# severely dehydrated young fledgling



## GreenGirl116 (Oct 8, 2015)

I have experience rehabbing a variety of wild birds, including pigeon nestlings.

Today, the neighborhood kids rang my bell to say there was a sick pigeon "rolling down a hill", and other kids were throwing sticks/rocks at it. I ran to the area, and there was indeed a sorry looking, puffed up pigeon, barely able to stand.

I brought her home. No visible wounds. Severely dehydrated and starving. I immediately began administering an emergency solution via eyedropper (water, sugar, salt). After several hours, pidge is perking up slightly: able to stand, not falling over, moving around cage a few inches. She has also pooped twice, very watery, bright green/white droppings. Mostly puffed and sleeping though.

My best guess (from remembering the other pigeons we rescued) is that this is a very young, recently fledged bird. Beak is still dark black with no "white line" of feathers across bridge of nose, she also has just begun to have irridescent feathers. I think she wasn't able to find food or water on her own, which lead to dehydration and starving conditions.

She is now resting for the night and I will reassess at sunrise (rehabbing a sparrow fledgling too LOL). My question for tomorrow, if she is well enough to take food: what would you suggest for first feedings? "Crop milk" mixture? Peas? Attempt to see if she will self-feed? 

Any advice is appreciated, thank you!


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## cwebster (Dec 11, 2010)

Bless you for rescuing the burd! Would imagine peas would be great but someone more expert than me should answer soon.


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## Marina B (May 5, 2011)

You can forcefeed defrosted peas, try to get 30 into him for a start. 30 peas 3 times daily will be enough to keep him going until he learns to start eating by himself.


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## GreenGirl116 (Oct 8, 2015)

Thanks so much for the advice! S/he survived the night, so I'm hopeful. Still puffed up and sleepy, but taking water and pooping. Will try peas now


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

Can you post a pic of the bird?


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## GreenGirl116 (Oct 8, 2015)

s/he ate (via force-feeding) a full 30 peas and is back to resting. More alert and stretching wings though


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## GreenGirl116 (Oct 8, 2015)

Also, she is crawling with mites or lice: very small, long, skinny brown bugs. 
The only thing I have on hand is "8 in 1 Ultra Care Mite and Lice bird spray".
I sprayed her gently yesterday, but didn't want to soak or stress her. Can someone advise on how to handle the bug situation? Thank you!


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## Marina B (May 5, 2011)

Beautiful bird, thanks for saving her. Hope someone will be able to answer your other questions.


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

If the mice and lice spray doesn't work, then try a permethrin spray or powder, or 5% Sevin garden dust that you can buy in most hardware stores. Keep it out of her face, and get her well under the wings and tail, then do the rest. For a powder you can use a powder puff, or a couple of cotton balls. Either one works well.


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## GreenGirl116 (Oct 8, 2015)

Jay3, thanks for the advice. I will keep that in mind.

S/he has eaten several times today, via force-feeding peas. 30 peas at 7:30 am, 15 at 11:30, 15 at 3:30. I am also still giving electrolyte solution via eye-dropper.

Pigeon is more alert: showing curiosity when I enter the room, walking around cage, stretching, struggling a little in protest of being force-fed. Poop is still very watery, bright green/white. 24 hours ago s/he was at Death's Door, and now I'd say closer to 50% better. Eyes are bright, no sneezing or nasal discharge, nothing alarming inside mouth/throat.


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## cwebster (Dec 11, 2010)

Great job rescuing the little cutie!


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

Try to get him to drink on his own by gently dipping his beak into the water. Giving water with an eye dropper, it's easy to aspirate him.

Make sure the crop has emptied or nearly emptied before feeding again.
I'm glad he's feeling a bit better.


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## GreenGirl116 (Oct 8, 2015)

Jay 3, again, thank you for the good advice. 
So far s/he shows no interest in self-feeding or drinking water. Yes, I keep trying the beak dipping technique. But I will keep trying; tomorrow is a new day


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

Let us know how he does.


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## Marina B (May 5, 2011)

You can also leave a small bowl filled with peas in her cage. It's sometimes amazing how quick they learn to pick them up. Once she's eating peas by herself, you can add some seeds and she will start eating them as well.


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## GreenGirl116 (Oct 8, 2015)

S/he was very puffy and sleepy this morning; I force-fed 30 peas. Had to run out for a few hours and return to find a very alert pidgie who had completely trash the cage LOL! Someone was feeling better and stomping their big feet to let me know


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

Yes, cage trashing is pretty normal. LOL.


