# Sick looking dove



## Flounced Rustic (Aug 25, 2010)

Hello,

I am currently homing two female doves in a homing box and I am in the third week of the homing process.

Over the last few days I have noticed that one of the doves is looking quite under the weather. Its general appearance is hunched up, its wings tips are resting on the floor and its a bit messy underneath. 

I clean the box out every day and put in fresh water, food and grit in.

We also have two Male doves that have already been homed, so they are flying around freely and are perfectly well.

Any advice would be much appreciated.

Thanks.


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## pdpbison (Mar 15, 2005)

Hi FR,


Can you post some good clear images of the Dove?

And, of the recent poops?


If her Butt has poop/urate material clinging to the Feathers, please hold her vertically, at a Sink, and with the Tap Water running lightly and merely 'cool', gently finger tip massage any of that off and out, as the Water runs over it, so all is clean there.


Blot dry...



Check her Crop and see if it has Seeds, or Seeds and liquid, or just liquid in it, and let us know.



Phil
Las Vegas


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## Flounced Rustic (Aug 25, 2010)

Hello Phil,

Thanks very much for your advice, I will do as you have suggested and get back to you.By the way she is definately eating.

Flounced Rustic


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## John_D (Jan 24, 2002)

Just a thought - is the unwell bird paired up with one of the males or separated? Hens can suffer with egg laying problems on occasion.

I would isolate the bird anyway, in case there is anything infectious going on, if she is not already alone in a closed environment. Aside from safety, easier to observe poops and check how much food/water is taken.

Also, is the mouth clean and pink with no sign of yellowish substance (Canker)?

BTW, are these white pigeons as opposed to 'exotic' ringneck doves, barbary doves, etc?

John


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## Flounced Rustic (Aug 25, 2010)

Hello pdpbison and John D

Thanks for the help and advice you have both given me.

When we took the dove (white pigeon) out of the homing box to clean it up we noticed right away how thin she was compared to the other female dove, so we took her straight away to our vet who gave us some antibiotics to give to her (for the next ten days) and advised us to keep her isolated from the other dove in a warm place, this we have done, so now I suppose it's just a question of waiting and seeing if she responds to the drugs. By the way there's no sign of canker on the mouth.

I will let you know how things turn out,

FR


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## pdpbison (Mar 15, 2005)

Hi FR,


Can you post some images of the Dove?


And, of her poops?


Phil
Las Vegas


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## Flounced Rustic (Aug 25, 2010)

*Photos of sick dove*

Hello Phil,

I have taken a couple of photos for you.

As you can see in the first one (in the homing cage) the sick bird is hunched up and looking under the weather. The next one clearly shows her breast bone protruding through her chest, showing how much weight she has lost and the last photo shows her poops. I hope this is a help to you.

Since taking her to the vet we have kept her warm indoors as well as giving her the antibiotics, she is eating and drinking well and her general appearance seems a bit better, she is also a little more fiesty when handling her.

FR


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## John_D (Jan 24, 2002)

As a matter of interest, have you weighed her on a gram scale? 

John


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## pdpbison (Mar 15, 2005)

Hi FR,



Glad to hear you made it to a Vet, and, that the medications appear to be helping.


Lovely Doves!


Did the Vet say what he thought it was?



Phil
Lv


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## Flounced Rustic (Aug 25, 2010)

The vet didn't come up with any specific condition and I think the antibiotics we were given were of a general nature. we have wiehged her today on our not too accurate kitchen scales and the reading was 200 g. (so I would take this reading with a pinch of salt) as a matter of interest what should a healthy dove weigh? 

FR


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## John_D (Jan 24, 2002)

Hi FR

If I have a poorly pigeon, I would expect to see a minimum weight of 300 gms before I felt it was doing OK, unless it was a *very* small bird. I have a female pigeon resident and she is not particularly large in overall size, but she weighs between 330 - 340 gms (food intake obviously has a bearing)

John


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## Flounced Rustic (Aug 25, 2010)

Hello John D,

Thanks for the information regarding the weight of doves. I will check her weight again in a couple of days and post the result. By the way do you put something around your birds when you are weighing them to stop them wriggling around?

FR


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## John_D (Jan 24, 2002)

Usually I put them in a small pet carrier, as found at Petsmart / Pets At Home or probably any pet store. Just big enough to put a pigeon in.

John


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## Flounced Rustic (Aug 25, 2010)

Thanks John,

Good advice, I'll see what I can find.

