Emergance advice needed for injured pidgeon.?
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my gran opened our gate this morning and interupted a sparrow hawk eating a pidgeon. The pidgeon is still very much alive and is currently resting in a storage bench in the garden on a bed of news paper with water and food. It has lost a load of feathers off its back and skin it doesnt seem to be bleeding and is very active. What can I do I know most people would say kill it but I am a buddist so I cannot I want to know how to nurse it back to health or any organisations that can help me with advice.
thanks for both being so nice I have had so many people think i am mad
I found myself in a similar situation a couple of years ago. Bath the wound with a warm salt water solution every couple of hours and keep the bird warm a cardboard box is a good idea so it feels secure and less likely to want to thrash about.
Depending how bad the wound is she/he may survive (they are pretty tough creatures, not as fragile as most birds).
Good luck. By the way, I recall I had most people speachless when they knew I was trying to save the life of a "flying rat". My patient survived and has trusted me with 2 eggs since.
7 Comments
July 3rd, 2010 at 3:41 am
If it has lost a lot of feathers, they may have to grow back before it can fly properly. I would phone the vet for advice.They will tell you whether you need to bring the bird in for an emergency appointment or whether it can be nursed without doing so. They are open for emergencies on Sundays and are used to handling birds. Good Luck.
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July 3rd, 2010 at 4:19 am
I found myself in a similar situation a couple of years ago. Bath the wound with a warm salt water solution every couple of hours and keep the bird warm a cardboard box is a good idea so it feels secure and less likely to want to thrash about.
Depending how bad the wound is she/he may survive (they are pretty tough creatures, not as fragile as most birds).
Good luck. By the way, I recall I had most people speachless when they knew I was trying to save the life of a "flying rat". My patient survived and has trusted me with 2 eggs since.
References :
July 3rd, 2010 at 4:38 am
This website is very good with this sort of thing. They are all pigeon experts, they will try to find someone who can come take the bird from you please check it out-
http://www.pigeons.biz/forums
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July 3rd, 2010 at 5:04 am
Find a local farm supply store and buy the bird some Terramycin or Aureomycin tetracycline antibiotic powder. This should be very inexpensive, roughly $5 . If possible try to find a powder which has both tetracycline and sulfa which will be more expensive( about $18) but will do a MUCH better job .
Mix one teaspoon of the powder into 1 gallon of water , and give him this as his drinking water. These antibiotics will help to fight or prevent infections in the wound. The bag of powder will contain enough to do 50 gallons of water.
Make sure it has a warm place to sleep, and try to give it some protein in its diet. this will help the would heal faster.
feel free to E-mail me if you have more questions.
Good luck
References :
Share my home with 8 Cockateils and 1 nearsighted Quaker Parrot who is convinced that we cannot see him being sneaky! Worked with a Vet for 2 years.
July 3rd, 2010 at 5:36 am
Well I don’t know, but I know a good website which may be able to help you, I’ve used it myself a couple of times:
http://www.givemeahand.co.nr/
They advise you on pretty much anything.
Hope this helps!
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July 3rd, 2010 at 6:08 am
If it seems to be active and does not appear to have any open wounds or blood, it will be fine. It does not need the feathers on its back to fly, they will soon regrow. So far you are treating it very well. The best thing you can do for this bird is give it some fresh water and food, a day or two of quiet, warm undisturbed rest and then release it.
And thank you for not killing it.
References :
wildlife rehabilitator
raising pigeons
July 3rd, 2010 at 6:38 am
I think it is great that you want to help it.
You have had a lot of great advice already.
I just want to add, I think your pigeon will survive. They are tough and don’t seem to get too stressed by being handled by people. They also eat easily while in captivity; they take most seeds and left-overs such as salads and veggies and biscuits.
Keep your bird quiet and warm, and you might be able to release him or her once the shock has worn off. The only feathers that really matter are his flight feathers and his tail feathers (long ones). Losing a lot of his back won’t interfere with flying. But it will expose him to the cold.
I think you need to look after him for a few days, to help him get over the shock. But if, for any reason, he starts to pine, hold him gently and take him to an enclosed space which is big enough to fly in. If it has windows, close the curtains. Don’t throw him into the air, but let him sit on your hands until he feels ready to fly. If he can fly well, you can release him outdoors. I am sure his family are wondering where he is and worrying. He will tell them all about you, and you will be rewarded for your kindness some day.
Good Luck!
References :
I cared for a young turtle dove who had fallen into an oil barrel. She lost all her feathers, but responded well to care. It took six weeks until I could release her, and she has been visiting my garden ever since, with her mate and children. Made me feel so good!