Balsa meets a Pigeon Angel

Great thinking, Rosa!

Balsa is a lucky pidge to have such a dedicated looking after him, in spite of the difficult circumstances of not having him in your house etc!

Sour crop is most often caused by an obstruction, and most obstructions in pigeons are caused by canker, or occasionally by worms. If you haven't seen any in his poops, then it's most likely canker, especially because canker causes that type of watery poops and worms normally don't. So Flagyl should lead to a rapid improvement.

It's important to check that he's emptying his crop normally and the poops correspond to almost as much volume as the food he's eaten. If that doesn't happen or he starts vomiting, phone me any time of day or night, or even get a lift from someone and get him over here!

Thanks, Teresa!
Yes, one thing is for sure: I'm trying my best to do everything that I can, and hopefully Balsa will get better soon, thanks to all the help I'm receiving from all the unstopabble Pigeon Angels, like you!

He's not at my home, but I pass here most of the time, as you know so, even though I can't go there everytime I want, I'm happy to be able to pass several hours with Balsa per day, and even to check him at different parts of the day (and sometimes during the night, if it really has to be, I also avoid to disturb him after it gets dark.... )

Yes, I've been reading about sour crop as well, and I already read that in several pages, and the truth is that he had canker when I rescued him, but thank God he doesn't suffer from worms, at least I never saw one, and I clean his room many times a day.

By the way, today I started the treatment with Flagyl, I still have a couple of doses, that I separated before, when I gave it to him a few months ago, and I will buy more tomorrow, when I buy Baytril 15mg as well.

I want to ask you something: should I do a 11 day treatment both with Flagyl and Baytril as I did last time, or should I change the duration of it?

Concerning his crop, I guess it's emptying normally, as his poops seem to correspond almost to the same volume as the food he's ingesting, for example, today they were more volumous than yesterday, and I saw him eating more as well.

a lot for all the attention, love, care and the availability that you ALWAYS showed to me and Balsa, there is nothing that could ever pay that. Really, a lot!

I will try not to abuse and knock on your door! Just kidding, thanks a lot for everything, once more, and I will accept your kindness and call you if anything scary and unusual happens, but God willing it won't be necessary!

Thanks for the update, Rosa, it sounds really good!

I would go for a 7-day course of Flagyl+Baytril, and see what progress he makes. We should see a difference after 3 or 4 days, and that will let us know how best to procede.

Rosa wrote:

I will try not to abuse and knock on your door!

Oh, that's a shame!! Why not? I promise I wouldn't let Hercules out of his cage!!

Sending positive thoughts and get well wishes to Balsa, Rosa.
Bless you both.

All sorted! The meds will be there in a few hours' time!

Teresa wrote:

All sorted! The meds will be there in a few hours' time!

Teresa wrote:

Thanks for the update, Rosa, it sounds really good!

I would go for a 7-day course of Flagyl+Baytril, and see what progress he makes. We should see a difference after 3 or 4 days, and that will let us know how best to procede.

Rosa wrote:

I will try not to abuse and knock on your door!

Oh, that's a shame!! Why not? I promise I wouldn't let Hercules out of his cage!!

Ok, ! Balsa started Flagyl treatment the day before yesterday, and he is already in Baytril too since yesterday! I was finally able to get Baytril and administrated it yesterday's afternoon. I also bought another Flagyl box, because I had only 2 more doses left.

I'm sorry I didn't made an update on this yesterday, but to tell you the truth I turned on the PC at night, but then I had to go out suddenly, and I only came back now...

He is breathing with a his beak closed now, but he started doing it the day before yesterday, even before he started the Flagyl treatment, he got a little better by himself, but now, with the help of the medicines, I hope he gets even better soon.

He has been eating more, and the poops are bigger and more numerous again, even tough they are still watery, so I will follow your advice and finish the 7 day treatment, and then we'll do an evaluation to see how we should procede.

Another thing: I was noticing that there were some small parts of his cere had disappeared and the skin there was kinda pink, like if it was hurt, and I was unsure about what may be causing it, but yesterday I finally found out: it happens that Mr. Balsa scratches is nose when the nasal discharge (that, by the way, is not so frequent now ) comes down his beek! :( I've been spending many time at home, so I go check him very frequently, and everytime I see his nose wet I clean it with kitchen towel, so it hasn't accumulated anymore.

I will take a few pics with my mobile phone this afternoon and post them here later.
You think I can apply a bit of Bacitracine in his cere, being careful, of course, not to hit his nostril?

Eeheh You won't release Hercules??
Ok, then I might consider visiting you, because you know... that boy is way too dangerous! Aahahahah Just kidding, for what I've seen, he's such a sweetheart, I would happily receive some bitings, just to have the pleasure to meet the most "expensive" pigeon in Figueira da Foz! I will let you know anytime I pass near there, and I would be very happy to know you in person, take a tea with you and have a nice chit chat about our adventurers!

