# Baby pigeon feeding like crazy?



## ploumisn (Jun 24, 2014)

Hi all! 

This is my first message on these forums. First of all, I would like to thank the owners/contributors of this website. It contains so much valuable information about pigeons and how to raise one and I appreciate it because I just became the "father" of an abandoned male (I think) baby pigeon on my balcony. 

Long story short: 2 pigeons made a nest on my balcony and laid 2 eggs. When they hatched, everything went normal until day 5 when one of the two babies died and the parents abandoned the other one. 

I didn't take the bird under my direct "supervision" immediately. I kept monitoring the situation and occasionally syringe feeding it to prevent death and wait for its parents to come back. As you can guess, after 3 days the parents never came back and I became its "father" 

As of today the baby is 9 days old. It is healthy and active and always hyper active in asking for food! 

My question to you guys is the aforementioned hyper-activeness. Although I feed it until its crop is full (not over-filled) with a syringe mod that I made as seen in a youtube video, the baby goes nuts and want more! It becomes super active (or crazy) and squeaks for more. Is this normal? 

And one more question: Being a wild town pigeon, I was told that it may have mites so I went over to a vet and purchased mites & lice spray and Pubex dust and sprayed the bird and dusted its new little home that I made for him.

If it was infested to begin with, (I think it was as I noticed a few veeery tiny white, slow moving white bugs around the area where I fed it) how long will I have to spray and dust him in order to stop worrying about mites showing up?

Sorry for the long post and thanks in advance for your answers folks! 

PS: If you need more details in order to answer my questions, please feel free to ask!


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

They don't usually abandon their nests or babies. They may have started another nest, and been returning to feed the baby, and you just missed it, as you can't watch constantly for 24 hours a day. 

As far as the mites, Usually one treatment does get rid of them. But you could can treat again in a week or so if you want. Remember that the spray or powder does keep working for a couple of weeks anyway. A permethrin dust works well, and so does Sevin garden dust 5%. Not familiar with what you have over there. Be sure to get under the wings and tail area, and the back and tummy. Don't get any in his face, or near his eyes. You don't want to over do the treatment, as it is toxic, and he is a young bird. Don't want to make him sick. Spray and dust is a little over doing it to me. One or the other would be fine. 

As for feeding, he is supposed to act that way at feeding time, as that induces the parents to feed him. Very normal. You would worry if he didn't get hyper and excited to be fed. That could mean problems. Always make sure that his crop has emptied before feeding again, as adding food to old food in a birds crop can cause problems. How much are you feeding, and how often? Can you post up pics of the baby?

Here is a good link to check out for help.
http://www.pigeonrescue.co.uk/


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## ploumisn (Jun 24, 2014)

Hey Jay3, thanks for your reply! 

Good points about the mites. I didn't know they were that easy to get rid of! Or did I misunderstood what you said? You see, I had bad luck in the past once and I experienced the terror of bedbugs. After reading that mites can do about the same thing I freaked out and wanted to be 999% sure that I would get rid of these pests before ever allowing the bird inside the house. Ill take your word though to ease up on the pesticides. 

As for its nutrition, up until yesterday, I was feeding it Quaker oats original as it is supposed to be eaten by the bird at this age (mushed and not very think). Now that I committed to it, I purchased a special formula for hand feeding baby birds. As for its feeding rotation, up until yesterday (as well  ) I fed it about 5 times per day but only 1 syringe at a time as I was worried not to overfeed it. Now that I learned how much it needs to eat every time and after a bit of careful experimenting, I feed it 3 times a day and between 2 and 3 syringes (approx. 12-18ml worth of food in total): morning when I wake up, midday and night before I go to sleep. 

As for the pictures, I just snapped a few shots so that you guys can see and evaluate!
Currently, I have the bird inside this food wrap tin plate. Inside, I placed some of these long wood pellets that are specially designed to floor bird and rabbit cages (dusted with Pubex talk) and on top of that I placed a double kitchen paper towel so than I can easily remove its poops and finally, I rolled a big chuck of kitchen towel paper to cover 3/4 of its opening so the bird can feel warmer. As I said, I want to be sure about about the mite problem before I bring the bird inside so currently, he is safely located on my balcony inside this housing. I do not worry about the weather as currently, its summer hot here in Greece and pretty humid too so from what i've seen, the bird doesn't tremble (feeling cold) at all and its just sits there peacefully sleeping both day and night.

In addition, I am getting a big cardboard box later today in order to place this housing inside the box so that that it can get even warmer + to be much safer from any predator or otherwise unfriendly birds.

Any thoughts about all the above are most welcome! 

