# Perch and recommendations for broken leg rehab



## Hekie (Apr 2, 2018)

Hi everyone,

I think this is my first post here, but I have found it a very helpful resource for the now three sick or injured pigeons I've had in my home in the past 8 months - thank you.

As of Sunday night, I have my third resident pigeon. She is young - I am guessing somewhere between 3-5 weeks, based on pictures - and was found by a couple of teenagers sitting in the middle of a road, dazed. A car nearly hit her  They picked her up and were going to put her somewhere out of the way and I happened to be there and well, now I have another pigeon. Her name is Iwi. She has a broken leg.

It's terrible timing, because I go overseas on holiday next week. However, through persistence and luck, I have a care plan for her and she will stay in my home with the person who was going to only care for my cat. I'm really happy about that. She's on several types of medication and is alert and bright. She just needs some time with her leg in its cast (she's had x-rays etc) for it to heal and then to rehab somewhere safe before I hope that she can return to the wild.

My question: it has just occurred to me that she will probably need a perch or some other apparatus to get stronger on her leg once her cast comes off in about two weeks. I will be on holiday soon so I need to order and buy something online quickly. Does anyone have recommendations for me of perches or other things I can buy, or suggestions to help her rehab the leg which would require an advance purchase? When it comes to the perch, I would consider one that fixed to a cage wall or one which affixed to a wall or cupboard - something strong enough to support a pigeon.

Thank you for any help.


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## Marina B (May 5, 2011)

Best will be to put a brick inside the cage. Pigeons love to perch on flat surfaces. He will use his wings to get on to the brick. Is he at least eating and drinking by himself?


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## Hekie (Apr 2, 2018)

Thank you, Marina. That's a good idea. I can't easily get hold of a brick, but I'll consider other similar things.

I'm concerned about her eating and drinking. I'm hand feeding her and trying the shot glass method to get her to eat, but I don't know if she's eating on her own or not. I'll do some more research today. She's definitely getting both food and water, but I suspect not enough of the former. 

I'm working from home tomorrow and home during the weekend so I can spend some more time trying to teach her. Next Tuesday is the deadline - the other woman arrives to care for her on Wednesday and I'm sure she'd do it if needed, but I really can't ask for more than what's taking on. 

If you have any ideas, I'd love to hear them. My girl can fly and is alert and bright, and eats when fed (and tells me when it's enough). She just doesn't do it on her own, I don't think.


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## Hekie (Apr 2, 2018)

This is Iwi


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## cwebster (Dec 11, 2010)

Am wondering if a rolled up towel would help her rest her leg.


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## Hekie (Apr 2, 2018)

Thank you, cwebster. Yes, I am trying to keep her propped up on a towel so that she doesn't have to be on her leg all the time. It's a bit tricky but she does stay off it for long periods. 

In fact, your comment reminds me of a good idea I saw - a sling where the bird is sort of suspended in the air off its leg. It could be useful for shorter periods where I don't need to worry about her needing to eat or drink. Thanks for the reminder!


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## Marina B (May 5, 2011)

You can start feeding her defrosted peas, that's the quickest way to get them to eat by themselves.

Buy a bag of frozen peas and defrost in lukewarm water till soft. Put the bird on your lap (facing to the right if you are righthanded). Reach with your left hand over the body and head and open the beak with those fingers. Have a pea ready in your righthand and put deep inside the mouth over the tongue. If she spits it out, then you are not putting it in deep enough. Try to feed 30 - 40 peas 3 times daily. Always leave a small bowl filled with peas inside the cage. I bet she will be eating them by herself within a day or 2. If she starts eating the peas, then you can start adding some small seed.

To get her to drink water, you can dip the tip of the beak (not over the nostrils) in a small bowl of water. They don't need water when eating peas, but will when they switch over to seed.

Will be much easier for your housesitter, she can just keep the bowl filled with peas. At least then you can go on holiday knowing the little guy will be fine.