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## FredaH (Apr 5, 2016)

What a little sweetie and thank you for taking care of this precious lil babe.


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## GreenGirl116 (Oct 8, 2015)

Update on the pigeon:
It's been 11 days since I found her. My guesstimate for age is that she was about a month old when I rescued. Her condition is definitely better than that first day (near death), but not where it should be.
At times she is very alert and active. Climbing the bars of the cage and beating her wings. But mostly still resting, and often seems weak and wobbly.
I haven't seen her drink water, and she is not attempting to self-feed. (We give a variety in her cage, simulate pecking motions, she is in my yard where many other birds come to eat that she can observe.) She nuzzles my fingers like she wants to crop feed, but won't take food with that method. So I am still force-feeding peas as her only method of eating/nutrition. 
Her poop was solid for a day or two, but mostly its very mushy. Not sure if this is from the pea-diet, or something else going on in her system? Eyes are clear. Throat appears clear to me, but she does do a repetitive "yawning". She is still very thin, breastbone feels very sharp. 
When I take her out to feed, she is alert. But very docile, more so than I would expect from a "wild" pigeon; she makes no attempt to struggle or escape. Just settles in my lap and wants to snuggle.
Any thoughts on what could be going on?


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

Try to not feed her in the morning. Just leave her with the peas and see if she will pick them up because she is hungry. Give her several hours. If she is hungry enough then she should start making an effort to pick them up. Yawning can be canker or something in her throat. You can't always see canker.


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## GreenGirl116 (Oct 8, 2015)

Jay3, thanks again.
I left her peas this morning, she didn't touch them. She was very weak and falling over when I returned. 
I force fed the peas. Luckily I have metronidazole on hand from the last pigeons we rescued, so I have started treatment for canker. 

I am very grateful to the members of this forum for all the help they provide. The last pigeons we rescued were a brother and sister (Lilo and Stitch) who fell from the nest at approx 10 days old. Through the help of members here, we were able to raise them, medicate properly, etc. They made a full recovery and were able to be released to "the wild" of our neighborhood/backyard LOL. They pair-bonded, loved one another, and were able to successfully raise a baby of their own. They lived a free and happy life for a year, visiting us daily for food and affection. My daughters and I learned so much from them and grew to love them dearly. They mysteriously disappeared in early Spring; first Stitch, and then Lilo two weeks later. I believe feral cats or hawks got them. Never thought I would cry so hard over pigeons, but I will admit that I did. But Im glad they had the chance to live a good life in the meantime.


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

Yes, I do remember your other birds. You did a good job with them. I'm sorry something seems to have happened to them. That's really sad but also unfortunately a part of feral life. 

Good, I hope the Metro helps. If canker then it should. I always give the Metro after feeding, as giving it on an empty crop is more likely to cause them to vomit. I would wait to try to wean when she is feeling well. Not feeling well, or even the Metro will probably make her not want to eat. Right now she needs her nutrition.


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## GreenGirl116 (Oct 8, 2015)

She has taken a horrible turn for the worse. Lying on her side, very still. Having shuddering "convulsions" every few minutes: she stretches her neck out high, eyes flutter shut, turns head 180 degrees, and collapses in a heap. Lies completely still for a minute before managing to open her eyes and pick up her head.
Not sure if I should give another dose of Metro this soon (first dose approx 9 hrs ago)? I am giving small amounts of water infused with organic ACV, garlic and coconut oil to try to boost her immune system naturally. 
Poor little thing


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

Could she have aspirated some of the water you gave her? How did you give it? The Metro is given once daily, but a bird in this condition you don't feed, water or medicate. Just let her be in a quiet place.


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## GreenGirl116 (Oct 8, 2015)

I hadn't been giving her any water when this occurred, other than putting out a bowl that she could drink from by choice. 
Ok, I will leave her be. I have her indoors in a cage, partially covered with a towel for privacy.


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## cwebster (Dec 11, 2010)

Am sorry he ori she is not doing well. Is there any avian vet in your area?


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## GreenGirl116 (Oct 8, 2015)

Sadly no, there are no reliable avian vets nearby


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

Probably too late for this little one but for future knowledge, this was posted by another member. Don't know where you are in relation to these places.


