HELP! My Peaches Hurt a Baby Dove! :(
 

About 15 minutes ago hubby came in the room with a baby Dove in his hands. He was outside mowing the yard and said that the little Dove (who WAS just learning to fly :() flew from our Orange Tree over to the bottom ledge on the fence. Well our dog Peaches saw the little Dove fly over there and hubby said that Peaches ran over there and picked the poor baby Dove up in her mouth like a ball! :cry: :mad: He yelled at Peaches and immediately got the baby Dove out of her mouth. I took some pictures and a video, and in the middle of taking the video hubby lifted it's wing to see if it was ok (since it wasn't flying) and sure enough Peaches bit the Dove underneath it's wing and it's bleeding :cry:

Here are some pictures and the video is here: Little Dove at One True Media - share slideshows, slide shows, MySpace slideshows, MySpace codes, free video sharing, video montages.

But what do we do with it??? The poor little thing can't fly and it's wing is bleeding. I just have no idea what to do :( I feel so sorry for it and am SO MAD at Peaches for doing this! :mad: She has killed so many Squirrels and Birds...and we found feathers all through the backyard so I know that this isn't the first baby that she's gotten. There is only one baby left (they made a nest in our Orange Tree and we can see it) and I'm afraid that she is going to get that one too :(

What do we do with this poor little Dove??? :cry:

P.S. - Excuse my hubby in the video...he said the word damn :rolleyes: He is just so mad and frustrated with Peaches! :mad:

The first pic here is the momma we think...this Dove was perched up there watching us the WHOLE TIME just singing away. And the second picture is kinda graphic :cry:

Brooke you can treat the cut and keep the dove in a cage for a few until it gets healed. Get some seed from the pet store. Honey it looks like your the new mamma to a dove.

Aw poor little birdie...maybe Peaches thought the bird was going to get your hubby so she was protecting him? Or maybe she saw the bird and was rescuing the bird from the path of the lawnmower?

From the pic you posted, the wound doesn't look that serious, so if it doesn't seem like a huge wound to you (since you are there with the bird) I would call a vet and see if there is anything you should put on the wound, or maybe take some papertowels and put pressure on it so the bleeding atleast stops.

Poor Dove:cry: is she able to fly?

do you have something like Animal Control? I know here in canada they deal with all types of animals.. wild or domestic. I know it can be frustrating but dogs ARE animals.. and i know that that instinct woudl come out in Layla as scary as it is. But it seems that your husband caught her early before she could do too much damage. We have a neighbour cat that kills birds in our backyard. Yesterday a couple kids and i caught her cornering a baby bird and moved the bird to another back yard. Anyways.. sorry bella. i'm rambling. I'd call animal control or something equal to it. Or even an SPCA could probably direct you in the right direction.

Oh well that's ok, I am so used to taking in all different kinds of animals anyway....I have a generic "animal hospital" over here, so I don't mind lol :)

I did tell my hubby that we should go get some seed...we will do that in just a few minutes :) Only thing is, I don't have a cage to put the Dove in....this is going to sound REALLY dumb, but could it stay in a pet taxi? LOL. That's seriously all I have :(

P.S. - How would I "treat" the cut?? :confused: Meaning what do I treat it with??

I am not sure about doves. Back from where I came from, I have rescued a baby black crow. She fell off her nest and the nest was destroyed (maybe by cats?). They are considered a pest but I can't see a baby bird die so I took him/her(not sure about the gender, I'll just use her) in. I put the baby bird in a cage and fed her. She grew and became an adult. I released her back to where I found it and the parents/family actually calls for her and I saw them flew away together. Crows are hardy birds though which made it easier for me to care for it and very bonded with its original family. I am not sure about doves and their habits. I hope you will be able to at least feed it some food for the time being and water. Being a baby, they probably won't be afraid of you coz they are too innocent to know. The only danger is they can't survive later on outside or they just want to stay with you and not want to fly away. I hope someone else can help you better.

Brooke, try googling where you live and "wildlife rehabilitation center" and see if they can come out and get it or at least tell you what to do.

Thanks sweetie :) Actually though, my Peaches can definitely be on the aggressive side :( She has killed numerous Squirrels and Birds and she has gone after my Mini Doxie (Pippi) before...but ONLY when it comes to food - so we separate them now while they are eating and everything is fine. We think she may have Pit in her, so that could have something to do with her aggression :(

It doesn't seem to be bleeding a whole lot, but it IS bleeding. I will try what you said and put some pressure on it to see if that helps. Thank you so much!

No she can't fly :cry: She was just learning to...until Peaches got a hold of her!! :mad: Darn it I am so mad! :mad:

Yes we do have Animal Control but (and this is going to sound REALLY SAD) they are probably just going to tell me that there is nothing they can do. I'm serious...they are like that here and it's just terrible :( If it is a call about a dog or cat, or something dangerous like a snake...they will help, but a bird they will just say "sorry" :mad: My aunt actually called about a sick bird before that she found in her yard...and they wouldn't do anything at all :(

At this point it looks like I'm on my own :(

Awww, thank you so much sweetie and what a great story :) I am going to do just as you said and feed it seed and give it water....that's basically all I can do at this point :( I am just not sure where to actually KEEP it....honestly, all I have is a darn pet taxi! :(

then i say the pet taxi sound WONDERFUL! put a little "nest" in one corner and paper on the rest of it and it will definitly do. I'm not sure how you would clean that but id start with peroxide and then something like polysporine. but i have no clue :p keep us posted please

Well I could try that....maybe there IS one here, I actually have no idea :confused: I am going to check - thanks Kyle! :thumbup:

Ok then, pet taxi it is! :D Really, that's all I have that the little thing could actually stay in...but I think it will work :) It IS ventilated...so it shouldn't be a problem. I will make a little nest for him/her too :) I'm sure there will be more pictures later :p I will keep everyone updated...thanks Marci!!

