this tonight or just make sure the vet does it tomorrow? They did do a physical exam on her today and said she was fine. They took her in the back, so I am not sure exactly what they did.


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## Pidgey (May 20, 2005)

They almost never take their temperature. Birds' body temperatures tend to go down when they're actually sick, quite the opposite of us. It's just something that you can easily do that might give a clue.

Pidgey


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## downtownbirdies (Apr 7, 2006)

Anythoughts on what could be wrong?


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## Pidgey (May 20, 2005)

Not without more symptoms, signs and clues. That's why I was hoping you could take the bird's temperature.

Pidgey


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## maryjane (Jul 15, 2006)

downtownbirdies said:


> No, she has been laying most of the year, about every three weeks.


I hope you are able to find out what's wrong and that she gets well quickly. I would definitely get her some "dummy" eggs to lay on. It isn't healthy for them to produce eggs every three weeks, which many people don't know when they first have a pigeon, so please don't feel bad. It is a great idea to let her sit on fake eggs (can be bought at most craft stores, and some feed stores have them), which will cut back on her laying. Good luck!!


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## downtownbirdies (Apr 7, 2006)

> It is a great idea to let her sit on fake eggs (can be bought at most craft stores, and some feed stores have them), which will cut back on her laying. Good luck!!


We got her some fake eggs, but weren't sure how long to leave them in the nest. She sits so diligently - she barely leaves the nest at all if there's an egg in there (even a fake one), so it seems like it is hard on her. We ususally only leave the fake one in a few days. Should it be longer?


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## downtownbirdies (Apr 7, 2006)

Pidgey said:


> Not without more symptoms, signs and clues. That's why I was hoping you could take the bird's temperature.
> 
> Pidgey


Hi Pidgey, we are out of luck on taking her temp tonight...We don't have a thermometer, I am afraid.


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## Pidgey (May 20, 2005)

Yeah, you leave them in until she stops sitting on them.

Pidgey


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## Skyeking (Jan 17, 2003)

downtownbirdies said:


> We got her some fake eggs, but weren't sure how long to leave them in the nest. She sits so diligently - she barely leaves the nest at all if there's an egg in there (even a fake one), so it seems like it is hard on her. We ususally only leave the fake one in a few days. Should it be longer?


I would go ahead and leave the eggs in there longer, she might just go back and lay on them again. I have a hen who will leave her dummy eggs for a day or two and then go back and lay on them again. I try to keep her on them as long as possible and her mate has also helped as he has driven her back to the nest.

Does she have a mate or is she laying because she is bonded to you? 

Keep her warm and give her a cod liver oil cap once a month too.


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## downtownbirdies (Apr 7, 2006)

Does she have a mate or is she laying because she is bonded to you? 

She is mated to our Capuchine rescue, Pidge. (They are an odd-looking couple, but it's SO sweet how much they really, really love each other!) We were worried about leaving the fake eggs in because sitting the nest seems so stressful and hard on them. They don't enjoy life very much when they're sitting.  I know the wear and tear on her will be much worse, though, if she keeps laying so often. Thanks so much for the advice and we'll add the oil too. 

Is there a particular mineral/vitamin supplement you think is best? Jedd's is out of the German one we've been using. We also give them pellets that are supposed to complement seed, but I don;t really think they eat them...


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