# Pigeon emergency!



## mycatsandi

My cat went out for a stroll and has brought back a pigeon in her mouth (she has never done such a thing before, dont know why she's brought it in - she's well fed!). I've freed the pigeon, and placed it in an empty cage that i have (its big enough for the pigeon to even walk around), but its bleeding a bit and seems to have broken its shoulder (or wings or whatever its called).

its night time (dont pigeons sleep somewhere high? im wondering how she caught it at 10 pm!) and there's no emergency vets here. what do i do till morning? 

any advice will be appreciated!


----------



## Jugsmalone

This link should help if your based in the UK. Even if your not in the UK it gives advice about looking after injured birds.

The RSPB: Advice: Frequently asked questions


----------



## Acrophylla

I have rescued many injured pigeons and doves over the years and nursed most of them back to full health and successful release. It is very important to remain calm around the bird and talk to it in a calm voice. This will stop it being frightened and make it much easier to help. You need to dab the wound with a clean soft tissue soaked in warm water with a little salt dissolved in the water. The dissolved salt helps to stop infections. Then place the pigeon somewhere warm and quiet. Hold a dish of cold water to he pigeon's beak and encourage it to drink some water. Place a large soft towel on the floor of the pigeon's enclosure and add some leaves or twigs from outside as these are familiar objects for the bird. If the bird is badly injured it will not survive the night, but at least you have eased its suffering. If it is alive in the morning, you may decide to look after it until it gets better and can be released. And yes, pigeons do sleep at night so perhaps your cat climbed up the tree or shed and was able to catch the bird while it was sleeping.


----------



## mycatsandi

Acrophylla said:


> I have rescued many injured pigeons and doves over the years and nursed most of them back to full health and successful release. It is very important to remain calm around the bird and talk to it in a calm voice. This will stop it being frightened and make it much easier to help. You need to dab the wound with a clean soft tissue soaked in warm water with a little salt dissolved in the water. The dissolved salt helps to stop infections. Then place the pigeon somewhere warm and quiet. Hold a dish of cold water to he pigeon's beak and encourage it to drink some water. Place a large soft towel on the floor of the pigeon's enclosure and add some leaves or twigs from outside as these are familiar objects for the bird. If the bird is badly injured it will not survive the night, but at least you have eased its suffering. If it is alive in the morning, you may decide to look after it until it gets better and can be released. And yes, pigeons do sleep at night so perhaps your cat climbed up the tree or shed and was able to catch the bird while it was sleeping.


the poor thing is very scared. however, i've tried to calm it down the best i can. i've dabbed the wound as you asked me to, and given it water to drink as well. have placed a bit of millet too in its cage so it might eat when it feels more comfortable. I hope it survives, i'd like to nurse it back to health. if its shoulder (or wings or whatever) is broken, will it get fixed?


----------



## Phoenix24

You should take the pigeon to a vet that will deal with wildlife as soon as you possibly can. Unfortunately most vets are reluctant to treat pigeons - for two reasons, the first being most are considered to be pests, and secondly because some pigeon species do not do well in captivity. If you have a feral (the typical town pigeon) it will probably not be as flighty/stressed out as say, a woodpigeon. 

If the bird does have a broken wing, the success rate for recovery is extremely low. Even if the bones do mend, they might not align properly and the wing may never regain full use. Any other fractures (other than leg) are more serious, and less treatable. Legs are a better prognosis.

Whatever the species, place it in a large container (large enough cage for it to spread its wings if they are not broken), lined with a towel or sheet, and offer mixed grain and a bowl of water. You can also offer green foods (salad leaves, dandelion leaves, cabbage, broccoli). Keep the bird somewhere quiet and do not disturb it unless you have to (stress is a killer). Don't talk to it - a humans voice will not soothe a wild bird, and neither will touch (e.g. stroking).

If the pigeon survives the night/weekend, get it to a vet a.s.a.p.


----------



## mycatsandi

Ok the pigeon pulled through the night  BUT, i took it to two vets, but both of them werent ready to treat it. i tried to talk them into it, but they just didnt budge. anyway, so its back home, in the cage. i've padded the cage a little using towel, just so it doesnt get hurt or something if it flaps its wings. cleaned the wound too, it isnt bleeding as such Thank GOD! 

