# New baby pictures



## Vasp (Jul 25, 2006)

They're getting so strong, and sprouting more pin feathers. And if I touch their beaks, they start pecking at my fingers and gaping insanely.


----------



## Pigeonpal2002 (Jul 27, 2002)

Hi Vasp, 

They are very cute and adorable! You're doing a fantastic job with these two little chicks


----------



## TAWhatley (Mar 6, 2001)

Vasp .. the babies are just adorable. I hope all continues to go well for them and for you.

Terry


----------



## Feather (Dec 8, 2005)

They are so cute! Good Luck with these guys!

Feather


----------



## Pete Jasinski (Jan 2, 2005)

What a couple of sweeties you have there! There's nothing cuter then some beautiful banana beaks Best of luck with your
new fids!


----------



## Vasp (Jul 25, 2006)

Thanks everyone.  They peep a very big thank you. Perhaps they'll be models instead of doing extreme sports.


----------



## Victor (Dec 18, 2004)

Vasp~I know for a fact you are proud and should be. 

I wish you and your beautiful squabs the best. I know they are in good hands.


----------



## pdpbison (Mar 15, 2005)

Hello Vasp...wonderful...! ----- my 'guest' feral pair here...one Egg pipped on Aug 3rd or 4th...the other Egg did not pip...but, noteing their Neonate today, his extending Crop is easily 2/5ths of his entire body mass...will try and get a pic to-morrow...the wild/feral Dove and Pigeon Babys really get stuffed...and i was always too conservative in my feedings compared to them...! --- Anyway, point being, we can stuff them and keep them topped-off all day long like their parents would...and keep them so stuffed they can hardly stand...and that is fine...their 'job' as Babys is to 'peep', to be 'stuffed' to the gills...to sleep...to day dream...and poop...Lol...Phil...las vegas


----------



## Skyeking (Jan 17, 2003)

What cuties! I hope they continue to thrive and do well, thanks for sharing.


----------



## arnieismybaby (Jul 24, 2006)

Those babies look adorable - keep up the good work  

Michelle.


----------



## Vasp (Jul 25, 2006)

Thanks again, everyone. Could you possibly get a picture of this baby with its full crop? I, too, am very conservative in my feedings, because I'm afraid to harm them. They're small, peeping little creatures, and you sort of get the idea that they can't handle much. This website is actual proof that they can handle a lot. Squabs with torn crops making it through, abandoned, injured, sick... A lot of rescues are made, and most make it. However, of course, there are always those who cannot be helped. Everyone here is just so friendly and thoughtful that it always amazes me. The things you do for birds! It's amazing.


----------



## TAWhatley (Mar 6, 2001)

Hi Vasp,

Here's a repeat of a very old post of mine with links to some pictures.

_Here are a couple of pics ..

http://www.rims.net/arlene.htm 

In the first pic the crop is empty .. in the second pic the crop is full .. notice the little "balloon" under the beak.

http://www.rims.net/babydove.htm 

The crop is full in these pics also.

The crop is the sac like area at the base of the neck and above the belly. It expands when food goes in and should feel kind of like a marshmallow when full._

Terry


----------



## karla (Jul 8, 2006)

Nice babies!!!!!!! 
Post more pictures when you can ok!


----------



## TAWhatley (Mar 6, 2001)

And here's a good link that Treesa posted awhile back.

http://www.urbanwildlifesociety.org/WLR/BabyPij&DuvFeedg.htm

Terry


----------



## Maggie-NC (Jun 22, 2005)

Vasp, your babies are just beautiful. At that age all I want to do is kiss on them.


----------



## Vasp (Jul 25, 2006)

I know exactly what the crop is and stuff, it's just that I'm not exactly sure how it should look or feel exactly when full. The descriptions just never work for me. I make sure it looks quite rounded, and feels squishy but not saggy.


----------



## Skyeking (Jan 17, 2003)

*The crop*

It should be quite full, not like a balloon but more like a bean bag. They have to eat quite alot especially the next few weeks, to support the tremendous amount of growth and feathering that takes place.

Scroll down and see the picture of empty and full crop, these babies are a bit older then yours but you will get the idea of how full the crop should be.

http://www.urbanwildlifesociety.org/WLR/BabyPij&DuvFeedg.htm

Check out the crop on this 4 day old racing baby pigeon. That is about as full as the parents get them.

http://www.speedpigeon.com/4-Day_Old_baby_racing_pigeon.jpg


----------



## Vasp (Jul 25, 2006)

The older baby just gulped down about 10mL with his crop still rather squishy (though he couldn't walk very well).  The smaller baby took in about 6-8mL, and both of them gained around 7 grams just from the food. Hopefully this will get them in gear for gaining some serious gs. For once they're not interested in each other and dedicated to sleeping. Now I know how much I should feed them. It quiets them down almost right after they're put back to bed, they look full, and that's all good.


----------



## pdpbison (Mar 15, 2005)

Hi Vasp...just weighed Baby - 99 grams..."Elbows" are a good guide for proporton of Crop to Body...4 days old now?


----------



## pdpbison (Mar 15, 2005)

5 days old maybe?...The two Eggs were laid July 14th and 15th...one Egg did not pip...so, dunno which Egg this Baby came from...love...Phil, Las Vegas


----------



## maryjane (Jul 15, 2006)

Hey Vasp, your babies are looking great! Keep up the good work!