Southeastern Outdoors - Wildlife Rehabilitators in Texas I would worry about the pups getting sick..
Tinkerbelle (Tink'sMom) she origionally got sick from bird dropings.
her is a list of Wildlife rehabilators.
Southeastern Outdoors - Wildlife Rehabilitators in Texas

Your welcome. I think pet taxi is really a good idea if you have nothing. Just try to put a branch through the pet taxi hole so that the dove has something to stand on. Their feet is not good with flat ground especially slippery plastic. You can use a knive to carf the ends of the branch thinner so that it can be inserted into the holes. This is where handyman husband comes in :p


Edited to add: I forgot to mention that you will know it when they are ready to learn to fly. They will flap around in the cage but that is not enough room to learn to fly. I used to keep my dogs out of the room when I bring the baby crow out to learn to fly. I let her stand on my arms and then I flap my arm up and down slowly with her standing on my arm and she will try too flap her wings to fly. Then as her wings grew stronger, I do it faster until I don't remember how but I knew she would be able to fly outside. Oh, make sure you turn off the fan when they are learning to fly in the room.

Oh great!! I can't believe it but this thought never even crossed my mind! Well, I know that Peaches has gotten Birds before (as sad as it is :() and so far she seems to be ok....but I will most definitely keep watching her.

I will check out the links you posted as well...thank you girl!

Oh, you are brilliant!! :D What a wonderful idea...thank you so much!! I will definitely do this and I am so glad that you mentioned it as I didn't even THINK about putting a branch in there for the poor little thing. Thank you so much sweetie!!

Brooke, is it still bleeding?
You need to apply pressure to the wound and get the bleeding stopped. Clean it with warm water and Epsom salt.
Doves eat cracked corn, but is he old enough to eat?

Yes when I saw this thread I thought of it right away.
I hope the little birdy lives. I have rescued a few myself.

Remember to test the branch out that it is inserted properly at the ends so that it will not fall off. If it is not inserted properly and falls, it can scare them and birds are kinda timid.

I hope baby dove will eat and drink. That is really important. I have rescued a baby mynah and 2 smaller baby birds. The smaller birds didn't make it:(. One was already wounded badly. I had to crush bird seeds and mix with water to feed it and I copied that from my budgie who raised her young ones by eating seeds and then regurgitate it with her saliva to feed her babies. Unlike Canada, back in my country we do not have any wildlife agencies to help so I had to either try and do it on my own or see them die. The mynah and crow was easier as they are omnivorous and eats a combo of meat and vege. The mynah actually lived and was freed later on.

If it's bleeding, it's better to put some cornstarch on the bleeding area; that will stop it.

It doesn't really need a nest. Doves are terrible nest builders and their nests usually fall apart anyhow.....just put a small towel or something in the back of the carrier. I PM'd you with what to do. Doves are very hardy birds. Don't put any ointment on him though..they tend to "preen" that stuff off and it can get into their little lung sacs which won't be good for him.

And if he's close to being able to fly, he should be able to eat seeds and cracked corn. Baby doves get all their nutrition from the mom's "milk" which is different from most birds who regurgitate food into their babies...so if he isn't old enough to eat seed, he needs to be with his mom or he'd probably not make it. He's fully feathered though, so I'm sure he's eating seed!

Brooke
One thing you need to consider. Doves are the only animal in existance who MATE FOR LIFE. Meaning the mom and dad are always together. When babies are born they BOTH take care of them. We have a LOT of doves in our yard and a lot of nests with babies. I have had them fall out of the nest in my pool and have sucessfully placed them back in the nest and the parents do not reject them. In one nest there were 2 babies just starting to fly. Ladybug barked and scared them and both flew.. One ran right into the fence and the other onto the lawn. Ladybug tried to get it so it flew again. Then we couldn't find either one again after seeing them for the last time in a yard 2 houses down. 3 days later, we walked outside and there sat both babies on the top of the fence near thier nest. Mom and Dad were nearby. Don't ask me how they got them to come hoime and how they ever got one to stay on the fence while they rounded up the other one. By the end of the day, they were both back in the nest until they got a little bigger. The one that went in the pool, I thought wasn't going to make it. I placed it back in the nest and within an hour mom and dad were both there to dry it off and clean it up. I watched thru my kitchen window and I could see them watching me. I felt like they were saying THANK YOU. They were both sittin on my roof watching me as I fished it out of the pool and placed it in the nest. Having owned birds before, I will say that it is important to stop the bleeding as they don't have a lot of blood to start with. If you have any of the powder that is used on dogs toenails to stop bleeding, try that. As soon as you can get the bleeding stopped, I would try to place it in it's nest andwatch closely to see if the parents will take care of it.

Aw, the poor little thing. I'd drop by a vet. :p That's what I did years ago with a baby rabbit and they took him in! :thumbup:

Oh yeah, that is a touching story!

The bleeding has stopped...thank goodness! :( I am going to clean the wound tonight. I have NO CLUE if he is old enough to eat for sure, but just by looking at him, I would imagine that he is :confused: He\'s got all his feathers now...but I really have no idea to be totally honesty :confused: