Found a baby rock dove...

07-18-2007, 02:04 PM

Hello, all...

About a month ago I was on my way to work in downtown Chicago when I noticed a baby pigeon crawling around on the ground. He had some feathers--mostly on his wings--but the majority of his body was covered in the little needles of soon-to-be feathers. He was using his wings to push himself around. I asked a nearby truck that was onloading something or another if I could use an empty box. They gave me one, I scooped him up and then took him to my aunt who worked in another buidling nearby. (I've been forbidden to bring any more wild birds to the office since I rescued a woodpecker a few months ago...Long story...Nothing bad happened, I just think the office manager has an intense fear of birds.)

Anyway...my aunt brought the little guy over after work and we set him up in one of those flat, large rabbit/guniea pig cages. We have an African Grey and an Umbrella at home, so we had some resources readily available. I'd already called my mom that morning so on her way home from work she stopped by the pet store for some baby parrot formula.

We've had him about a month and he's been doing well. He spends most of the day in his cage with his lamp, staring in a mirror and then we put him outside in the screened-in front porch for a few hours to get some exercise. We've gradually cut down on feeding him with the baby formula and the syringe as he's eating bird seed quite readily now. (He has a BIG appetite.) But we have a few concerns...Well, I guess not concerns, but we're unsure about a few things...

While he's definitely grown more feathers in the time that we've had him--he has all his flight feathers--he's still bald on his head and under his little wings. How long does it usually take for a rock dove to mature? Are they anything like parrots that take forever? We don't have much experience caring for baby birds besides when Zoey (the Grey) was young and the occasional robin or sparrow that we find in our backyard, and songbirds mature pretty quick.

Also, we definitely concerned about psitticosis, which I know runs rampant among pigeons. We're pretty careful. We keep the baby quarentined upstairs away from the other birds and we use that Clorox Kitchen disinfectent spray on everything he touches (including our hands, which we thoroughly was after every feeding. I know when we introduced Harry (the cockatoo) to the family, we quarentined him for about a month. Do you think that's long enough for the pigeon, too, or should we be extra careful? We're just getting antsy because he seems to be getting a little lonely/depressed sitting up there all by himself. It'd be nice if he could be down where all the action is but we don't want to jeopardize the health of Zoey and Harry.

In the meantime, we've been trying to interact with him some more, but he doesn't seem to want to be with us. He'll cooperate for his feedings, but once those are over he doesn't want anything to do with us, peeping constantly, making himself all skinny and flapping his wings at us. It's a real fight to catch him to bring him in from the screened-in porch, too. Right before bed he'll wind down for a little bit and he'll let us hold him, but that's about the only time. My mom's the one who's been feeding him mostly and he definitely seems more comfortable around her, but he's not sociable at all. I know a woman who rescued a pigeon and kept him on as a pet and he's the coolest, most sociable little bird around (he plays with one of her cats). It seems to take a lot to "ruffle" pigeons downtown, so I guess I'm just surprised by how high-strung this little guy is. (I suppose this might be for the best, however, if he is to be released back into the wild.)

Also, I was online the other day and I saw something about wormers for captive/breeder pigeons. What is this? Is this something we should look into, considering his proximity to our other birds? Or is he too young?

Any advice on rock doves would be greatly appreciated. I've got some general information from misc. bird books and online sites, but I can't seem to find anything about their developmental stages and special health needs. (And all the sources say that they're lovely, friendly little birds when hand tamed...which doesn't describe our little guy at all...)

Anyway, sorry this is so long. Thank you all in advance for your help.

07-18-2007, 02:37 PM

Hi Pinky, Welcome to ParrotChatter. I don't have answers to your questions, but Arty, Camille or Susan should be along shortly and I am sure they can help you.

Thank you so much for taking this little one in and providing a good home. Have you named him/her yet?

07-18-2007, 03:22 PM

I've been in the same place you are now, unfortunately it's been 10 years and I have a horrible memory!

Lets see...feathers on the wings but mostly pin feathers... This baby could have been as young as 2 weeks (or younger) when you found him. If so, he'd be about 6 weeks old. I believe he should be pretty close to being fully feathered by now.

Mollie was very affectionate at that young of an age, and Arty did a fantastic job of socializing Mira so she is very lovable. Spend lots of time with your little one, that is all I can recommend for socializing. Pigeons are fiercely loyal creatures once you win their love.

I'm sorry, but I can't give you any advice on quarantine. With Mollie we didn't know any better to keep him away from Dakota. He lived in the same room as my tiel for several weeks. Now both pigeons live outside in a flight cage. I'm sure Arty will have more information on this. He has both pigeons and exotics, and is always kindly opening his home to more rescues of both.

