# Long standing string injury



## BHenderson (Sep 8, 2011)

I don't know how many have read my other thread about trying to catch feral pigeons with injuries, but the female with string injuries on both feet has been caught. I am really pleased, but the injury was a little more substantial than I first realised.

I have given the bird Tramadol, which is the only painkiller I have, and waited an hour for it to kick in. These injuries are always painful for the birds and I give the painkiller first now.

The feet did not look infected as such, but there did seem to be a lot of skin built up and still clinging to the foot. One toes was only hanging on by the string that had cut it off. I managed to remove most of the string on one foot, but the other was more difficult because the string seemed to be buried in a clump of flesh that it had cut into. The skin has been made to grow in some funny ways by the length of time the string has been on the feet. As I say, I managed to get most of the string off on one foot, and some off on the other foot, but both feet have string injuries around the ankles that seems to be buried in dark coloured scabs. I have applied need oil in the hope it will soften up these scabs and I will have another go at removing the string tomorrow. I am wondering if I used the correct thing to try and remove the scabs, or maybe I should have used Dermisol cream that is designed to remove 'necrotic' tissue? Does anyone have experience with trying to clear up these long standing injuries?

Thank you,
Brian.


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## Dima (Jan 15, 2011)

Good for you Brian. How did you catch her?
As far for the string and flesh grown over, do not worry if there's some bits and pieces of string left. As long as they are not swirled around to cut the circulation, the defence mechanism of the skin is that they eventually it will come out ( indeed will build up some infection or pus). Just take care of the skin and it will heal.
For the toe hanging, black, ready to fall it is not really necessary to remove the string. It's just a matter of time to knock it off.
Congratz on this one too.


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## altgirl35 (Sep 5, 2008)

I like to get the string off 
BUT if its deep I like to do it at the vet
I once had a gull bleed out when I removed the fishing line
I also always use Baytril with anything that involves bone
It is almost always infected
Tramadol is okay but if you can get metacam that will help with pain and 
inflamation, tramadol only covers pain


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## BHenderson (Sep 8, 2011)

Yes I would love to get Metacam but none of the vets round here will help with pigeons. Their pain apparently counts for nothing. I wish I could get to speak to the vets directly and not through their staff, because I am sure a vet would try and help if I was looking after the birds other needs. My only chance is to travel to one of the avian vats that are on a list I have been shown, but this will cost at least £10 travel costs and I just don't have it at the moment.

Anyway, I totally misinterpreted this birds injuries, rather than not being long standing, I think it is very long standing indeed. All the easy string came off yesterday, but today I have not been able to remove any more. The circulation of the feet has not been cut off, but it looks like they hurt too much to stand on for long. Both feet have string that is buried in the skin that has grown over them, one piece between the toes. Also both ankles have long standing scabs and I believe there is string below both of them. I tried to get a sharp blade under the string but only succeeded in making the foot bleed so I stopped. The very old overgrown skin and scabs are rock hard and have been there for a long time. It does not appear that the neem oil helped soften them at all, so I have changed tack and smothered the feet in Dermisol cream in the hope it will loosen the scabs and make it possible to clean them up a bit. I will wash between each application of the Dermisol cream and hope that I eventually get to the string. Until this string is removed from the ankle, I do not believe she will be able to use her feet to do more than hop about.

Her keel bone is sticking out a little so she was finding it hard to compete. She is a little sedated so I have not seen her eat much, but I think she ate plenty before I woke this morning. I am going to keep her in the cage because she is vulnerable to being bullied because she cannot get about as fast as the others. She has soft towels to sleep on so her feet do not hurt too much. She seems healthy if a little dirty, I believe she is an older female, but cannot be sure yet. There is no point giving her access to a bath yet until we fix her feet a little, but I wipe down her feathers when I can. She pooped plenty last night, although some of it made me wonder what she had been eating. As she is a healthy sizable bird I gave her a Harkers 3-in-1 just in case, but I think she is basically healthy. She looks a bit of a mess because her condition has forced her to rummage around in the dirt.

If anyone knows of a better way to try to break down these old scabs, I would be grateful.

Thank you,
Brian.


