# Baby Eared Dove, seems agitated



## Chiki (Dec 22, 2010)

Hi everybody!
A friend found a baby dove today, he was crossing the street and trying to jump to the sidewalk, but wasn't able to do it, since he is so small.
I brought him home with me, he must be around 15 days old, he seems ok overall, asks for food, makes little baby noises, and moves his little wings, he also opens WIDE as soon as I put my fingers on the sides of the beak, he's very alert and aware of his surroundings, but there's one thing: He seems agitated.
It's not like he opens the beak to breathe or anything, but I think he's not breathing normally. I checked out the keel bone, see if there were any fractures, also checked inside the beak, didn't see any signs of canker, rest of the body seems fine...
Any ideas?

Thank you!


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## TAWhatley (Mar 6, 2001)

Are you hand feeding this baby? Sounds to me like s/he is just agitated because the next meal isn't coming as quickly as needed/wanted 

Terry


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## pdpbison (Mar 15, 2005)

Hi Chiki,


Can you post some images of the youngster? 

And, some images, close ups, of his fresh poops?


What are you intending to feed them, and, how, in what way?



Phil
Las Vegas


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## Chiki (Dec 22, 2010)

Hi, thanks for the replies!
I'm feeding him "Nestum" baby cereal. It contains 5 cereals: wheat, oats, rice, barley, corn.
The vet told me I could also put in a little puppy food for proteins and he also said I could use some Ensure (Abbott), but I haven't try these two things yet.
I prepare the cereals with water and try to make it thick, I'm using a small syringe (1 ml) and I put the food in the anterior half of the beak, then I let go and he swallows by his own. His also starting to eat some small seeds like millet.
Here are the pics:

Droppings:
http://img703.imageshack.us/i/imgp0180g.jpg/
http://img17.imageshack.us/i/imgp0179k.jpg/

The youngster (There's some "feather dust" in the back):
http://img203.imageshack.us/i/imgp0172n.jpg/
http://img684.imageshack.us/i/imgp0176nv.jpg/


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## TAWhatley (Mar 6, 2001)

Thank you for the photos. The baby and the poops look good to me. How much are you feeding each time? Are you waiting for the crop to empty before feeding again? The baby looks to be a similar size to our Mourning Doves, and I would be feeding about 5-7 cc at a time. It's very good that the little one is starting to eat seeds on its own.

Please do keep us posted, and thank you for helping this little one and for the great job you are doing.

Terry


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## pdpbison (Mar 15, 2005)

Hi Chiki,



She will eat volentarily from the hollow of a regular people-baby Baby-Nursing-Nipple.


But either way, make the formula 'runny', never 'thick'...thick can cause serious problems in the Crop.

Ideally, make it the night before, and freeze it, then warm it up in a Tea Cup in a Saucepan of warm or hot water, and add more Water to it if need be...this hydrates the formula well so it does not continue to absorb Water in the Crop and or become thick in the Crop, which can cause problems.



If the Food/Formula tastes good, she will gladly eat it from the hollow side of a Baby-Nipple, like this - 





More images here - 

http://public.fotki.com/PhilBphil/baby_dove_-_july/


Trim away the flange as shown, and, bear in mind, the younghster needs to "feel" the soft Nipple against their Beak for it to resemble the tactile of their parent's Throat, so you have to softly squeeze the Nipple for it to bear just softly against the root area of their Beak, for them to eat.


After a day or so, they will often eat with enthusiasm even one is not squeezing the Nipple.


If the food is good, if they like the food, they will be very enthusiastic and there will be lots of Wing fluttering, as you can see in the images.




Must be served 'tepid', warm it in a Tea Cup in a pan of hot Water, stirring...never microwave.




She will also gladly eat in a natural way, small whole Seeds, fed to her in this manner - where, your Finger Tips provide the tactile feel of their Parent's Throat, and, the Seeds are allowed to sort of roll down in a metered way, for the youngster to 'gobble' with their Beak -









If she is showing interest in Pecking, by all means encourage her - 'peck' with her using your crook'd index finger...offer small whole Seeds of some variety, such as a Dove Mix, or Finch or Parakeet Seed blend.




Best wishes!


Phil
Las Vegas


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## Chiki (Dec 22, 2010)

Thank you very much for all your good advice.
The baby is pecking seeds on her own now, I pick the seeds up with the tip of the syringe embedded with Nestum, and she gladly eats them from there. She also eats the seeds directly from the table (I feed her in my dining room table). She stills seems agitated but the vet told me he didn't suspect any respiratory condition.
The size is, indeed, similar to your mourning dove. Both species are very much alike. I wasn't feedind her that much because I thought that maybe if I fed her too much, the crop would cause make breathing more difficult.
I made the formula thick because I was afraid of aspiration. I thought this way it'd be more difficult for this to happen.
The crop is moving normally, yesterday she had eat plenty of seeds so I reduced the amount of Nestum, in order to allow her to digest everything.
About that baby-nipple thing, if she puts her head way down, couldn't that plucker the nostrils?
What do you think about the puppy food the vet mentioned? He said it had to be a small amount, just enough to bring some proteins to their diet in order to replace the proteins that are present in the crop milk.
He also told me to use some calcium in the water I use for preparing the formula.