New York City Resources For Pigeons & Other Birds
Just FYI for everyone. New York City pigeons needing help can be posted here:

http://nycprc.org/HelpWanted/HelpWantedSubmit.html

Or rescued pigeons can be taken directly to the Wild Bird Fund: http://www.wildbirdfund.org/

Terry


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## GreenGirl116 (Oct 8, 2015)

She survived the night! No more convulsions, but just laying and resting.
Thank you for the NYC resource, I will definitely read up on it.

I thought more about what you said, Jay3, about the aspiration; I know you are knowledgable and have good instinct. Although I wasn't giving water via dropper, it's possible that the defrosted peas were very wet and may have caused the problem.


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

It may also have nothing to do with it. Sometimes they can regurgitate or vomit and aspirate. Really hard to know what happened, it's just that it was so sudden that I had to ask. I wasn't blaming you and don't want you to think that.


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## cwebster (Dec 11, 2010)

Hope she continues to improve. Bless you for caring about her and trying to help her.


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## GreenGirl116 (Oct 8, 2015)

Sorry I haven't responded, its been a busy week.
S/he is still hanging on. From the research I have been able to do, it seems like she may have PMV.

The first week I had her, she was very weak, I thought this was mainly due to starvation/dehydration. She was often very sleepy; going from wide awake to "passing out" very quickly. She could walk slowly, but staggered, and often walked in circles. The few times I saw her peck at seeds, she missed.

The second week (which we are just finishing up), started with finding her "paralyzed" on the floor. Legs very weak, body convulsions, tremors, eyes fluttering shut like she was dying. She had one day like this that was horrific. By the next day, and in the days since: she is consistently very weak and unable to stand as though her legs are paralyzed , has smaller body tremors, eyes flutter shut suddenly as if falling asleep, neck is weak and head is "on backwards".
she does not seem better or worse. When she is awake, her eyes are bright and she is curious/alert; like her mind is fine but her body isn't working. 

She is unable to eat/drink/self-care. So I have been very carefully feeding defrosted peas, and water mixed with a little ACV. I did treat with Metro, as Jay3 suggested canker.... it has been 6 days of Metro... should I stop?

From what I have read, without an avian vet diagnosis, if it is PMV, I should just continue supportive care and let things runs their course? Adding vitamins and calcium for nutritional support? I see that PMV can take at least 6 weeks to recover from. I certainly wasn't expecting to be a primary care giver for that long LOL, but I will fully commit to fighting for her life as long as I see that she has a chance at getting well and isn't suffering greatly.


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## GreenGirl116 (Oct 8, 2015)

Also, I am keeping her indoors, in an aquarium tank covered with a towel for privacy/low-light. I made her a nest box, and have her propped-up on a donut-shaped towel, as she is too weak to sit up on her own.
One of the saddest parts is that she can't move away from her poop, so her feet and bottom end up covered in filth. There is a lot of cleaning going on, followed by obsessive human hand washing


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

She is sick with something. Don't stop the Metro. You need to give it for the 10 days and see if it helps. It can take longer even. I don't know why everyone comes on with a sick bird and think it is PMV. 
Are you giving her calcium/D3? 
How much are you feeding her?
She may need an antibiotic.


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## FredaH (Apr 5, 2016)

I think it's important to give her calcium and D3 asap just in case she's deficient. I direct dose my birds twice a week - the dosage on zolcal is 0.01ml per 100 grams body weight and although I know they're heavier than 200 grams I just give 0.02ml because I don't want to overdo it. I use a tiny 1ml syringe and pop it right at the back of their throats using four small plunges a time to make sure I don't overload their mouth and aspirate them.


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## GreenGirl116 (Oct 8, 2015)

Yes, she has been receiving calcium and an antibiotic.
As to why everyone comes on here and thinks a pigeon has PMV, I cannot speak for anyone other than myself. PMV was not an illness that occurred to me at all. However after a week of no improvement or worsening of symptoms, and the curious backwards head position, I googled her symptoms. Out of a list of 15 common PMV symptoms, I have clearly seen her display 10. The other 5 symptoms involve flight, which I have never seen her do. (http://www.pigeonrescue.co.uk/pigeonparamyxovirus.htm)


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

There are other things that will show the same symptoms.


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## Charis (Feb 11, 2007)

Please take her here...https://www.wildbirdfund.org/

They can diagnose her and give her back for you to foster. From reading the thread, this has been going on for a long time and while you may have touches on some of the issues, there likely is another underlying cause that they can help you with.


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

I posted that same link on July 2. Did you ever get in touch with them?


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