# Baby Phillipine Rock Dove



## holkrum (Feb 4, 2021)

I found a baby dove during work who blew out of his nest (too high up to replace). He was most likely 1-2 days old. He was a fighter and actually survived. He is now about 14-15 days and just weighed in at 54g after feeding. I've been feeding Kaytee exact about 3-4 times per day, until his crop is full. I've added in some baby chicken food and baby cereal and egg yolk. His pin feathers are coming in and he's looking good and acting good.

I would like to release him. He mostly spends his days in his "room" with a heat lamp set at 85-90 (now between 82-86) since he's feathering out. He seems to want to cuddle though. I want to socialize with him but also don't want him to be imprinted. Is it too late? I've been reading that doves are more likely to imprint and more difficult to release back. I have cats and dogs, and keeping him would not be ideal (for him), but I will if his chances in the wild are slim.

Any other advice on when to start weaning him, when to start offering water, seeds, etc... I have no idea how to figure that out. Pics below of him on the day we found him, then today (about 14 days later)


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## Marina B (May 5, 2011)

Cute little thing! Job well done. You can start introducing him to seeds when he is about 3 to 4 weeks old. He will copy what your fingers are doing You can play with the seeds and make pecking motions with your fingers. Do the same with a small bowl of water. Put down a variety of small seeds. They sometimes learn quickly. He might only start eating one type of seed first, but will eventually move on to the others.

I think it's too late to expect him not to be imprinted. Unless you can get him to a rescue centre where he will grow up amongst other babies. His chances of survival will be very small if released. He would much rather spend time with you. Any chance of building him an aviary?


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## holkrum (Feb 4, 2021)

Thank you so much for the response! I'm on Guam so there's very little resources for wildlife rehab. I have a large parrot cage we can use until he's fully grown. I saw some people here on the forum who let their doves come and go. But is that dangerous for birds like him who have never had bird parents ? If he's already imprinted, can I cuddle him then? He seems to react to me and prefers to be close . Thank you again!


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## Marina B (May 5, 2011)

When he is older, you can let him out to freefly if you want to. He will need to spend time outside in the cage to get used to the area. But there's always a risk that he won't return, or get lost or caught by a predator.

I will say rather keep him and start giving him all your love and attention.


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## holkrum (Feb 4, 2021)

Ok thank you! He's 84g tonight after last feeding. I'm sitting him by me when I'm working so he has company and he doesn't seem to get cold. He flaps his wingsxa lot so I'm guessing he'll start flying a bit soon! Am proud of his development he's a fighter! A couple more questions: he has one toe that looks a bit bent. I thought it was getting better but I'm not sure. I'll post pic. Also he has food crusted on his feathers in spots I cannot get off. Witg water or my fingernails. Any suggestions? Thanks so much!


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## holkrum (Feb 4, 2021)

He looks so raggedy


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## Marina B (May 5, 2011)

You can keep on soaking those hardened food with warm water till eventually it gets soften and then remove it. Can't really notice the bend toe, just keep and eye on that. If the toes start curling underneath the foot, you will need to make a little shoe to keep it in place. This is a sign of Vit B2 deficiency. Hopefully this won't be necessary.


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## holkrum (Feb 4, 2021)

Thank you so much for all your help!


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## Joeyspesh (Sep 16, 2020)

He’s so tiny and gorgeous!


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## Marina B (May 5, 2011)

Let us know how he is doing.


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## holkrum (Feb 4, 2021)

Duckie is doing great.


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## holkrum (Feb 4, 2021)

He has issues with his two toes, though. They looked like they were getting better but looked bent to the side still. I'm going to take him to the vet to see what they can do.


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## holkrum (Feb 4, 2021)

His feathers are coming in nicely. I'm still battling his food all over his chest and face. I wipe it each time but i really need to get it better. He's trying to eat seeds. he picks them up but doesn't know how to swallow them. He must be about 25 days now. Only feeding him via syringe twice/day and he doesn't seem as hungry. He was about 125g after his last feeding.


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## holkrum (Feb 4, 2021)

He's been sitting with is wing lifted. Is he trying to sun? The window gives good heat but i was worried at first when I saw this. He seems content though.


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## holkrum (Feb 4, 2021)

A quick clip of him feeding - he's still on Kaytee exact, mixed with some baby cereal, egg yolk (hard boiled) and baby chicken food, consistency is still runny mustard. he will drink from finger a bit but not from the bowl. He's preening consistently and rects are growing in nicely.


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## Marina B (May 5, 2011)

Ah great! Toes not looking too bad.


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## Joeyspesh (Sep 16, 2020)

Xena does that all the time!
The toes look okay to me, though I’m far from an expert! 🥰


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## holkrum (Feb 4, 2021)

Okay, thank you both! That makes me feel much better. He is now flying and is able to perch fairly well on most different surfaces and perches. Can you send pics of your cage setups? I ordered platforms for the current cage we have (made for parrots), but only have rope perches right now. He's still not drinking water. Any tips on the seeds? He picks them up in his bill then drop them. Like he doesn't know how to swallow them.


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## Joeyspesh (Sep 16, 2020)

If you’re syringe feeding a wet formula he probably doesn’t need additional water. Xena is now 6 months old and drank water independently for the first time this week, and that’s with me offering her water and encouraging her every day for that whole time! And she’s not doing it daily, just once in every few days. Xena also won’t eat seeds, she chatters them in the very tip of her beak and drops them. 
Xena has a bad leg from an infection in her bone and now can’t perch so her setup is a little different... at night she sleeps in a little cat bed inside a small crate, she can just about fake perch on the rim of the cat bed because it’s so soft and wide. I’ll take a picture in a moment! In the day she has a macrame hanging cat bed which is brilliant!


