WALMART - POCKETBOOK PIJJIE

I thought it best to start a seperate thread about my little rescue from Walmart.

Update:

This bird seems to be a complete mystery and puzzle.

When I first spotted this bird, she was in the middle of a lane in the parking lot. She was down on her belly with both wings spread, trying desperatly to move. I scooped her right up and put her in my purse. My first impression was that she had been hit by a car, had broken legs, wings or both. I had no way to further evaluate her until returning home about an hour later.

When I finally got her out from my purse and put her down on the kitchen counter, she stood right up on her feet. After closely examining her, I could find no evidence of any broken bones, bruises, or missing feathers, or anything else that seem abnormal or injured.

I have checked her mouth and throat........they are perfectly clear. Vent area is clear as well. She is not at all emaciated, on the contrary, she is a plump little pijjie of atleast 300 plus grams.

What is not normal is that she appears to be much too tame for a feral. She allows me to hold her, pet her, and will sit on my arm with no reluctance or apprehension. Although both her wings are functioning perfectly, she makes no attempt to fly. Also, she has made no attempt to eat or drink on her own. I have been hand feeding her 50 pieces of defrosted peas and syringe giving some honey/water for hydration. Her poops appear to me normal as well.

I have treated her for coccidia, and will start canker treatment later today. I will most likely worm her tomorrow as well. I think that should cover all the routine suspects, but I am clueless as to what else could be wrong with this little bird.

Does anyone have any ideas or suggestions???? I would appreciate any input you can offer.

Louise

Gee, that's interesting. Wonder why she isn't eating on her own. Throat clear and everything? Makes you wonder if someone had her as a pet. But you would think that she could eat. Unless she isn't recognizing the seed as food. If she is feral, maybe she hasn't ever seen bird seed. Try some bread or something just to see if she goes after it.

Louise - did you try whether she has a flying reflex at all by moving your hand arm quickly downwards when she is sitting there? I am just asking because when Pina was still so sick she had no flying reflex at all. Maybe this bird was in a small cage from her early youth and never learned to use her wings? - Very strange

NiteOwl wrote:

Gee, that's interesting. Wonder why she isn't eating on her own. Throat clear and everything? Makes you wonder if someone had her as a pet. But you would think that she could eat. Unless she isn't recognizing the seed as food. If she is feral, maybe she hasn't ever seen bird seed. Try some bread or something just to see if she goes after it.

I thought the same thing Jay..........I tried some small scattered pieces of bread in her cage. She showed absolutely no interest whatsoever.

I am just totlly puzzled

Louise

pigeonwriter wrote:

Louise - did you try whether she has a flying reflex at all by moving your hand arm quickly downwards when she is sitting there? I am just asking because when Pina was still so sick she had no flying reflex at all. Maybe this bird was in a small cage from her early youth and never learned to use her wings? - Very strange

Have tried that as well Petra. When I let my arm go down, she flaps her wings like crazy and digs in her feet/claws into my arm and holds on for dear life.



Louise

NiteOwl wrote:

Gee, that's interesting. Wonder why she isn't eating on her own. Throat clear and everything? Makes you wonder if someone had her as a pet. But you would think that she could eat. Unless she isn't recognizing the seed as food. If she is feral, maybe she hasn't ever seen bird seed. Try some bread or something just to see if she goes after it.

That's what I'm wondering too.

If you feed her the peas and corn for a while, and maybe leave some with her, maybe she will start to try and pick them up by herself. I wonder how old she is?

I've noticed, that when new birds arrive here, often they won't eat until they feel comfortable and figure out they are safe. Maybe that's why shg isn't eating.

Well something has to be wrong in that you found her in a parking lane at Walmart, on her belly with wings outstretched. Maybe she WAS hit by a car. If so, then I wonder what damage may have been done?

NiteOwl wrote:

Well something has to be wrong in that you found her in a parking lane at Walmart, on her belly with wings outstretched. Maybe she WAS hit by a car. If so, then I wonder what damage may have been done?

