# tube feeding, tube came off in bird!!



## xxmoxiexx (Oct 2, 2006)

OH MY GOD!! last night, tube feeding the one beaked pigeon going to Pidgey soon, the syringe got clogged or something, and shot the actual tube OFF the end, all the way INTO the birds throat. He started to swallow, and it went further into crop. I could feel, see the end halfway down his throat, and couldnt see it down his throat though, it was too far down.
To make matters worse, it was a bit of an older tube, so it wasnt stiff, it was more bendable and such, so when i would try to work it up his throat, it would start to twist. 
I really thought i couldnt get it out, i spent an hour pulling it and pulling it through the poor baby's skin, and finally got it out.
i'm just posting this so if it happens to anyone else, they know how to do it. I almost called Pidgey at 2 am for help, but luckily i got it out, i was FRANTIC!!
so, i'll never use a softer tube again, if it was stiffer, it wouldnt of been so hard to force up.


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## Pidgey (May 20, 2005)

Yeah, just about all of us have done it at one time or another. It's more of a nuisance than anything although it's a thrill. The easiest way to get it out is to have somebody else hold the bird with the neck extended straight up, put a flashlight up to the neck (it lights through) and then use forceps straight down with your eye aligned down the neck. Sounds like you did it the hard way.

Pidgey


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## Lovebirds (Sep 6, 2002)

xxmoxiexx said:


> OH MY GOD!! last night, tube feeding the one beaked pigeon going to Pidgey soon, the syringe got clogged or something, and shot the actual tube OFF the end, all the way INTO the birds throat. He started to swallow, and it went further into crop. I could feel, see the end halfway down his throat, and couldnt see it down his throat though, it was too far down.
> To make matters worse, it was a bit of an older tube, so it wasnt stiff, it was more bendable and such, so when i would try to work it up his throat, it would start to twist.
> I really thought i couldnt get it out, i spent an hour pulling it and pulling it through the poor baby's skin, and finally got it out.
> i'm just posting this so if it happens to anyone else, they know how to do it. I almost called Pidgey at 2 am for help, but luckily i got it out, i was FRANTIC!!
> so, i'll never use a softer tube again, if it was stiffer, it wouldnt of been so hard to force up.


  That's ONE of the many reasons I've ALWAYS been afraid to try feeding this way. If that happened to me.........well, let's just say that the PT members would be sending condolences for TWO poor souls........ I'm sure I'd have an immediate heart attack..........
Glad you've got a good head on your shoulders there Moxie............


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## Pidgey (May 20, 2005)

Here's a past post on Morty with the same thing:

http://www.pigeons.biz/forums/showthread.php?p=188998

...and some comments from others regarding the same scenario.

Pidgey


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## amoonswirl (Nov 14, 2006)

Oh my goodness - what a startling and scary situation!!!  
Moxie, glad you were able to fish out the tube.
And Pidgey, thanks for the reference instructions - always good to be prepared.


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## xxmoxiexx (Oct 2, 2006)

Thanks Pidgey! i guess i should of called you, huh?
freaked me out so bad! poor ole' one beak, he's had it rough with me!


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## Pidgey (May 20, 2005)

He's alive because of you. As far as he's concerned over this deal, it was your problem, not his.

Pidgey


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## BirdDogg10 (Aug 23, 2005)

*shudders*

one reason I wouldn't tube feed a baby pigeon


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## Skyeking (Jan 17, 2003)

WHEW! My heart stopped upon reading your opening line, I'm sure glad you were able to get the tube out. That is frightening and I know it must have been quite stressful til you got it out. 

God Bless you for helping all of His needy creatures.


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## Pidgey (May 20, 2005)

BirdDogg10 said:


> *shudders*
> 
> one reason I wouldn't tube feed a baby pigeon


The tubes are longer than the babies so they're not the problem--it's the adults that have the long enough esophagus to lose the tubes in. If a person just wanted to, they could put a piece of tape around the upper tube that would hang like a ribbon and if the thing came off, you could just pull it back out with the tape ribbon.

Pidgey


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## xxmoxiexx (Oct 2, 2006)

Pidgey, that is a good idea! Thanks!
I just read, someone posted on my OLD thread about the scissored beak guy i was telling you about, the one that has fallen for ole' one beak. Well, he said he had a pigeon JUST like that, had a canker or pox spot that turned black, and fell off, and when it did it made a hole that then caused the beak to scissor. Well, a supposed good avian vet said a few sutures will re-align the beak.
Lets HOPE HOPE HOPE this will be the case with our girl/guy. Or at least something simple along those lines. Here's the link, so you dont have to search for that thread, so you can read what the guy wrote. 
http://www.pigeons.biz/forums/showthread.php?p=240436#post240436


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## sabina (Mar 11, 2006)

Zenmont is a "she"...


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## xxmoxiexx (Oct 2, 2006)

ooops! Thanks Sabina! Sorry Zenmont!


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## Reti (Jul 20, 2003)

Long enough tubes wouldn't get lost in the birds. All may tubes are at least 10" long. The worst that happened to me was I squirted formula all over my living room wall and ceiling, but there was still enough tubing left of from the bird.

Reti


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## pdpbison (Mar 15, 2005)

Hi x, 



Use a long enough soft Tube/Catheter segment, so that in an adult, there is an Inch to spare when the end is inside to lower-mid-crop depth...this would be about four inches all tolled, max.


When adminstering formula via a Syringe, if you feel any resistance when operatingthe plunger, STOP, and either clear the Syringe/Tube out of the Bird, or, start over with a proper formula consistancy, suited TO the diameter of the Syringe and Tube you are going to use.


Were you filling the Syringe form the plunger end? Rather than drawing the formula into it THROUGH the Tube? If so, do not do that...fill theSyringe by drawingthe formula into it though the 'Tube'.


Make sure the Tube IS well fitting to the end of the Syringe, in general, and for any occasion of use.

Most Syringes are a 'Leur Loc' end, which is a hollow cylinder snout, inside a surrounding shroud.

One may Raor Blade off the 
shroud'...and, then, file or emery-board the 'Snout' in order to taper it, so the final wall thickness at the end is very very slight.


Tube or Catheter materials are thermoplastic...one may push the end of a tube onto a sharo Pencil, and, carefully, with a Match or Lighter, gently warm it and instantly, push it further on, and repeat a couple more times, since it will shrink a little once off.

This then will fit very well onto the snout one has tapered, of the Syringe...where, if one wants, a final 'warming' over a Match or Lighter, allows just that much better of a final fit.


Do this, and you will have no more troubles with the tube coming off in use.


Best wishes..!

Phil
Las Vegas


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## Whitefeather (Sep 2, 2002)

xxmoxiexx said:


> To make matters worse, it was a bit of an older tube, so it wasnt stiff, it was more bendable and such, so when i would try to work it up his throat, it would start to twist.
> 
> I really thought i couldnt get it out,
> 
> * *i spent an hour pulling it and pulling it through the poor baby's skin*, and finally got it out.


Sorry to hear about the feeding mishap, Moxie. Poor little guy.  

*  

Cindy


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## Feefo (Feb 8, 2002)

I worry about using the metal needle tube because if it gets blocked it tends to shoot down into the esophagus but I have always caught it in time. I don't have that problem with the parrot tube because I cut it so that it is long enough to go right down into the crop and still stick out of the beak: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HulTENCRFvU

Cynthia


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## AliBlack (Sep 8, 2003)

How awful, so glad you got it out in the end! I always dread that happening, I use the metal crop tubes and keep 2 fingers on the place where it's attached to the syringe so that if it does get blocked and comes off I catch it.


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