# panting



## badbird (Aug 15, 2005)

ok so my bird has been flying all over the house today, probably from all the energy he got from his peanut treat last night. he is now getting sluggish and is panting like a dog. his heart is racing faster than i thought possible, he's hot, and his throat is moving in and out and his beak is soooooooo wide open as he "pants" or breathes in and out probably about 10 times per second.

i've never seen this in birds 'on the streets' so is this normal for a bird to do when they are worn out and tired or hot?


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## Feefo (Feb 8, 2002)

I think that is a sign of agitation and/or overheating. There is a specific name for it but I can't remember what it is.

Is he flying by choice or being chased? I have seen this reaction in pigeons that I have tried to catch when they are in the house, if that happens I leave them to calm down.

Cynthia


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## Whitefeather (Sep 2, 2002)

badbird said:


> ok so my bird has been flying all over the house today, probably from all the energy he got from his peanut treat last night. he is now getting sluggish and is panting like a dog. his heart is racing faster than i thought possible, he's hot, and his throat is moving in and out and his beak is soooooooo wide open as he "pants" or breathes in and out probably about 10 times per second.
> 
> i've never seen this in birds 'on the streets' so is this normal for a bird to do when they are worn out and tired or hot?


It sounds like your pij has flat worn himself out. 
Is there anything in his flight area that might be frightening him? I would suggest letting him land in a safe place, leave him alone for a bit so he will hopefully perch & catch his breathe. 

Cindy


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## Maggie-NC (Jun 22, 2005)

Like John said, sometimes ours will do this when we are having to catch them in the aviary to medicate them in the house. We usually will catch 2-3 at the time, giving the others a chance to get their breath. 

Please don't chase them for very long at the time because it stresses them too much. Their natural instinct is to take flight. One hint - if you need to cage one up for the night, check where the bird is located in a room, then cut off the lights and go straight to where the bird is and pick it up. It willl momentarily freeze when you cut out the lights. Less stress on you and the birds.

maggie


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## badbird (Aug 15, 2005)

he was flying by choice, i was sitting on my couch while he would whiz by. he sure was having fun but yeah he did get tired. i picked him up and put him back on the perch in his cage to rest.


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## Whitefeather (Sep 2, 2002)

badbird said:


> he was flying by choice, i was sitting on my couch while he would whiz by. he sure was having fun but yeah he did get tired.
> 
> *i picked him up and put him back on the perch in his cage to rest*.


Well done. 

Cindy


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## badbird (Aug 15, 2005)

usually he will just sit there but i think the peanuts gave him extra spunk and he went nuts.

he does need to excercise...but not that much!

normally scooter does NOT want to be out of his cage but its not very big so i get him out so he can run around and fly a bit. i mean he can spread his wings and stretch properly but there's not alot of room. i never thought he would want to stay in there all the time. when i first got him i thought he would always want to be OUT. he's obsessed with the cage.


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## Whitefeather (Sep 2, 2002)

badbird said:


> usually he will just sit there but *i think the peanuts gave him extra spunk and he went nuts*.


 

It sounds like things are now back to normal. I'll bet he sleeps good tonight.  

Cindy


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## Skyeking (Jan 17, 2003)

Hi badbird,

Scooter may just not be used to flying, so he may be a little out of shape. 

I think the daily excursions out of the cage is a great idea, but start slow and let him work his way up to longer periods of excercise, so that his body can adjust.

A word of caution on the peanuts, make sure to give Scooter just a few once in a while, not everyday, since they have a high fat content.


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## badbird (Aug 15, 2005)

he hasn't had peanuts for a couple weeks

yeah i know he is not in as much shape as he had been when he was out in the real world as a homing pigeon.


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## Happy (Dec 19, 2004)

Just sounds like he's too Fat & out of shape. Just my guess.... Hap


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## Victor (Dec 18, 2004)

badbird said:


> i never thought he would want to stay in there all the time. when i first got him i thought he would always want to be OUT. he's obsessed with the cage.


That is normal Badbird, Scooter is just being protective of his home, you know, the pigeon territorial concept.He probably feels at home and secure in it. Keep an eye on his diet though!


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## badbird (Aug 15, 2005)

his food 98% of the time is kaytee dove food from petco. he loves it!

he doesn't love the small white millet though as that is always left over. he eats some of it when i hand feed him after he hasn't eaten for a while.


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## Girl (Mar 3, 2005)

Hi badbird,

My bird Sweets does the same thing. When we take him out of his aviary and he starts flying around, he will pant and open his beak very wide. I took him to the vet recently just for a check up and the vet didn't find anything wrong with him. I was told that it was probably because he is out of shape. Sweets has a medium size aviary which he can fly in small circles but he does get tired if he has to fly longer then the length of two rooms. If in doubt, no harm taking Scooter to the vet.


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## Whitefeather (Sep 2, 2002)

badbird said:


> *his food 98% of the time is kaytee dove food from petco. he loves it!*
> 
> *he doesn't love the small white millet though as that is always left over*. he eats some of it when i hand feed him after he hasn't eaten for a while.


My clan has been dining on the Kaytee dove food (from PetCo) for as long as I have had them. Some for three years.  
Occasionally I go to the local feed store & pick up some 'extras' in bulk & add to their seed. 
My pijjies don't like the little seeds either.  

Cindy


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## badbird (Aug 15, 2005)

i tried other foods, even some that said it was for pigeons but he didnt care for it. he likes the kaytee.


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## Victor (Dec 18, 2004)

Tooters favorite is also the Kaytee pigeon-dove mix, and but leaves the "round balls" alone.The outdoor birds won't even touch them , so I toss them out in the trash now.


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## badbird (Aug 15, 2005)

i should email kaytee to take those out lol


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## Victor (Dec 18, 2004)

The last container of Kaytee I bought, I sat in the kitchen and sifted out the round pellets and planned on incorporating them in the outdoor wild mix, but darn if they leave them alone too! I think I will try adding them to the seeds I feed the wild ferals at the corner grocery store..._maybe_ they will appreciate them?


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## badbird (Aug 15, 2005)

how did you sift them out


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## Victor (Dec 18, 2004)

Hi Badbird,

My apology to you for suggesting that I "sift".I do use a flour strainer though, but a bowl will do.I probably choose that word without giving much thought. I pour the seeds into the strainer and manually remove those that he refuses to eat, and then I pour them into a large bowl. When the separation is complete, I simply pour the mix back into the container.


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## PigeonLover1029 (Jul 15, 2005)

my pigeon only eats the small seeds lol but i wont feed him again untill he eats all the seed, it works for me to get him to eat.


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