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## altgirl35 (Sep 5, 2008)

Could try to soak her legs too in Epsom salts and warm water too
For a 1/2 hour a couple times a day 
Using antibiotic ointment once dry inbetween


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## BHenderson (Sep 8, 2011)

Thanks for the suggestion. Ill check how the Dermisol is working tomorrow, if its not going well I will try the epson salts as well.


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## altgirl35 (Sep 5, 2008)

If you do start getting that string off be ready 
If he starts to bleed he could bleed out
They have a large artery running down the leg to the foot
Have quick stop ready, and pressure
Been able to stop major bleeds with surgical glue
May need to tornucate and rush to vet


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## Dima (Jan 15, 2011)

Once you remove the stings from pigeon's feet , they are more painful to them than when they were in the strings. The blood circulation kick in where there was no blood running due to the ties.
Epsom salt as altgirl35 said is very good to help the blood flow.


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## BHenderson (Sep 8, 2011)

I soaked the feet for about half an hour today. Lots of stuff came off the feet into the water, but the hard scabs round the ankles are only going to loosen slowly. I reapplied the Dermisol cream after trying to get bits of string through the scabs. I will repeat this every day until I can remove the string.


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## BHenderson (Sep 8, 2011)

I have had some success today. I sit with Hobo on my lap with her feet in a bowl of water. Now she is used to me she does not seem to mind doing this, so I think the warm water on her feet feels nice for her.
It needs at least half hour soak to make the hard bits even a little soft, but today I was scrapping away with a blade and lots of it stated to come away. I managed to get under a couple of deep bits of sting and pull them away slowly, but although she was sitting there allowing me to work on her, she got to the point where she had had enough and stated trying to escape. I stopped at this point and called it a day. I put more dermisol cream on and put her in her little box. I am pleased that it is coming loose at last, and I think after tomorrows soak I will start to get most of the hard material away and I will try to get all the string off.
She has quietly gone to the back of her box and is sitting there being very quiet. The box is open so she can come out if she wants, but she has stayed in the box. This is making me wonder if I have left her in pain? I don't want to keep doping her up unnecessarily, but if she is in pain I do not want to leave her like that all night either. Does anyone know how to spot signs of pain in pigeons? Do you think I should give her painkiller?

I am hoping I might see some improvement in the leg that had the majority of the string taken away today. I am hoping that I have restored some of the blood flow.

Brian.


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## altgirl35 (Sep 5, 2008)

I just try to imagine how it would feel if it was me
I'm sure it hurts, but I'm also sure it will heal and feel better in the long run to get the foreign matter out of her skin
I would def give her pain meds if she was here with me on top of antibiotics
Depends on what you have or can get
I wouldn't use anything that will make her bleed worse like ibuprofen


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## BHenderson (Sep 8, 2011)

I have only opioid pain killers, which is why I am cautious about giving them to her all the time. Opiates will actually lower her blood pressure so are likely to make bleeding less likely. She seems to be settled now so I am not going to catch her again, what I will do is give her medication before I start tomorrow because I feel much more is going to come away tomorrow.
Apparently I read an article the other day that said addiction is not a problem with pigeons on opiates, but they do tend to sit still and not move much. I try to allow them to stay as awake as possible so that they use the limb and get the blood moving, but tomorrow is different because a lot of very old scab and scar tissue is going to come away.


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## altgirl35 (Sep 5, 2008)

Would love to see pics of her


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## BHenderson (Sep 8, 2011)

I will send some soon. I have such a bad camera though and it makes it hard to get a decent picture. It was brought years ago and is an early cheap digital camera. I will include some pictures soon though, she is getting used to me so she does not fly away so quick if I point something at her.


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## BHenderson (Sep 8, 2011)