Again, thank you very much for everything!


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## pdpbison (Mar 15, 2005)

Hi Chicki,



You gently squeeze the Nipple in a way which limits the Baby's Beak depth, and, as they eat, you change how it is being squeezed to allow them to have their Beak deeper in it...and or, you only fill the Nipple with as much formula as will allow them to dive in all they way...


Either way.


Her time of Crop Milk would have tapered off weeks ago.


There is no reason to try and use puppy-chow, nor are most brands going to be vegan or grain based anyway...so, I would not do it anyway, as well as that she will be getting all the protean she needs from the Seeds and formula.


Nipple is held below their neck height and tilted toward them slightly...so they are drinking the formula.


They know how to drink, and, their reflexed operate naturally to preclude aspiration.


Offering plain tepid Water between meals, whether in the Nipple or in a small Cup, so they can drink that also, is best - they need adquate hydration, and will not attain it by formula alone...and especially, often disaterously, will have serious problems if formula is 'thick'.


Best wishes!

Phil
Las Vegas


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## Chiki (Dec 22, 2010)

Actually the Nestum formula doesn't have any proteins in it, I think, but she's now eating a wider variety of seeds that includes Foxtail millet and Canary grass seeds, which I've been told is a good source of protein. I hope everything works out fine!


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## pdpbison (Mar 15, 2005)

Oh, okay...

Seeds should have plenty of good protean, yes.

She might like finely cut up Cilantro or Parsely also, cut up very very fine, have in a little pile next to her Seeds.


Where are you located?


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## Chiki (Dec 22, 2010)

I'm in Argentina ^^
I thought Parsley was neurotoxic...


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## spirit wings (Mar 29, 2008)

love that baby nipple feeding!... glad I saw that.. will tuck it away for use on a later date if need be...


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## pdpbison (Mar 15, 2005)

Chiki said:


> I'm in Argentina ^^
> I thought Parsley was neurotoxic...



Cilantro then...or Kales, Chards, some of the better kinds of Lettuces ( not iceburg ) Lettuces...fresh sources of Chlorophyl anyway.


Calcium enriched Grit would be nice, if you can get it there...the fine, crushed Oyster Shell kind, for smaller Cage Birds, is a good one for small Doves.


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## pdpbison (Mar 15, 2005)

spirit wings said:


> love that baby nipple feeeding!... glad I saw that.. will tuck it away for use on a later date if need be...




I have always used that method for Babys...they love it, it is easy, fun, and works good, and allows them to easily drink ( tepid ) Water between meals.


Small whole Seeds can be added of course, as can a pinch of fine Grit.


The food has to taste good though, or they will not retain enthusiasm.


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## Chiki (Dec 22, 2010)

Update: Ringo is growing strong and well, he's becoming a beautiful "teen" eared dove.
Thank you for all your good advice!


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## pigeonmama (Jan 9, 2005)

what a little sweetheart.


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## Chiki (Dec 22, 2010)

Isn't he? Did you see the first pics I posted? You can see how much he's grown in only 3 weeks!


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## Jaye (Mar 13, 2008)

Doves are very quick to grow and fledge. Bless you for saving him !

Is he bonding to you (certainly looks like it !).


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## Chiki (Dec 22, 2010)

Actually he was kind of a "mama's boy" at first, but now he's eating on his own and I'm trying to touch him less and less so he can be released. This pic was taken today, he flew all around the kitchen and I had to make him climb to my finger so I could put him back in the cage, but as he is becoming more independent and wild, it is getting more and more difficult for me to catch him once he starts flying around. Hopefully he'll be free in a couple more weeks!


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## spirit wings (Mar 29, 2008)

oh he looks so good and healthy and little.. how cute!


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## Chiki (Dec 22, 2010)

Thank you everybody.
I'm thinking about releasing him, he's been with me for three weeks, he's mostly eating on his own. I think he's a week over 30 days old. Have you got any experience in releasing? What's a good age for doing it? I have another dove who's about 4 months old, but I haven't released her yet because she keeps breaking her wing feathers, and the only birds I released before were Thrushes... Since Ringo is healthy, has no feather problems, and he's quite independent I was thinking, should I wait much longer? If I wait he'll become too "domestic"? Will he get used to be in a cage and then he won't be able to survive in the wild? Is he too young? Will he be able to dodge cars and dogs, and cats? Should I take him to the country?
I'm going nuts thinking what would be the best way to do it.


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## Pawbla (Jan 6, 2009)

Chiki said:


> Actually the Nestum formula doesn't have any proteins in it, I think


BTW: Yes it does. 25gr of Nestum = 2,8 gr of protein .
At least the one I use, according to the box.


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## Chiki (Dec 22, 2010)

Haha, didn't check before (or after) I posted.

(Did you see all the questions? That's why they call me "overprotective hen" xD)


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