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## Hekie (Apr 2, 2018)

Thank you for your comment, Marina. This is not dissimilar to the approach I was following but I've started adding in more peas alongside the seed I was already giving her. I'm still concerned about her eating: there was some brief progress where she pecked a little bit herself. She doesn't appear to be doing it on her own still, and I think I need to stop hand-feeding and monitor her to see if she knows how. She doesn't seem to be touching either the seeds or peas when left alone with them in her cage. Of course, that could be because she's reliant on me doing it for her, now! I will be home for the weekend so need to figure this out then - part of my issue is that I live alone and am caring for my cat as well and working full-time. It's not leaving a lot of time to leisurely sit with Iwi and let her take her time. I'm getting really nervous about the approaching deadline when I go away.

An update on the leg comfort issue as well: I made a sling her which kept her off her leg, but she didn't much like it (it did look hilarious). She is enjoying the rolled up towels, though - that side is going well.

At the moment my two biggest concerns are 1) getting her to eat on her own and 2) making sure she has enough skills to fend for herself before attempting any release in the wild. I'm sure the former will happen. The latter is more of a concern. I'm taking her with me to feed the neighbourhood pigeons for 20 mins or so a day and feeding them by her cage so she can watch the adults.


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## Marina B (May 5, 2011)

Rather concentrate now on getting her to eat by herself, you can focus on the release when you come back from holiday. Only feed peas now. Feed her a few and then tease her by holding the pea in front of the beak. You can also drop the peas in front of her and pick them up again. She will peck at them when hungry. As long as she is getting fed enough, then she won't eat by herself. You will only need to do this 10 min 3 times a day. Leave the bowl of peas with her, they usually start eating when hungry enough. How long are you going away for? If she only eat the peas while you are away, that will also be good, then you're housesitter can just refill the bowl a couple of times a day.


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## Colombina (Jan 22, 2017)

Hi, I understand your concern as you have to leave for holiday next week.

I don't know if it can be helpful but this is what I usually do when I have to teach to babies to eat by themselves.

I always leave them available (in a bowl or in a plant pot saucer) a large mix of seed of different size and form: pigeon/dove mixes, dry legumes like small lentils, mung beans and peas. 
Pigeons are really curious and are attracted by colors (at least, I can affirm that about my birds!) so I use to give them (in add to the mix or in a separate bowl) also a mixture for canary containing dehydrated fruits like the one in the photo (btw all my birds love it 😍 !). 

To stimulate them to peak at the seed I use to tap my finger in the bowl imitating the sound of a bird who is pecking at seed. I do that regularly, sometimes it helps. I gradually start to hand feed less, of course.

You could even try to offer her some small pieces of biscuit (something genuine so without chocolate, marmalade, etc), usually pigeons love eating some biscuit. 
It could pick her curiosity and stimulate her to start eating on her own.

Good luck 😊 and keep us updated!

PS: Iwi looks so sweet and lovely!


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## Hekie (Apr 2, 2018)

Thank you both so much for your comments. I'm sorry I didn't reply earlier - it appears to be my week to find animals. I found a two week old kitten yesterday so have been bottle feeding him and moving all the animals between rooms while freaking out about my pending holiday 😐 What a stressful thing. 

All's well that ends well, though. I was getting drunk with a friend on Friday night and he noticed that Iwi was eating her seed mix on her own!!! So I think she could always eat but when I got worried and started to feed her after her initial culture shock with her new digs, she just went with it. So thank you both, and thankfully this is not an issue now and she's happily eating and drinking of her own volition. She never seemed very interested in the peas except when I jammed them in her gob, but then she clearly knows what to do with the seeds ❤ 

The kitten has thankfully been collected by a cat protection group in my neighborhood. I'd love to foster him but the timing didnt work at all. Poor sweetheart. 

I'll be away from Wednesday for 2.5 weeks until the beginning of September. Iwi gets her cast off on August 21st and hopefully by the time I'm back, I can assess and look at releasing her. Here's hoping. I'm sorry I won't see her grow into a real pigeon. It's amazing how quickly she's changing.