AZWhitefeather wrote:

Sending positive thoughts and get well wishes to Balsa, Rosa.
Bless you both.

Thanks a lot, dear friend! It feels good to receive your warm wishes.

Bless you too, and your angels! T Thanks for caring and for always being there for Balsa, he sends you his love as well!

Teresa wrote:

All sorted! The meds will be there in a few hours' time!

Ok, my dear Teresa, thank you so much! As I told you on my last email, there was no need to send me Baytril or Flagyl, as I was going to buy both on the next day, but if you sent any (I know that you are such a sweetheart and you never left anything missing for Balsa ), don't worry, I will send them back to you on the next package that I send you.

I am going to my home again in just a few minutes, and I'll let you when I receive your package. I think you must have received mine yesterday, right? Anyway, I'll send you an email in a couple of hours, and I'll come here to Pigeon Angels again later, to an update about Balsa.

Ok, Teresa, I already got your package, a lot!
I only read your email now, seems like we've been both away from Hotmail. eheh I turned on the PC today, but I only came here to update this topic, and then I had to turn it off, because I had some stuff to do , and I only came back now... I already answered you as well, we'll keep in touch about all the matters.

Anyway, I didn't took the pic today (just to show Balsa's cere), but I will take it tomorrow for sure and upload it here. It's already getting better, actually, maybe due to the fact that he may not be scratching it anymore, or at least that much (I never caught him again )
I didn't applied anything as well.

By the way, I was about to ask you this for a while, but I keep on forgetting: don't you think it's kinda strange, the way Balsa's cere is prolongated to the sides as well? It's just that I've already seen many pigeons and I've never seen it like this, but maybe I've been a bit distracted, it happens to me a lot What do you think?

Hi Rosa!

Glad you got the package! Don't worry about sending any of the surplus meds back, I included them just in case there might be any delay in obtaining them there, and the sell-by date is a long way off!

It's great to know that Balsa is getting better! Let's wait and see if the Baytril clears up his discharges completely! If it is Ornithosis he has, and it sounds like it, be careful of catching it as well -- that is the one pigeon disease that is contagious to humans, causing the symptoms of a cold or mild flu. So no kissing him at the moment nor touching your face after handling him.

Ceres often get discoloured when birds are unwell. If he's scratching them, that will explain it, but it can also happen after prolonged treatment with antibiotics, or when they need a vitamin boost.
I had noticed the extensions to the ceres in earlier photos. Had a close look, to see if it was pox, but clearly not. I've seen them on a small number of pigeons, and I think in ferals they're traits inherited from a pedigree ancestor. You may have to start calling him Sir Balsão de Portugal...

I'd love to see you if/when you come over to Figueira! I'm sure you'd have a laugh meeting my zoo! And, who knows, maybe even Hercules The Terrible would take a shine to you!

Hi Teresa,

Ok, considering that, I'll thank you again and start using the medicines you sent me first, because the ones I bought will last for the next couple of years.

About Balsa's condition, I'm also almost sure that he has Ornithosis, because even tough his eyes are not discharging, I noticed that sometimes they get watery, but then they dry again, and I don't think it's caused because of the sun that comes inside, directly to his feathers. Sometimes he opens his beak a bit, other times he keeps it shut, and still does some noise breathing, and the crop still moves a bit, up and down...

Anyway, I'm continuing with the Baytril and Flagyl treatments, and today I started also with the Mycostatin you sent me. I administrated it 2 times today, but it was a true struggle, as Balsa kept running away from me during the whole procedure! LOL He is one proud pige that doesn't like to be handled, unless of course, I approach to fondle him...
By the way, for what I measured by eye, the quantity of Mycostatin you sent me will do perfectly for the whole treatment of 5 days, don't worry and thanks a lot! I just have to be extra careful and not waste it , I think there is enough for about 6 days...

About the Ornithosis, yeah, I've already researched a bit about it, and I'm aware of the consequences, but thanks for warning, and for the tips and concern! Even tough it's difficult, I quit kissing him a few days ago, and I've been extra careful when I handle him these days, avoiding touching the face, always washing my hands after being with him (I already did that before as well), etc.

I know Ornithosis is one of the only diseases in pigeons that are actually contagious to humans, so I've been trying not to catch it as well. If I start having those kind of symptoms, I'll go and see a doctor, but I'm not afraid to catch it, and I would never leave Balsa. Anyway, God willing, he will be treated soon.

I've also read that the birds that recover from Ornithosis will carry the virus for the rest of their lives, and that another crisis could be provoked by, for example, much stress. You think he already had it, and it became active again due to the stress I mentioned before? (The tremendous noise of the Lisbon celebrations the other week)

By the way, of course I want to keep Balsa "for myself" forever lool, but, if he ever recovers to the point that he can be released, I'm willing to give him back his freedom... You think that he may be dangerous to other ferals, if I set him free, I mean, because of Ornithosis?