I gave the legs a good 40 minute soak today, but some of the problem is hardened skin that has formed round the ankles. I scrapped away the scab between the swollen skin and I could see one piece of tight string. I tried to get the corner of the blade under the string but it bled a little so I lost sight of it, I will have another go tomorrow. I have managed to remove the piece that had the dead toe dangling off it, and I managed to remove a couple of other deep bits of string. They do not seem enough to have caused so much build up round the ankles though and I think I have more work to do. I have stopped putting the Dermisol cream on because I do not think it is making much difference.
I want to get the scabs and the hard skin soft, and I have read a couple of different suggestions. Hydrogen peroxide is supposed to soften things, but I am wondering if it will sting the tender areas of the foot. Also the suggestion made by Altgirl35 of epsom salts, the description I have read makes it sound like this is more a measure for comfort than having a particular softening effect? Anyway, I will get some as soon as I can and start using it.
Again I am pretty sure she did not want to do this today as she made an attempt to escape. so I think yesterday hurt her a lot. I did not want to make the same mistake today so I gave her two doses of painkiller, one before and a bit more after. I gave the second dose because I managed to remove some bits of string that have been stuck up until today, so I am sure this would be sore. I do not want to leave her in unnecessary pain so I have give her a little extra. She came out of her box for a while after she had settled and flew about and landed on different things, unlike yesterday, so I think the pain killer is working. I am pleased about this. Apparently because of their faster metabolism the painkiller stats to wear off after about 4 hours, so I may give her a bit more later.

Brian.


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## PigeonQueen (Aug 13, 2006)

Hello I use a SEAM SPLITTER to help remove string, fishing line etc. You can buy one from a shop that sells materials, buttons etc. Also a fine sewing needle might be handy but you would have to be careful.Best of luck.


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## BHenderson (Sep 8, 2011)

You may have a point PigeonQueen, I will see if mom has one in her sewing tin. I might try a neddle to try and get under the bit of string that is buried beneath the skin. I have to try and pull back both sides of the skin a tiny bit to see the string, then try to get something under it to either pull it loose or cut it. The problem is I have to be gentle because trying to split the skin is painful for the pigeon.
I think I am going to give her a rest tomorrow, she has had 2 days of painful removal of sting. I am going to give her some more painkiller in the morning, and try and see if there is any change is the way she is using her legs, but otherwise I am going to let her rest.

Brian.


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## altgirl35 (Sep 5, 2008)

can you find anything with lidoacaine in it? mbe you could numb the area first


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## BHenderson (Sep 8, 2011)

Yes I am keen on a lidocaine cream, again it is something I will try and buy when I have some money. I have an antiseptic cream with a numbing agent in it, but I don't have much left and I have personally never found it that powerful. I might be an option though. Like I say, I am going to give her a break tomorrow, it must be miserable for her every time I pick her up I am hurting her. I know its got to be done, but it does not have to be day after day after day, she can have a break.


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## altgirl35 (Sep 5, 2008)

Mbe just do the soak with no picking, the seam splitter idea is brilliant


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## BHenderson (Sep 8, 2011)

I am going to try and pick up a bit of epsom salts later to put in the water, I may give her a soak after that. She has just started to show some signs of being a little downhearted and I don't want her to think every day is going to be pain. I know the alternative argument is to get it all over and done with, but because of the problems getting to the string I cannot do this.
To be honest, I am feeling guilty about the pain I am putting her through, she doesn't understand why I am doing it, all she knows is every time I catch her I am hurting her. She does try to set there with her head facing away to try and let me work on her legs, but it struck me as such a position of resignation yesterday, that like I say I am feeling a little guilty. I will soak the legs in the hope it continues to help soften the scabs, but I am going to give her a rest.

Brian.


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## altgirl35 (Sep 5, 2008)

I'm sure she knows you are trying to help her, she must want that damn string off too
She just doesn't know how to get it off 
I'm sure she knows something foreign is in her body, it will be a relief to get it off even if it hurts more temporarily


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## BHenderson (Sep 8, 2011)

I have got the epsom salts at last. I thought this was the perfumed stuff you put in your bath, I didn't realise there was a proper chemical form. I am just going to bath her feet in warm epsom salts for a few days starting tonight and give the picking a rest. I have been told by yourself and a couple of other people that this might make things easier to get off. Also apparently it is important to keep the bathing up as it will help get things off in the long run. I'm sure she will be relived when I get the end of the bathing period and I don't start picking at her again, I just give her some vitamins and painkiller and let her go.
She has started coming out of her box more and sitting around on one of the chairs watching what is going on, this makes me feel better. She is also going over to the food regularly so I hope she is beginning to enjoy being here. It is definitely turning nasty outside and with her bad legs she would have been having a difficult time now. I'm so pleased I am able to help her and keep her away from nasty people and pigeons.


