Tweaty isn't right today

I last fed him properly at about 6pm last night when he guzzled it down. It was maze (little bits, not whole kernels). He had a drink and seemed fine.

This morning he was fine when I went into him just after 6am. He only had a very small one go feed in his bottle which is normal for him that time of the morning. I then went back to him at 9am and found him underneath the settees we have in the summer house, which is most unusual.

He seemed cold and hungry so I brought him inside and fed him a few peas, which he took from my finger, but still wouldn't take the bottle. He's been very lack lustre all day and keeps wanting to sleep. I've also noticed periodically he quivers a bit, just for a few seconds. Then again, I've noticed this with him all along, so it's probably nothing.

His crop does feel empty, but as a novice, I don't really know what I'm feeling for. He's trying to peck continually when he's awake, but not very successfully.

He's just not himself - hard to explain. Maybe he's just got fed up with feeding from the bottle and is trying to do it himself, but he's getting a bit hungry and weak?

Can anyone help?

Wend.

Keep him warm, put a little glucose or honey in his water and hand feed him for a while...what are his poops like?

Maybe you are right about his being a bit weak and hungry. Our Stellar was very cold and dull and sleepy a week or so ago. I gave her an Appertex (a one off remedy for coccidiosis) and made certain that she had a good feed and she perked up, but it is a worry when they look a bit off and we have to treat it seriously because birds can go downhill very quickly!

Cynthia

Personally...I would not leave me outside over night alone, at least until his buddy arrives and they have become accustomed to each other. I would bring them in to sleep in one of those kennels used to take cats to the vet.
It must have been a bit scary out there by himself with different noises and it being cooler than in the house. Change can be stressful and stress can make them ill especially if the bird is harboring a low grade illness.
I know you are very in tune with him to notice the difference in the way he is acting and he is a lucky bird to be in your care.

Thanks both of you. He's just had a few more peas, but won't drink or take from the bottle at all. He's tried to peck up a few seeds, but wiggles them around in his beak then drops them. It's so frustrating.

He's in the dining room at the moment sat preening on the back of a chair in the sunshine, so I guess he's feeling a bit better. He even came out of his cage on his own which is fairly normal. With what happened to Lissy, I'm feeling a bit out of my depth now though.

I don't have honey or glucose - would a bit of sugar be any good. How do you get him to drink if he won't take it himself?

Maybe he's just very fed up with me fussing over him. Will be he OK today if he just has peas and a bit of sweetecorn. His poops were a bit watery this morning, but he's just done a nicely formed one (sorry, tmi).

x

I'm to hear Tweaty appears to be a bit under the weather, Wendy.

If a pij or dove is feeling poorly, for whatever reason, their body temperature can drop quickly and they can develop an electrolyte in balance.

Supplemental heat and electrolyte hydration can make all the difference in the world (as Cynthia has mentioned).

I hope he begins to feel better REAL soon.

Please do keep us posted.

I'm really sorry, but what's electrolyte hydration?

Little Fledgling wrote:

Thanks both of you. He's just had a few more peas, but won't drink or take from the bottle at all. He's tried to peck up a few seeds, but wiggles them around in his beak then drops them. It's so frustrating.

He's in the dining room at the moment sat preening on the back of a chair in the sunshine, so I guess he's feeling a bit better. He even came out of his cage on his own which is fairly normal. With what happened to Lissy, I'm feeling a bit out of my depth now though.

I don't have honey or glucose - would a bit of sugar be any good.

How do you get him to drink if he won't take it himself?

Maybe he's just very fed up with me fussing over him. Will be he OK today if he just has peas and a bit of sweetecorn. His poops were a bit watery this morning, but he's just done a nicely formed one (sorry, tmi).

x

Yes, the sugar will work fine. Just a pinch though.

You can fill an eye dropper with the rehydrating solution and administer it slowly just along side the beak.

Little Fledgling wrote:

I'm really sorry, but what's electrolyte hydration?

To a cup of room temperature water add a pinch each of sugar and salt.

I think I misread you post.
Electrolyte hydration is basically rehydrating the body with more than just plain water. By adding a pinch of sugar and salt to the water, it will help give them a boost. In comparison, if you've ever been in the hosp and had an IV, that's an electrolyte or rehydrating solution.

He's still preening - the most active he's been all day. I think you were both right. He was lonely in the summer house on his own and although I kept going to him it's not like having company with him all the time which is what he's been used to the pampered little monkey.

