# I just have some basic pigeon questions?



## jennaclarice (Dec 11, 2009)

Hello,
I am new to the pigeon world,
I rescued a baby pigeon off a plaza corner about two weeks ago, and these two weeks I've had him/her have been great! Im planning on keeping him as a pet, Im estimating that he is about going on two months old? He just started eating seed on his own about a week ago, but prefers to eat it out of my hand 
still cant fly, but he's working on it!
until then I had been feeding him that Kaytee baby bird stuff, and he's grown a lot since I've had him. He seems to be pretty healthy; he's "peeping" & flapping his wings a lot, eating & drinking, has good looking feathering, no signs of cankers, his name is "poe", and is very alert. But here are my questions:

-I read that 80% of pigeons have cankers, but poe doesn't seem to have any, but just in case, what are the symptoms?
-whenever I take him out, or whenever he's in his cage eating, he gets really exciting and while he's doing the whole peeping/flapping thing, he vibrates his head a lot? sort of like a sprinkler action, is that normal?
-like I said, he gets REALLY excited when he sees me, like he'll spin around in circles while peeping/flapping his wings? Do all sqeakers do that?
- and, whenever he picks up a seed in his beak, usually the medium to large ones, he flings his head and neck around to get it to go into the back of his beak, not like pmv neck twisting, but its just pretty violent looking, is that normal?


replies would be greatly appreciated, thank you


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## Columba livia! (May 4, 2009)

Thank you so much for caring for this bird! He will make an exelent companion for you over the years I am sure. All I know about canker is that it looks like cottage cheese on the corners of the mouth, and you should smell somthing off the breath. The rest I'm not sure. Anyway good luck. Keep me posted.


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## sreeshs (Aug 16, 2009)

You can find a lot about symptoms and cure if you search here in pigeon talk about Canker. This is what is there is Avian Web http://www.avianweb.com/canker.html

The fling of the neck and head may be becuase he is still practising taking seeds, he should be an expert in a couple of days with that. If not you could check for any lump formations and blockage in the throat area. Our senior members in PT would be able to give you a more precise reply, good luck


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## Skyeking (Jan 17, 2003)

I would like to see a video of what he is doing-while eating and excited, as I'm not quite sure whether this is normal behavior.

My birds will get excited and vibrate standing still and not twisting the neck.

Canker may or may not have symptoms of lesions inside the beak as it can be internal and is very deadly.

I do have a bird that has perminent neurological scars, she came from our county rehabber-I don't know her history. She will pick up a seed and fling her head way back and then swallow, she also walks funny but manages just fine with the others.


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## jennaclarice (Dec 11, 2009)

thank you guys for replying 

Treesha, I would record it, but my camera broke so I cant :/ but when I get my laptop fixed I can use the webcam and try...

well I've felt for lumps in his neck and throat area, there doesn't appear to be any... but I did discover what looks like a canker growth in the corner of his mouth this morning....
it doesn't seem to be bothering him, but Im going to make a vet appointment just in case, because NO ONE seems to sell bird medications around here >.<

Hm? But that neurological bird you have does seem to sound a lot like mine....
but oh well, I still love him  hahaha

screeshs, I've checked out that website, its quite resourceful, thank you.
and yeah, he is working on eating seeds, he isn't too coordinated though! aha. And what are the senior members and how do I contact them?


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## John_D (Jan 24, 2002)

jennaclarice said:


> Hello,
> 
> still cant fly, but he's working on it!
> 
> ...


Hi

Maybe he is younger than you estimate? Pigeons fledge around 35 days, but usually start practise flights a little before then. I would certainly be surprised that a healthy two month old bird does not fly.

They do sometimes tremble when they are excited, even adults, but head tremors are one symptom of PMV.

Adult males (and some hens) will do the macho turning circles, puffing out and cooing thing. If he is spinning quickly, and it seems somewhat uncontrolled, that is something which PMV often brings on.

Flinging the head around when he picks up seed is not normal behavior (that I ever saw in a youngster, anyway). 'Seed tossing', whether he manages to swallow them all or loses some, is a sign of PMV.

I agree with Treesa, a vid would be useful.

If he shows any signs like going to peck at a piece of food and missing, let us know.

