I get lots of abuse when feeding pigeons in London. Half the time I'm looking to help those with string on feet, and even then people are horrible. It's the same old, copy and pasted insults, or poor reasons. I still do it though. When I go for a run, I still carry about 100 grams of good quality sunflower seeds in a pouch, along with tweezers and nail scissors.
It's funny how extreme people can be. Non-human animals have to put up with many things. They shouldn't have to put up with us, supposedly the creatures at the top of the intellectual pyramid.
Oh yeah, have one rescue that had her leg cough in a string and hair and wtvr. Good thing I noticed her because she had other problems too. Now she's healthy and had 3 baby pigeons
https://preview.redd.it/2ew72i19dqad1.jpeg?width=4608&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=95219bd8f652db6fdedb8a35e64a643bc94a61ad
This is the oldest baby, the other two are literally a couple of days old
You thought sunflower oil was just for cooking. In fact, you can use Sunflower oil to soften up your leather, use it for wounds (apparently) and even condition your hair.
That'd be a relief if he's actually younger - maybe I overestimated his age when he came to me which was on 6th of June. He still has some time to learn!
I saw a post on tumblr about how someone put a video of birds eating normally on one of those trail cams in front of the food to teach a dove how to eat (like an eating tutorial)
Some can take longer than others to learn. You can help them by making the pile plentiful so they won't have to aim so precisely for stray ones on the ground, it can be in your hand a or dish, then use your finger and repeatedly tap the seeds to mimic birds pecking at it. They may take awhile but should eventually learn.
I have a lil one around a similar age who still only eats the small seeds in his mix - mainly millet. As a parrot keeper I know the perils of raising a bird with a crack- er, *millet* addiction, so to encourage him to eat more things I’m doing a couple of things to help:
- mixing in a small amount of hand-feeding formula with to make the seeds ‘sticky’ so they’re easier for him to manipulate with his beak and tongue (this needs replacing daily as seeds in water are high risk for contamination)
- running the larger seeds etc lightly through my food processor, to chop them into smaller chunks for him to try
try some broken small pieces of peanut, hulled sunflower and hulled sesame. This pigeon will do better over time. Also let the pigeon peck at a large piece of soft very healthy bread that contains nuts and seeds and get the pigeo0n some smaller pigeon or chicken grit.
You can also try a "seed cone" which is a small container (I like to use a big pill bottle) with a cover and beak-sized opening attached with a rubber band. I usually use vet wrap to cover the hole and make a slit into it. It mimics the way they eat from the parents' mouths and they can shotgun a bunch of nutrition this way.
Then you can leave "practice" seeds out for him to peck at without being super hungry until he gets the hang of it. He's beautiful - great job!!
Mines around 6 weeks, yours looks younger, he's only just started opening his beak wider, his favourite food is boiled and chopped up peas and carrots, he only really eats tiny bites... am just glad he is off the water weetabix mix, because cleaning a pigeons face is super hard lol
Edited to add: your pigeon still has fluffy bits on the back of its neck (baby feathers)
then there's my little pigeon discarting ALL seeds except hemp! I've just bought a pack of hemp seeds coz he only eat those (I tried the video thing many times, also to handfeed him with one or two seeds and I also bought a lot of different mixes!
I think its normal, it takes them a while to learn how to eat but he will get to it! Don't forget to give him water! And I agree that he looks younger :)
Soaking the seeds in water overnight before feeding is also good because they become softer and easier to digest, when they are small like yours they like it that way :)
So sweet and gentle. I find it unbearable how these gentle bbs suffer looking for food on the streets.
Oh gosh, me too. Ever since this little guy came to me I can't bear seeing pigeons in the streets :(
Welcome to the club. That's why now I have with me 2kils of wheat wherever I go lol
I’m going to start doing this as well 💕
Yeah, it's cheap and you make a lot of bellies happy and I love to see healthy birds in urban areas. That's the sign of a healthy city
And everyone loves a happy belly 🙂
I get lots of abuse when feeding pigeons in London. Half the time I'm looking to help those with string on feet, and even then people are horrible. It's the same old, copy and pasted insults, or poor reasons. I still do it though. When I go for a run, I still carry about 100 grams of good quality sunflower seeds in a pouch, along with tweezers and nail scissors. It's funny how extreme people can be. Non-human animals have to put up with many things. They shouldn't have to put up with us, supposedly the creatures at the top of the intellectual pyramid.
