# What size feeding tube?



## Rocky17 (Mar 23, 2005)

I am curently using a stainless steel feeding needle and would like to swith to
rubber tubing. I started digging around and found one but it is 4.7mm. that's a big larger than what I was using. What size do you suggest? I'll order some and have them on hand. Marie


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## warriec (Feb 2, 2007)

because of lack of things for pigeons i use a fish tank air tube which is 5 feet long. it hold about 20cc of food at a time. works well for me.


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## Pidgey (May 20, 2005)

Well, I don't use conventional stuff myself--I jury-rigged a setup that is easily accessible. I think a few setups are displayed here, though:

http://www.pigeons.biz/forums/showthread.php?t=16235

Pidgey


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## TAWhatley (Mar 6, 2001)

If you have a stainless crop needle, I'd stay with that .. what is the gauge .. should be stamped on the square part ..

The "rubber " tubes are fine also, but if I had a choice, I'd stay with the stainless crop needles.

Terry


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## Feefo (Feb 8, 2002)

I think it depends on what you are feeding and to what age.

For adult pigeons and collared doves I use the end of the parrot tube that Vetark sell: http://www.noahs-cupboard.co.uk/detail.asp?catno=8&pnum=A2A5F

It is the one I use in this video, which shows the rounded end of the feeding tube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HulTENCRFvU 

I had been using a needle tube but that got blocked very easily and there was a risk of the needle shooting into the crop.

I still use the needle tube to feed pigeons with canker, but I find that the soft rounded end of the parrot tube is gentler on the bird and allaow food of a thicker consistency through.

CYnthia


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## feralpigeon (Feb 14, 2005)

Stainless steel crop needles are great, but something that I did find at the 
local Right Aid in the baby section were a series of little gizmos for medicating
babies with. One was a syringe w/a clear soft tubing that was curved and had a shield 
so that it could only be inserted so far into the mandibles. The curve 
was just right for the birds and it was approximately 2 inches in length. Kind of
handy to have around and of course reusable. It was a steal at $2.99.

What size stainless steel needle are you currently using? 

fp


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## Charis (Feb 11, 2007)

feralpigeon said:


> Stainless steel crop needles are great, but something that I did find at the
> local Right Aid in the baby section were a series of little gizmos for medicating
> babies with. One was a syringe w/a clear soft tubing that was curved and had a shield
> so that it could only be inserted so far into the mandibles. The curve
> ...


What a good thing to know about.


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## TAWhatley (Mar 6, 2001)

Thanks for the tip, FP. I'll try to remember to have a look for those in the baby section.

I use a #14 curved crop needle. 

http://www.petiatric.com/index.asp?PageAction=PRODSEARCH&txtSearch=crop+needle&Page=1

Terry


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## feralpigeon (Feb 14, 2005)

Hi Marie et al,

Here's a link to my Webshots page showing the curved tip feeding syringe
w/shield:

http://outdoors.webshots.com/album/558835529ifZpIy

And here's the online catalogue link to the same syringe in case local drug
stores don't carry them, although you will have to type in page 50 at the top of
the page for the link to bring you to the curved tip syringe:

http://apothecaryproducts.dirxion.com/Main.asp

This is a 5 ml syringe so it needs to get refilled for the complete feeding.

Here's the online catalogue link to the syringe w/a cone tip otherwise called dosage cork,
again, some typing is involved. You'll have to enter page 49 at the top of the page as the
links will not 'hold' the specific product and revert in time to the main catalogue:

http://apothecaryproducts.dirxion.com/Main.asp

Here's a link to my Webshots showing how a minor modification turns it into 
a feeding tool that a baby pigeon can insert it's beak into:

http://outdoors.webshots.com/album/558835229TjZgMt

The dosage cork syringe is 10ml and the other tip fits on it although one
might want to snug up the fit w/one or two wraps of Teflon Tape.

fp


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