Keep check of what his poops are like, and how much he is pooping. If he does have neurological problems, he may not be eating enough on his own.

If he settles and starts to fly some and to eat normally, then fine, probably nothing. Juts best to be aware of these things, I think.

John


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## Msfreebird (Sep 23, 2007)

Hi Jennaclarice,
All the youngsters I've raised are quite clumsy when they first start eating seed. They just kinda wing it around and play with more than they eat, so its important to keep up the Kaytee feedings until your sure he's eating enough on his own. Sometimes the formula cakes on the corner of their beaks, looking like a growth, but I would still get him checked out for canker. You can get metronidazole from any vet for canker.
I've never had a PMV bird, so I can't help you with that. But I do understand they can live long happy lives.
Just keep posting and "senior" members with medical expertise will jump in.
And welcome to the wonderful world of pigeons - their very addicting


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## jennaclarice (Dec 11, 2009)

Thank you John and Msfreebird, both of your advice is quite helpful 

Msfreebird,
yes they ARE addicting! Theyre just so neat 
yeah he does like his kaytee stuff, so Im still feeding it to him, usually just once a day or once every other day though, because his crop is mostly full of seeds anyways.
Im pretty sure its a canker though.... its a little different coloring from the food and its created like a lump type thing sticking out of the side of his beak, but hopefully his appointment will go well...

& John, hm,
well it sounds like he could be a PMV bird, and he does peck around at the seed a lot without picking a lot of it up... now Im scared! What can you do for PMV birds? Will he be okay? He does have a vet appointment on tuesday, so hopefully that will help...
his poops seem fine though, they just look like normal bird poops. There is a little yellow in them, but thats probably just because of the canker, it looks fine though.


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## TAWhatley (Mar 6, 2001)

Hi Jennaclarice! If your youngster has PMV, then you are already doing what needs to be done .. that's good supportive care. PMV is a virus and not able to be treated by antibiotics. If your youngster has canker (that will be trichomoniasis to your vet), that is quite treatable with Metronidazole from the vet or any of the other canker treatments available from the pigeon supply houses.

Best of luck to you and your little feathered friend. Please do keep us posted.

Terry


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## John_D (Jan 24, 2002)

Hi

Difficult to figure what problem(s) your little one may have, sight unseen, as descriptions only may signify different possibilities to different people. 

Is the vet one you already know? Many vets are basically 'dog and cat' vets who are not really familiar with birds, and some vets are very quick to recommend that a sick pigeon should be put down if it does have PMV or a few other things. So do make them aware that this is a pet, and you will provide ongoing care, and do not accept any suggestion that it is 'best for the bird to put it to sleep'. Don't sign the bird over, and stay with him.

The picture shows a pigeon we found with trichomoniasis (canker). 










As you see, it is towards the back of the mouth. If there is something more towards the front and lower inside the beak, and you are sure it isn't from the food, then it could be another problem. The bird in the pic recovered completely with treatment, by the way.


Sometimes canker can cause a pigeon to stand very upright and with head back as it tries to swallow food, but that's not a definite here. 

For info, this is our resource link for PMV symptoms and care

http://www.pigeons.biz/forums/f25/pigeon-paramyxovirus-aka-pmv-ppmv-pmv1-pigeon-12250.html

and this is a video of 'Surrey' in his efforts to hold onto seeds (he eats without problem now)


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UWC58llOBzQ

If nothing else, some of this may help to indicate if your little 'un does *not* have similar problems.

John


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## showboat (Nov 17, 2009)

*Questions?*

About 2 years ago I found wild pigeons nesting in a vacant shed on the back part of my property. The parents kept throwing one of the babies out of the nest and would not feed it. I bought some of the Kaytee Exact formula and it survived but acted very strange. I still have the bird which is named Goofy. It still spins it's head around for no reason and pecks sideways at its food,taking as many as 15 pecks to get one seed. She can fly but when excited tends to fly in circles. Other than kind of scrawney she is healthy,smart, and by far the most entertaining pet I have ever had. The fact that your bird does not seem to be digesting it's food properly might be a concern. Usually they need small amounts of grit for proper digestion. Good luck, you may wind up with a very rare bird.


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