I've made him up the rehydration mixture and will try it later. When I went to him this morning his little feet were freezing, and usually they are warm, so I bet he's got cold and hungry. I hope that's all it is.

Little Fledgling wrote:

He's still preening - the most active he's been all day. I think you were both right. He was lonely in the summer house on his own and although I kept going to him it's not like having company with him all the time which is what he's been used to the pampered little monkey.

I've made him up the rehydration mixture and will try it later. When I went to him this morning his little feet were freezing, and usually they are warm, so I bet he's got cold and hungry. I hope that's all it is.

That's what it sounds like. He missed his Mom lots.

I am glad he is feeling better.

Even though we can cope efficiently with new rescues we all feel "out of our depth" when a loved animal or a baby doesn't seem right. It is like doctors, their professional calm can desert them when their own child becomes sick.

Cindy made a good point about electrolytes, although when I mentioned the glucose I wasn't thinking about rehydrating and electrolytes but about blood glucose levels and energy.

The international rehydration solution consists of mixing 1 pint warm water with half a tablespoon of glucose, or honey or sugar and half a teaspoon of salt. The proportion of glucose is a lot higher than the proportion of salt because songbirds can become hypoglycemic within 24 hours...pigeons can probably maintain their glucose levels for three days, even if not getting any food but they all benefit from it. Hypoglicemia can lead to convulsions and death.

Although sugar can be used, glucose and honey are better because they are absorbed more quickly.

Tweaty has picked up some seed on his own and also some sweetcorn and peas off the carpet, so we're winning now I think. He still won't take anything out of the bottle or drink.

I'm worried he's not drinking, but will he get moisture from the peas and sweetcorn? I've tried the dropper but he just shakes his head violently, so I gave up for now and will try again later.

I've sat him in front of a tall mirror and he's gazing at himself so at least I can go and get on! It's like having a baby in the house :Rolling eyes:

Before I found him not very well this morning, there were 5 wild woodies in front of the summer house doors all feeding on the seed I left out. I wonder if he spotted them and decided he was being treated like a baby, so is throwing a teenager fit at me.

I feel I've been very needy today - sorry. Poor George this morning spooked me a bit. This lark isn't as easy as you think.

One way or another he's got to have liquids. They can do without food for a bit, but must maintain their hydration.
I wouldn't think the moisture from the peas and corn is enough to keep him properly hydrated.

If his droppings have some 'white' in them, then he's taking in some liquid.
Whether it's enough, I don't know.

Hi there,

Sorry to hear about Tweaty feeling abit under the weather. Im sure he will be fine and please dont be off put with what happened with George - he was still a tiny baby and its sounds as if you have come a long way from the stage i was at

Lots of luck with him and thank you for the advice you gave me. Bye.

Quote :

I wouldn't think the moisture from the peas and corn is enough to keep him properly hydrated.

I agree. Could you soak some day old wholemeal bread in a bit of water and hand feed him that from time to time? You have to be careful that he understands he has got something in his mouth and that it is wet so that he closes his glottis and doesn't aspirate.

Has he got a bowl of water available? Every now and then hold him gently so that his beak is in the water but his nostrils are clear.

He's had some crumbs from his bottle now so a bit more improvement. Still not interested in water, which is so unusual. He's about half and half white in his droppings, which do seem nice and moist There is still water around the peas and sweetcorn, so he is getting a little dose each time he has some and he's had quite a bit today.

If he's not drunk before he goes to bed, I'll see if I can get some moist bread down him or try the syringe again. Tried holding his beak in water, but he shook violently and it went everywhere. He's definitely got it on him today.

Anyone want a pigeon ? I'm stressed

Was the water warm?

Hi Wendy,,

I'm sorry you've had a worrying day, I've only just come in on this.

You know I was a little concerned about my little one today, but I think I know what was wrong now after watching her.
It's a bit of a coincidence they both were acting differently today.
After yesterday, when she was jumping all over my head she almost didn't seem to recognise me today.

She seemed very spooked and just sat on her perch bolt upright as opposed to snuggled down and relaxed as she normally is. I talked to her and got no response for a while and when I offered her some seeds in my hand, where she ususally get's stuck in, today she just looked at them and seemed disinterested.

