Skip

[garden squirrel]

Over the years I have helped a lot of wildlife, most have been released. I have had skip for 7 years . Brought to me when she was about 3 days old. I must admit the reason she with me is because I made her too people friendly. She has the same treatment as my parrots and is a brilliant little character. When I released her she just flew on to everyone's shoulders so I had to go back for her, she was not going to be able to be released.
She now is treated like all the rest of my parrots and birds. Due to the avaries being damaged she is back indoors. She is not complaining ,she loves being indoors.
[Users must be registered and logged in to view attached photos or hyperlinks] ha ha this just proves I am eccentric lol

[Pinkbirdy]

Beautiful :)

[Honesty]

That is so lovely Dawn :) Now you have to add yourself to my recent thread on Parrot/Bird owners being neurotic :th_hehe:

That is amazing you have manged to tame him :)

[garden squirrel]

It was easy to tame skip I had to had feed him. They a nightmare to feed as it is very different from normal birds there parent put there beaks round the baby's beak. So I had to try design something that went over beak . You could not use a spoon or syringe. I struggled to save him as he was so young. Now he eats brilliant and is not much trouble he lives with lily in avary she has got brain damage. She got trapped between railway bridge and a stuck lorry. I only have old photo of her.[Users must be registered and logged in to view attached photos or hyperlinks]

[Honesty]

Good on you for managing to hand feed him :)

Poor Lily :(

[Debra]

They both are beautiful! Most people think of pigeons as nuisances but I find them gorgeous. Thank you for sharing the both of them with us.

[garden squirrel]

They both are beautiful! Most people think of pigeons as nuisances but I find them gorgeous. Thank you for sharing the both of them with us.

Most people see pigeons as nuisances and full of disease etc. I have had many people that have not been too happy that I help pigeons and seagulls which are also not highly thought of.I have learnt through what I do with animals. That every creature needs a chance, they have little characters and personalties.
I would help any injured creature and I feel the reward is great when I manage to release them back to their natural environment.
A few years back I helped a greater spotted wood pecker. He had busted both legs and lost his lower jaw. I got him right and released him. Wow soon he brought his new misses to the garden and shortly afterwards he brought the young. I can not say how excited I was ,It felt like one of your grandchildren coming to visit.
I have many stories on wildlife I have helped so I won't ramble. I find the animals give you their trust and that is so valuable. Give me an animal any day.

[Honesty]

I think we are going to have to rename you "Dr Doolittle" Dawn :th_biggrin:

You are a very caring and warm natured person. I love the story with the Woodpecker and how he bought back his wife and children :)

[Maddy]

Skip is gorgeous!

[Mare]

A few years back, I was driving down our road and found a pigeon setting right in the middle of my lane. She was just walking around, not paying attention to much, let alone my car that was hovering in front of her. It was a back country road, no traffic, and I very slowly drove over her, hoping to spook her to fly off. I look in my rear view mirror and she is continuing her walk down the road. This is when I pull over to see what is going on.

I bring her home, she was starving and had a band on her foot. I fed her parrot seed, googled pigeon leg bands and what they mean and found out that her owners lived about an hour away from us, south. She was a racing pigeon, a young one, that was cut loose around 100 miles north of us. The owner asked if I could keep her for a few days, feed and water her, then cut her loose to continue her path home. Well, she wouldn't leave. I called the owners and they told me to dispose of her...what? She is probably sick, we don't want her back...what?..what, what does that mean? I found a wonderful home for her with someone that raised pigeons for fun. Happy ending :)

[Turquoise]

Very beautiful pigeon you are Skip!! :th_hug8: I also love pigeons and doves. Used to have a few many years ago when we had ducks, geese, turkeys, pheasants, quail, pea fowl, and chickens just for fun. No one was ever eaten by humans. That is so sweet you taking in Skip and bringing him full circle to becoming a wonderful addition to your aviary.

Your pigeon Mare was very lucky to find you before it flew back home only to be rubbed out for its efforts. I am glad you found it a great home and it didn't have to go back to its ungrateful former owners. :)

I have a friend in another town who found a baby Mourning Dove when it fell out of its nest as a tiny baby several years ago. She raised it and still has it as a pet much the same reason you couldn't release Skip, Dawn. It was imprinted on her and loves her like his mate.

[garden squirrel]

Thanks for all the comments, it is great to know that there are others out there that appreciate all wildlife. And are willing to give there time and care to help them. I know Wendy has had her hands full trying to get me to join in more, I have watched many forums over few months and have seen people gang up on people. After I posted this I realised I could of made a mistake. as pigeons are not highly thought of.

I am pleased Wendy has kept trying for me to join in as I can see what great bunch of people are on here.

Skip is loved as much as my other birds and I am pleased you can see his qualities too. I feel sad that skip could not be released , but I look back at all the hundreds I have released , I am human I was gonna make a mistake, and one out of it all is not bad. And skip thinks it a great life being treated like a pet.

[Turquoise]

We tend to be a kinder gentler bunch of critter/bird lovers here on this forum. :) Not every creature can live a free life as it was meant to be. The fact that you and others who care deeply for all animals are willing to share your life with them when they can't is an awesome thing. :th_hug8: People who can't see that are living a sad life in my opinion.

Many years ago back in the late 1980s when my son was still home as a teenager he & I raised a tiny newly hatched sparrow that had been blown out of its nest during a rain storm. It had fallen on my cement driveway, had a bruise on its tiny head, was cold to the touch and I just knew it would die. I held it & blew on it til it warmed and began opening its mouth wide for food. My son Jory & I looked frantically for bugs and found a very few. It ate them and I fixed it a warm nest to spend the night in. Since I'd never raised a baby bird before & knew we could not catch enough bugs to keep it alive, I called a former English teacher I knew raised budgies & Cockatiels. I asked her what we could feed this baby to get it to live. She told me to go to the feed store and buy a bag of chick starter. Thin it out to a gruel and warm it slightly and it should do fine on that. We did and raised M & Ms (the name Jory gave it) to a beautiful sparrow. Jory could open its cage and call it. It would fly to him and sit for hours on his shoulder. Once it was old enough we set it free and for a couple of weeks Jory could go outside and call M & Ms and it would fly right to him. Then one day it never came and we hoped it found a mate and lived a happy life. Most folks hate sparrows and would never have bothered with worrying over how to feed it. I feel so blessed that my son & I shared this impossible feat and gave that tiny baby a chance. In return it gave that love back to my son by coming back to him even tho it was free. :)

[Honesty]

Thanks for all the comments, it is great to know that there are others out there that appreciate all wildlife. And are willing to give there time and care to help them. I know Wendy has had her hands full trying to get me to join in more, I have watched many forums over few months and have seen people gang up on people. After I posted this I realised I could of made a mistake. as pigeons are not highly thought of.

I am pleased Wendy has kept trying for me to join in as I can see what great bunch of people are on here.

Skip is loved as much as my other birds and I am pleased you can see his qualities too. I feel sad that skip could not be released , but I look back at all the hundreds I have released , I am human I was gonna make a mistake, and one out of it all is not bad. And skip thinks it a great life being treated like a pet.I told you what lovely members we have here Dawn :) We are like one big happy family (most of the time) LOL

We look forward to hearing lots more of your stories! I know you have many to share with us :th_wink:

[kendrafitz]

Dawn - I loved reading your stories. It is such a wonderful thing to help animals in need. No matter what anyone else thinks. It takes a special type if person to take the time to do so.

I especially enjoyed your woodpecker story! What a great ending!!

Mare - that pigeon was beyond lucky that you drive down that road when you did!!

[Blancaej]

Beautiful bird Dawn.