# Dog food bowls for nest bowls?



## Revolution Lofts (Aug 7, 2008)

Hi guys. I've kept pigeons for 6 years now and have never used bowls. I was wondering if a dog food bowl/water bowl would be a good bowl or them to nest in. And also what is some good nesting material? I usually just save their feathers and they use those for nests. Or i keep them on open loft for a few days and they fly out and find their own nesting materials and build the nests. Thanks.


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## Jaye (Mar 13, 2008)

I have seen some people use large dogfood bowls...they reputedly work well.

nest materials...I would imagine others here have suggestions....


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## EgypSwiftLady (Jan 14, 2008)

I use a couple of dog foo/water bowls and as long as theyu are large enough the pigeons don't mind nesting in them and they clean up great.

Some people use tobacco stems, they keep the bugs of the parents and babies, some use straw, wood shavings, etc. I just let our pijs collect their own stuff from outside, they bring in feathers, sticks, leaves, weeds... anything they can fit through their loft door. 

I love watching them figure out how to get a long stick through the small door, but they do figure it out.


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## spirit wings (Mar 29, 2008)

I collect long pine needles and put them in the aviary or the loft floor in a corner and they like those. I put pine shavings or cedar in the nest bowl to ward off insects....other than that they can pick their own like you said....other options are tobacco stems that you can buy, but Im too cheap to buy nest material when I got all the pine needles I want and when a good nest to them is considerd a few twigs..it does'nt take much to make them happy.


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## EgypSwiftLady (Jan 14, 2008)

spirit wings said:


> I collect long pine needles and put them in the aviary or the loft floor in a corner and they like those. I put pine shavings or cedar in the nest bowl to ward off insects....other than that they can pick their own like you said....other options are tobacco stems that you can buy, but Im too cheap to buy nest material when I got all the pine needles I want and when a good nest to them is considerd a few twigs..it does'nt take much to make them happy.



spirit wings I wouldn't use cedar it has a resin that is very toxic that the eggs absorb and it will make the babies sick.
Years ago I used to use it with the ferrets and rabbits that we take in until I had one get very sick from the resin in the cedar shavings.

I hope you don't mind my warning you I would just hate it if any of your pigeons got sick.


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## spirit wings (Mar 29, 2008)

EgypSwiftLady said:


> spirit wings I wouldn't use cedar it has a resin that is very toxic that the eggs absorb and it will make the babies sick.
> Years ago I used to use it with the ferrets and rabbits that we take in until I had one get very sick from the resin in the cedar shavings.
> 
> I hope you don't mind my warning you I would just hate it if any of your pigeons got sick.


I understand...I have used it for years and had no Ill effects, but I do not use it on rodent critters anymore,just in case..I have talked to long time pigeon keepers and that is what they use with no Ill effects, I use a shampoo here at the vet for fleas and it is a natural cedar shampoo it works great with no effects on the pets...I do not know how you can tell a baby was effected by oil resin so alot of mystery illnesses could be contributed, and that being the cause...but just my Humble opinion, I think the jury is still out on this as the vets I work for even have differing views on it... Thank you for your kindness I appreciate it alot


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## EgypSwiftLady (Jan 14, 2008)

spirit wings said:


> I understand...I have used it for years and had no Ill effects, but I do not use it on rodent critters anymore,just in case..I have talked to long time pigeon keepers and that is what they use with no Ill effects, I use a shampoo here at the vet for fleas and it is a natural cedar shampoo it works great with no effects on the pets...I do not know how you can tell a baby was effected by oil resin so alot of mystery illnesses could be contributed, and that being the cause...but just my Humble opinion, I think the jury is still out on this as the vets I work for even have differing views on it... Thank you for your kindness I appreciate it alot



If you read this article it will explain why I stopped using it in nest boxes for our parrots or any of our animals. www.anapsid.org/cedar.html 
We had chicks that died in the egg from parents that had raised healthy babies for many years, also healthy parrots that started having respiratory problems.
Everyone can make up their own minds if they want to use cedar or not, I just want those that don't know the possible problems to be aware.


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## Lovebirds (Sep 6, 2002)

I guess there's a dozen different types of dog food bowls, but the ones that I've seen, such as the Dollar Store brands, are too deep. Unless you build up the bottom with some sort of nesting material and then let the birds build a nest on that if they want to, the babies wind up being too far down inside the bowl to be able to poop over the edge, which in turns makes a big mess inside the bowl, which means the babies are basically laying in their own poop. In the regular nest bowls, by the time the babies are about 10 days old, they've learned to back up and poop over the side of the bowl. 
I guess dog food bowls are ok for pairs on dummy eggs, but I personally wouldn't use them for raising babies. 
The nest bowls seem expensive, but they last for ever. It's basically a one time purchase. I'm using bowls that I bought in 2000.


