# What to feed a dove (25ish days)



## OOooapieceofCandy (Jul 7, 2013)

Hi everyone.

So my lil guy(girl) is doing well and growing. He is about 25 days old. He still seems small overall, but not skinny. I am weaning him off his kaytee stuff, but I'm a softee, so I have been giving him some (yesterday was only 2 bottle nipples). He just wont eat his seeds in his cage. I put corn and peas in the seeds to lure him, so he does know where the food is, but he is very good aat just picking those out. Is he just being a picky jerk? Also I need to leave him mostly alone for 2 days, what is the best mixture of dry things that i can supply him? (I'll have someone come change his water daily, but I don't trust him to be able to do much else)


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## Jaye (Mar 13, 2008)

When you say 'mostly alone'...someone is coming to look after him sometimes ? Changing food and water and cage liner ? Does this person know the history of the bird ?

That he eats the veggie morsels by himself is good. It is OK to wean off slowly. However, time it so that when you go away for those 2 days he has been off formula completely for at least one day before.

You can try popping some seed into his/her mouth...like safflower seeds. Those work quite well. get him/her used to the feel of seeds inside the mouth. From there he will move to pecking them, and then hopefully start pecking at the smaller seeds as well....

Just some thoughts. Glad he/she is doing well....


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## spirit wings (Mar 29, 2008)

the birds learn from interaction and hanging with his parents and watching them..so I think before feeding him you need to be more active with the bird and peck with your fingers in the dish and around the dish like your eating, pop a few down his throat and keep going, when he starts picking them up then your on your way.


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## OOooapieceofCandy (Jul 7, 2013)

The issue isn't that he doesn't know how, or doesn't know where it is, the issue is that even though he knows how to eat seeds and did so when he was younger between pablum feedings, he now just tosses the seeds about looking for treats (peas and corn) I've tried to entice him with dried peas and corn added to his seeds, but he is too clever. I do open his beak and peck them with him, but he just attack-nibbles my fingers hoping for pablum or peas/corn. Yesterday I only gave him 2 bottle nipples of pablum before bedtime because I worry he isn't eating enough seeds. Should i just pop lotsa seeds into him? should I cave and feed him more pablum? gaaah. This baby bird raising makes me question having a human baby. lol. At least I dont check on him a bunch of times during the night to ensure he is alive anymore. (A little dental mirror would have helped to check for breath)

I am assuming he is just being picky, but should I be worried? 

Thanks so much for the time you guys put in to helping me. Myself and baby appreciate it.


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## spirit wings (Mar 29, 2008)

At 25 ish days of age he is just getting weaned so keep what you are doing, then I would stop when he is 5 weeks old and leave the seeds in the dish they do like peas and corn so let him have those, do not refill the dish untill he eats almost all of it and only then refill the feed dish. he needs to be hungry enough to eat the other seeds. if they are over fed then they get picky and only pick out their favorites.


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## OOooapieceofCandy (Jul 7, 2013)

Thanks S.W. I will do that =D
If he gets hungry enough, I guess he will eat what is put in front of him. Like any toddler, he is just trying to push his boundaries. =D

Again, thank you for helping out, everyone. It really puts my mind at ease to have access to your pigeon knowledge.


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