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## spiritflys (Aug 6, 2012)

You are expressing a good idea here, BHenderson, soak her feet in the Epsoms for a couple of days. The warm water and the Epsoms will step up the healing processes of the feet, as well as relieve the pain. It will also dry out the wounds more quickly. When that happens, the pain will not be so raw as you try to remove more string later. Good man, doing a bang-up job. Thumbs up for BHenderson. lol


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## BHenderson (Sep 8, 2011)

Thanks for the support spiritflys. I think she is getting used to the idea that I am not going to start on the string after each bathing now and she does seem to become very calm when her feet are in the bath. I am holding and stroking her the whole time and I can feel her heart beat slow down, so the epsom baths must help her relax.
Just an aside, Hobo I have noticed waits until the bath is over before letting go of her droppings. It just goes to show that these pigeons are not the dirty birds they are portrayed as, they even have rudimentary manners lol. I just makes me think that the only reason she would not just let go of her droppings while I am handling her is maybe an attempt not to poop on me.
Not pooping for half an hour is a long time for a pigeon and I realise she cannot do this every time, but I appreciate the fact that she makes an effort. Pigeons with manners LOL!


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## spiritflys (Aug 6, 2012)

You are right. I have also experienced this holding off pooping with my feral flocks that land on my head and shoulders when I feed them. I have been feeding them outside in the park for over 4 years and I do not get pooped on. How I love that flock. By the way the other day, I rescued a little mallard duck off the park pond. It feeds with the pigeons and other ducks at the pond and I noticed the past couple of days that it was literally dragging itself. The back right leg out behind it. He was still very strong though and it took a couple days attempts before I could catch him. Finally did, and took him to our bird vet. She called and gave me an update. No break in the leg, but swelling. Gave him antibiotics by injection and metacam (?) for pain. Also, upon X-ray she diiscovered that he had a led pellet in his chest right to the bone! So, some kid most likely SHOT HIM with a pellet gun. People are so cruel, eh? I read your post where you talked about how parents allow their kids to act so brutish (letting them kick the pigeons, etc. etc.) I see this all the time and I do go off about it, ballistic, no swearing, just making the parents face the fact that they are allowing their kids to act like bullies and brutes, what message are they giving the kid? Anyway, glad little "Hobo is relaxing now, and getting her baths, which will cause her to have a new look, you may have to change her name to Diva!! lol


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## NZ Pigeon (Nov 12, 2011)

spiritflys said:


> You are right. I have also experienced this holding off pooping with my feral flocks that land on my head and shoulders when I feed them. I have been feeding them outside in the park for over 4 years and I do not get pooped on. How I love that flock. By the way the other day, I rescued a little mallard duck off the park pond. It feeds with the pigeons and other ducks at the pond and I noticed the past couple of days that it was literally dragging itself. The back right leg out behind it. He was still very strong though and it took a couple days attempts before I could catch him. Finally did, and took him to our bird vet. She called and gave me an update. No break in the leg, but swelling. Gave him antibiotics by injection and metacam (?) for pain. Also, upon X-ray she diiscovered that he had a led pellet in his chest right to the bone! So, *some kid most likely* SHOT HIM with a pellet gun. People are so cruel, eh? I read your post where you talked about how parents allow their kids to act so brutish (letting them kick the pigeons, etc. etc.) I see this all the time and I do go off about it, ballistic, no swearing, just making the parents face the fact that they are allowing their kids to act like bullies and brutes, what message are they giving the kid? Anyway, glad little "Hobo is relaxing now, and getting her baths, which will cause her to have a new look, you may have to change her name to Diva!! lol


Not only kids shoot birds with pellet guns, There are some cruel adults out there too.


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## BHenderson (Sep 8, 2011)

Well done on the duck spiritflys, they can be big birds and it must have been a difficult thing to do. Its also pleasing to get such a positive report from the vet. I wish I could find local vets round here that would help with the more difficult pigeon injuries like Hobo, I feel under qualified to deal with her injury.
It is very cold outside now, it has started to freeze in the last couple of days, and I am just thankful that she did not have to endure that ontop of her other problems.