Here are the pictures of little Miltiades 

EDIT: Something is wrong with the images and they appear huge! I am re-sizing them and posting them in a bit!
EDIT: For some reason I couldn't post the pics in the same reply so I posted them in a new one, just above this reply!


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## ploumisn (Jun 24, 2014)




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## spirit wings (Mar 29, 2008)

ploumisn said:


> Hi all!
> 
> This is my first message on these forums. First of all, I would like to thank the owners/contributors of this website. It contains so much valuable information about pigeons and how to raise one and I appreciate it because I just became the "father" of an abandoned male (I think) baby pigeon on my balcony.
> 
> ...


yes it is normal, baby and young pigeons not yet weaned are quite the piglets.


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

So far sounds as though you are doing well. Did you get the info on that link as to how much he should be getting? He really isn't safe in an open container of any sort, as a predator could very easily get him. Also, being on a hard surface like that, rather than having a lot of nesting material under him, like piled straw or timothy hay, or even paper towels that have been torn or cut into long shreds and piled up into a soft nest, he can develop splayed legs, where the legs splay out to the side, from having nothing to grip onto to keep them under him. If that happens, and it isn't fixed, he won't ever be able to walk when he grows up. It is much easier to prevent, than it is to try to fix. In the pic do you see where his leg is splaying outward? Well it will grow that way and he won't be able to stand or walk. He really needs nesting material under neath him to be able to grip something and keep his feet under him where they should be, so that they don't slide out that way. He looks good. Adorable actually. Also, when babies are very young like that, they cannot maintain a good body temperature, even if it is warm outside. If he isn't warm enough, then he won't digest his food properly, and you will end up with crop problems. If he were with parents, they would keep him warm. Usually a heating pad placed under the nest, and set on LOW will accomplish this. At least until he is feathered out.


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## ploumisn (Jun 24, 2014)

Jay3 said:


> So far sounds as though you are doing well. Did you get the info on that link as to how much he should be getting? He really isn't safe in an open container of any sort, as a predator could very easily get him. Also, being on a hard surface like that, rather than having a lot of nesting material under him, like piled straw or timothy hay, or even paper towels that have been torn or cut into long shreds and piled up into a soft nest, he can develop splayed legs, where the legs splay out to the side, from having nothing to grip onto to keep them under him. If that happens, and it isn't fixed, he won't ever be able to walk when he grows up. It is much easier to prevent, than it is to try to fix. In the pic do you see where his leg is splaying outward? Well it will grow that way and he won't be able to stand or walk. He really needs nesting material under neath him to be able to grip something and keep his feet under him where they should be, so that they don't slide out that way. He looks good. Adorable actually. Also, when babies are very young like that, they cannot maintain a good body temperature, even if it is warm outside. If he isn't warm enough, then he won't digest his food properly, and you will end up with crop problems. If he were with parents, they would keep him warm. Usually a heating pad placed under the nest, and set on LOW will accomplish this. At least until he is feathered out.


Yes, I did check out a great number of links, info, tips and videos before committing to this little baby. I gotcha on the nesting material and went ahead and placed a great deal over the area where he sleeps and left the area where he poops empty. Please tell me if I'm on the right track regarding this! I placed some photos to show you what I did

















I could immediately see that his legs now can grip better and that its legs are not splaying as you can see in the picture. Next time I feed him and clean his little nest, I will put some more under it as I don't want to disturb him now, he just ate you see 

Furthermore, I snapped a photo of the nesting material that I used. Is it good enough or will I have to switch to something else at this stage? The vet lady being very kind and friendly, when she heard my bird's story she actually gave me half a sack full of this material for free when I bought the mite spray so it would be a pity not to use it for this purpose I think.










As for its heating and finding him something safer than this "tin can", I will take your point and see what I can do about it today and post back with my actions.


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

What is the nesting material? I would think he would avoid it. Doesn't look very comfortable or easy to walk on, or sit on. Can't you get him something more natural like straw, or Timothy hay that you buy in a pet shop?


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## ploumisn (Jun 24, 2014)

Jay3 said:


> What is the nesting material? I would think he would avoid it. Doesn't look very comfortable or easy to walk on, or sit on. Can't you get him something more natural like straw, or Timothy hay that you buy in a pet shop?


This nesting material (kinda hard to explain) is compressed woodchip in the form of a long pellet. From the day I put it inside the baby's nest, I've been monitoring to see if it is comfortable and above all, to see if its legs grip well and don't splay. so far so good! the little fella seems comfortable on it and his legs are in place underneath him! 

Sure I can get him something. Do you really think I should change to the material you mentioned above? From what I see he is comfortable, unless of course I am missing something due to lack of experience! Do enlighten me if this is the case


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

When he walks on those they would roll. They're small and round. Not a natural nest material.


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