FR


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## pdpbison (Mar 15, 2005)

Just cup your Hand lightly around her Head top...and she will stand still on the Scale.


What Antibiotic are you using?


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## Flounced Rustic (Aug 25, 2010)

Thanks pdpbison,

For that bit of extra advice, I'll five it a try if I can't get the small carrier that John D suggested.

The antibiotic is called 2 x Baytril and I have to give her 0.2ml orally once a day. I don't know what the '2 x' bit stands for, perhaps it makes sence to you, that's all it says on the lable. 

FR


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## Flounced Rustic (Aug 25, 2010)

Thanks pdpbison,

For that bit of extra advice, I'll five it a try if I can't get the small carrier that John D suggested.

The antibiotic is called 2 x Baytril and I have to give her 0.2ml orally once a day. I don't know what the '2 x' bit stands for, perhaps it makes sence to you, that's all it says on the lable. 

FR


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## Flounced Rustic (Aug 25, 2010)

*Mites on sick bird*

Hello All,

I have just found these little creatures (attached below) crawling over the doves feathers, they are about 3mm long, they look like some sort of mite to me. Are these something that birds just live with or could they possibly be contributing to my sick doves poor condition, if so, could you please tell me what I should do about it.

Thanks FR


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## John_D (Jan 24, 2002)

Hi

A pet store should have a bird mite and lice spray or powder. We use Johnson's Pigeon insect spray, but probably not found in the average pet store.

It's quite safe, if a hand is placed over the bird's face/head whilst spraying on and under the wings and body (or as directed on container).

John


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## pdpbison (Mar 15, 2005)

Hi FR,


Oh my!


I have no idea what that is.

It is not a 'Mite', which are very very tiny, usually sub-visual, and, are actually extremely tiny Spiders who bite, drink Blood, and may be visible once 'bloated'.

Lice, have their own fodm and appearance.


I have never seen anything like this Creature in or in association with Birds.


Good going getting such a good image of such a small Creature!


Images of to-day's poops? And of her?


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## pdpbison (Mar 15, 2005)

Flounced Rustic said:


> Thanks pdpbison,
> 
> For that bit of extra advice, I'll five it a try if I can't get the small carrier that John D suggested.
> 
> ...




Okay...when the Pigeon is prevented from seeing where they may wish to go, they are more likely to abide being still for a few moments, so, the 'Cupped Hand' is to provide a sort of 'Helmet', blocking their peripheral and front Vision, while one weighs them.

Well, as long as the Vet established your dosage routine, then all should be well on that.

Baytril is a very good, broad spectrum Anti-Biotic.

The 2X might just be a shorthand for twice-a-day, dunno...


Possibly your County has an Entomologist, or, a Local College may.


I have seen such tiny Insects, but, never on or in association with Birds.


It would be interesting to know what it is.



Phil
Lv


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## Flounced Rustic (Aug 25, 2010)

Thanks for you advice chaps.

I will get some mite powder or spray for her and I'll tread the other three doves while I'm at it.

It's very interesting that pdpbison hasn't come across this type of mite before, I will try to find out what it actually is.

Todays photo of the dove and her poops attached.

Thanks FR


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## kalel (Oct 14, 2008)

hi it looks like feather lice. they eat feathers and are found on wild birds and pigeons. usually the bird can keep their numbers down but when a bird is ill it wont be doing much so the lice population goes up.
using an insecticide as suggested should get rid of them


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## pdpbison (Mar 15, 2005)

I did some 'googles' and indeed it appears to he a Feather Louse.


I have never seen them here.


Possibly it is too arid here for them.

I have seen Golden Lice, and, Hippoboscidae...and Mites...but never these.


http://www.nzbirds.com/more/lice.html


http://www.google.com/images?expIds...=UTF-8&source=og&sa=N&tab=wi&biw=1260&bih=590


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## Flounced Rustic (Aug 25, 2010)

Thanks Kalel and pdpbison 

for coming up with a name for the lice, I can quite see why they would quickly become a problem on a sick bird, I will get the appropriate insectacide as soon as I can.

FR


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## Flounced Rustic (Aug 25, 2010)

*The sick dove has died*

Very sad news I'm afraid. The sick dove died yesterday, so what ever the problem was the antibiotics that she had didn't improve her condition.

Thank you very much to all those who gave me help and advice with trying to get her better. it was very much appreciated.

FR


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## kalel (Oct 14, 2008)

hey im sorry to hear that ,but you did your best. might be a good idea to get the other bird checked out in case.


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