# Owner of a new pigeon, need advice



## pigeonsheep (Oct 6, 2008)

Hi I'm new to this forum and I have a couple of forums to ask. First of all I was able to get my hands on a pigeon finally. It's hard to find information on the net on how to raise one. So here are my questions








1) How often do i feed him?
2) What breed is he? It has feathers on its feet and feathers sticking up behind his head.
3) Is it okay to clip its feathers on its feet? Cause it seems to be too long
4) How do I keep the feathers on the feet clean?
5) Do you recommend taking the pigeon to the vet to get shots even though I'm keeping him indoors?
6) I stumbled upon owners talking about covered waters? What exactly is that and where I can i get one so it doesn't poop in his water?
7) Is it normal for my pigeon to be standing on 1 leg at times?
8) How often should I bathe him?
9) How often should I let him out the cage?
10) Can someone be allergic to pigeon feathers or dandruff?
11) Can anyone tell how old he is?
12) Is it okay to feed it fruits like bananas or corn?
13) Does it need to be banded? I've seen it for some clubs and organizations but I wasn't sure for just regular pet owners.
14) What signs should I worry about if it's going to be sick, which I hope never happens.
15) What should the temperature be in the room he's kept in?

Thank you very much. I really appreciate it. I just want to keep him living healthy as possible


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## Revolution Lofts (Aug 7, 2008)

1. Once a day is fine.
2. Not sure what breed he is, all i can say is he wasn't bred for flying, most likely a show bird.
3. You could clip them, but he looks really nice with feathers on his feet. And if you do, don't clip a lot of them.
4. I'm not really sure how you can keep them clean, but where ever you are keeping him, put saw dust or pulp there. So that the poop doesn't stick to his feet and feathers.
5. Put him in a box, make sure there's a lot of air inside.
6. Well if you want a cheap one, you know 4 litre milk jugs? Or any container that size (make sure nothing dangerous was inside of it) and cut like 2 hole's so that just his head can fit through. I have over 100 birds and i have these type of waterers.
7. Yup they do that, or mine do. Everything get's tired soemtimes. Mine mostly do it when about to sleep.
8. Never bathe him on purpose. Will a container with waters (Shouldn't be deep, should just reach his legs) And let him bathe himself if he wants.
9. how big is the cage? All pigeons, and birds for that, love to fly or be free. Once in a while is fine depending on the size of the cage.
10. There could be someone allergic to them, pigeons give off a lot of pigeon dust.
11. No one can tell how old he is. Check the band if he came with one (on the foot). Or you could ask the person you got him from.
12. Pigeons will eat corn, peas, lettuce. Just make sure there are not any spices or anything on them. Abotu the banana, im not sure :s
13. It doesn't need to be banded if your not going to take him to any shows or anything. Some of my birds aren't banded. I just let them out to fly as a hobby. The others are banded.
14. If he doesn't eat a lot that can be a problem. Or if he has mites or lice or what ever in his feathers. If he is droppings are watery. Others can help you more in this 
15. Pigeons are very hardy birds. Pigeons can stand cold but not wet. My pigeons are sometimes out side in the snow, when its -5 (I live in the north) With no heat and they're always healthy if there aren't any drafts.

Hope i helped


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## pigeonsheep (Oct 6, 2008)

HELLO  Thank you so much for responding. I'm surprised that people respond that quick here. I'm glad that i'm not the only one who owns a pigeon  By the way, what did you mean by pulp? The cage, it's about 32 inches long, 16 inches vertical. It's a guniuea pig cage


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## Revolution Lofts (Aug 7, 2008)

sawdust is like very thin almost like sand...pulp is like small big chunks of it. I recommend sawdust though much better. And i would recommend you to get another pigeon to company this pigeon since they are very social animals....they live in huge flocks in the wild and all. So get another pigeon if you can. And i would recommend you to let your pigeon out every other day. Pigeons can be kept outside...if you have the room, try building a 3 ft high, 4 foot long and 4 foot wide mini loft. You give it strong 2 by 4 legs. You can keep this inside too. If you make this you can let your bird out every 3rd day. They need room to fly and all.  Feel free to ask anything else you want, i'm only 15 but i've had pigeons since i was 9 so i learned quite a bit


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## pigeonsheep (Oct 6, 2008)

Oh wow that's a while that you've had experience with them  Oh and I was also wondering about the "grip-it shelving liner" that you can put on the bottom of the cage to make the messes they make easier to clean. Are there any disadvantages to it? I can't keep my pigeon outside because where I live there are loads of raccoons and opposums :[ There's hardly any pigeons flying around unless it's in the more urban area, i'm from the suburbs of New York


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## Revolution Lofts (Aug 7, 2008)

Well your pigeon isn't a baby, so it won't get into his eyes. Thats why its a disadvantage for using sawdust as bedding material. Ummm you could just make that size of a lfot i described and keep it inside. If you have 4 feet square of room somewhere?


