It's string injury season again

The weather is very mild here at the moment, well into the sixties, and I think the pigeons are starting to nest earlier.

Today I saw 4 string injuries on the pedestrian precinct, close to my house. One was an old injury, the others very recent, not tight yet. I got some food but didn't manage to catch any of them. Out in the street they are extremely distrustful.
But the good news is that one of the birds in the group was Penca, who comes to eat on my roof every day, so I hope the others can be attracted here too. With several members of the flock willing to eat out of my hand, newcomers usually come close enough to be caught.

I'll keep you posted.

Good luck. I'll be hoping you catch them soon.

I'm sorry to hear about the string injuries, Teresa.
It's interesting how in some areas there are so many and in other areas not so many.
It seems like the UK has their fair share. And even you have quite a few.

Thankfully, I personally have never come across any. I've helped remove string from a few, but they have been brought to me.

Sending positive thoughts that you are able to catch those that need attention.

I think pigeons in densely populated areas, like town centres, are more at risk of string injuries, because there's so much garbage lying around.

I haven't managed to attract them over yet. Penca comes here at a time when, during the week, I'm working. So all I have is a couple of minutes to throw them some seed.
If the birds are in the area at lunchtime, I'll have a go. If not it'll probably have to wait until Saturday. I hope not.

Teresa wrote:

I think pigeons in densely populated areas, like town centres, are more at risk of string injuries, because there's so much garbage lying around.

I haven't managed to attract them over yet. Penca comes here at a time when, during the week, I'm working. So all I have is a couple of minutes to throw them some seed.
If the birds are in the area at lunchtime, I'll have a go. If not it'll probably have to wait until Saturday. I hope not.

That would certainly make sense.

Oh Teresa sounds like soon you may have your hands full caring for these poor pijjies.

I hope you can get them to come to you.

Oh my Teresa - not again! I really hope that you can mange to get them all.
From time to time I am still worried about Rudi's feet. Today I gave him a treatment again because he was a bit limping again. He's running around so much that he hardly gives his poor feet a pause. Silly boy

The pigeon with the old injury followed Penca into my back garden, but he was very wary and I didn't manage to catch him. I'll just have to keep trying.
I haven't seen the others since, but I did hear about another two people who often free pigeons from string, so I'm hopeful.

Teresa wrote:

I haven't seen the others since, but I did hear about another two people who often free pigeons from string, so I'm hopeful.

Its great to hear that others in your city are also helping these poor pijjies.

pigeonwriter wrote:

Oh my Teresa - not again! I really hope that you can mange to get them all.
From time to time I am still worried about Rudi's feet. Today I gave him a treatment again because he was a bit limping again. He's running around so much that he hardly gives his poor feet a pause. Silly boy

Have you looked at the bottom of his foot for any pus? I'm wondering if he has developed a bit of bumble foot.

Matilda wrote:

pigeonwriter wrote:

Oh my Teresa - not again! I really hope that you can mange to get them all.
From time to time I am still worried about Rudi's feet. Today I gave him a treatment again because he was a bit limping again. He's running around so much that he hardly gives his poor feet a pause. Silly boy

Have you looked at the bottom of his foot for any pus? I'm wondering if he has developed a bit of bumble foot.

Charis, could you please tell us a little more about bumble foot? Is it the callous-like formation that may incorporate some poop? I've seen Merlin lifting one of his feet uneasily so that seems very pertinent.

No - the soles of his feet are both okay - soft and colorwise completely okay. I am only worried a bit about the top of his left foot where there are still some callous-like formations on both sides of the little gap where originally the thread was. It is like a cut that never closes. But he can move this toe and bend it.

GOT HIM!

It was hard blooming work, as I've been trying every day for days ... so I think I'll call him Houdini!

I haven't tackled the string yet though (it's EVIL, poor bird!) because I've had an awful migraine for hours and my eyes aren't focusing properly. I can't risk injuring him.
He's in the hospital cage in the warmth and I started him on Baytril as the feet look infected. In the morning I'll give him Flagyl and will try to tackle the string in daylight.

The other birds with tangled string but no injuries I haven't seen since.

Oh, by the way, Geraldo (ex-string injury) says hello! He actually ate a little from my hand today. He's a very forgiving bird...

Teresa wrote:

GOT HIM!

It was hard blooming work, as I've been trying every day for days ... so I think I'll call him Houdini!

I haven't tackled the string yet though (it's EVIL, poor bird!) because I've had an awful migraine for hours and my eyes aren't focusing properly. I can't risk injuring him.
He's in the hospital cage in the warmth and I started him on Baytril as the feet look infected. In the morning I'll give him Flagyl and will try to tackle the string in daylight.

