# Advice on Caring for a Frightened Pigeon?



## Howard Nye (Oct 14, 2009)

I found a pigeon with a broken wing here in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada on October 13, 2009. I've named her 'Bird-bird'. I found a vet who works with pigeons, who examined Bird-bird and concluded that she'll probably be unable to fly well enough to be released into the wild. I said that I would be happy to keep Bird-bird as a companion pigeon, and I'm rehabbing her with the intent to keep her as such.

For the first two days Bird-bird was *very* docile. Some of this may have been due to her being hurt, starving, and dehydrated, and some of it might have been due to the Valium they gave her at the emergency vet clinic to which I took her when I first found her. She had no problems being handled and being given her water and pain medication in a dropper. She's been eating very well and going to the bathroom a lot, and she generally looks more comfortable in the dog carrier I'm keeping her in (as the vet instructed me to do while her wing is healing). 

But beginning yesterday Bird-bird started to seem more fearful of being handled and given her medication and water. She's started to shriek when I first approach her to pick her up, and while she's being given her water and meds she engages in open-beak breathing. She *only* does the open-beak breathing while she's being given her water and meds (her doing this has been scaring me to death, and I've been monitoring her very carefully and can definitely say that she breathes perfectly normally while she's not being handled). I definitely don't want Bird-bird to be upset, but I have to give her her pain medication, and since she doesn't seem to be drinking enough on her own I felt (and my vet confirmed) that I should still be giving her water from the dropper. [I did dip Bird-brid's beak into the water in her dish to help show her where it is, and there is some seed in the water indicating she may well be drinking a bit of it, but she doesn't seem to drink the water down very much - my understanding is that pigeons need 30-60 ml of water per day, and she definitely doesn't seem to drink that much on her own. Her droppings also seemed to indicate that she wasn't drinking enough on her own - they didn't seem to have much white urine in them; before I went back to giving her water from the dropper they were almost completely brown with no visible white at all.] 

I've tried to keep Bird-bird's eyes covered while I give her the water & meds. She still does the open beak breathing while being treated (but then continues to go back to being fine after I put her back in her carrier). Is there anything else I can do to make treatment easier for Bird-bird? Is there anything I can do to help acclimate her to being handled without torturing her unnecessarily? (She's still underweight and has a wing on the mend, so I feel I should be doing everything I can to allow her to take things easy and not move around.) I would be most grateful for any advice you can give me.

Many thanks,
Howard


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## A_Smith (Aug 8, 2006)

Sounds like she don't like to be handled alot. Or just don't like her drugs.  Here is an idea on how to get her to drink some more on her own and become your friend too.  If you give a few safflower seeds by hand she will learn to trust you and look forward to your handouts. The safflower will make her thursty and she should drink. Peanuts will work too but safflower seeds are smaller and given a few at a time, can be more times she will get her treats. (and water)


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## Bella (May 2, 2009)

Thank you Howard for taking her in and giving her such excellent care. 

She may be developing a fear of you because you are only handling her as necessary to give meds and water. At this point in time there is not a lot you can do to avoid this.
As you intend to keep her as a pet you will need to teach her that GOOD things happen when you around too. Add a small amount of raw, unsalted peanuts to her feed. They will help her gain weight, but really you want to introduce them to her as a tasty treat. Allow her time out of her carrier as her health permits, always supervised, and away from any cats or dogs you may have. At first, don't push yourself on her. Allow her to observe you and see that you are not a threat. As she gets used to you being around, move closer, but make no moves to touch her. When she is comfortable with you near her, begin to offer her some peanuts from your hand. If she gets uncomfortable move away and let her settle down in her comfort zone. It takes time, but she will eventually get bold enough to enjoy some peanuts from your hand. Once she does that, it will only be a matter of time before she will allow you to touch her without getting upset. Again, the first time you touch her, stroke her just once across her breast, and then retreat. Gradually increase the length of time you leave your finger on her breast, as she allows you to. 
Pigeons tame well, but the time it takes will vary according to the individual bird.
Time and patience is the key.


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## mr squeaks (Apr 14, 2005)

Hi Howard!