I am planning on keeping it with me for a while, if its wings get fixed, i will let it go. if it doesn't, i think i should keep it, cuz if it cant fly, how would it get food and water. and well, the cats here are just going to eat it up :S

i have a cousin who breeds pigeons (those really beautiful ones, not ferals). i've asked him to drop by and check it out, so let's see, he might be able to help. 

*fingers crossed for Mr/Ms. pigeon* - wish me luck


----------



## Phoenix24

If you are sure that the wing is broken, this is what my vet did/told me to do for a blackbird I rehabilitated last year.

You will need someone to help you do this (perhaps your pigeon keeping friend), and some tape (bandage tape or sellotape). Hold the bird around its body so that both wings are closed. Start by wrapping the tape once around the broken wing (just around the wing itself) whilst it is in the closed position - not too tight, just enough to hold the wing shut. Then, with the wing against the bird's body, continue wrapping tape around the whole bird, so that both wings are secured against the body.

It is important that you a) don't wrap too tight - the bird has to be able to breathe - and b) you wrap the wing in a natural, closed position. This is because you want the wing to set in the correct position, and so that it is comfortable for the bird.

You will need to keep the wing wrapped for a MINIMUM OF SIX WEEKS and you will probably have to re-wrap the wing, as the tape will come loose at some point. It is easier to keep both wings wrapped than just the one (and it will also protect the other wing from becoming damaged to due flapping).

As I said before, keep the pigeon somewhere quiet, in a large enough container for it to move around. You will need to change the bedding daily, and refresh the food/water daily too. Always make sure there is food available. You need to grate up cuttlebone and add it to the seed mix, and you will need to provide an appropriate sized grit too (you can get grit with added oyster shell if you do not want to mess around with cuttle bone). The cuttlebone/oyster shell provides calcium for the bone to heal.

And don't forget the veggies, too.

After six weeks you can remove the tape and take a look at the wing. Check that it is able to flex (open and close) and that the join where the break was is stable. You will probably have to then tape the wing up again for a further two weeks (you can probably leave the good wing free by wrapping the tape around the body but under that wing).

After this period, release the wing and put the pigeon in a cage large enough for it to stretch its wings out, but not to fly. After a week or so where you can see how the wing has set, and if it is functional, you can then transfer the pigeon into an aviary large enough for it to fly (6ft long by 3ft wide by 6ft high MINIMUM). Provide low perches as well as higher ones, and make sure that they are of varied thickness. Feral pigeons/rock doves prefer ledges to perches, so you could provide a ledge along one edge/corner, starting off low and moving it higher as the bird gains strength.

By now you can provide a large, shallow dish (a cat litter tray is a good example) for the bird to drink and bathe in, as well as still giving the seed/grit/cuttlebone mix, plus the veggies.

In all honesty rehabilitating this bird will take you MONTHS and months. It is likely that it will never recover full use of its wing. If this bird is not a feral pigeon, but rather a woodpigeon or a collared dove (it is important you know which species), it is unlikely to survive this length of time in captivity, and will die of stress, or else will never be fit enough for release. All pigeons are strong fliers and rely on their wings greatly - despite being ground feeders.

You need to ask yourself, do you have the time, money and necessary space to give this bird what it needs to be able to fully heal and be fit for release? Unless it is a feral (which may or may not settle into captivity if unable to release it), you will have to be prepared for the fact that it may be kinder to have it put to sleep, rather than subject it to the extreme stress of captivity. Remember this is a wild bird, regardless of species, and its welfare is paramount.

You have one more option - find a centre that rehabilitates wild birds and will accept pigeons. I know one in Lancs called the greenmount wild bird hospital www.gwbh.org.uk, or the RSPCA Stapeley grange might (or there might be one closer to you).