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## Charis (Feb 11, 2007)

OK...My turn to answer your questions.
1. Pigeons eat 2 times a day...morning and late afternoon. If you only plan on having 1 pigeon or 2, I would leave food available all the time. Always have fresh water available as well as 2 separate small dishes, one with grit and another with oyster shell. In addition, pigeons can benefit from green leafy lettuce, minced carrots, sprouts and even minced broccoli. You don't need to supply those last things in large amounts or even everyday but a couple of times a week would be great.
2. I don't know what breed he is either but I have one that looks like him only white. The one I have was a rescue here at Pigeon Talk.
3. You can clip the feathers on his feet but you must be careful not to clip a blood feather so it might be best to leave them be.
4.If you offer your bird a bath, he will keep his own feet clean as best he can.
5. I don't think it's necessary to take the pigeon to the vet for shots. Likely the vet wouldn't have the correct shots anyway.
6. Are you having a problem with the bird pooping in his water? If you are changing it a couple of times a day, you shouldn't have a problem.
7. Sometimes they do stand on one leg.
8. Pigeons love to bathe. Mine bathe every day.
9.You should let him out of his cage as often as you can and are available to supervise him.
10.Yes.
11. I can't tell how old he is or if he is a he.
12. Bananas, corn and peas are OK. 
13. Most band are put on the bird when the bird is very young. Your might conceder having a snap on band made with your phone and address just in case he got out. I have no idea where you would have a band like that made though.
14. Not eating...puffed up...sleeping a lot...vomitting...breathing heavy or breathing through the mouth, unable to fly, bald places around the face and beak.
15. I like to keep the temperature above freezing.


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## TAWhatley (Mar 6, 2001)

Welcome to Pigeon-Talk! That's a very beautiful bird you have there .. not sure what the breed is but someone will be along shortly that does know.

Can you take a close up picture of the beak of the bird? It looks to be too long and too hooked .. might need to be trimmed.

Terry


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## TAWhatley (Mar 6, 2001)

pigeonsheep said:


> Oh wow that's a while that you've had experience with them  Oh and I was also wondering about the "grip-it shelving liner" that you can put on the bottom of the cage to make the messes they make easier to clean. Are there any disadvantages to it? I can't keep my pigeon outside because where I live there are loads of raccoons and opposums :[ There's hardly any pigeons flying around unless it's in the more urban area, i'm from the suburbs of New York


The rubberized shelf liner actually works very well and can be replaced and washed several times before it disintegrates.

Terry


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## MaryOfExeter (Sep 30, 2007)

Can I give my input?