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## spirit wings (Mar 29, 2008)

Thanks for the article a vet here and I have read that too....It is better to be safe than sorry, a better application would be around the loft so they are not in contact with it...the alternatives are pine needles, now nothing is written about them and they have a strong oil, birds have been using those with out problems...that we know of....now the first bedding in the link the carefresh, I have seen probs here with hamsters getting that stuck in their pouch and causing death as they can't get it out, but some will say they love that bedding and say they never had a prob with it, but it is still sold....Iam caucious, but I also need hard evidence,the bad things from the cedar has not happen to me, but I see what you mean...why risk it...Thanks againhttp://exoticpets.about.com/od/guineapigs/tp/tpbedding.htm


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## Pegasus (Feb 6, 2007)

*Twigs, Tobacco Stem or Hay....*

I used dog bowl when I was a rookie, I noticed they stayed warm because of its the depth...For the bedding; I always use leafless twigs and sometimes tobacco stem...In one point I had use hay but the pair pushes them off and if its not enough hay in the nestbox they'll end up on the floor...

The way I see it, as long as you change the bowl every 2 or 3 days the most...I prefer clay bowls and twigs, then take off the bowl after 2 weeks when I see them standing up and let them walk around keep the finger toes or feet from dislocating the feet...


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## MaryOfExeter (Sep 30, 2007)

Dog bowls would be alright but you may be able to find something different.
Tobacco stems are great to use if you can get some. Bugs don't like them but the birds do. Long pine needles are what I use. The birds really seem to like building nests out of them and it keeps them warm. I've used straw before as well, but only when I couldn't get pine needles. Feathers are okay if the birds pick them up and use them, but I think it'd be best to keep the moulted feathers out of the loft to keep any lice under control.
Small flexible twigs are fine, like from leaves, but you never want to use sticks. They make poor nests and they may hurt the eggs/babies.


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## spirit wings (Mar 29, 2008)

oh I forgot something, if you did use dog bowls, the bottoms are slick so something would have to be in the bottom to make sure you would'nt get splayed legs, the babes need something "grippy" to get their footing.


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## RodSD (Oct 24, 2008)

One of my nest bowl is a dog bowl. Get the one for big dog. I use pine needles which is free on my place. Some bowls are deep. Some are shallow. When I used the shallow bowl one time time my baby bird got out. Luckily I found it and it survived. Now I use a deeper bowl and the baby can't accidentally gets out.


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## ozarkbill (Aug 17, 2008)

*bowls*

I tend to use what I find around and my birds like old hupcaps. just the small ones from older cars. Junk yards don't want them cause they aren't chrome and any old chevy truck has 2-4 still on the wheels. Like I said they were free and available and nests cost money and postage.


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## DaveD (Jul 9, 2001)

Dollar General used to carry a large bowl fairly cheap that seemed great, we had a lot of success with them. However, there was one drawback that led us to stop using them. They had two holes on the sides, oval shaped, and a couple of times we found mice nesting under them, where they couldn't be disturbed. Ahhhhh, hopefully for a new and more rodent resistant loft next year........... 

Dave


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## Bear Foot Farm (Sep 9, 2007)

I use large plastic "saucers" that are meant to be used under flower pots to catch water. They are only about $1.50 each and are 10-12 inches in diameter and about 1 1/2 inches deep


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## risingstarfans (Sep 13, 2008)

That will work, dog food bowls are OK, but use some lind of non-slip liner.


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## BabbaYagga (Jun 24, 2005)

I like pine needles for nesting material as well. It makes a really good nest and I definately have noticed no lice or other bugs, compared to when I was using straw. I will also give them small twigs, certain grasses, and dried winter vetch, which makes the nest more full and solid. The pigeons like to find their own nesting material when I let them out. Tobacco stems are supposedly the best, but I've never tried them before...

I stay away from feathers because I believe it encourages lice. Not sure if lice eat feathers after they've fallen out, but I like to play it safe.


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## ezemaxima (Jan 12, 2008)

Last year i made my square nest with a 2X1/4 inch wood approximately 9 inches long per side but no bottom and whenever I go to clean it, I also have to scrape the nest box plus the wood was pretty hard to clean.










But for next breeding season I got a dozen of the plastic pet food bowls from Walmart for just $1.70 a piece. I can just wash it off if I have too and dry it easily. Pretty deep which allows me to put a nest pad on the inside bottom and sprinkle alittle DE to keep the bugs away.


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