Arty (Brokenwing) is the true expert here- he has years and years of experience with this beautiful birds. He'll be able to give you lots of guidance.

Thank you so much for taking care of this little guy!

07-18-2007, 06:23 PM

Hi Pinky, Welcome to Parrot Chatter.
Thank you very much for helping this little one in need.
Your little one was 3 weeks when found, The bird weans between 5-6 weeks old and the peeping you hear will soon enough fade away as the bird matures.
They are called Squeekers at this age.
If your little one is eating seed and drinking often then its time for "tuff love" and begin the weaning.
Something to take note, Pigeons suck when drinking as we humans do when using a straw, so the water should be 2 inches deep or deeper.
Are you thinking of keeping this little one as a companion bird or do you intend on release?
Also, we definitely concerned about psitticosis, which I know runs rampant among pigeons
Psitticosis occurs wilthin all the wild bird familys, If possible could you take a blood culutre and send it in for lab work, you snip a talon nail to get a little blood and drop of at a vets office to check for this disease.
Blood stop will be needed and or table flour will work for stopping the bleeding.
30 days is okay for seclussion however I would wait for 45 days and run a blood sample for lab work before allowing this little one near your other birds.
Pigeons mature at 6 months old, and or are capable of breeding at six months old, all feathers should be in by this time.
In the meantime, we've been trying to interact with him some more, but he doesn't seem to want to be with us.
This will be up to you, this bird can be released back into the wild if human touch is limited, if you wish to keep this bird as a companion, more time with the bird will be needed, holding and having a small amount of seed in your hand when having the bird with you will help, when I hand tame it is done right after feedings, I hold the bird and comfort with calm words and alot of kisses and strokes, I do this for close to an hour after each feedings.
Wormers maybe needed, May not be needed, here's a good site to learn more about wormers and determining if there needed, Foy's Pigeon Supplies - Since 1892!
Do you have a scale that measures in grams?, you can check to see the weight gain, weight gain is important and can give you an idea if wormers are needed.
If you do intend on keeping this little bird then by all means, take the precautions I have mentioned above, Lab work and begin checking the weight.
Wormers should only be used if needed.
If you are intending on release, then limit human contact, hang on to the bird until at least 7 months old and depending on the weather where your at, find a feral flock of Pigeons and release there, the bird will join up with the Ferals and learn all there is to survival from them.
Thank you kindly for helping the little bird of peace, if trained properly, YES, they are very LOYAL companions.
Please let us know what you are going to do and remember we here at Parrot Chatter are here to help you or find someone who can.
Keep us updated please....
Arty/BrokenWing
P.S. take a look at Grandmas Gem and or My newest little wonder threads here in the Dove/Pigeon forum, you can see a few baby's as they grow, also check the Camille and Susan Please thread to get there opinions of the bird of peace.

07-18-2007, 07:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BrokenWing

P.S. take a look at Grandmas Gem and or My newest little wonder threads here in the Dove/Pigeon forum, you can see a few baby's as they grow, also check the Camille and Susan Please thread to get there opinions of the bird of peace.

Here are the threads Arty mentioned for easier access!

Grandmas Gem
My newest little wonder
Camille & Susan Please

07-18-2007, 10:53 PM

Thank you all for answering my questions. My mom and I greatly appreciate it! This seems like a really nice place and I look forward to more conversations...

We're kind of on the fence about keeping the little guy. We've been going back and forth on it for as long as we've had him. But they don't fully mature until six months, huh? That's an awful long time to limit human contact with him. I read the responses to my mom just a few minutes ago and we both had the same reaction: "How are we going to keep an animal for all that time and not include him with the rest of the family...That's IMPOSSIBLE!"

So, as of right now, he's probably going to stay on with us. (My mom just said she'll get a blood sample to our avian vet next week.) And we did lose our twelve-year-old cockatiel in May. Maybe we're just meant to be a three-bird family. As for names, we're still not sure. We were calling him Vinnie for a while, but last night while feeding him we both decided that it just doesn't fit him...Next was Stooley or Morty. Something will come along soon enough.

Thanks again!

07-19-2007, 04:55 AM

It's so nice to hear from people like you. Had someone else found this little guy, the outcome could have been sooo differant.

So nice to have another Pigeon/Dove/Wildlife lover here on PC.

We would like to see some pictures of this baby as well as some of your Grey and Too. Everyone here just love pics!

07-20-2007, 07:00 AM

Hi Pinky, any good news?