# Rescued a fledgling collared dove, HELP!!



## Kagisnad (Apr 25, 2014)

Yesterday I rescued a collared dove which fell from a broken nest [poorly assembled in the first place, the parents were probably young].
He doesn't seem sick, he is calm but alert [looks around with interest and notices when I approach him]. He preens his feathers, stretches and even attempts to flap his wings sometimes.
He's a fledlging, but I can't tell the exact age. https://scontent-a-fra.xx.fbcdn.net...885_758715730836030_4065891979285868230_n.jpg this is the only picture I have right now, a classmate [I rescued him while at school, the tree he fell out of was just outside] took a picture with him. I can take better pictures when I get home, but I hope this can give you an idea of his age.
I have set up an ex-budgie cage for him, next to a heat lamp, got him some sticks to make a small nest, and set up a water dish too but he doesn't seem interested.

What should I feed him at this age? How can I get him to drink? I need a reply ASAP before it's too late.


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## Feefo (Feb 8, 2002)

Make a little nest out of a towel for him and put some kitchen towel on it.

According to the RSPCA half our collared dove fledgelingd at this time of year suffer from metabolic bone disease which is treated with calcium and vitamin D3 supplements, high protein seed and exposure to sunlight or a UV lamp for around two hours a day.

Try scattering very small seed like canary mix on a white towel next to him, he might pick up on his own. Hold an egg cup with water in it to persuade him to drink.

This link covers baby pigeon care http://www.pigeonrescue.co.uk/caringforababypigeon.htm

This link is about collared doves and includes information on metabolic bone disease. http://www.pigeonrescue.co.uk/caringforababypigeon.htm


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## Marina B (May 5, 2011)

He looks old enough to be eating on his own. Someone brought me a fledling dove a while ago about the same age as yours. I had a lot of trouble trying to feed him-at that age they usually are too old for the syringe feeding method. I then put small seeds in a little bowl and moistened it with water (easier for them to pick up) and within 2 days he started eating on his own. What a relieve! And he was very very hungry. Hope your's will start doing the same.


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## Kagisnad (Apr 25, 2014)

I made a nest out of branches, isn't that better?
I don't think MBD is an issue here, I'm from Romania, not the states, so.. 

I got some seeds from a pet store [some exotic canary mix recommended by the person working there], and put them in water, he didn't eat on his own but placing them in his beak worked.

Here's hoping he'll start eating on his own soon.


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## Marina B (May 5, 2011)

He will start eating soon, as long as you get food into his body, he will be ok. You can only wet the seeds a little bit and put water in a separate dish. 

Beautiful dove, I hope you enjoy him very much.


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## Kagisnad (Apr 25, 2014)

Hello, I'm back with good news!
He's started eating on his own, and eating well! Today I came back to find the food bowl empty, it was about a handful of the seeds mix. I'd say, 15 grams, or more? I'm terrible with measurements. It's called "Tropical Finch Prestige", the manufacturer is Versele-Laga.
How much of this should he be eating every day? Anything else?

He's also learning to glide a bit and tries to flap his wings to take off. I also have him perch on my finger then wave my hand down so he will instinctively flap his wings, for exercise. He's on his way to learning how to fly! His black collar is also starting to show.

Now rehabilitation is a thing to consider, I have the question, how will he know to behave and integrate around other collared doves? Since he's getting no socializing with birds, unless you can call hearing them out the window socializing. 
I plan to release him in a calm area where there are lots of doves nearby, as well as trees. Where I found him, there are lots of cars and people, and in my area, it's close to a forest with plenty of birds of prey. The only bad thing about the area I'd release him in is that it has owls, but as my friend who suggested the area said, they don't really meddle with the doves.


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## Marina B (May 5, 2011)

Good news he's eating on his own. He will eventually learn to fly, just takes time. Can't you feed him crushed maize and wheat? Surely the pet shops must stock these as well.

