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The Great Gildersleeve
Dogsey Junior
The Great Gildersleeve is offline  
Location: Co. Durham England
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 208
Male 
 
25-10-2005, 11:23 AM
Hello Ashlady(and everyone)

Not sure what it has done overnight but I looked in on him about an hour ago and...he is still alive, looks quite alert, tries to fly and probably could but not as well with the feathers that are lost.

It was a very cold night so being in a room must be warmer than outside and though I switched the radiator off so it did not get too warm, the room would retain the heat and cool to a comfortable temperature.

I was unsure if it had eaten so I put some wheat next to it and it did not seem interested but...as soon as I started stroking it gently it started to eat the feed.

I then tried some water and at first it wasn't interested but slowly started to take a small amount on its own. So prognosis would appear positive but the difficult question will be how long to look after it should it continue to recover, after all Winter is on its way and really I suppose it needs its feathers.

As for saving it, the fact the hawk tried to take off with it twice there is no guarentee that if it happened again it would let go of a live bird it has caught. Had it been dead and not still struggling this dove would've been taken away.

And I have lost losts of doves that I have seen being eaten or found feathers after the event. And though it will take any bird, the name suggests it prefers small birds but my visitor always seems to take large birds and usually doves which take longer to kill and perhaps suffer longer?

For now, fingers crossed all is well.

I will look into the antiseptic powder. Not having a pet shop at hand we'll try Boots(as I am sure what works for us will on him)

This is my first and only rescued bird I have had to care for so its a learning thing for me too.

Hope your laptop gets repaired soon and doesn't cost too much(I'm still thinking of getting one myself but not sure what is a good buy)

Take Care

Gildy x
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Mango
Dogsey Junior
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Location: Chelmsford Essex
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 173
Female 
 
25-10-2005, 11:57 AM
Hi Gildy,

What a traumatic time you've had!
It must have been a horrible thing to have witnessed, in my humble opinion I think that what you did was what most of us would have done, including myself.
I didn't have time to write yesterday but you and the dove were in my thoughts.

What I would reccommend would be to consider getting some Bach's rescue drops, they are very good for shock whether for humans, plants or animals, and not in the least bit harmful if interested you could do a search and read up about them, they are always good to have at hand for those worrying or upsetting times in life and last a long while and keep.

:smt026 So good to read that he/she made it through the night and well done to you for getting it there and getting it to drink

Keep us updated please!

All my best,
Chris
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The Great Gildersleeve
Dogsey Junior
The Great Gildersleeve is offline  
Location: Co. Durham England
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 208
Male 
 
25-10-2005, 12:33 PM
Thanks Mango...

Will keep you posted and again thanks for the suggestion, one of many things that is good about such a board like this is that we can share with friends what's happening and offer our help and advice that we have learned nad put it to good use

And by the way...good to see you

Gildy
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The Great Gildersleeve
Dogsey Junior
The Great Gildersleeve is offline  
Location: Co. Durham England
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 208
Male 
 
25-10-2005, 02:56 PM
Just happened to be on line so the latest is that:

I went into the outhouse a few minutes ago and the dove is eating the food put down and I noticed that whilst I have been away it has also drank water.

So though a set back could happen, its looking good.

Wonder what I'll do if the hawk comes down and attempts to take one of the squirrels that visit these days?



Take Care

Gildy
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Dinahsmum
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Location: Dorset
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 3,319
Female 
 
25-10-2005, 03:48 PM
It's looking good for the casualty then Gildy?

When you start asking us to suggest names we'll know you're really confident! As its survival is at least in part due to the 'net may I suggest Webster for a boy. If a girl it will have to be an informal Nettie
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Mango
Dogsey Junior
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Location: Chelmsford Essex
Joined: Sep 2005
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25-10-2005, 03:58 PM
That's great Gildy!

So far so good, and by other peoples stories it shows that it can be done.

As always good to see you too

Chris
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Snorri the Priest
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Snorri the Priest is offline  
Location: Orkney Islands, Scotland
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 4,963
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25-10-2005, 04:01 PM
Rescuing birds in this sort of situation is, IMO, a natural thing to do, but I think we should bear in mind that can be very difficult (and largely unsuccessful) to nurse them back to health - so be prepared for the worst!

A couple of years back, Mrs S and I found an injured fulmar* by the roadside, outside Snorri Mansions. It didn't seem to have been hit by a car, or anything quite so traumatic, but it definitely had an injured wing. We knew there was nothing we could do for it ourselves, so, after a phone conversation, we took it to the local seal rescue centre. (Whilst its main setup is to deal with sick or injured seals, they do take in other wild species on occasion, particularly as the local folk don't want to shell out the vet's asking prices). At the centre, they re-set a broken wingbone and fed it from the stocks of fish that they carry for the seals, but the poor thing died in a matter of days.

*fulmar (fulmar petrel) - looks like a gull, has huge air intakes like Harrier jets where its nostrils should be. Spits streams of evil-smelling oily mess when you get too close - and the stuff can soak through leather easily - it takes months to get rid of the smell. Beautiful flyers, though.

Another small caveat if you're presented with a hawk/dove incident - remember that raptors are protected species, so be careful how you chase them off (e.g. don't shoot at them or throw stones, no matter how tempting it may be!)

Snorri
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Mango
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Location: Chelmsford Essex
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25-10-2005, 04:01 PM
Dinahsmum,

What great suggestions, and if Gildy can't tell whether boy or girl how about Lucky

Chris
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The Great Gildersleeve
Dogsey Junior
The Great Gildersleeve is offline  
Location: Co. Durham England
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 208
Male 
 
26-10-2005, 06:21 AM
Good Morning All,

Thank you for your good wishes and thoughts. I never thought that I would be following in the footsteps of Chickadeedeedee, and many of you, something to live up to.

I tried to apply a little medicated powder yesterday evening and put a little on the back of the dove's neck. I probably should've turned him over and sprinkled some on his side where most feathers are missing but he seems dry there and I cannot see any blood(and I suppose he wouldn't enjoyed being turned in an unusual position.

He does look pretty strong and perky.

I do know that he is eating and drinking, not alot(but how much does a dove eat normally?) To some extent my attitude is that he will do so when he wants to. Though, I do gently stroke his breast a little and then just slightly the face under his eye and he starts to eat and drink so I'll do that a bit more today.

Other than that he's no trouble and I leave him alot so he isn't spooked. And it keeps him calm. He leaves a few messages but as its a concrete floor that's easy to remove.

I do believe that his feathers are coming back too. All good signs.

He doesn't like staying where there is anything to keep him warm in a box, he likes to hide in the corners of the room or as he did last night, sit all through the night by the side of the fridge. The chill was off the room because of the radiator and it was a cold window night. But in case it was too warm I went downstairs and looked in a few minutes ago and he's fine and it wasn't too warm either. and he can access food and water without me being there.

I understand that its quite hard to sex a bird so I think though I thought it great to use the suggestion of Webster or Nettie, I may have to use Lucky as that's what he/she has been so far.

When to release it back to the wild? Well, I think its young and I'd like to see its feathers grow a bit more and I have debating if I should now wait until November 5th has passed.

I'll just have to play it by ear. And I guess that I should attempt to take some photo's again. The ones I have already looked ok on the screen of the camera but on here look a bit blured.

Cheers for now...

Gildy
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Mango
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Location: Chelmsford Essex
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 173
Female 
 
26-10-2005, 07:03 AM
Good morning Antony!

For an awful minute when I saw your message come through I thought it might be 'bad news' as it's quite early.

So I'm pleased and relieved to read your update

Well done to you both


Chris
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