----------



## mycatsandi

Thank you so much for your detailed response. I have the time and money for the poor thing, but I dont know, the pigeon looks depressed and is pecking at the cage. i guess it wants to be freed, but it wont even be able to fly. ill have my cousin take a look at it, and then see what can be worked out. if he says the wounds too deep, it would be best to lay it down i guess  the pigeon is a feral one, which i guess is a reason why its so upset

forgot to add, im from Pakistan and there really aren't any centers for animals around here. there are some but not in my city. im trying to find a bird vet too.


----------



## Phoenix24

Ah, that's a shame. Are you absolutely certain that a wing is broken? Is one wing drooping? Is that where the blood is?

The pigeon will be under a great deal of stress, which will make it shut down. Is it eating or drinking at all? If not, you will need to ensure that it is getting fluids. Can you get some oral rehydration salts (like dialyte, pedialyte)? If not, dissolve one dessert spoon of sugar plus one teaspoon of salt in one litre of warm water. Allow to cool, and then find a 1ml syringe, or else a larger syringe with a short length of narrow tubing pushed onto the end, open the bird's beak and push the tube/syringe to the back (beyond the opening to the trachae) and into the throat (ideally, if using a tube, all the way down into the crop) to deliver the fluids. Be careful to not push it into the birds lungs by mistake. (Look up 'gavage feeding' for more information). The easiest way to do it is to hold the bird's top beak from behind the head with one hand, so that the neck is pulled upwards and the mouth opens - you will be able to see the opening to the lungs, and avoid it, and use the other hand to deliver the fluids.

Once the bird has fluids, make sure it is warm, but not too hot. A heat pad under the towel is good if the bird is cold (or a hot water bottle, or anything makeshift so long as its warm but wont burn the bird).

The biggest problem after the shock and stress is infection. Cat bites are notoriously bad for causing infection. Ideally you will need antibiotics (e.g. Baytril) for this, but you can try antiseptics on the wounds - the only one I can think of is chlorhexidine gluconate, (but you might want to research what you can safely use on birds that you are able to buy yourself) which you can buy as a handscrub called 'hibiscrub'. You might also be able to use 'Savlon'. Make sure you only dab or flush the wounds - never rub at them. 

First thing you need to do is the fluids - let me know how it goes.


----------



## mycatsandi

No need for the fluids, its eating and drinking too. its water bowls half empty and i noticed him finicking around with the grain too. yes its wing, which is bleeding, is drooping quite a bit. 

im trying to look up an antibiotic for it, let's hope he makes it. still waiting for my cousin to come around.


----------



## Acrophylla

It's a good sign that the pigeon is eating and drinking. As well as millet you could give it some barley and wheat grains. Pigeons eat a lot. Continue being calm around the bird, talking to it quietly and stroking its face gently. Pigeons are intelligent creatures and quickly calm down when they realise you are trying to help them.


----------



## mycatsandi

Thank you so much for your help everyone. My cousin checked it out and yes its wings broken  im gonna do the tape thing that Phoenix24 mentioned once my husband gets home. I just want it to get well, but if it gets too desperate (its constantly walking around pecking at the cage) i guess it would be best to lay it down  but, im determined to do my best


----------



## Phoenix24

Well, that's a good sign if it is eating and drinking. Get your cousin to help you tape up the wing - and then it is just a question of time.

Don't forget the calcium supplement (cuttlebone or oyster shell in the grit), and also the bird will need daylight (for health as well as keeping a natural rhythm).

Good luck


----------



## Phoenix24

Acrophylla said:


> It's a good sign that the pigeon is eating and drinking. As well as millet you could give it some barley and wheat grains. Pigeons eat a lot. Continue being calm around the bird, talking to it quietly and stroking its face gently. Pigeons are intelligent creatures and quickly calm down when they realise you are trying to help them.


Assuming this is a wild pigeon, talking to it or touching it in any way will cause far more stress, and harm, than is good. NO wild animal appreciates human contact, and trying to 'tame' it will only set back the healing process. Give it the peace and quiet that it needs, and only tend to it when you have to.


