Rubber band wrapped around leg of pigeon

Dumb question but, does she have a name?

Does it look like she was owned and escaped? I've seen lots of pigeons escape at shows, they're usually banded too.
Not yet, I’ve just been calling her RB (rubber band :lol:).
No, I think she’s just a feral. However, I have seen lost domestic pigeons, and I actually caught a white one that someone “released” for a memorial. Most of the time domestic pigeons can’t survive on their own for long.
 
I’m going to keep her. She is unreleasable (or I would’ve taken her to a wildlife rehab) and it’s legal to keep wild pigeons as pets since they’re nonnative and considered pests.
Awww, thats perfect. She's definitly unreleasable, glad that you can keep her! That makes things much easier. ☺️
 
The foot will fall of or self amputate on it’s own. Chickens with frostbitten feet do this each winter. It should be able to survive this on it’s own. In my opinion, I would release her. She will be able to hop and fly, and get water and food.
You don’t think there’s a risk of infection?

I would release her, but there isn’t any pigeons with similar injuries in the local flocks that I’ve observed. (Injuries like these are common since hair, string, and other debris gets wrapped around their toes.) I’m assuming pigeons who lost most of their toes or a foot were at a disadvantage and died.
 
It is up to you if you have the time to nurse and keep her safe from pets, but I would release her back into the wild.
You don’t think there’s a risk of infection?

I would release her, but there isn’t any pigeons with similar injuries in the local flocks that I’ve observed. (Injuries like these are common since hair, string, and other debris gets wrapped around their toes.) I’m assuming pigeons who lost most of their toes or a foot were at a disadvantage and died.
Also, the wildlife rehab I called after I caught her said that she would be euthanized if she lost the foot since they don’t consider a one-footed pigeon releasable. I already have a couple of pigeons so she will live with them after recovering.
 
You don’t think there’s a risk of infection?

I would release her, but there isn’t any pigeons with similar injuries in the local flocks that I’ve observed. (Injuries like these are common since hair, string, and other debris gets wrapped around their toes.) I’m assuming pigeons who lost most of their toes or a foot were at a disadvantage and died.
I would be concerned that it would take her a bit to adapt to the disability. In that time she may get eaten by a predator, since she doesn't have a safe place to learn. If it were me, I would assess the situation after she lost her foot.
If she was able to figure out how to move around, and seemed able to live in the wild, I would give her the option to leave. If she wasn't able, or didn't want to leave, well, you have a new pet pigeon.
 
Also, the wildlife rehab I called after I caught her said that she would be euthanized if she lost the foot since they don’t consider a one-footed pigeon releasable. I already have a couple of pigeons so she will live with them after recovering.
That sounds like a good idea. I would trust them and keep her if she were mine, great job saving her! Other would have overlooked the poor girl.
 
Today: the foot feels cold compared to the healthy one.
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It might help you to read a few threads about frostbitten toes. Many post pictures of what the foot looks like in the beginning and at each stage before losing toes or the foot, which can be helpful. Sometimes when the foot is iffy, but the toes are black, the area where the separation occurs can make you wonder where it will be. As for infection, it doesn’t usually happen, but you are welcome to try soaking the feet daily in warm Epsom salts, or spraying with chlorhexidene or betadine. I have been looking up pictures from old threads, and haven’t found a good example yet, but with keep looking.
 

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