Question:

How should I feed and care for a baby dove?

by Guest58303  |  earlier

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I found a baby dove that is fully feathered and shedding it's down coat. It can't fly but is flapping it's wings. It is about half the size of a full grown dove. I have been feeding it baby cereal and plum/pear baby food. It's droppings look dark brown but on a kleenex they look greenish. Should I be feeding it a different diet? Does it sound as if the bird is healthy? Any other advice?

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5 ANSWERS


  1. doves are wild animals, you should not be getting your scent on it or making it rely on u. hand it over to a animal shelter  


  2. pls answer this!

    urgent!

    to all of u!! answerers viewrs, etc...

    pls answer:

    http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?...

  3. If it's still a baby then go to a pet shop buy a syringe and some baby bird feeding formula .Try LaFeber's nutri-start baby bird formula i think all you have to do is mix it with water.Once it gets a little bigger yoou can start to introduce it to solid food.

  4. If the bird is fully feathered, it is most likely a fledgling and has left the nest on it's own and it's parents are caring for it. It is normal for birds to leave the nest before they can fly.   You need to replace it where you found it..preferably in a scrub or tree so it is relatively safe from predators, and the parents should come back to feed it.  If it is unfeathered...then look for a nest and if you can find it...replace it into the nest.  Do not worry about your scent being on the chick..birds have a very poorly developed sense of smell and will NOT reject a baby that has been touched.  If you cannot find a nest, get the bird to a local wildlife rehab for it's best chance of survival.  Also, keep in mind, it is illegal for you to try and raise this bird on your own.  Look for a rehab here:

    http://www.tc.umn.edu/~devo0028/contact....


  5. I work for an Animal Care Hospital, and so many people bring us baby animals that should have been left alone! A fully feathered dove does not need care, especially not by a human being. Most people don't realize that many birds nest on the ground, and even those that don't eventually kick their babies out of the nest once they're old enough  and continue to watch after them on the ground. Nature should be left to naturally live (or die), as harsh as that sounds, it is better for the bird to be left where you found it, or as close to where you found it as possible. And it is a myth that a parent will reject a baby if it's been touched by a human.. This doesn't make a difference.

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