# Ceiling Fans VS Pigeons?



## Danielle Chase (Jun 26, 2002)

We have put in a bid to purchase a house and when we first went thru the place I noticed the ceiling fans in the living room and bedrooms. If the bid is accepted and we move into this place, I am wondering about the ceiling fans being dangerous to Eggbert since he is a "house pigeon". Does anyone else have ceiling fans, and if so, what was your experience with pigeons and ceiling fans. Did they try to land on the blades? I would be devestated if Eggbert injured himself. Danielle.


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## Psion (Mar 1, 2002)

When he's out turn the fans off. If he got caught in it he wouldn't injure himself - he'd probably kill himself. Just turn the off when he's out flying, or clip his wings so he can't.

Nick


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## fred2344 (Jan 9, 2002)

Many birds have been maimed or killed by ceiling fans.


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## hilary (Jun 20, 2002)

We have a ceiling fan in our house which cost a fair bit of money, but then I got Hercules and my husband is banned from connecting it. Don't take that chance.

I'm surprised Nick suggested clipping wings. Does anyone here clip their birds' wings?


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## hilary (Jun 20, 2002)

Danielle, I forgot to mention that Hercules often sits on the ceiling fan blades


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## Pigeonrh (Oct 3, 2001)

Hi,
I had a friend that bird got killed by a fan.. there not good to have around with pigeons.. lol


------------------
Ryan Harvey
~*~Crossbreed Lofts~*~
http://www.angelfire.com/or3/crossbreedloft


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## Psion (Mar 1, 2002)

Yes, just like any other pet bird. You can clip their wings. If you want them to still be able to fly a bit only clip the 4 flight feathers on ONE wing. Your bird will still be able to fly but not as high or strong. And if you don't like him like that just wait until the moult when it will grow its feathers back.

Nick


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## hilary (Jun 20, 2002)

I think clipping of wings of any bird is cruel. I know they don't feel it, but to me it is like removing from an animal the use of its legs. Just my opinion.


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## maryco (Apr 1, 2002)

Hilary,

I used to clip my parrots wings and he could still fly..It's just they can't fly very high and they won't escape..
I don't clip my Tooty's wings because there is no need to but the parrot used to go outside so I needed to clip them..

Mary


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## raynjudy (Aug 22, 2000)

Hi, Danielle!

We have two ceiling fans.

They are on only when all flighted birds are accounted for, enclosed in different rooms, or caged.

Our last two residences had fans as well.

Since Bernie cannot fly higher than the chairs & sofas, it's a non-issue with him.

We've never had an incident or even a close call, but yes, spinning fan blades could prove lethal!









As for sitting on the stationary blades--what do you think?









--Ray


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## turkey (May 19, 2002)

I have ceiling fans, and can't run them when my pigeons are out of their cage. They LOVE to rest on them. I prefer that they don't. It is more clean up. I had to put rugs underneath to catch their droppings. One fan is above our coffee table. We couldn't set our drinks on it, for fear of droppings, and it's not a pretty site on the table. 

Turkey is afraid of beanie babies, so we put two on each ceiling fan, when my birds are out of their cages. That has (so far) prevented them from roosting on the fans. 

Julie


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## raynjudy (Aug 22, 2000)

Julie said, "Turkey is afraid of beanie babies, so we put two on each ceiling fan, when my birds are out of their cages. That has (so far) prevented them from roosting on the fans."

Sure, until it occurs to them, "hey, how come 'those guys' can sit on the fans?"









--Ray


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## Danielle Chase (Jun 26, 2002)

> Originally posted by raynjudy:
> *Hi, Danielle!
> 
> We have two ceiling fans.
> ...


Hi Ray,
Thanks for your input - I was thinking that Eggbert would probably like to sit on the fan blades, as long as they weren't turning! But never fear, if he's out and about in the house, the ceiling fans will not be on! We will be moving, but NOT into the house where we put the offer to purchase bid in on. Apparently the people didn't want to sell it too bad because the deadline passed by of when they were supposed to let us know if they accepted the bid we had offered. So we went "shopping" after not hearing anything, and found another place we liked, bigger and newer besides, also with ceiling fans. If Eggbert decides he wants to sit atop the blades, I think I'll get the "chicken swatter" (fly swatter) after him
because otherwise he'll be pooping on the floor which happens to be gorgeous laminate wood in the living room.







He hates chicken swatters so it won't take much to change his mind about sitting on the fan blades! Until later, Danielle.


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## turkey (May 19, 2002)

Danielle,

Let me know how the fly swatter works. 
Like I said, so far the beanie babies are working, but I don't think it's going to be easy to keep pigeons from doing what they want. Occaisionally they go up there, but I wait to see what happens and they leave soon after. 

Julie


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## Danielle Chase (Jun 26, 2002)

> Originally posted by turkey:
> *Danielle,
> 
> Let me know how the fly swatter works.
> ...


Julie,
Eggbert generally likes stuffed animals of all sizes so I don't think the Beanie Babies would make a difference to him. The "chicken swatter" however, is a different story. We've been using it for years - never actually swatted him with it - just showing it to him is enough to make him run for cover! Or when he's being a buzzard and misbehaving - all I have to do is tell him that I'm "going to go get the chicken swatter" and that's usually effective enough. He knows what the chicken swatter is and doesn't want any part of it! The times I've actually shook it at him, he's slapped at it with his wing. He's more afraid of it than anything else. So I suspect it will be pretty effective in getting him to change his mind about sitting on the fan blades, though he's not as afraid of it as he was . . . He'll be confused enough for a few days anyway after we move into the new place so maybe he won't want anything to do with the fan blades. We have a 7 foot Christmas tree and he's never bothered that. Danielle.


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## turkey (May 19, 2002)

This message isn't really for you Danielle, but for those who may have ceiling fans and have a question about them.

When Turkey started flying, we left the ceiling fans on. Until one day he flew too high. It just hit his wing enough to scare him away. After that we turned them off. But, when he did not go near them again, we figured he learned to stay away from them and won't go near them again. So we turned them back on, but on low where he could see the blades were spinning. We were wrong! He got clipped again. We were very lucky that he did not get injured. 

So take good advice and leave your fans off or put your birds in cages. 

Julie


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## devorah (Apr 10, 2002)

I have ceiling fans but have electrically disabled them and duct taped them so they are immobile. My birds love to perch on them. I would never let birds fly where there's an active ceiling fan. Even with regular fans, I buy pigeon-proof fans (they have a flat top and can't tip over). The first pigeon I ever had got his leg caught in an UNPLUGGED but tipped over small fan. He was only stuck for a moment and wasn't hurt, but that was my first and LAST pigeon accident!


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