1) How often do i feed him?
- You could keep a little food in there all the time, or twice a day is fine.
2) What breed is he? It has feathers on its feet and feathers sticking up behind his head.
- At first I thought he was a Fantail, but he has no fanned tail. So I don't know, but it could be a mix.
3) Is it okay to clip its feathers on its feet? Cause it seems to be too long
- It is okay, but you shouldn't need to. They look to be fine to me. Clipping them would make walking and keeping them clean easier though.
4) How do I keep the feathers on the feet clean?
- Cleaning out the cage often. Wood shavings are good to put in the cage. Anything more fine would blow around too easily when the bird flaps its wings. All that dust flying around isn't good and it'd probably make a mess. And of course sand would work too. You can put some in the cage floor and rake it around everyday and scoop out droppings. Works like cat litter. Change out the sand about every week.
5) Do you recommend taking the pigeon to the vet to get shots even though I'm keeping him indoors?
- You can actually order shots from places like Foys or Siegel pigeon supplies. Since he isn't coming in contact with any other pigeons, it probably wouldn't matter much. If it makes you feel better though, you can get them for him. Going to the vet or finding someone near you with the vaccinations might be best, since buying them would make you end up with a lot of extra medicine.
6) I stumbled upon owners talking about covered waters? What exactly is that and where I can i get one so it doesn't poop in his water?
- There's a lot of different styles of drinkers. You can order them from pigeon supply places or you might be able to find them at a feed store. Most of them either have some sort of guard to put over it, where the bird sticks its head through bars to drink, or the drinker itself is like a pointed jug with holes in the side to stick its head through. Most of the ones I've seen hold a gallon of water. If you could get a smaller one, that'd be great.
7) Is it normal for my pigeon to be standing on 1 leg at times?
- Yup. Most birds often rest or sleep on one leg. It means your bird is chillin' 
8) How often should I bathe him?
- As often as you'd like. It really helps with keeping those muffs (feathers on feet) clean. Once a week would probably be plenty.
9) How often should I let him out the cage?
- At least a little everyday would probably make him happy. As long as you're in there with him so he doesn't get into trouble!
10) Can someone be allergic to pigeon feathers or dandruff?
- Yes I'm pretty sure you can. I don't hear of many people being allergic to pigeons though 
11) Can anyone tell how old he is?
- It's hard to tell from that picture. It'd help if we knew what breed it was so we'd know what to look for in mature birds of that breed. From that picture he seems to be at least 3 months old.
12) Is it okay to feed it fruits like bananas or corn?
- Bananas, I wouldn't give them. Corn on the other hand is good as long as nothings added to it. Pigeons love some raw peanuts and safflower seed though 
13) Does it need to be banded? I've seen it for some clubs and organizations but I wasn't sure for just regular pet owners.
- Nope, doesn't need to be banded. Thos club/org. bands are seamless, which means they're slipped onto the bird's leg within it's first week of age. The back toe keeps it on, and before long it grows and the foot is too big to take the band off. Those bands are still big enough to be comfortable around the leg though. If you want to band him, you'd need spiral or snap-on bands. They're plastic or rubber and you can get them in a variety of colors, letters, and numbers, as well as addressed bands.
14) What signs should I worry about if it's going to be sick, which I hope never happens.
- Diarrhea (which can also be caused by stress and change in food, but bright green or other unusual colors and watery droppings is usually bad if it keeps up for longer than a day or two) watery cere or eyes, puffed up constantly and appearing to sleep all the time, reduced weight/eating/drinking are the most common ones. Anything else abnormal like weird or spastic movements or growths (yellow 'cheese' in the mouth is canker, and anywhere else is probably pox) are bad too of course.
15) What should the temperature be in the room he's kept in?
- Pigeons are pretty adaptable little birds. If it's comfortable for you, chances are it's comfortable for him too. It's not so much the heat in the house that would be bad, but the cold. Keep him away from direct drafts and cover up the cage at night with a light towel or blanket when the air is on, and all should be good


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## pigeonsheep (Oct 6, 2008)

here's a more clear and closer picture of him 
Well I think it's a male because me and my boyfriend actually rescued him from a "Live Poultry" shop  The guy there said it was a male about 3 months old but I just wanted to be sure, since all they know is killing and not much about the animals itself.
















I don't think the beak is too long, I think it was just the picture since it wasn't as clear as this one, but you can be the judge

Boy, I sure do hope someone knows what breed this is so I can look up more information on him ^^


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## Victor (Dec 18, 2004)

Hi! I just want to welcome you to the greatest pigeon forum in the world! You shall find a wealth of pigeon information RIGHT HERE! Great to have you!


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## TAWhatley (Mar 6, 2001)

Ahhh! Truly gorgeous bird and the beak is just fine! Sorry for any concern .. it just looked too long and discolored at the tip in the first pics! No problems! 
I'll put a link in our Show Pigeons Forum .. somebody will know what the breed is.

Terry


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## Margarret (May 3, 2007)

What a pretty little guy that is. I'm suspecting he is a cross breed of a tumbler with something else.

Margaret


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## pigeonsheep (Oct 6, 2008)

Thanks for all the replies! Seems like everyone has a little different answers from others. I think I got the gist of it though, he ate like a cow when we fed him  Going back to the breed it kinda looks like the Tumbler you're talking about Margaret but can it possibly be a Dresden Trumpeter? We were contemplating on that one, or is it that we won't know until it grows up?

Oh and Terry: Thanks for the concern! I very much appreciate it


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## pigeonsheep (Oct 6, 2008)

Oh I almost forgot !
The whole grit for birds I was wondering if this one was okay to use








or the ones in the huge bags, I wanted to ask before I got it since you can't see the inside of it.
Right now all I have is the board grits because I wasn't sure which one to get when I was getting the necessities yesterday, we were in a rush to get him to a safe and comfy environment.


