# Baby Rescue Pigeon Not Eating



## foamari (May 2, 2020)

I rescued a baby pigeon , looks to be about 12 days old. I'm feeding the pigeon baby formula via a syrenge, the problem is pigeon is not that keen on eating. Typically it eats only around 9 mills of pigeon baby formula per sitting, four times a day. I've tried all kinds of methods to help it eat more, but usually after 9 mills of pigeon baby formula it's just not interested in eating anymore and won't open its mouth, and will move away from syrenge. I've watched videos on you tube, and this pigeon is just not that vocal or active as other baby birds on youtube. Pigeon is placed in a warm environment and food is also like warm. 

Is 25 mils of food be a day ok for a 12 day pigeon?? Should I be worried about the worried. Photo of pigeon attached.


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## Marina B (May 5, 2011)

Looks like a baby dove to me. How are you feeding him? Does he stick his beak into a cut-off syringe as in the videos on youtube? 

Also post a photo of his droppings? It should be brown, firm with a white dot on top. There should be plenty of droppings, then you know he is getting enough food.

Looks as if some feathers are missing. If a cat got hold of him, then he will need antibiotics.


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## Marina B (May 5, 2011)

What are you feeding him? The crop looks quite full in the photo and should empty inbetween feedings. Is he eager to be fed? A tiny dove will need half the amount of food than a baby pigeon. I think 10 ml 4 times daily ought to be enough. You can also start offering him small seeds. Get him interested by playing with the seeds using your fingers. Do the same with a small bowl of water. Never force water into him with a syringe, they can easily aspirate.


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## foamari (May 2, 2020)

Thanks both for the input. 

I'm feeding himwith 4cc syrenge. Pinching his beak and placing the tip of the syrenge close to his throat. He'll eat around 6 mills of food and but then helll resist after so I stop feeding him. Bought jevenille Harrison's bird food. Luke warm food with ketchup consistency. Feeding him four times a day, totalling around 20 mills of food a day. 

I've now been looking after the bird for 5 days. I opened the box today and he flew out!! He is now able to fly around, but is still small in size as per the picture I attached. He's more difficult to feed now. What should I do? When do you usually set these birds free? 

See photo la for bird droppings.. is it ok? 

He's losing some feathers because I mistakengly dropped some food around his neck and crop the first day I rescued him. The food is now dry and I cant clean it out, any tips? 







Marina B said:


> Looks like a baby dove to me. How are you feeding him? Does he stick his beak into a cut-off syringe as in the videos on youtube?
> 
> Also post a photo of his droppings? It should be brown, firm with a white dot on top. There should be plenty of droppings, then you know he is getting enough food.
> 
> Looks as if some feathers are missing. If a cat got hold of him, then he will need antibiotics.





Marina B said:


> What are you feeding him? The crop looks quite full in the photo and should empty inbetween feedings. Is he eager to be fed? A tiny dove will need half the amount of food than a baby pigeon. I think 10 ml 4 times daily ought to be enough. You can also start offering him small seeds. Get him interested by playing with the seeds using your fingers. Do the same with a small bowl of water. Never force water into him with a syringe, they can easily aspirate.


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## Marina B (May 5, 2011)

A better option to feed him will be defrosted green peas, the frozen type you buy in the supermarkets. You will need to forcefeed him, for a dove you need to split the pea in 2 halves and feed these sml pieces to him.

Put him on your lap (facing to the right if you are righthanded.) Reach with your lefthand over his body and head and open the beak with those fingers. Have the halved pea ready in your righthand and put deep inside the beak. If he spits it out, you need to put it deeper. Give him time to swallow and proceed with the next piece. Quite easy when you get the hang of it. Feed him 30 halves (15 peas) 3 times a day. They quickly learn to eat the peas by themselves so always leave some in a sml bowl for him. When he starts eating by himself, you can add small seeds to the halved peas.

Hè looks very dirty. Take a damp cloth and keep on wiping him down until he is clean. Are you keeping him in a closed box the whole time? That way he will never learn to eat and it won't do him any good. Rather turn the box on its side and cover the front with shadecloth or something that will allow light inside. Otherwise, a budgie cage will be fine.

Also teach him to drink water by dipping the tip of his beak (not over the nostrils) in a sml bowl of water.

You can also check for canker (yellowish growths) inside his beak towards the back of his throat. Very common amongst young birds, but can be treated. Two of the symptoms are missing feathers on the breast and lack of appetite.

Releasing him will not be so easy, you will need to do a soft release and supply him with food afterwards. That can only happen when he is a bit older, another 6 to 8 weeks.


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## foamari (May 2, 2020)

Thanks for the recommendation. I've given, peas, seeds and formula and It's now been two weeks and dove is looking alot healthier and getting bigger by the day. I took him to the vet for a checkup and he looks good. He's really active and gets all excited when I'm back home from work 

I have however recently noticed some Lumps on his wing and on his toes. Any idea what these could be the result off? See pics attached


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## Marina B (May 5, 2011)

The lump on the foot looks like pox to me. This is spread by infected mosquitoes. Nothing much you can do, it will eventually dry up and fall off in a couple of weeks. They get these growths on the unfeathered parts of the body, so I'm not sure about the growth on the wing.


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## foamari (May 2, 2020)

Marina B said:


> The lump on the foot looks like pox to me. This is spread by infected mosquitoes. Nothing much you can do, it will eventually dry up and fall off in a couple of weeks. They get these growths on the unfeathered parts of the body, so I'm not sure about the growth on the wing.


Ok thank you..it's now.been 4 days and it's.gotten significantly bigger as per pics. Should I be worried .


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## Marina B (May 5, 2011)

Those lumps will keep on growing, then it will eventually stop and start drying up. It will become darker before falling off. Might take up to 4 weeks to heal. As long as no lumps start growing around the eyes and on the beak, which might intevere with his eating, then no need to worry. Just focus on building up his immunity to fight off the virus. Good food, vitamins and apple cider vinegar in the drinking water will help. You can add 5 ml acv to 1 litre of water.


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## foamari (May 2, 2020)

Marina B said:


> Those lumps will keep on growing, then it will eventually stop and start drying up. It will become darker before falling off. Might take up to 4 weeks to heal. As long as no lumps start growing around the eyes and on the beak, which might intevere with his eating, then no need to worry. Just focus on building up his immunity to fight off the virus. Good food, vitamins and apple cider vinegar in the drinking water will help. You can add 5 ml acv to 1 litre of water.


. Ok great thank you so much for the advise.


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