Teresa wrote:

Ceres often get discoloured when birds are unwell. If he's scratching them, that will explain it, but it can also happen after prolonged treatment with antibiotics, or when they need a vitamin boost.
I had noticed the extensions to the ceres in earlier photos. Had a close look, to see if it was pox, but clearly not. I've seen them on a small number of pigeons, and I think in ferals they're traits inherited from a pedigree ancestor. You may have to start calling him Sir Balsão de Portugal...

I'd love to see you if/when you come over to Figueira! I'm sure you'd have a laugh meeting my zoo! And, who knows, maybe even Hercules The Terrible would take a shine to you!

Thanks for the info about the ceres, Teresa! I didn't applied anything, and I guess it's a bit more "soft" now. Actually, I took a couple of pictures to show you, but they were not clear, I'll take some again tomorrow, and post them here.

About the extensions of the ceres, I was really curious about it, because I already found it strange at the beggining and also tried to make sure that it was nothing strange, and when I took a good look at it, I understood that it was the same type of skin of the ceres. I tried to make a research on Google about ceres, but I couldn't find anything relevant... Then I started browsing pigeon pictures randomly, and I only found ONE pigeon with similar features! So, I tought about asking....

Thanks for the info, I wasn't aware that Balsão had a pedigree ancestor! Eheh I'll try to be more careful when I handle him now, we don't want him to tell his royal ancestors that I'm making him drink some strange liquid two times a day!

By the way, I'd just LOVE to meet your Zoo, someday! It will be a true pleasure, I feel very happy around animals, and I'm sure you do as well! I'll let you know as soon as I got the chance, and thanks a lot for your invite! I'll try to stay away from Hercules but I'm not sure if I'll resist that handsome heroe's charm!

Rosa, you always make my day with your exhuberance!

Teresa wrote:

Rosa, you always make my day with your exhuberance!

Ohh...

No need for , just !

I love your posts, Rosa. They are so full of enthusiasm.

Teresa wrote:

No need for , just !

Eheh Thank you Teresa!

I just realised I had missed reading one of your posts here... ... but I have good news for you:

Ornithosis is not caused by a virus, but by bacteria, Chlamydophila psittaci. That's why it can be treated with antibiotics, and when it's gone, it's gone -- birds do not become carriers!

AZWhitefeather wrote:

I love your posts, Rosa. They are so full of enthusiasm.

Thanks! You know what? It's Balsa's inspiration...

Teresa wrote:

I just realised I had missed reading one of your posts here... ... but I have good news for you:

Ornithosis is not caused by a virus, but by bacteria, Chlamydophila psittaci. That's why it can be treated with antibiotics, and when it's gone, it's gone -- birds do not become carriers!

It's ok Teresa, thanks a lot for the info! Anyway, I was asking because I was not sure, as during my research I found contraditory info: some say it will be caried for life, others say it doesn't.

Anyway, I have been away for many days, because me and my boyfriend caught a baby martin bird ( ) on Friday, and I've been very busy, taking care of the zoo! eheh I already sent you a mail, about everything and also about Balsa's condition, so that we may see if I should keep him in the medications or not, but I will come back here in a few hours, to do an update to all the other Pigeon Angels about Balsa.

By the way, he is better, thank God!

Talk to you all soon, I'll leave you with a big hug, and thanks a lot.

Rosa wrote:

Teresa wrote:

I just realised I had missed reading one of your posts here... ... but I have good news for you:

Ornithosis is not caused by a virus, but by bacteria, Chlamydophila psittaci. That's why it can be treated with antibiotics, and when it's gone, it's gone -- birds do not become carriers!

It's ok Teresa, thanks a lot for the info! Anyway, I was asking because I was not sure, as during my research I found contraditory info: some say it will be caried for life, others say it doesn't.

Anyway, I have been away for many days, because me and my boyfriend caught a baby martin bird ( ) on Friday, and I've been very busy, taking care of the zoo! eheh I already sent you a mail, about everything and also about Balsa's condition, so that we may see if I should keep him in the medications or not, but I will come back here in a few hours, to do an update to all the other Pigeon Angels about Balsa.

By the way, he is better, thank God!

Talk to you all soon, I'll leave you with a big hug, and thanks a lot.

Oh my goodness!!!
I've only ever rescued one before. He'd somehow hit an obstacle and fell in my mother's patio.
Not knowing what to do I searched the net for information and was depressed to read that they can only eat while they fly, so they can't be kept captive, apparently. The advice was to give him electrolytes to rehydrate him and boost up his energy, and release him as soon as he was strong enough to fly.

Hydrating solution recipe: 3 tablespoons of sugar and 1 teaspoon of salt to 1 litre of water.

Please keep us posted!