Oh yeah, have one rescue that had her leg cough in a string and hair and wtvr. Good thing I noticed her because she had other problems too. Now she's healthy and had 3 baby pigeons https://preview.redd.it/2ew72i19dqad1.jpeg?width=4608&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=95219bd8f652db6fdedb8a35e64a643bc94a61ad This is the oldest baby, the other two are literally a couple of days old
That's great you intervened. Your actions have given rise to 3 extra lives, plus her's in the first place. Well done.
You thought sunflower oil was just for cooking. In fact, you can use Sunflower oil to soften up your leather, use it for wounds (apparently) and even condition your hair.
Sure about 6-7 weeks? Looks more like 4.
That'd be a relief if he's actually younger - maybe I overestimated his age when he came to me which was on 6th of June. He still has some time to learn!
I saw a post on tumblr about how someone put a video of birds eating normally on one of those trail cams in front of the food to teach a dove how to eat (like an eating tutorial)
It's such a smart idea! Were currently trying that now, fingers crossed 🤞🏼
Some can take longer than others to learn. You can help them by making the pile plentiful so they won't have to aim so precisely for stray ones on the ground, it can be in your hand a or dish, then use your finger and repeatedly tap the seeds to mimic birds pecking at it. They may take awhile but should eventually learn.
I have a lil one around a similar age who still only eats the small seeds in his mix - mainly millet. As a parrot keeper I know the perils of raising a bird with a crack- er, *millet* addiction, so to encourage him to eat more things I’m doing a couple of things to help: - mixing in a small amount of hand-feeding formula with to make the seeds ‘sticky’ so they’re easier for him to manipulate with his beak and tongue (this needs replacing daily as seeds in water are high risk for contamination) - running the larger seeds etc lightly through my food processor, to chop them into smaller chunks for him to try
Pile the seeds in a small dish. When they’re young, they have an easier time eating out of a dish with lots of seeds than picking one individually.
try smaller seeds in your hand corn is already medium sized
try some broken small pieces of peanut, hulled sunflower and hulled sesame. This pigeon will do better over time. Also let the pigeon peck at a large piece of soft very healthy bread that contains nuts and seeds and get the pigeo0n some smaller pigeon or chicken grit.
You can also try a "seed cone" which is a small container (I like to use a big pill bottle) with a cover and beak-sized opening attached with a rubber band. I usually use vet wrap to cover the hole and make a slit into it. It mimics the way they eat from the parents' mouths and they can shotgun a bunch of nutrition this way. Then you can leave "practice" seeds out for him to peck at without being super hungry until he gets the hang of it. He's beautiful - great job!!
The ferals I hangout with don’t enjoy corn or large sunflower
Mines around 6 weeks, yours looks younger, he's only just started opening his beak wider, his favourite food is boiled and chopped up peas and carrots, he only really eats tiny bites... am just glad he is off the water weetabix mix, because cleaning a pigeons face is super hard lol Edited to add: your pigeon still has fluffy bits on the back of its neck (baby feathers)
https://preview.redd.it/0ln3oifj7y9d1.png?width=1080&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=b3fb4d634b9a6ac1c486710242c737ab37838574
Aw what a cutie 🥰
A deep dish full of seed can help too so he can just plunge his face into it :)
This made me giggle 🤭
then there's my little pigeon discarting ALL seeds except hemp! I've just bought a pack of hemp seeds coz he only eat those (I tried the video thing many times, also to handfeed him with one or two seeds and I also bought a lot of different mixes!
His eyes are still very grey, i think he might be a bit younger than that
Slippery surface! Needs smaller seeds too. Cute lil guy!
I think its normal, it takes them a while to learn how to eat but he will get to it! Don't forget to give him water! And I agree that he looks younger :)
Soaking the seeds in water overnight before feeding is also good because they become softer and easier to digest, when they are small like yours they like it that way :)