I attach the hilarious picture of Iwi in the sling I tried to construct. The pegs to close the top make her look like a tiny dinosaur. I'll amazingly include one of the kitten, Kapai. My cat Beth has been a very good girl about all our recent house guests ❤


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## Hekie (Apr 2, 2018)

This is the wee sausage I found yesterday


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## Marina B (May 5, 2011)

Poor pigeon, you're photo really made me laugh now! I hope that set up did not last long, rather let her move around like a normal pigeon. I'm just glad she is eating by herself now. So how are you planning on releasing her? She will need to spend time outside in her cage to get used to the area and will also need backup support regarding food and water. In nature the parents teach them where to find food, shelter and water. Your pigeon did not have the chance to learn from parents.

Cute kitten! Both of them are lucky to have been found by you.


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## Colombina (Jan 22, 2017)

What a good news 😊! I'm really glad to know that she eats and drinks on her own! I'm also really glad to know that you rescued that lovely kitten!

I understand that you don't want to
ask for more than what's taking on but maybe you could ask to your cat-sitter to send you some photos of Iwi while you're away: this way you could see her grow into a real pigeon 😊.

Anyway, have a nice holiday 😀!
I look forward to receiving your update when you come back home!


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## Hekie (Apr 2, 2018)

Hahaha, I know Marina - the photo is awful! It was good for her to be off her leg but she didn't enjoy it, so I only did it one time to see if it helped.

Yes, I need to think about how I'm going to do the release. I've been taking her every couple of days to the location and feeding the other pigeons so she can be near them but that won't continue when I'm away. She gets quite upset at first and wants to escape, and then she settles down and watches them. I have some issues when I get back (a friend is staying and I'll need the bedroom Iwi is in) but actually I think it can be OK, since my cat is being so good with her and I have a cage. I know that she doesn't know how to be a proper pigeon yet. I'm worried about the roads, but there are roads everywhere here and where I will release her is a bit quieter and I think that it's important that she stay with her flock. I feed them every day so I hope I recognise her and can monitor her for a little while.

Thank you, Colombina! It really is good news, I was so relieved. Don't worry - the woman who will stay will send me pictures of my cat and bird while I'm away  So I will get to see her, just from far away.

I will update when I get home or when I find out from the vet visit if she is healing OK. Thanks to both of you for your support <3


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## Hekie (Apr 2, 2018)

Hi everyone,

I'm home again and have Iwi back with me. She looks like an adult pigeon now instead of the baby I left ❤

Her cast was removed about one week ago while I was on holiday. The vet said she can be released.

I am not convinced that she's ready because she is not resting weight on her injured leg yet (she flies well). This vet isn't my preferred one so I will take Iwi for a second opinion on Friday. 

At the moment, I have a couple of logistical issues that are affecting any release. The biggest one is that is have to travel (again) for work in one week. Therefore, ideally, if she can be released this weekend I can make sure there is food in the area for a week. If she needs more time, I have the same incredibly difficult situation of finding a carer or I release her before I leave, meaning I will not be able to guarantee food supply.

I will post a new thread seeking advice from any people who might have released birds after a broken leg.


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## Marina B (May 5, 2011)

You will know what is right for this bird. If you think he is not ready for release, then don't do it now. You will need someone to come in just once a day to check his water and food supply.


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## Colombina (Jan 22, 2017)

Welcome back from holiday!

Agree with Marina. I'm going to read your new thread.


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## Hekie (Apr 2, 2018)

*An update on wee Iwi*

Thank you both for your comments and support! I posted this my other thread too, so apologies if you read it twice.

I released Iwi over the weekend. I started physio on her, but when I took her to a second avian vet for an opinion, he recommended that I release her. She had become increasingly stressed in the last few days and was grunting when I got close to the cage. She also lost a couple of tail feathers, and I don't know if it was related to stress or flapping around in my smaller bedroom. In either case, I had two vets saying it was best not to wait any longer.

I changed my plans from releasing her into her previous flock as there are roads in my neighbourhood, which I assume led to her broken leg. I took her up into the nearby big park which is pretty wild. I waited until I saw another pigeon (there were more on the outskirts than in the centre). I filmed her release and have some pictures here. I hope she does well and survives. When she finally flew out of sight, the second pigeon took off after her, so hopefully she was vetted and was found to be an acceptable member to join their flock. 