----------



## Vasp (Jul 25, 2006)

They are eating SO much now! It's unbelievable! I had to switch from a small nipple piece to the WHOLE nipple because they were gulping it down with such wide beaks and were eating SO much. One whole nipple holds about 5mL, and I don't know, but they have to go through about 4 of those or more to feel full. It's insane, and their crops are not nearly the size of that baby even after many, many mLs. They are big and loud and it's hard to feed them because they are always moving around and pecking and nuzzling at my hands. I have to at least direct their beaks to the food for them to begin gulping, but it's even hard to do that. They have actually bitten me before - gaped and then closed their beak on a little bit of skin - and it actually hurt. Silly babies. They eat so much that the food I'm making now, 1 part Kaytee to about 3.5-4 parts boiled water (10mL per each part) - which is thicker than previously - is nearly gone - leaving about 2-3mL as a reminder that my babies eat a lot. It also takes me about an hour to fill them both up.

Whenever I have people over, I always say, "Have you ever seen a baby pigeon before?" And then I pick one up and hold it out to them. They all say, "Awwwwwww!" and think that they're very adorable, sitting there on my hands, looking fat and tired / fat and loud / fat and insane. I think it's good that people see pigeons for what they really are.











Here they are, one of the babies moving so fast that it looks like he's appearing/disappearing from/into a different dimension.










A wrestling photo - not their most insane wrestle, but you can see that they move a lot.










My camera was adjusting itself over and over again, so this picture is a bit blurry. Still, the little blackie is saying hi to the camera. Little model.


----------



## pdpbison (Mar 15, 2005)

Hello Vasp...should really only take a couple minutes per-meal to feed them...small meals, often...best wishes! Phil...Las Vegas


----------



## Vasp (Jul 25, 2006)

I can't feed them small meals often. If I feed them small meals, their crops are still saggy and they whine and cry for hours without falling asleep.


----------



## Vasp (Jul 25, 2006)

I found a way to feed them faster. They eat out of anything - not just the nipple. I just got a little measuring cup that measures 10mL, filled it up with prepared formula, dipped their little beaks in, and they ate with the same enthusiasm as they eat out of anything. They know the feeling of liquid on their beaks, and especially the taste of their formula. They're both weighing in at about 40g now and pinning more than ever. Following instructions, I feed them about 15-20mL every 4 or 5 hours. They are doing very well.  I've even noticed that by feeding them this amount, they are much more satisfied and fall asleep much more quickly. Another point to make is that they seem to keep up a more constant body temperature and aren't needing to be as warm. At birth, 90 degrees sometimes made them a bit cold, and at 85 degrees, they were freezing. Now at 80 degrees they are both still warm.


----------



## Skyeking (Jan 17, 2003)

Vasp said:


> I found a way to feed them faster. They eat out of anything - not just the nipple. I just got a little measuring cup that measures 10mL, filled it up with prepared formula, dipped their little beaks in, and they ate with the same enthusiasm as they eat out of anything. They know the feeling of liquid on their beaks, and especially the taste of their formula. They're both weighing in at about 40g now and pinning more than ever. Following instructions, I feed them about 15-20mL every 4 or 5 hours. They are doing very well.  I've even noticed that by feeding them this amount, they are much more satisfied and fall asleep much more quickly. Another point to make is that they seem to keep up a more constant body temperature and aren't needing to be as warm. At birth, 90 degrees sometimes made them a bit cold, and at 85 degrees, they were freezing. Now at 80 degrees they are both still warm.


Glad to hear they are doing well.

With the increase of food their bodies are now able to generate enough energy to provide heat, and to build new cells for growth. You will be adding to the amount you are feeding for the next couple of weeks, once they are fully grown the amount of food they need will decrease, as they will not require as much energy for growing and laying down new cells, but it will then be spent on flying, walking, etc. But by then they will be eating seeds, legumes, and grains.


----------



## Vasp (Jul 25, 2006)

Oh, and about that...What should I add to their food, and when? I've heard that people often start adding grains and the such to their food, but I don't know if they're big enough to take that down. I'll get new pictures soon.


----------



## Skyeking (Jan 17, 2003)

Vasp said:


> Oh, and about that...What should I add to their food, and when? I've heard that people often start adding grains and the such to their food, but I don't know if they're big enough to take that down. I'll get new pictures soon.


Actually you would continue with the formula for several weeks. When they get about 3 to 4 weeks old you can start introducing a deep spill proof bowl of seed, and one small one with water, and let them see what they will do with it. They will start playing with the seed out of curiosity, eventually picking them up, and finally start eating them. Dring this time you would still give them supplement feedings, even small seeds, until they are fully weaned.


----------



## Vasp (Jul 25, 2006)

What I meant is that some people mix in things with their formula.

The babies are doing good, but getting verrrryy forceful.



















The babies saying hi. 


http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e216/Kepstat/VideoSnapshot10.jpg

There's baby looking tired.  Though he won't be for long.

http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e216/Kepstat/VideoSnapshot13.jpg

Little wing with pin feathers. 

http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e216/Kepstat/VideoSnapshot20.jpg

There's the dark-colored, younger baby.

http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e216/Kepstat/VideoSnapshot34.jpg

I touched his beak and he leapt up. Cute and tall, isn't he? 

http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e216/Kepstat/VideoSnapshot38.jpg

I just thought he looked so fuzzy. ^^


----------



## TAWhatley (Mar 6, 2001)

They are darling babies, Vasp! Continued good success with raising them!

Terry


----------



## Vasp (Jul 25, 2006)

Thank you. ^^ Their breathing is very clear and crisp now, though they scream a lot indeed! They are less peeping softly and more screaming now. They're very instant, and they have very sharp nails.  I love them very much.


----------