Releasing is always difficult. It will be easier if he's not bonded to you. I won't try to tame him if you want to release him. Wait till he's at least 2 months old before releasing.

If you have a cage, start taking him to the area where you want to release him, maybe in the afternoons, so that he at least can see other doves. Maybe start throwing out seeds around the cage to attract the other doves to him. When you release him, continue to throw out seeds for another 2 weeks and make the amount less and less every day so that he eventually learns to start looking for food himself.

Hope all goes well. The owls won't bother him.


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## Kagisnad (Apr 25, 2014)

Edit: I really need urgent help here... he rarely opens his eyes and has very poor coordination. He was active this morning in the sense he kept shifting around the cage. He barely eats anymore, he just drinks water.

I will go look for maize and wheat at the beginning of the next week as I don't have money right now.

Bad news now.
He was doing fine until a few days ago. Eating and drinking a lot, staying alert and such. Here are sympthomps of illness he's started showing in the past few days: puffed up feathers, half-closed or closed eyes for much of the time, sleeping excessively, poop sticking to the vent feathers [as well as difficulty pooping as far as I can tell, matter of fact right now he's bobbing his tail, feathers puffed, eyes closed], as well as temperament change, but I suppose this is normal, he tries to bite and hit me with the wings when I initially approach him.
I've been doing the exact same thing I was doing when he was well, feeding him that seed mix, as well as water. A friend suggested it may be a digestion problem as normally he would ingest small amounts of sand in the wild, so I got him some, but no change.
What should I do? Other than going to a vet, obviously, which I will do if nobody has any suggestions. But I'd much rather prefer treating him myself if you can tell me how, the vets here are very bad and definitely not specialized in doves, it's a small city and a poor country...


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## Marina B (May 5, 2011)

Are you sure he's drinking enough water, too little water can cause dehydration and that can cause constipation. Can you get some greens for him like spinach? That will help with constipation, if he does not want to eat that by himself, maybe add to his water to drink and make sort of a cold tea with it.

You can clean the poop area with lukewarm water so that stuff does not clogg up there.

I am not an expert on diseases, hopefully someone else will be able to help. You can add appecider vinegar to his drinking water, that will help with his digestion.

I hope it all works out well.


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## Kagisnad (Apr 25, 2014)

It is dark right now and I am letting him have his night sleep, but tomorrow I will get some green in his water.
I believe he's been drinking well prior to his bad condition, as I would feed as well as give him water every morning before leaving, and leave him a full bowl of water and food, then do the same when I came back. 

He's only gotten worse, he never opens his eyes for longer than a few seconds, and is very inactive, except for the morning when he wakes me up to refill his bowl [I assume this is the reason as he calms down once I tend to him] by moving about, making noise. He also is generally fatigued, doesn't have good balance, and has stopped eating except for the seeds he unconsciously swallows from the water [as I place seeds in his water]. I really have no idea what might this be, but it's getting serious, so even though I don't trust these vets, I will talk to one ASAP about what could it be and bring him the bird if he says he can treat it.


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## Marina B (May 5, 2011)

The loosing of balance might be from weakness, not eating enough.

Maybe its best to speak to vet, there are so many diseases birds get. Its a pity nobody else responded to your thread.

I am away from home, so dont have that much access to internet, but will check when I can for your update.


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

How much had he been eating? Please don't put seeds or anything else in his water. You can feed him with frozen peas which have been defrosted and warmed under warm running water. Try to get very small ones. Place him on your lap and against your body. open his beak and put in a pea. Push it to the back of his throat and let him swallow. He may have not been eating enough on his own.


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## Kagisnad (Apr 25, 2014)

RIP Loaf.
He passed away yesterday, he was very weakened and I was too late.  
I believe it was due to the lack of vitamins in his diet, despite the seeds being supposed to cover his needs as a day-to-day food. He just needed more as a growing baby.


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## Marina B (May 5, 2011)

I am so sorry to hear that. I've also lost babies in the past and know how you must feel.

At least you tried.


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