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## spirit wings (Mar 29, 2008)

for one or two pigeon that is great cal grit to give, my hen ate it up before she layed eggs, now if he is a he, he will need red pigeon grit and mineral pick stone you can get online from pigeon supply sites as he might not have the need for as much calcium....please offer the bath with the borax in the water...he will love it and it is a blast to watch them soak and splash. they really love it and look so much better afterword...also if you are in the pet store look for the hooded crocks they sell for parrots they work great for pet pigeons as pigeons love to sling the seed around, as you prob. noticed


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## pigeonsheep (Oct 6, 2008)

ohhh~ okay i'll definitely have to buy the grits. what's borax though? I thought that was like a mosquito repellent or something. My room is pretty cold and winter is coming up, can we use heating pads under the cage? or will that be too hot. There's no carpet in my room so I'm worried because for myself i consider it cold enough that i use a heating blanket on me...


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## maryjane (Jul 15, 2006)

Welcome, what a cute pigeon. What's his name? He looks like my pigeon Toto, but Toto doesn't have the feet feathers or curl on her head. Toto's dad us a Satinette with a very tiny beak, and her mom is a retired blue bar racer:











There are also pigeon diapers you can get, called PG Wear, that a member here makes. Then when he's out of the cage, he can just wear his diaper and not make a mess all over the carpet.  Since he was possibly bred for food, it may be that he is used to being in a small cage all of the time. So, the bigger the cage and the more time out of it, will make a big difference in his life. 

He probably hasn't had much, if any, chance to ever fly or even walk around. That's typical of meat-market birds.  My big guy Leonardo was from a market like that, and he didn't even seem to know he _could _ fly after I brought him home. It took him weeks to even try and he looked pretty astounded when he managed to "lift off". Even walking around seemed tiring for him at first, and I just figured he'd always been kept in a tiny cage. 

A heating pad should be fine, though you may not even need to use it. You can always put it in part of the cage, set on low with a towel over it, and see if he uses it on colder nights. They are pretty good at producing their own heat at night but I'm sure the extra warmth would be welcome. Good luck, keep us posted!


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## maryjane (Jul 15, 2006)

Wow, every time I try to edit the picture, it posts it again. Never had this problem before. Also it's not posting the right pictures......?? It's making them small, and in the online album they're normal sized.


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## pigeonsheep (Oct 6, 2008)

hehe. oh boy, i hate glitches on sites.
glad to hear that your Leonardo was from a poultry place as well rather then the people who buy them for $90, it's crazy. yea the cage he was in was small only because it was crowded with like 7 other pigeons. He's in good hands now, i'll soon be ordering a pigeon manual online as well  oh and! His name is "Chocobo" i actually have a entry about him in my site on the sig. Your pigeon is very pretty and clean! The perches look comfy too


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## pigeonsheep (Oct 6, 2008)

i just bought this today. Can i use this supplement? it has the vitamin D3 in it








oh and is this food safe for him?








the ingredients looks safe enough.
Ingredients:
Sunflower Seed, Millet, Peanuts, Safflower Seed, Vitamin A Supplement, Vitamin D-3 Supplement, Vitamin E Supplement, Menadione Sodium Bisulfite Complex, Thiaminee Mononitrate, Riboflavin, Niacin, Choline Chloride, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Biotin, Folic Acid, Ascorbic Acid (Vitamin C), Lysine Hydrochloride, DL-Methionine, Potassium Chloride, Sodium Bicarbonate, Manganous Oxide, Ferrous Sulfate, Copper Oxide, Calcium Iodate, Zinc Oxide, Magnesium Oxide, Dextrose. Artificial Flavor.


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## Guest (Oct 8, 2008)

Aw Chocobo is just too cute! And with care and good food, I bet when he molts out he'll be stunning! He is one lucky little bird. 

Oh, I loved your website. That fat cat commercial was a riot! Looks like my mom's cat


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## spirit wings (Mar 29, 2008)

pigeonsheep said:


> ohhh~ okay i'll definitely have to buy the grits. what's borax though? I thought that was like a mosquito repellent or something. My room is pretty cold and winter is coming up, can we use heating pads under the cage? or will that be too hot. There's no carpet in my room so I'm worried because for myself i consider it cold enough that i use a heating blanket on me...


http://www.pigeons.biz/forums/showpost.php?p=74793&postcount=2


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## spirit wings (Mar 29, 2008)

the link above is great info....the 20 mule team borax is safe and great to use in the bath..you can find it in the grocery at the detergent area...they will bath even in cool temps not to worry..they really need it all year...I just saw your post sorry it took so long to get back...keep us posted on your pretty pidjie.....oh also you can add unpopped pop corn and dried peas to the feed mix...plain no salt or flavors...petsmart has a dove mix in the wild bird area also....


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## philodice (Sep 30, 2007)

I have used those mixes, those vitamins, and many others. My birds like the variety when I change the seed mix. And if you want, you can have me email you the pigeon talk based pigeon book.


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