----------



## Acrophylla

I disagree totally with your last comment Phoenix 24. I have helped so many wild animals and wild birds over the years and can assure you that they do benefit greatly from being comforted, especially when they are injured. My objective has never been to "tame" them, and indeed I have kept none; they have been released successfully back into the wild . Some come back to visit, as I said before pigeons are intelligent, and can recognise different people. I saw one woodpigeon this morning that I released over a year ago.


----------



## Acrophylla

Just seen a discussion about someone in Dubai who helped a pigeon with a suspected broken wing - that had been attacked by a cat. They initially bandaged the wing for a week - they describe it in detail. The good news is that eventually the pigeon made a full recovery. Hope this helps, here's the link
Pigeon Pet Chat | Pigeon with broken wing


----------



## mycatsandi

That's a great link, thank you so much! he doesn't look sleepy and is wide awake (the link says sleepiness is a sign of stress and pain). Eats quite a lot too. We've strapped it up like Phoenix24 asked us to, and gave it a bit of whitebread to eat today. what sort of veggies would pigeons eat?

my husband noticed our neighbors' kids hitting pigeons and doves with slingshots. a dove fell down cuz of them and became cat food till my husband got there  its terrible what people do, i guess this is why weve been noticing too many pigeons 'walking around' on the road. maybe we should speak with their parents


----------



## Phoenix24

My experiences have been quite the opposite Acrophylla. Humanisation of a wild animal, or even imprinting (if, for example you have a young bird in care), is more harmful in the long run. It is always better that wild animals remain afraid of humans, particularly if you do mean to release them - not all people have so good as intentions as we do. Perhaps this feral pigeon will be quite trusting, and yes you should remain calm and keep your voice low in its presence - I don't dispute that - but contact should be kept to a minimum as the aim, I hope, is to see this bird back where it belongs - in the wild and free. Any professional wildlife rehabilitator will say exactly the same thing...

As for veggies, leafy greens (e.g. cabbage) and salad stuffs (the lettuce variaties) and broccoli and cauliflower are good. Sprouted seeds should be ok too. Do not give tomatoes, avocado, potato (and definitely not potato leaves!) eggplant, or anything from the nightshade family. Its not guaranteed what it will try (perhaps your pigeon keeping cousin will have an idea what his birds like) but there's no harm in offering.


----------



## mycatsandi

My cousin only feeds them millet and at times white bread, nothing else. Ill try the vegetables you've mentioned


----------



## Phoenix24

If you can get some corn and some larger grains too that would be good, but sounds like hungry pigeon isn't too fussy! Good sign that its eating well, anyway.


----------



## mycatsandi

Not fussy at all! It's eaten up some lettuc leaves that i shredded into small pieces. he does look uncomfortable, still pecking at the cage. i guess itll take time for him to settle, if i let him go now hell become cat food in the next 10 minutes :/


----------



## Phoenix24

Yes don't let him go yet - it takes a good couple of months for a broken wing to heal. Good luck!


----------



## mycatsandi

Thanks everyone for the great advice  The pigeon (I should name it :/) has calmed down just a tiny bit and isn't pecking around all that much at the cage. Eats A LOT. I am used to feeding by budgies and thought it would eat jsut a tad bit more but noooo, he's one big eater haha


----------



## Calvine

mycatsandi said:


> My cat went out for a stroll and has brought back a pigeon in her mouth (she has never done such a thing before, dont know why she's brought it in - she's well fed!). I've freed the pigeon, and placed it in an empty cage that i have (its big enough for the pigeon to even walk around), but its bleeding a bit and seems to have broken its shoulder (or wings or whatever its called).
> 
> its night time (dont pigeons sleep somewhere high? im wondering how she caught it at 10 pm!) and there's no emergency vets here. what do i do till morning?
> 
> any advice will be appreciated!


Maybe she caught it because it was already injured and on the ground...unable to take off if its wing IS broken?


----------



## mycatsandi

I suppose so, well, it's enjoying its life in his new home haha. it looks like it's on a vacation at our place lol. stopped nipping at the cage, is eating a whole lot (seriously - pigeons eat so much?!?!), drinking water like crazy (dont blame him, its over 40 degrees here and summers have JUST started) and basically just having fun. It walks around the cage at times, but isnt restless anymore


----------