It's very hard not knowing, but I think under the circumstances I'm at peace as I can be with it and just hope she is out there safe and well. My previous two pigeon residents didn't have happy endings (the first died within a day of her injuries, the second had a wonderful happy ending in an aviary with other pigeons an 11.5 hour drive away, which then turned into a horror when a predator somehow breeched the aviary and killed 5/7 of their pigeons - it was absolutely ghastly). Iwi is a dear girl, and I like to think that her story has had a happier ending. Fly well, sweetheart.

Off she goes

Pictures of Iwi from arrival at my place to freedom - please excuse the state of her cage in her grown pics. It was a one off, being that dirty!


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## Colombina (Jan 22, 2017)

Thanks for the update and for the photos.

I really hope too that Iwi does well and survives. Does that wild park offer a source of food and water? I'm even worried about predators. Hope everything goes well.

I'm really sorry to hear about your previous two residents pigeons, that's so sad.


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## Hekie (Apr 2, 2018)

Thank you, Colombina. The park has plenty of water and I'm sure a lot of food as well - lots of plants and there are people who eat lunch there as well. There are dogs, but no other major predators. If you look on GoogleMaps it is called Parc del Guinardó (Barcelona) - you will see that it is very big. 

I hope that Iwi is still out there, alive and safe. I wish we could track the birds we release.

I am hoping that Perséfone - my current baby pigeon - will get well soon and I can release her in the same place (once I'm as sure as possible that she will survive).


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## cwebster (Dec 11, 2010)

Sending wishes that Iwi will have a long happy life.


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## Hekie (Apr 2, 2018)

Thank you, cwebster ❤ I would love to know what the next chapter of her story was.


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## Colombina (Jan 22, 2017)

I really hope too that Iwi will have a long and beautiful life 😊. Yes, it would be great knowing how her life is doing but, in any case, one thing is certain. Helping and caring about her, you gave her the chance to live a happy life! 

I got curious and I google the park (I have never been to Spain): about what I read and saw it seems a really nice, interesting and big place (btw I guess that the views of the city is spectacular). 

I really hope that Perséfone (btw, charming name, do you like mythology?) will get well soon!


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## Hekie (Apr 2, 2018)

I hope she has a long and happy life, too!

Yes, the park is big and beautiful. It's very wild, and there aren't so many places like that in central Barcelona. It does have amazing views 🙂 I don't go up there with my cat often but I'm not working this week so we will take a nice, long walk there.

About the name, I do like mythology 🙂 Mostly I wanted to give her a very big name. Usually I prefer simple and traditional, but lately I have had two pigeons die and it's just being silly, but I wanted her to have a big life so I chose a big name - Perséfone. I have had Lila, Lorenza Libertad (originally Lorenzo haha - I thought she was a girl but the vet said boy, and I was right!), Iwi, Luisa and Gabriel. Only Iwi has survived 😢😢😢 I am not going to use L names anymore. 

Lorenza had an amazing story and was in a new home (on the other side of Spain - she travelled for 11 hours by car). She was so happy. There was a tragic situation two months after she left me and she and four other pigeons died. Somehow a predator got into the seemingly secure aviary. So 3/6 of my pigeons have lived after leaving me, but only 2 are alive now so far as I know - Iwi and Perséfone. It's a hard thing, these sick and injured birds.


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## Friend John (Jun 10, 2018)

A good name from the Greek mythology would be Scylla, who was turned into a pigeon. There is a whole story about how it which explains why pigeons have a purple neck.


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## Colombina (Jan 22, 2017)

Hekie said:


> I hope she has a long and happy life, too!
> 
> Yes, the park is big and beautiful. It's very wild, and there aren't so many places like that in central Barcelona. It does have amazing views 🙂 I don't go up there with my cat often but I'm not working this week so we will take a nice, long walk there.
> 
> ...


