Rhyssa
Weaned Todd
Welcome to my menagerie!
Joined: December 2005
Posts: 94
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Post by Rhyssa on May 25, 2006 19:15:39 GMT -7
We found a baby dove outside our house this evening. It obviously could not fly. We were afraid to bring it in and care for it due to the possibility of our birds catching mites or some disease. I feel really awful leaving it to its fate, but I don't know what else to do. It must have fallen out of a nest, but we couldn't find it. I also don't know the first thing about feeding babies, mine were all weaned and ready when I got them. I just needed reassurance that it was okay to leave it. There are cats and dogs that run loose around here. I don't want it to suffer, but what else is there? Is this just one more example of the "circle of life"? Thanks Karen  |
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Rhyssa
Weaned Todd
Welcome to my menagerie!
Joined: December 2005
Posts: 94
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Post by Rhyssa on May 25, 2006 19:42:29 GMT -7
We just talked to our "bird expert." He explained that the dove nests are really small and the babies fall out when they get big enough. They will hide under cover near where they fell and still get fed by the parents. This one should be ready to fly. So, we went out to place it in the garden under some plants and it took off (had a height of six feet). It can't fly well or far, but it did fly some. The problem was it flew into the street with a car coming. The car tire missed it by a couple of inches. Whew! We placed it in the garden and hope the cats don't get it. It sure is cute.
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Post by spookyhurst on May 25, 2006 19:45:33 GMT -7
Is it still there? If so, there are usually wildlife groups that will take baby birds in. Where do you live? I found out there was a place like this in my city after taking care of a baby robin, and eventually losing it. Wish I had known before . Long story short, the robin grew up, and I released it, but being a baby, it dropped in for feedings about 3 times a day. The robin was accident prone and suffered injury after injury, and eventually was attacked by something (I suspect crows) that broke it up so bad, I was forced to...kill it . Worst day of my life. He was a wonderful little bird too. EDIT: Whoops, missed your second post while I was writing mine. |
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Post by Jane on May 26, 2006 1:27:56 GMT -7
Yes I think you did the right thing. It is always worrying to see vulnerable looking baby birds but this is very common - many baby birds leave the nest before they are able to fly but the parents feed them on the ground and protect them as best they can. The advice in the UK (and in fact the law) is that birds must be left alone unless they have no feathers or are injured.
Jane
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Post by Adele on May 26, 2006 7:53:04 GMT -7
I found an unweaned pigeon before too being attacked by a cat. I chased the cat away and tried to take care of the pigeon because I couldn't the nest. It was scared to death of me and wouldn't eat anything, so I brought it outside to see how its flying abilities were. It flew way farther than I would have thought and landed under a tree where I then saw its nest. As soon as it landed though the mother jumped down from the nest and fed it. I put it back in the nest but over the next few days it kept falling out again and hiding in nearby bushes, so I figured it was alright.
I thought I would share a little story about rescue societies that made me a bit skeptical. I found a baby squirrel once. It wasn't doing so well as something had killed its sibling and both of them were covered in worms. I got rid of the worms and found an excellent website on caring for orphaned squirrels. I figured out its age and species by looking at a chart. It gave directions to feed him every two hours. The first two days seemed very rough and he was barely moving, but he began to gain energy. After a week, he seemed much better off and rehydrated. I was afraid that maybe I was not the best care taker so I found a rescue society and dropped him off with a lady. After she took him into a back room, she described how they care for quirrels and it was the exact same procedure I found off the website. Then she told me she doesn't like to get up to feed them every two hours during the night though, like I was doing because she doesn't have much time to care for the squirrels. I was a bit worried at this point, but she was already in possession of the squirrel so I left. I called back a couple days later and she told me that he died, but she expected that anyways! I was very upset by this. I know that there are good rescues, but people have to be careful. Sorry this got so long.
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Post by louiesmom on May 26, 2006 8:41:43 GMT -7
That's SO sad to hear about that squirrel... sounds like that lady doesn't really care about the things that people bring to her to take care of. She doesn't belong in the rescue business, or maybe she needs help...
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Post by nancyd on May 28, 2006 13:01:56 GMT -7
Gee, I live near Lake Farm Park (part of the Ohio Metroparks system). My cat keeps bringing home live baby rabbits in the spring. (No she doesn't kill them) I box them up and take them to the Fampark as they have a "hospital/rescue center". They give you a number and if you want, you can call in a couple of days to find out how the animal is doing. They are always surprised that the babies I bring in are unharmed and more surprised that the babies didn't have "heart attacks." When I have called back--all faired well and were released into the park.
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Post by spookyhurst on May 28, 2006 14:43:10 GMT -7
A friend of the family used to be involved in animal rescue in California. She told us how she once got a call to pick up a blue heron that some construction workers found. She said it looked practically dead, but she transported it to a lady who did rehab. A few days later, the rehab lady called her and said to come pick up the heron and release him, as he was well enough that he had become a real pest. She picked the bird up, and drove to an area on the coast. She said it was shocking to open up the container, and see this once sick bird slowly extend his long legs, stretch each long wing, and fly away. She said he perched on a boat for a few minutes to preen and collect himself, and then flew away. The rescue business would be such an awesome business to be in.
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Post by louiesmom on May 30, 2006 10:13:03 GMT -7
Yes, rescue would be rewarding, but, I'm afraid of the ones I couldn't save... I cried at freakin' "King Kong", for cryin' out loud...
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Rhyssa
Weaned Todd
Welcome to my menagerie!
Joined: December 2005
Posts: 94
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Post by Rhyssa on Jun 1, 2006 8:15:00 GMT -7
An update: the dove is gone from where we placed it. I have seen a rather young dove at the backyard bird feeder and like to think it is the same one.
I have seriously considered and am still considering opening a bird rescue here in kansas city. There is a club that does it, they don't "require" you to join if you want to be part of the rescue side, but.....
So, I have been thinking that when I get a bigger house on a bigger piece of land, I might just have to do that. I hate seeing any animal hurt. There was a girl in the neighborhood walking her dog with another girl and dog. The dog was sooo cute and she was beating it with the plastic leash thing (winds up the leash). I was going to go after her, but decided to call the law instead. I followed her around the neghborhood to see if I could determine where she lives. There wasn't a lot the law could do, but were going to send someone out to the house where I think she lived. I haven't seen her since. Hopefully, that is a good sign. If I do, there is no telling what I will say next time.
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