The other birds with tangled string but no injuries I haven't seen since.

Oh, by the way, Geraldo (ex-string injury) says hello! He actually ate a little from my hand today. He's a very forgiving bird...

Teresa.
Houdini, you are in great hands.

I'm so sorry to hear about your migraine. They can be brutal, I know.
I hope you get to feeling much better soon.


Hi Geraldo.

Thank you, Cindy, such lovely flowers! I feel better already!

I spent all morning looking after Houdini.
One foot was string-bound with one toe infected, so I started there. The circulation is good and I hope all the toes will heal now.
The other foot had no string, and I wondered why he favoured it and stood on the infected foot. Someone had obviously removed string from it and maybe he escaped before the job was done, or maybe the rescuer knew no better. All the callous tissue was there, where the string had been, pressing on the toes. On one toe and the pad of his foot there were two large corns with dark red tissue around them, indicating that one wrong move would result in a serious bleed.
That will take a while to deal with. I just soaked the foot, removed the string callouses and took off as much of the corns as possible. There was no bleeding, and Houdini has been looking more comfortable since then. Poor thing, he must have been in a lot of pain. I think I'll keep him on one drop of Metacam a day for the next few days in addition to the Baytril and the Flagyl.

Teresa wrote:

Thank you, Cindy, such lovely flowers! I feel better already!

I spent all morning looking after Houdini.
One foot was string-bound with one toe infected, so I started there. The circulation is good and I hope all the toes will heal now.
The other foot had no string, and I wondered why he favoured it and stood on the infected foot. Someone had obviously removed string from it and maybe he escaped before the job was done, or maybe the rescuer knew no better. All the callous tissue was there, where the string had been, pressing on the toes. On one toe and the pad of his foot there were two large corns with dark red tissue around them, indicating that one wrong move would result in a serious bleed.
That will take a while to deal with. I just soaked the foot, removed the string callouses and took off as much of the corns as possible. There was no bleeding, and Houdini has been looking more comfortable since then. Poor thing, he must have been in a lot of pain. I think I'll keep him on one drop of Metacam a day for the next few days in addition to the Baytril and the Flagyl.

Thanks for the update on Houdini. I'm so glad he seems to be feeling better.

Another one!

Got another string injury today. Word must be getting round that this is the place to come, because she just landed on my windowsill, beside Gallahad. My heart sank when I saw her feet.
I got some food and of course confident Gallahad started eating off my hand. She followed him and got up close and I grabbed her.

Her injuries are very severe and weeks old, and she's very, very thin. She's not a local, must have come further afield to find food. She's impatient to go and probably has a nest somewhere (all the ferals here have started nesting already), but she needs proper treatment if she's going to make it.

One of my students names her Speedy. Please send healing thoughts her way.

Great catch, Teresa.
Wishing 'Speedy' a very speedy recovery.

Yes. That was a great catch. Good luck with him.

How is Speedy doing, Teresa?

Houdini and Speedy are doing very well!

Their appetite is good, poops too, but naturally their feet are very sore. They are both on Baytril, Flagyl and Metacam, and get a foot spa every day (luke warm water with betadine) and a gentle foot massage with antibiotic ointment.

Callous material that looked like it might bleed is being softened and removed very carefully, layer by layer, every other day.

Speedy isn't as nervous and fidgety any more, but Houdini still looks frightened when I approach him. Speedy was grooming her feathers a moment ago, but now she's settled down on her clean bedding and went to sleep.

Glad to hear the duo are doing good.

Got a peck from Houdini today! That's got to be a good sign...
One of his feet is a lot less infected, but the tip of the middle toe is still curving under a little (but it's not broken). The other foot still has some callous material, but I'm just playing it safe as I can see there's blood supply going into it.

Speedy was the one on the treatment table today, having some more careful work done on her left foot. She has one toe missing on that foot, and I hope the others will be okay. But, like Houdini, the back toe and the foot pad had some nasty callouses (initially there was pus too, but that was successfully removed), the foot joint is swollen and two toes are still infected. There is also a small area with dried blood, but I'm not going to touch it until the skin around it is a better colour.
She must be feeling a lot more comfortable, because a couple of hours ago she started climbing up the front of the basket!!! I had to wag a finger at her...

Loved your update, Teresa.
A big to you, Houdini, Speedy and ALL your feathered and furry babies.

Thank you, Cindy!

I'll forward your hug to all the ones that don't peck or bite, and wave at the others, is that alright?