I'm so sorry to hear about the sad story of Lorenza (btw we have too some birds with a "wrong" name lol. I have a lady dove called Merlino - Merlin - and my brother has a lady pigeon called Nerone - Neron - like the Emperor, there is a reason for the name, she has a sad story), sometimes destiny is cruel... 
I read in your other thread that Perséfone is doing well, I'm so happy for you and her! I understand your idea about "big name - big life", sometimes I wonder if a name could influence a life! I called one of my pigeon Caterina like the Queen of France: well, she has a strong temperament, she is determinate, stubborn and also really elegant ! She even won her battle against a terrible yeasts infection.

Enjoy your walk in the park 😊. If you will take any photos I would be glad to see them! I love parks and woods.


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## Colombina (Jan 22, 2017)

Friend John said:


> A good name from the Greek mythology would be Scylla, who was turned into a pigeon. There is a whole story about how it which explains why pigeons have a purple neck.




I admit I'm not an expert on Scylla and Minos myth... I though she was changed into a sea bird 😳.. Now I'm curious, I would love to know more about the whole story 😊.


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## Hekie (Apr 2, 2018)

Catarina sounds wonderful 🙂 And yes, haha - it is difficult to choose a name. I assume that most of the pigeons assume female unless I get a "male energy" which is very unscientific. 

Funny you should mention a yeast infection. I was just reading about thosé because I'm wondering about the colour of Perséfone's urine. I hope she doesn't have one (and I'm glad that Catarina is well).

If I take the walk, I'll share some pics.


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## Friend John (Jun 10, 2018)

Colombina said:


> I admit I'm not an expert on Scylla and Minos myth... I though she was changed into a sea bird 😳.. Now I'm curious, I would love to know more about the whole story 😊.


I highly recommend Ovid's Metamorphoses to anyone who likes Greek mythology. 

From what I remember from the story, Scylla was the daughter of the king of Megara, which was invaded by king Minos of Crete. She had a vantage point of the battle and fell in love with him, so decided to help him conquer her own country to gain favor with him and so he'd take her as a wife. When her father slept, she cut the purple lock of hair he had, which granted his city invincibility, snuck out at night and gave it to Minos. He wasn't greatfull and instead shunned her because he did not approve of her action of betraying her father and country. But thanks to her actions, he conquered Megara, and Scylla had no where to go because she was a traitor of her own country and Minos would not allow her to live on his land. So she chased after him when he set sail, saying that if there is no land she could dwell in, she'll stay on his boat. As she climbed his ship, her father, who was turned into a hawk (or some other similar bird, can't remember which), swooped in and attacked her and made her fall off the boat but before she hit the water, she was turned into a pigeon. This is why hawks chase pigeons, who have a purple neck as a reminder of the purple lock she stole from her father. 

That's how I remember it, anyway. Sad story, but a great one. Here is the story:
http://ovid.lib.virginia.edu/trans/Metamorph8.htm#Bkeight1


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## Colombina (Jan 22, 2017)

Friend John said:


> Colombina said:
> 
> 
> > I admit I'm not an expert on Scylla and Minos myth... I though she was changed into a sea bird 😳.. Now I'm curious, I would love to know more about the whole story 😊.
> ...


Thanks so much John for telling the whole story and for the suggestion! 
Mythology is so charming, I'm going to read your link!


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## Colombina (Jan 22, 2017)

Hekie said:


> Catarina sounds wonderful 🙂 And yes, haha - it is difficult to choose a name. I assume that most of the pigeons assume female unless I get a "male energy" which is very unscientific.
> 
> Funny you should mention a yeast infection. I was just reading about thosé because I'm wondering about the colour of Perséfone's urine. I hope she doesn't have one (and I'm glad that Catarina is well).
> 
> If I take the walk, I'll share some pics.


Yes, Caterina is wonderful 😊.

I'm going to post two links about yeasts in birds, I really hope Perséfone is fine. 

https://www.beautyofbirds.com/candida.html


http://www.peteducation.com/article.cfm?c=15+1829&aid=3090


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## Hekie (Apr 2, 2018)

Thank you, Colombina! I haven't had a chance to look but I will check out these links. Today I noticed that Perséfone's urine looked more normal (white) in the last hours before I gave her the next dose of her medication so I do think (I hope!) that it is related to her meds and isn't a different problem like a yeast infection.


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## Colombina (Jan 22, 2017)

You are welcome 😊.


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