# Found two doves- need assistance



## BarbD (Jan 18, 2010)

Hello - I am new to this forum and am writing for some help. I live in Ft Lauderdale FL and found two white doves in my apt complex. I volunteer at an animal rescue but we do not have birds and I am at a loss as what to do. One did fly a bit but the other does not although she did flap a wing. I was able to get them into a cat carrier and one has settled down and is calm. The other is standing and has her feathers all fluffed out. I do not know the sexes but assume one is male and one female. We have a Wildlife Care Center here run by the SPCA. I was going to take them there. Is that the best place? I did notice one or both have green poop. Please let me know if there is some other place I should take them to in order to get them some help. 
Thank you very much.


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## plamenh (Aug 11, 2006)

Hi BabrbD, Thank you for helping these birds.
They are most probably released on wedding or other ocassion. Keep them warm, give them water in deep dish (at least 3~4 cm) and give them wild bird seeds.
My best advice for you will be to post your location and someone will be able to help. SPCA is solution, but I would post here for adoption. There are a lot of people willing to help and they will take good care of them.


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## BarbD (Jan 18, 2010)

Thank you for responding. Is there another place for me to post my location? I am in Fort Lauderdale, FL. I am just worried one is injured or sick since they did not fly away when I captured them. If from and event wouldn't someone be looking for them? I got bird seed from a neighbor who has birds but they have not eaten. Another neighbor gave them bread earlier in the day which she said they did eat.
Thank you for any assistance.


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

They could be babies. Maybe not really flying yet, and maybe don't even know how to eat or drink on their own. They could be starving and dehydrated. Can you post a picture of them? Do you know if they are drinking?


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## BarbD (Jan 18, 2010)

They did eat bread today and were near water, but I did not see them drink. A neighbor did see them eat. Sorry, how can I post a picture? It is asking for the url where it is posted? Can I email you directly? Thx


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

I have sent you a PM. If you email me the pics, I will post them for you.


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## BarbD (Jan 18, 2010)

Sent one. Do you want more?


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

No they're good pics. Thanks. Will get them Posted.


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)




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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

Don't like the way the poops look. And they are young pigeons. Pretty.


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## BarbD (Jan 18, 2010)

Poop this morning I saw outside was bright green - like mint jelly. It is almost 2am now and I need to go to bed. I will check in tomorrow but I would like to get them someplace tomorrow. Have to work at 9am and if I don't take them somewhere they will be alone all day until after 6pm. How old do you think they are? thanks again Jay.


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

Is one missing feathers around the face, or is that just the way the picture looks? She is probably puffed up because she is cold. Could be sick. I sent an email to someone. If she is still up, she will come and look. You can try to keep them warm for now, and if you have any frozen peas or corn, you can defrost them under warm running water til they are thawed and just warm. Then you can hold the birds next to your body, and put them in way to the back of the throat. They should swallow them.


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## plamenh (Aug 11, 2006)

Yep, they are squeakers, the poop is bit watery, byt it may be because of cold, stress, starvation etc. They are so nice looking.
If they are not eating alone, get some frozen peas/corn. Defrost them under the running hot water until slightly warm. Get one youngster in your lap. Whap him in something like towel, old t-shirt loosely, just to prevent him from flapping wings. Open his beak gently, and pop in corn/pea in the mouth. Push it slightly down and let him swallow.
Repeat procedure with 10~20 peas and then take another youngster. The amount should be incerased gradually.
Feed them twice a day 40~50 pieces per feed each.
I would give them mix of Apple Cider Vinegar and water (1 teaspoon in 1 liter of water) if they would like to drink. Check their poop after a day. It should firm up. 
Someone from your area may be soon online.


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## plamenh (Aug 11, 2006)

Sorry Jay, looks I posted at the same time.


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

These places are in Florida

Exotic Bird Hospital
Owner: Rhoda Stevenson, DVM, Dipl ABVP Avian
8820 Old Kings Road South
Jacksonville, FL 32257
904-256-0043
Fax: 904-256-4673

Garrick Brian W DVM
130 S. Flamingo Rd
Pembroke Pines, FL 33027
(954) 538-0212


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

LOL. Hi Plamenh. Two minds, but with a single thought..............Peas and corn!


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

They are very pretty birds. How old would you say Plamenh 3 1/2 - 4 weeks?


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

Sorry you have to work in the morning. I know it's late. Do you have any frozen peas or corn? And you need to make sure they are drinking. Dip their beak gently into some water, but don't cover their nose. They may drink.


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

Make sure where ever you bring them that they are pigeon friendly.


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## BarbD (Jan 18, 2010)

I don't have any peas or corn - cracked corn in seeds a neighbor gave me. Should I do this tonight or let them sleep? I was talking to them and they were falling asleep. I have them in a bathroom with just a night light. I have cats so I need them in a separate place. They just seem so tired. Poor babies. I had no idea they were so young.


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

I wouldn't give them the cracked corn. I'm sure someone will have other suggestions though. The food can maybe wait, but I'd really like to know if they are drinking. They can dehydrate quickly.


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

Is it possible for you to get them somewhere in the morning? Or can you bring them to work with you, and try to get some peas and corn to feed them during the day? Don't know how long they have gone without food. 

Did you try to get them to drink?


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## BarbD (Jan 18, 2010)

I just went and dipped thier beaks in water but neither was interested. Counld it be a mother and baby? The fluffy one is definitely smaller. She either has a wound or fungus on the back of her neck. She was very nervous with me holding her but there are feathers missing and it is further down her back when I lifted the top feathers. I think she might have been attacked. It looks a little red around her eyes. I took the food out but left the water. Would a parent stay with a baby?


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

Just thinking. Do you have wheat bread or whole grain, that you could make small balls with and try to feed them it? Maybe dampen it just enough to make little balls with, about the size of a pea? Not too much water, as if it goes down their windpipe, they could aspirate.


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

No. They are both babies. Could have been attacked by something. She could be smaller just because she is, or could be sick. Try to hold the beak in the water, or if you have an eye dropper, DON'T put it in their mouth, but if you dribble just a little bit on the side of their beak, they may drink it. I think they are not drinking, simply because they do not know how yet. Sometimes you have to keep showing them.


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

Barb, thank you so much for trying to help these poor babies. I know you're tired and have to go to work tomorrow. You are very kind.


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## BarbD (Jan 18, 2010)

I tipped their beak in the water but they just seem so scared. I think I have a dropper will try that. I wrapped in a towel and they were both pretty skiddish. Don't want to hurt them. I am used to kittens and puppies - not birds! They both ate whole grain bread today. Just don't know how much. Will they bite me when I feed the peas and corn?


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## BarbD (Jan 18, 2010)

I'm used to late nights with rescues and bottle feeding kittens, but this is totally out of my comfort zone!


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

LOL. I don't think that they would bite you at this age, but even if they did, it wouldn't really hurt. Trust me! If you wrap them in a towel, you can control them better. Put them in your lap, up against your body, Use the index finger and thumbs of both your hands to gently pry the beak open. Hold it open with the index finger and thumb of one hand, while you pop it in and push it back toward the back of the throat. They should swallow it. 
They really won't hurt you. They are just babies.


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

I know what you mean. When I first came home with 6 baby pigeons, 2 of them were only 2 or 3 days old. I knew NOTHING about pigeons. If you want to know about comfort zones......................LOL. Scared to death, but I figured I was all they had, and somehow we'd figure it all out and get through. I didn't even know about Pigeon Talk. It was an experience, believe me. You work with baby animals. You have good instincts, I'm sure. It'll come to you.


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## BarbD (Jan 18, 2010)

Thanks Jay. I did get them to swallow a little water but one was attacking the dropper and the other as literally shaking she was so scared. I put them back in and they both were falling asleep. I think they have just been through so much. So odd. Anyway I iwll try again in the morning. Thanks so much. You have been a lifesaver!


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

Good morning Barb, as I emailed you that I would, I just got up and came in to check. Keep working on dipping the beak, and get the peas and corn. Once they get used to it, they can usually pick them up more easily than seed. They should soon be picking them up on they're own. You need to get them to drink so they don't get dehydrated, and then you need to get food into them. They will get weak quickly without food and water. Let us know how that goes. You can call me if you need to. I'm sure more people will be in today to help. Thanks again for staying with it. Will you be bringing them to work? That way you could keep trying. Just keep them warm and in a quiet place. Maybe you will be able to reach one of those places this morning.


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## plamenh (Aug 11, 2006)

Sorry for delay, I was making for living.
Yeah, 20-ish something days would be my guess too. If you soak defrosted corn and peas in water and give them moist they will manage without much water. If you decide to give water with dropper, drop by drop in the front side of the mouth, not in the throat as the may choke.
After day or two they'll get used to procedure, pigeons are incredibly adaptable, soon will call you Mammy


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## BarbD (Jan 18, 2010)

Sorry for not updating everyone. I did not hear from anyone in my area so I had to take them to a Wildlife Center yesterday. I just called and was told both had to be put down. They said they did a test and they had a disease that attacks the throat and it actually closes so they would not be able to eat. There was no mention that there was a treatment for this. Both had full grown feathers so they were not babies but were too weak to fly. I feel terrible that they didn't have a chance at geting better, but I am grateful they did not die starving to death.
Thank you Jay for all of you help and staying up with me until 4:30am. I just wish I could have done more. Is there really a disease out there that would cause their throat to close? Is there a treatment for it?


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

The only thing I can think of that would be in their throat would be canker, which is very treatable. They were both babies, around a month old.If the wildlife center didn't know that, than they don't know much about pigeons. Many places are not pigeon friendly. Where was it that you took them? One of them had some feather loss which made me wonder if they had canker.


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

Barb, right now I'm feeling very upset about this. There are many places that don't even bother if it is a pigeon. They were just babies, regardless of what they told you, and they died for nothing. They just didn't want to be bothered, and that is the truth. There is medicine for canker and it is very treatable. In a weeks time, they'd have been well again. You can't just drop them off at a wild life center, as some of them will just kill them rather than give them a pill a day for 5 days. That is just so sad. I want to know the name of the place, so that people with pigeons can be told NOT to go there with a pigeon. We need to know where we can bring a sick bird, and where we can't. Please get back to me with this information. We both stayed up until after 4:00 in the morning, and they couldn't even give them a few pills. So sad.


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## Charis (Feb 11, 2007)

BarbD said:


> Sorry for not updating everyone. I did not hear from anyone in my area so I had to take them to a Wildlife Center yesterday. I just called and was told both had to be put down. They said they did a test and they had a disease that attacks the throat and it actually closes so they would not be able to eat. There was no mention that there was a treatment for this. Both had full grown feathers so they were not babies but were too weak to fly. I feel terrible that they didn't have a chance at geting better, but I am grateful they did not die starving to death.
> Thank you Jay for all of you help and staying up with me until 4:30am. I just wish I could have done more. Is there really a disease out there that would cause their throat to close? Is there a treatment for it?



It's not a disease but a treatable single cell parasite that most pigeons have in their system. Most often there is improvement after 1 dose. I'm sorry for the ignorance. I'm sorry these babies died because of it. It just makes me want to cry.


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## BarbD (Jan 18, 2010)

I'm sorry if anyone feels my ignorance led to the death of these birds. I tried to find help other than the Wildlife Care Center and could not get any. I was very upset after reading this last posting because I have been in rescue for over 10 years and always tried to avoid putting any animal down. I was able to speak with someone from the clinic and was told the birds did have the canker, but they were too far gone physically to save them. They would have treated them if they thought they had a chance of surviving. Whether this was true or not I do not know, but I did all I could. they said they would have died in another day or so on their own. If anyone knows of someone I can contact in the South Florida area for the future please let me know. To date no one has contacted me to offer any assistance.
Barb


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

They didn't tell you the truth. They just didn't bother. We have treated birds REALLY bad with canker. Even very young babies have been treated, and lived. I had one that was so bad, only 2 weeks old. She had such a blockage in her throat that I could hardly get formula down. It took a couople of weeks of hand feeding, and medication, but she lived. Those birds were not that bad in the picture. And they have no way of knowing that they would not have responded to medicine. They usually do. I'm sorry, but they lied to you. I know you really tried with them. I was talking to you all night. Not your fault. But I'm very angry with them for what they did. I know that you would have done anything you could to save them if you had known. When I find references for your area, I'll get them to you. This happens all the time. People in some of these places just don't care if it's only a pigeon. That's why you need to make sure they are pigeon friendly before going to them with a bird. Thanks for trying so hard. I'll get back to you.


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