The thing about kids kicking birds is just something I cannot understand. I'm afraid I think it is another symptom of the kids bringing up kids problem. I'm sure older parents would see the relationship between allowing kids to act in that way and the influence it will have on their future behavior, and this is aside from the moral issue of being cruel to animals. Its also the general lack of connection with nature that living in cities engenders. If the councils do wipe out the pigeons in London as it seems has been predicted by PiCAS, this problem will only get worse. Plus people like me will always miss the pigeons, and it seems so unfair that I have to live without any natural local wildlife because of a lack of understanding by others.

As for Hobo becoming Diva, I have been known to change the names of my birds. I am interested in looking for names that represent the nature of the bird rather than just labels, that's why it takes me so long to name my birds. Blondie was once known as Angel, until I got to know her better lol.


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## spiritflys (Aug 6, 2012)

Thanks, BHenderson. I caught the duckie by removing my jacket and getting her that way, whilst she was eating. But she was ever so good, and sweet in nature. Even the vet commented how good she was and she enjoyed me gently scratching her head in the vet's office while we waited. I will be phoning today to the vet. I want to know if the vet will be removing the pellet soon, and if so, how the duck does after surgery.


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## spiritflys (Aug 6, 2012)

You are right, Evan. Some adults are just as cruel. I have signed countless petitions against cruelty to birds and animals which were sent to me on FaceBook. adults can be VERY cruel, yes.


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## BHenderson (Sep 8, 2011)

I have seen some improvement in Hobo's use of her legs. She will stand on them outstretched to reach water, something she could not do before, and she seems to be using them generally more. She always returns to laying on her legs, but they are obviously improving. It makes me wonder if there is still a lot of sting remaining, maybe I have managed to remove a lot of it, and the epsom baths are helping the circulation to return to her feet. She has lots of scabs and tough skin that could be helping block the blood supply, and I am hoping the epsom baths will help this dry out and fall off quicker.
She sits on top of the radiators quite a lot, but the other birds do this a lot as well. I wonder if the warmth helps her legs feel better.
Unfortunately she has tried to leave a couple of times. This surprises me because I would have thought that the warmth and regular good food would make her want to stay, but she has tried to sneak past me a couple of times when I have opened the door to feed the outside pigeons. It is very cold outside now, and I feel for the pigeons outside. I have thrown caution to the wind a little and I am feeding quite a few at the moment, but it must be awful to be in this cold and have nothing to eat to keep the fires burning. Again, I would have thought the rush of cold air would put Hobo off from going out. Maybe I keep it too warm in here and she finds that difficult. The other birds chase her away from the food, especially when I have put something nice out for them. I have a little pot that I have put over by her box, but she rarely seems to notice it despite the fact I have loaded it with hemp seed and other nice things.
I think she still remembers when I was scraping at her legs, and it made her sore, and I think she still thinks I am going to start doing that again. I hope she will relax with me the more I bath her legs. I don't want to let her go while her legs are still bad, I want her to stay for a bit. I don't like making them prisoners, but in this case it would not be long before she was crawling about in the dirt again, and this time she would have the lack of food and the cold weather to deal with. She's so lovely, no animal deserves to live like that.


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## spiritflys (Aug 6, 2012)

good morning, BHenderson!

You are doing a great job on Hobo. Don't worry about her wanting to "sneak past you" and out to "freedom." It is her instincts kicking in. My last rehab was like that. She had a leg that had been broken, but was healing out in the wild, yet it was very sore and causing her to hop on one leg, falling over sometimes, so I managed to catch her; she had it made, lots of food, a warm place for the winter, yet as soon as her leg started feeling better, she spent allot of time trying to escape out the windows. I even put sheets over the windows as she was slamming into them, she would still literally try and squeeze out any place where there was a crack of light. So, I gave her 4 weeks of rehab, and let her go. I never had a more "ungrateful" rehab. But sometimes you just have to ignore the behaviour and give them the time they need to recover. They do not understand that we are doing all these things for them, rather than to them. All the best, lol


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## BHenderson (Sep 8, 2011)

Its so funny, there was an element of planning in the way she pretended to be eating with the other birds whilst creeping closer and closer to the door. I knew she was going to make a break for it. They are not as daft as people think they are.


