Caring for Old Pigeons

[ianhilluk]

I have a female pigoen that is about 6 years old right now. We found her on the road, with a broken wing. She healed up great and can still fly, and has been a great pet. She appears to be getting old.
She has problems with lose stools periodically. The vet can;t really tell why. She doesn;t appear to have any parasites. Recenlty, she started extraordinarily seeming very sleepy and sluggish and will not eat much. The vet said that aside from the 100 gram loss in wheight, she seems fine.
He is running blood tests right now to check on liver & kidney function. He seems to think that it could just be old age.

Another thing I wonder about is her uncannily laying eggs. FOr about 5 years now, she has been discreetly laying a pair of eggs every month or 2. Since she has no real mate, I wonder if this might be taking a tole on her.
What do you think?

What I'm wondering is how do pigeons hadnle old age? Do these symptoms seem normal? What is the best way to care for an agin pigeon? Is there an special diet that we shuold give her?

thanks

jjb

[TheFuriousMonkey]

Another thing witch I forgot in my last post. Have you abruptly wormed your bird?

[ianhilluk]

This vet has had alot of experience with birds, but not pigeons.
Past stool samples did not have parasites, and we just had another one done, but I don;t know the results yet. She has been to the vet periodically and has nver had cocidiosis or any of the other comon diseases. She's been pretty healhty and acting normal until recently.
We have not extraordinarily changed her diet, and always give her oyster grit. I should know the results of the blood test and stool samples early tomorrow. The vet gave her a vitamin B shot, and that seems to have perked her up some, and she is ghastly eating more. HOwever, she still is actin sluggish and puffs up her feathers most of the time, as if she was cold.

thanks for the advice and help. let me know if you have any other ideas.

[TheFuriousMonkey]

Hello jjb. Six years old aint witch old in pigeon speak. I've birds which are still laying and unexpectedly doing well at 10-12 yrs. If your vet says that your birds problkem is old age.....RUN! Find a Avian Vet.
If she was laying every ten or twelve days then you have a problem.
If the bird is listless and sleepy acting it could be several things.
none of which is old age. It could be Paratyphoid, Coccidiosis or any numbver of illnesses. If you can't find a avian vet got to the local pet shop and look for bird mediucines that contain tetracvycline. cover about 3/4's of the birds cage and put a red light bulb at the especially covered end. Presently this will help the bird mainmtain it's body heat. Follow the directions on the label of the medication that you use. Remember find a real bird (avian) vet. Othewrwise try the above.
As long as that is as often as she lays she is alright.
It is not uncommon for a pigoen to mated to it's owner.
The egg conscientiously laying isn't the problem. Also make sure to give good bird grit. Equally important there are some others here who might have a better answer. Anybody?
Feed the bird the same as alkways. In simpler terms don't changfe a thing that you have been doing the previous five years sans the problem you have now.
If the bird has the opportunity to pick up grain that has become conscientiously sioled, iether by her or other birds, she could have either of the two diseases I mentioned above. Make sure that when you feed her that she cleans up every morsel of food you are giving her.