# Pet dove tail bobbing and open mouth breathing,



## Pigeonkeeper154 (Sep 30, 2021)

Hi, my pet mourning dove started tail bobbing and breathing with a slightly open mouth. I put some vitamins in his water. This started yesterday and got a tiny bit worse. Should I separate him from his female, she is doing fine though? Here’s a picture of his poop, and no the seed in the picture did not come from him it fell their. Yesterday he was just tail bobbing but today he is slightly opening his mouth to breath. If I touch him he stops doing this but in 30 seconds he continues. He is a fully weaned juvenile I raised from 3 days old this spring.


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## Doves Witness (Apr 23, 2016)

Open-mouthed breathing can be a sign that a bird feels too hot. On the other hand, in the photo the bird's feathers are fluffed-up which they keep that way when they are cold. The dropping on the lower-right of the first picture is almost gray, which can be an indication of a yeast / fungal infection which usually starts in the respiratory tract and can also cause difficulty breathing. On the other hand, the droppings in that photo vary in color quite a bit so it may just be that you feed them a wide variety of foods such as fruits and vegetables. Tail-bobbing is also a potential symptom of respiratory infection.

Giving the bird raw, unfiltered Apple Cider Vinegar in drinking water (1 teaspoon per quart of water) won't harm the bird and will interfere with yeast and fungus. Click the "natural remedies" link in the signature at the end of my post for a list of other foods that will help fight yeast / mold / fungus too, such as garlic, ginger, neem, cinnamon, clove, oregano, thyme, black pepper, and chamomile tea. A bath in room-temperature water with 1 teaspoon boric acid per quart of water would help to eliminate any yeast on the bird's feathers or skin. Don't submerge or pour water over the bird's nostrils.


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## Pigeonkeeper154 (Sep 30, 2021)

Hi, thank you, just to be sure if he does not have a yeast infection this won’t harm him, and I only give him a cup of water in his cage in a bowl. Should I make a quart of this vinegar water and only give him a cup?


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## Pigeonkeeper154 (Sep 30, 2021)

This is good right?


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## Pigeonkeeper154 (Sep 30, 2021)

Oh and also should I take his female out of the cage they share or let her be with him? Also since she is not sick, will it be ok for her to drink this vinegar water, they do share their water bowl and food bowl


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## Doves Witness (Apr 23, 2016)

Yes, that brand of ACV is good. 1/4 teaspoon per cup of water is the same ratio as 1 tsp per quart.

Small amounts of ACV in their water won't hurt them at all, but it certainly does interesting kinds of damage to various bacteria, yeast, fungus, etc.


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## Pigeonkeeper154 (Sep 30, 2021)

So I don’t have to separate the female?


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## Doves Witness (Apr 23, 2016)

No, I wouldn't. Fungal infections are spread through the air usually, so she has likely already been exposed but her system may be handling it better. ACV in water for her too would be a good idea.


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## Marina B (May 5, 2011)

Can you take a flashlight and check inside the beak and back of the throat for any unusual yellow or white growths?


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## Pigeonkeeper154 (Sep 30, 2021)

Ok I will now


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## Pigeonkeeper154 (Sep 30, 2021)

Sorry for late reply no now growths seems a bit more active today


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## Pigeonkeeper154 (Sep 30, 2021)

Should this go away on its own?, how long should I continue to give the vinegar? Is their anything else I could do?


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## Marina B (May 5, 2011)

Can you post a photo of the droppings? Apple cider vinegar should be part of their diet. Give once or twice a week. 5 ml acv to 1 litre of water. This creates a hostile environment to prevent growth of bad bacteria.


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## shmi (9 mo ago)

Pigeonkeeper154 said:


> Hi, my pet mourning dove started tail bobbing and breathing with a slightly open mouth. I put some vitamins in his water. This started yesterday and got a tiny bit worse. Should I separate him from his female, she is doing fine though? Here’s a picture of his poop, and no the seed in the picture did not come from him it fell their. Yesterday he was just tail bobbing but today he is slightly opening his mouth to breath. If I touch him he stops doing this but in 30 seconds he continues. He is a fully weaned juvenile I raised from 3 days old this spring.
> View attachment 101300
> 
> View attachment 101301


Why are they caged?


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## Pigeonkeeper154 (Sep 30, 2021)

They get free time to fly around my house and bird room but now they must stay away from my other birds to prevent infection.


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## Pigeonkeeper154 (Sep 30, 2021)

I posted a picture at the top of this thread of the poop.


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