Perhaps my experience with Mr. Squeaks will be helpful. He had a badly broken wing when I found him (car hit??). At first examination, the Avian Vet, Dr. Burke, said he would clean and bandage. On further examination, he said the wing was more badly injured than he thought and would require some surgery. All went well and Squeaks came home with a lovely blue bandage on his wing. I had a small animal cage that became his home. I would take him out to exercise in my bedroom and to make friends. Squeaks thought I was the devil incarnate and wanted nothing to do with me! I took him back for his checkups until the bandage could come off. Unfortunately, his wing drooped, so back we went to the doctor. Squeaks still hated me but I was determined to make friends. Dr. Burke said the wing was not healing and he suggested amputating half the wing. I agreed. Birds are supposed to be fast healers and Squeaks' wing was simply not cooperating! We are talking over a period of weeks and Squeaks' disposition never improved!

Once the final surgery was performed, he not only healed rapidly but became a changed bird! His whole disposition changed and he chose *me* as his mate! 

I've had Squeaks since 2003 and he continues to rule me, my 2 cats and 3 other pigeons, with an iron beak! 

Patience and time is the key and hopefully, once Bird-bird has healed, he/she will become a different bird!

All the best with Love, Hugs and Scritches from

Shi/Mr. Squeaks/Dom/Gimie and WoeBeGone


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## Jaye (Mar 13, 2008)

Wow, Howard, I can sympathize with you. The LAST thing I would want a bird to do while trying to give her/him meds would be to open-mouth breathe. Crap, it's hard enough just giving orals regularly.

Keep it up, be careful when you medicate. If he really starts freaking to the point where it gets difficult to get the dose in there, just back off and try again later.

I agree with others...likely, time will mellow him out.

And also, thanks for saving his life !


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## Jaye (Mar 13, 2008)

Posted on duplicate thread in another section: 


Msfreebird said:


> If its a wild pigeon, its going to take a while for her to calm down. But she has to be treated to get well again.
> Take a deep breath and hold her firmly, you can wrap her in a towel to keep her a little more confined to give meds and feed if you have to. When your done, don't put her back in right away. Keep her wrapped for a few minutes, talk softly and stroke her head and scratch her neck. This is calming to them. Once she's calmed down, put her back in her carrier gently, unwrap her and give her a little stroke, head and neck.
> Pigeons, even wild one's have an uncanny ability to figure out that you are trying to help them. Talk softly and be patient and consistent, as long as you have her in a dog carrier she won't hurt her wings if she panics.
> I've rescued wild pigeons and they do calm down eventually. And thank you for taking her in.
> ...


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## Msfreebird (Sep 23, 2007)

Jaye said:


> Posted on duplicate thread in another section:


Thanks Jaye for moving it


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## Jaye (Mar 13, 2008)

Just wanna make sure all info gets communicated


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## Howard Nye (Oct 14, 2009)

*Doing Just a Little Better*

Thank you all so much for your wonderfully helpful advice! I've been stroking Bird-bird's head and neck when I pick her up to give her her medicine and water, and this does calm her down enough to the point where she doesn't do the open-beak breathing. She is still pretty scared about being picked up; when I open the carrier to get her she shrieks until I put a hand towel over her eyes (this does calm her down a lot). She also shrieks when she's put back down as I'm trying to let her out from under the towel (though she does calm down once she's secured in her carrier). 

My bird-feed store is closed, but I'm going to get some safflower seeds on Monday (she's currently eating two kinds of SUNflower seeds, but the safflower sounds like a very good idea). I'm also trying to keep her carrier by my desk as I'm working sometimes instead of just the warm, dark corner in my bedroom that I set up for her, and to do more approaching and talking to her on occasions when I'm not trying to give her water or meds. But I'm worried I should take things relatively easy, as she's still hurt and I assume needs as much stress-free time to heal as possible. 

Thanks again!
Howard


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## Msfreebird (Sep 23, 2007)

Thanks for the update - and that's a good idea to keep her carrier close to you so she'll get use to you. She'll come around, it just takes time. And treats help alot. They love safflower seeds, I also give mine peanut hearts for treats


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