It was awfully hot there yesterday. Maybe her condition then was heat related.

You sure do have a little puzzler there, Louise.

Being so tame, I would guess she is a pet, however with no band there is no way to find the owner.
Being sprawled out in the parking lot very well could be she was unable to find water and was becoming dehydrated., especially if it's as warm there as it is here.

My apology if I missed you mentioning this this but do you plan on taking her to Dr. Hauck or just play it by ear and see how things go?

Maybe in a couple of days, you'll be able to tell better. Or maybe soon she will be flying again. Let us know how she does.

Well my Walmart-Pocketbook Pijjie is starting to show some spunk. She flew from my arm onto the kitchen counter. She also now moves away when I try to pick her up. She is starting to show signs of a feral. She is very alert and aware of her surroundings.

What I am thinking to be a possibility is that maybe she was not actually hit by a car, but a car could have passed over her when pulling out of a parking space, leaving her stunned, in shock and flat on the ground. That combined with being on her belly on the hot blacktop pavement in 102 degree temperature could have led to the conditon I found her in. She was panting heavily when I first picked her up and put her in my purse, but within a few minutes of being inside of walmart in the airconditioning the panting stopped.

She still is not showing any interest in eating or drinking on her own, so I will be handfeeding defrosted peas for now. I started treating her for canker this evening and will worm her tomorrow.

For now, I will see how she does over the remainder of the weekend. If she does not show any sufficigant improvement by Monday, she will definately be going to see Dr. Hauck.

Louise

Appreciate the update, Louise.
I'm so glad the little one is getting 'spunky'. That's a good sign.

Your theory about what might have happened might be right on.

Please keep us posted.

Oh Louise that's wonderful. She flew! So you could be right, or Charis idea that she might have been dehydrated. Maybe she will start to eat on her own soon.

Poor baby :( to think she might have been hit by a car or got dehydrated
Glad you found her. Great to hear that she is more active now. Wondering why she won't eat on her own? Will be waiting for the updates. Bless you Louise

She has started to eat seeds and drink on her own

This morning when I checked on her I noticed that her water dish was half empty. Also, there were seeds all over the bottom of the cage. After cleaning her cage and giving her meds, when I put her back in the cage, she immediately went to the seed dish. She is eating very well on her own.

She was wormed this morning, and is on a 7 day course of Flagyl. Will repeate the worming and coccidia threatment in 10 days. I will also be working on her flying skills to make sure she is flying well enough for future release.

I honestly think that she was in shock from whatever happened to her in the parking lot. She also was suffering from heat exhaustion and dehydration from being out in 102 degree temperature on hot blacktop pavement.

I am so encouraged with her improvement I really think this little one will be just fine

Louise

that is wonderful Louise! She will definitely get well completely

Louise - that's wonderful news!!!!

It's just all so odd. Be interesting to watch her develop.

Louise, I'm so glad that she is eating and drinking. Thank God you found her. Thanks for the update. Let us know how she does, and pictures would be great if you have the time. Great news!

What a great update, Louise.

I am so glad things seem to be going well.
And thrilled that the little on is eating and drinking on it's own.
I share your encouragement.

Will be looking forward to the next update.

What a puzzler! As I was reading what you wrote about her, I thought perhaps she couldn't see -- that would account for not flying or eating by herself, as well as acting too tame, whilst being apparently healthy.
Do you suppose she might have flown into a car and got some form of concussion that affected her eyesight for a couple of days?

I'm very happy to hear she's improving!

My Walmart pijjie is doing very well

She is eating, drinking beautifully on her own and is acting more and more like a feral. She has started to make pigeon grunting sounds at me when I put my hand in her cage. She no longer likes being held. I had to bundle her this morning to give her meds.

I have no idea what really hapened to her over in the Walmart parking lot, but she appears to be well on her way to full recovery

Louise

Well...as curious as I am...I guess it doens't mater what happened. The good thing is that she is better.