Thank goodness for other people and YouTube!
Continuation of baby pigeon saga: I still hadn't figured out a way to feed this little baby even though she was older than the typical "squeakers" I've had to hand feed. I always felt there was a safer way of doing it rather than shoving the meal down their crops, which can prove deadly if I miss the crop – and sadly, I have missed on occasion which has killed the baby. So I’m quite fearful of feeding new babies; I don’t need their deaths on my head too!
Research research research ..... and I find a guy on YouTube who has figured that a latex glove finger over a syringe provides the suction needed for a squeaker to suck out the meal.
Baby pigeons are fed from their parents by sucking out the food rather than the parents pushing food into their mouths. This is instinctual for the baby to do. In the past, I’ve squirted the liquid food into their mouths which is hard on them and me.
Taking a horse syringe (60 cc) and cutting off the top, I put the end of a latex glove finger over the opening, rubber banded it on, and then cut a really small hole in the top for the baby to put it’s beak into.
Mixing the Kaytee baby bird food with hot water to a watery-cake mix consistency, I poured into the bottom of the syringe, pushed the plug in, jiggled out the excess air and then put it up to the beak of the squeaker.
She shoved her beak right inside and sucked out all the feed! She's eating finally! And there is enough water in the mix that it keeps her hydrated as well.
So now she's eating, she's warm, her head is recuperating and she when she sees me, she goes crazy knowing that I'm going to feed her. Happy day!
I’m no longer scared of baby pigeons when they’ve fallen out of the nest. I know that I can help them survive better than ever. Bring it On!
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