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## altgirl35 (Sep 5, 2008)

Lol, clearly thinking ahead the little sneak!
I love it when they want out 
Means they are feeling better!


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## BHenderson (Sep 8, 2011)

I have noticed Hobo using her legs a lot more, although she still spends much of the day sitting down. I have seen her reaching on her legs to get to water and food, and she will walk a bit and will stand to defend herself against one of the others, much better than she was initially. I continue to soak her legs, although not as often as I should. She is happy with the little box she has which is hard for the others to reach, which I think makes her feel safer. She has not made any more attempts to leave, in fact she has had the chance to fly out of the door a couple of times and has not done so, so I think she may be reconsidering where she is better off. It is very cold outside now and she can feel that when I open the door. I think she would still have trouble with her legs if she was out in that cold. She may be a little bored in here, but she needs some more healing time.

I am wondering if enough string came off to allow her legs to start working again, and she just needs some time for the hard skin and scabs to break down to allow her greater movement? I will continue to soak her legs, but do you think it needs to be every day? I don't mind, I will do it as often as I can, but I am wondering if every day is necessary? I think the skin in particular is going to take some time to soften up or fall off now the string has been removed.
I am reluctant to go digging unless I can see the string, so I am going to wait and see if she continues to improve without further intervention. If things slow down then maybe there is more string to look for.

P.s. whenever I go out at the moment I take a bag of bird peanuts with me, I see so many hungry birds and I want to feed them all, but I just do not have the money. I would get in trouble with the council if they knew how much money I was spending on the birds whilst having a small amount of arrears. The council are sitting on piles of money they seem to waste, they can wait a bit lol. I look for the sickly looking pigeons and try to make sure they get a few nuts. I also look for late babies and I drop a little seed for them as the nuts are often too big. Its an awful time for the pigeons, and I am glad that I spent some time when it was warmer feeding my local little flock as they look like they are coping ok at the moment. I continue to feed them and they have some fat on them as well, although when I open the door you would think they had not been fed for days lol. I even get the woodpigeons, who are normally shy, coming up for a few peanuts. I wish I could get a big 20kg sack of peanuts, it would last a couple of weeks.


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## altgirl35 (Sep 5, 2008)

Ahh the curse of the animal rescuer 
Empty wallets but full hearts
Can't really say what the next step should be without 
Being able to see 
If you think the string is off that's great
No need to open her wounds if its gone


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## altgirl35 (Sep 5, 2008)

If soaking is helping keep doing it


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## BHenderson (Sep 8, 2011)

You make me laugh altgirl35. Its true what you say, your wallet can never be big enough once you start noticing the plight of these birds and any wildlife in fact. There is this creeping feeling in me that we as humans are responsible for a lot of the trouble that the pigeons in particular go through. I feel an urge to try an make it up to them in some way, its not their fault. We are the ones that have removed much of their natural food supply and then complain when we see them eating unsightly things because they want to cling to life. I always confront people with this when I hear them criticizing what the pigeons eat, I ask them what they might end up eating if they were hungry enough. That usually shuts them up.
At the end of the day I know I cannot feed them all, I try to look for suffering, if I see a suffering or wounded pigeon then I focus on them and take them home if I can catch them. I still feel the council is going to outlaw contact between pigeons and squirrels and council tenants in the new tenancy, but I will fight them in court about this, I'm not just going to give in. If it is enforced by the courts(I cannot believe the courts would do this!) then I will be moving to Dorset with some friends I have down there.

As you suggest, I will continue the bathing until she is able to use her legs better.


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## BHenderson (Sep 8, 2011)

Unfortunately when I opened the doors today to allow the outside flock in to eat the food that has been spilt on the floor by the inside birds(the only way I can feed them without the neighbors having something to complain about!) Hobo took her chance and flew out the door.
In a way this may be for the best, I was not making much progress with the wound and she was bored of sitting around all the time. I only have the birds that have been born here at the moment as I have released all the birds that were better when they wanted to go. Compared to how it has been, my room is quite empty at the moment and I think Hobo was bored. I have no doubt when the PMV season starts I will have lots of new patients. I hope Hobo has done the right thing, I am worried when it gets really cold her legs may let her down and she will be left crawling about in the dirt again. I will keep a look out for her every day and hopefully she will join my regular flock and get meals daily.