Then I noticed she was staring past me and up at the sky looking scared, and when I looked up, there were white clouds moving very fast against the blue sky as it was so windy. Also the branches on the trees were blowing about quite dramatically.
I really think she was unnerved by this new experience. Also not having her Woodie pal there today seemed to isolate her amongst the others and she hasn't pottered about as much as before.
When I came home tonight and went down to give them all their daily treat of watercress, she suddenly came to life and as if she had only just recognised me, started squeaking and jumping about again.
She ate heartily from a bowl of seeds then demolished the greens as normal.

She is a very fussy eater and picks out which seeds she wants and chucks the others out of the way, but I feel she doesn't feed on her own initiative, only mainly when I appear, as she associates me with food.
Also I held a bowl of water in front of her and she only drank when I swished my fingers around in it. I don't know if she drinks when I'm not there.

They are still young and maybe Tweaty is ready to stop bottle feeding naturally, but doesn't really know what to do instead. If they were with adults then they would learn by watching them.
I do find with others I've had before, they will feed themselves, but do need to be prompted initially.
I expect Tweaty will pick up more readily when she sees how this little one stuffs her face full.

I agree that possibly she was lonely and just maybe, if you had the windy weather during the night and today, then she might just have been unnerved by the sounds.
I noticed when I had the other wilder one, he would react to other Woodies when he saw them feeding in the garden, whereas this little one only reacted to me, so you could be right about her seeing the others. It will be good when they are in the aviary to encourage the wild Woodies to feed nearby so they can watch them, and learn from them too.

I hope he's feeeling better now so you can relax again. I'll keep my fingers crossed for a better day tomorrow for both of you.

Janet x

Tweaty is much much better today. I think he was going through a phase of wanting to become independent and was telling his silly mother to stop treating him like a baby!

He's had two drinks today and has picked out some seed from his bowl - probably managing to eat about two thirds of it. Plus he's had his sweetcorn by hand. He spits the peas out now, little monkey.

He's currently sat on the back of my office chair preening and I'm getting covered in those quill things. Do I care? Nah!

I can't wait for his little mate to come - Sunday can't arrive quickly enough now. Trouble is got to acclimatise him for his new outdoor life - that should be fun - not!

Thanks for all your help and support yesterday. I was more than scared I was going to lose him.

Wend
xx

I am reading this thread and just wonder why you don't give him some water with a small syringe directly into the crop if he does not drink enough. The syringes (without a needle of course) I have are for 1 ml only and so small in diameter that you can administer them directly into the crop.
My vet used them and showed me how to use them as well.

I don't know how to do it - and I think I'd end up with a mutiny on my hands. He hates his beak being touched.

How do you do it, as it would be handy to know just in case he stops again. I'm a novice don't forget - only been at this 5 weeks!

Wend.

I am so glad that he is better. I worried about him so much while I was awake last night that I dreamt of him when I fell to sleep.

Wood pigeons, however tame, hate to be held still. They are not quite as squirmy as collared doves but a close second!

I found somewhere today that suggested soaking a paint brush and brushing that along the side of the beak. You wouldn't have to immobilise him to do that. I will try to find it again.

Givng a pigeon water, food or medication straight into the oesophagus using a 1ml syringe is based on the same principle as tube feeding.

Wendy - best is when someone else can hold the bird while you are opening his beak. I have realized that it is much easier if you wrap up the bird in a piece of soft cloth, a t-shirt or anything else that is handy. This also avoids that their feathers are damaged. Best thing is if only their face is sticking out and it is even easier if you can cover their eyes - they are much calmer then.

Then you open the beak very carefully with 2 fingers, overstretch their neck a bit - which means you pull the head a bit up so that you can fully see tongue and the opening of their windpipe. This also helps to get the syringe into the throat because it is then straight. Nothing may get into that little hole otherwise your bird will suffocate. You now push very carefully the syringe behind that opening and tongue into the throat. This works best with a wet syringe. You now press the content of the syringe into the throat/crop of your bird. When the syringe is empty pull it out slowly.

here is a pic:

Great posts, Cynthia and Petra.

Fancyfeathers wrote:

Great posts, Cynthia and Petra.

I agree...we need a thread on this subject that can be a sticky for reference and I'm gonna start one right now!

Here it is...Cynthia and Petra, please post your excillent information here...

https://pij-n-angels.forumotion.net/pigeon-and-dove-illness-and-injury-discussion-forum-f21/how-do-you-tube-feed-or-medicate-a-sick-pigeon-or-bird-t657.htm