# need to keep injured pigeon alive overnight



## Layne (Oct 3, 2005)

Hi

i have found an injured feral pigeon on the road outside my house, it is currently in a box with some water and wild bird seed. although it is alert with bright eyes it isn't able to walk or fly, it is dragging itself around the box by trying to flap its wings. when it sits it is listing to the one side. the only injury i can see is with regard to its tail feathers and back. it is missing tail feathers and i can see red and scratched skin on its back, but no blood. i though it might be paralysed, but its claws are able to grip a little - could it have 2 broken legs?? Its wings aren't looking too good either. i am having some trouble handling it and if it is in pain i don't want to be distressing it too much. i also haven't seen it drink anything, although i am leaving it alone in a dark place so who knows what it is doing when i am not looking. I live in scotland, and we have a society for the prevention of cruelty of animals, with a network of inspectors across the country who will come to your house and collect any sick or injured animal you find (i have given them numerous creatures over the years, including a crow, a wild rabbit, and two other pigeons, all have survived bar one who had been hit by a car). However their offices don't open until the morning, and i have had a few other birds die on me overnight (a fledgline jay a few years ago was the last, and was very upsetting) and although this bird seems very ill i still want it to have as good a chance as possible. Should i try and examine it further? should i try and force it to drink? Also is it possible for them to get too hot if they are wild birds and used to living outside? Any advice appreciated!


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## Jiggs (Apr 1, 2005)

I see you are still online, just hold on someone here always comes to the rescue. I unfortuanatly do not have much experiance in that field sorry


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## Whitefeather (Sep 2, 2002)

Hello & Welcome to Pigeons.com

Many thanks for taking in the most unfortunate pij.

Please click on the link below & review the thread. It is most accurate in describing the basic steps to saving the life of a pigeon/dove.

http://www.pigeons.biz/forums/showthread.php?t=9457

Please keep us posted.

Cindy


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## Pidgey (May 20, 2005)

Well, on the plus side, there's just about no bird more tough than a pigeon--they're very hard to kill.

Yes, you can have two broken legs but that's not life-threatening. You might try fluffing up a towel into something of a bowl shape and then limiting how much the bird can move around such that he stays on the towel. It sounds like the wounds are very new and so it could be in shock. It may have been attacked by a bird of prey or hit by a car, hard to say.

If it was attacked by a hawk, it may end up with a bloodborne infection and will need antibiotics very soon. Anyhow, it sounds like you've done all that's practical and you'll just need to keep him warm and in dim light so that he can rest. You can push his beak partway down into a bowl of water and see if he'll drink but that's about all you want to try for tonight, I think. You can put a small pinch of sugar and an even smaller pinch of salt in for electrolyte replacement. 

Thanks for taking this poor pigeon in!

Pidgey


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## Layne (Oct 3, 2005)

thanks for the advice / support. i have propped him / her up on a towel, and it seems pretty weak. on the plus side its eyes are still very alert. Hopefully he will make it thru the night. thanks again, nice to know there are people who care to talk to. L


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## pdpbison (Mar 15, 2005)

Hi Layne,


...and find some way to keep tham warm, quite warm, as making sure the Bird itself is able to warm...to be around our own body temperature or a little more- if you have en electric Heating Pad, have that with a towel over it and the towell 'chair' on that...set to 'low'.

The Bird may have been attacked by a Dog for that matter, which similarly can introduce danderous bacteria into their injuries and scrapes...as well as the general shock or trauma.

Might have sprained legs...

Now, does this Bird have "white" wattles? The area where it's Beak meets it's forehead? Is so, we may consider it to be an Adult. If not, then it may be a juvenile.

If a juvenile, it may not yet have become a proficient self feeder or drinker, and has been used to being fed by it's parents, even if a novice flier.

Is the Bird pooping? are there poops being made? If so, then we may suppose him to have eaten recently, and if not, then food might of some urgency.

If he has made poops, let us know roughly how many over how many hours, and their color and form?

Have them in a white or light color towell to best see about that.

No breezes or drafts...

If the Bird is at all fluffing up he is likely cold...if young, ill, famished and injured on top of it, they can chill easily.

Good luck!


Phil
Las Vegas


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