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## Joeyspesh (Sep 16, 2020)

this is the setup i used for Cher,she was a feral who had PMV (she’s released now and living with the local flock). The bottom of the cage and the moss poles (for plants) are covered in puppy pads because her droppings were highly contagious a x i had to be vigilant about cleanliness because of my other rescue who was very ill at the same time with pox and salmonella. The moss poles were perfect as they were a bit wider for her to perch on as she didn’t have great balance - you just wedge them in the corners where they fit. Her poles were quite low down. She had the whole bathroom hence why the top is covered too.








This is an earlier pic of the same bird, when she was struggling to move around. I kept the water high up because she was at risk of seizures so didn’t want her to fall and drown.








This is when Xena was first with me and could perch. Same cage with more moss poles, the rags covering because of the bacterial infection and pox, i cleaned her cage a few times every day.








same pic but from the top - the little brown area was where she would sleep/nest when she was tired of perching. A few weeks after this the pic were obstructing Both eyes and the moss perch poles came out and she just stayed on the ground.









this is Xenas current daily ‘cage’... it’s not a cage at all but she loves it!








this is her nighttime set up - the little cat bed in the back of her cage, she loves it in there!








here’s aclose up of her asleep in it.
Hope that’s helped! Sounds like your pidge doesn’t have as many limitations as Xena! But i thoroughly recommend the moss poles for perches as they don’t need special installation just cram them in the corner!


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## shewaslegend (Jan 24, 2021)

holkrum said:


> Thank you so much for the response! I'm on Guam so there's very little resources for wildlife rehab. I have a large parrot cage we can use until he's fully grown. I saw some people here on the forum who let their doves come and go. But is that dangerous for birds like him who have never had bird parents ? If he's already imprinted, can I cuddle him then? He seems to react to me and prefers to be close . Thank you again!


i would pay rehoming fee if u don't succeed at realease... i would love to love him... i live in idaho usa... 15096082403... ladonna


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## holkrum (Feb 4, 2021)

Thank you! Love the cage setups- the macrame platform is amazing!! Where do you get moss poles? do I need to start providing grit? I ordered some on Amazon but it'll take a few weeks .Your pigeon is so adorable. I had tumblers for a while but they were all adults and outdoors This dove is a completely new world!


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## holkrum (Feb 4, 2021)

Sunning in his cage.


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## holkrum (Feb 4, 2021)

shewaslegend said:


> i would pay rehoming fee if u don't succeed at realease... i would love to love him... i live in idaho usa... 15096082403... ladonna


Aw thank you! It’s way too far to ship him to Idaho from guam though. Thank you for offering!


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## Joeyspesh (Sep 16, 2020)

holkrum said:


> Thank you! Love the cage setups- the macrame platform is amazing!! Where do you get moss poles? do I need to start providing grit? I ordered some on Amazon but it'll take a few weeks .Your pigeon is so adorable. I had tumblers for a while but they were all adults and outdoors This dove is a completely new world!


i got my moss poles from a garden center but they are available on amazon too! You could also get some pvc pipe and just add something like a textured grip tape or vet wrap so they aren’t slippery? Your cage looks great!


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## holkrum (Feb 4, 2021)

Update on Duckie he's officially eating seeds on his own!! It literally just happened tonight and he started going to town. Question about what to feed him besides seeds? Will continue with formula just not as much until he's not so interested. Have grit available with his seeds and a water bowl but still hasn't drank any ... all advice is so appreciated


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## Marina B (May 5, 2011)

Give him formula in the morning and let him spend the rest of the day eating seeds by himself. You can also get him liquid calcium with added Vit D3 and a general vitamin supplement. Play with the water by using your fingers. He will need to drink when he is eating seeds.


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## holkrum (Feb 4, 2021)

Marina B said:


> Give him formula in the morning and let him spend the rest of the day eating seeds by himself. You can also get him liquid calcium with added Vit D3 and a general vitamin supplement. Play with the water by using your fingers. He will need to drink when he is eating seeds.


Hi Marina - update on Duckie. He’s doing great. But a few weeks back we found an egg at the bottom of his cage lol. So, apparently he’s a she! Duckie laid 3 eggs on different days. Acted mo differently. Then again laid 2 more eggs about two weeks later. No eggs since. He doesn’t have any nest type setup inside and constantly cops at me when he’s out. Is there a way to deter egg laying? I’m worried about egg binding.


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## holkrum (Feb 4, 2021)

holkrum said:


> Hi Marina - update on Duckie. He’s doing great. But a few weeks back we found an egg at the bottom of his cage lol. So, apparently he’s a she! Duckie laid 3 eggs on different days. Acted mo differently. Then again laid 2 more eggs about two weeks later. No eggs since. He doesn’t have any nest type setup inside and constantly cops at me when he’s out. Is there a way to deter egg laying? I’m worried about egg binding.


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## Marina B (May 5, 2011)

You will need to provide her with a nest. A small reedbasket filled with twigs will do. Don't remove the eggs (they are not fertile). She will incubate for 2 weeks or so and then lose interest. Then you can remove.

Nothing will stop her from laying. You just have to make sure she gets enough calcium. Try to get liquid calcium with added Vit D3. Make sure she has a good quality grit available ex oyster shell grit. You can also put a cuttlefishbone in her cage. Remove the shells from a boiled egg and crush into fine pieces. She will help herself to it.

Otherwise she is looking great. Thanks for the update!


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