One thing Hobo's case has made me aware of, I need to find a vet who will help me who is not too far away. Hobo's string injury was too deep for me to get at, I did not like inflicting pain on her especially when most of the time it was unproductive. A vet could have knocked her out and got in there and got it done, and she would just have stayed here until she healed up. I must make an effort to try and contact a sympathetic local vet.


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## Miss-Sassypants (Sep 25, 2010)

Brian, you have such a good heart. God Bless!

I'm sure what you did for Hobo HAS helped her improve and her leg is recovering. She took the chance and flew out, and I'm pretty sure she knows where to find you if she needs you again. She has lived where you are, and pigeons are able to recognize places (and humans) who have helped them. She'll be alright.

Thank you for all you do for the pigeons. You give hope for humanity.


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## BHenderson (Sep 8, 2011)

Thank you for you kind words Miss-Sassypants. I hope you are right about Hobo, its awfully cold here, heading into the minus numbers tonight. I have not seen her around yet.


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## altgirl35 (Sep 5, 2008)

That stinks she got out, poor girl
Hopefully she will come back if she needs too


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## BHenderson (Sep 8, 2011)

I found her again today in the park. She was sitting down on a brick wall, but as soon as she saw me put some food down she charged over. I caught her while she was eating and brought her home. As soon as I put her back in her sleeping box, she flew straight out to the food bowl and was obviously starving. It is very cold outside at the moment and I would not be surprised if she has had nothing to eat since she left here, poor thing.
I hope she will chose to stay now. She seems to have done further damage to her feet while she has been away. I think her feet have suffered in the cold and it looks like another toe has died. Thats the "thumb" on one foot, so if that one falls she will only have two front toes on that foot now.

I will try to do some photo's tomorrow so people can see that hard skin that is stopping me getting to the string that I think may still be underneath. I am thinking of phoning one of the local private vets to see if they will do me a special rate because it is wildlife, but I am not holding my breath.


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## altgirl35 (Sep 5, 2008)

Don't give her a choice!!
When its cold out birds cannot just be released when they are better
They need to re acclimate to the cold
I slowly over weeks cool down the rehab room, by opening the windows more and more until the room is the same temp as outside
Then I keep them at least a week longer in the cold room before release 
If that can't be done, hold onto her till spring


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## BHenderson (Sep 8, 2011)

Don't worry I intend to keep her to spring now, her feet are so bad it would not be fair to let her go. I put her inside my coat when I was bringing her back, and after a while she calmed down and seemed calm in my hands, I think she remembers me, she was just shocked to be caught. I am hoping now she has been outside on 3 very cold night she will be more keen to stay. I am going to have to cut down the amount of food I am putting out for the other birds as I am running out and it will be a few days before I can get more, so she will not get chance to get out again so easily.

She was so hungry when she got back I cant help but feel that she will be more keen to stay now anyway. I am going to start bathing her feet again tomorrow and do what I can with her injuries. After seeing her sitting on her own in the cold, starving hungry, my heart really went out to her, I will be more careful with her now. I worry sometimes when they want to get out that they have a nest somewhere, but I know that is not true now so I don't want her to escape again.

I have another little bird that I remember from before who has returned as well, one of the few who has had the sense to come back, so I have called her Brains lol. I remember her because she sits on the curtain rail and lets out these little grunts over and over again? I have not seen another pigeon do this so I know its the same one. Brains has no injuries as far as I can see, but she is on the small side and may have found it hard to compete. I have built Hobo and Brains a block in the corner that is high up so they have a space to go where they will not be disturbed. There is Hobo in the bottom box and Brains in the top box and they both seem to have accepted their new homes happily. They are both clever enough to understand when I caught them and put them in their respective boxes, they understood that that was their own box and they both happily go their to sleep.

I am so pleased to have them both in here in the warm when it is so cold out, especially Hobo. The others seem happy with them as well, I think they remember each other. I am hoping one of them might settle with my one lose young male who is making a pest of himself at the moment. Its not his fault though, this is an unnatural environment and he cannot easily find himself a female.

I can't get over how hungry Hobo was when she got back, she must have had almost nothing to eat in the last 3 very cold days. I am so pleased I found her. I will not make another silly mistake.


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