# Caging for a Pigeon?



## Prizm (Jun 28, 2006)

Hi, I was refered to Pigeontalk from Starlingtalk (My nick there is Alyse, so wave a wing if we know eachother!)  My situation is I found a baby pigeon and I might like to keep him as a pet. He is extremely tame, but I've never owned a dove or pigeon so I need your help! My first question is, what does a pigeon need to be happy? Does it need an aviary? A coop? Or will a large parrot cage do? 
I was thinking of making a cage out of neat idea cubes, similar to the ones made by this rabbit owner: (cage picture is near the bottom of the page) http://princessblackie.homestead.com/ 
Would this do?

*edits* Okay..there's a sticky post right smack in front of me at the top of the page that details keeping pigeons in cages *knocks head against the wall* So let me ask a clarification question about excercising them. If you let them fly around your house, do flight suits work well on pigeons as far as containing their droppings so it doesn't get on your furniture?


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## Pidgey (May 20, 2005)

The member that you need to talk with about that is "mr squeaks", who uses one for her bird fairly often. I'll PM her about this thread and she'll get with you as soon as she gets on, I'm sure.

Pidgey


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## Victor (Dec 18, 2004)

*Welcome!*

Hi there Alyse (Prizm). I too am a member of Starling Talk...WAVING A WING AT YA! 

It appears to me that your cage is quite adeqet for a single, or even two pigeons. I would remove the tier levels so that your pigeon can have plenty of opportunity for movement and stretching. I have a ferret cage that I used temporarily, however, it is a bit too narrow, and we only keep it as a rescue cage should the time ever warrant one. It has two levels and the hole where the ramp was is closed off...it is a long cage.

A pet pigeon should have a couple of hours of free flight time if possible, it is recommended for exercise and to insure it remains happy and healthy.

If you don't have a flight aviary or quarters large enough for it to do some flying, pick a small, safe room, where it can make use of some of its fliying time. After a sort period, you will find where your pigeon likes to "roost" and you can place some newspapers down in that particular spot , which should help. Some pigeons are more prolific in droppings than others, so that is something you will have to observe as it gets older. There will be areas where a dropping will be found, and I try to wipe it off when it happens if I spot it...or you can just pluck it up after it dries! 

One of our esteemed members Mr.Squeaks,(Shi), will be along soon, to tell you about her retired racer, and his pigeon suit.

A pigeon will be happy as long as fresh water, proper seed, grit, comfortable living arrangements, and if you spend some *time *with it. 

I had a single pigeon for 2 years and now have 5.They tend to "grow" on you!

Welcome to Pigeon Talk and feel free to roam around and check out the many the resource threads we have and please ask if you have any questions!


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## mr squeaks (Apr 14, 2005)

Hi Prizm/Alyse! Welcome to PT!

As you can see from my "picture," (Avatar) Squeaks is wearing his Flight Suit. Unfortunately, his wing was so badly damaged that he had to have surgery and can no longer fly. However, he rules my apartment with an iron beak and has full run (all 600 sq. ft.!).

The Flight Suit works perfectly! You just have to make sure you get the right size. I had to go FIVE sizes up from what was recommended for pigeons. Squeaks is a racing homer and weighs a pound with a "hunky" chest! I bought mine at a bird store down the street. However, here is the website information and toll free number of the company. They are very nice and will help you choose the right size. They will also take returns if need be.

www.flightquarters.com *888-412-7667*

BTW, Mr. Squeaks is also known as Super Squeaks, the Caped One and his Flight Suit doubles as a "cape." At times, he has been known to join another member, Feather (a.k.a. Wonder Woman) and me (Scorpio Power) to crime fight pijie injustice on the site when needed!  When you get a Flight Suit and name your new one, please feel free to join us!

Looks like your pij will have a WONDERFUL home! Lucky bird!

Hope this info helps and do keep us updated!


*(THANKS Pidgey and Victor!)*


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## TAWhatley (Mar 6, 2001)

Hi Alyse! Nice to see you here on Pigeon-Talk.

Terry (also on Starling Talk)


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## Prizm (Jun 28, 2006)

*grins* thanks for the welcome--Mr. Squeaks! I actually HAVE seen him but on Starling-tak  I'm glad to hear it works well...I just attempted to make one (that didn't turn out so well). Mr. Squeak's super-suit is mega cool  (or "Coo" as a pigeon would say  Thank you very very much for the link, the phone number, and especially the size specifications!


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## jacobsshygrl (May 3, 2006)

Prizm, your situatin sounds much like mine was with Winnie. I was CLUELESS, but Winnie has come to be a terrific pet. She lives in a small dog cage I bought from a local wallmart. It is just a simple cage probably perfect sized for anything from a beagle and smaller. I have it on an entertainment center and her food and water and toys stay in it, and she sleeps in it, but really the rest of her time is spent roaming the house. Sometimes we limit her space to just a room or two, but often shes allowed to roam. It seems as though she has started to think she is in fact a dog, not a pigeon. She follows me or my dog around the house, and even eats out of the dog's food and water bowls or my cerial bowl in the morning. That cage you have picked out looks big enough for a sleeper, but I really dont like cages for animals that don't need to be caged. i bought one of those shnazzy little diapers and although winnie doesn't like it that much, she wears it when we dont want her to poop everywhere. i hope you are able to keep your pidge and it is convenient for both of you. they make such terrific pets. And if you need any help, or questions answered, i can't tell you much about pigeons, but i can tell you what i've experienced with Winnie.


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## pdpbison (Mar 15, 2005)

Hi Prism, 


I myself do not resort to the use of Cages, unless for the Pigeon's convelesence time from illness or injury...or for a period of observation.

If I had only one or two to care for, which were true Pets, I would just have some platform for them to have their Seeds and Water Bowls on.

This way, they know it is a easy happy place belonging to them, and they may come or go as they like...


Otherwise, I think, the more they may fly and excercise themselves and be free-rovers indoors, the better it is for them. Even, and especially, if they may learn to traverse on Wing, long hallways, sharp tunes for doorways or other challangeing courses of flight.

Mine used to be expert close quarters fliers when I had a regular House, and they flew the hallways and so on very well, even as their Wing spans were very close to the width of the hallways.


I never had any mishaps with them from this, and they also all went out every day. If I was not up to open the window for them to leave, they or their appointed messenger de jur rather, would fly through the halls, through the door at the hall's end side, and into the bedroom, and fly circles over me which would wake me instantly! Then I would go open the Kitchen window for everyone to fly out and enjoy their day.


And, I felt good about how if they needed to, I knew they could fly very very well around or through twisting places and openings and obstacles, if they needed to evade a Hawk or other...

Cartainly, an open Cage, with food and Water in it and kept neat and clean for them, is fine, and they can decide what sort of use they may wish to make of it, aside from their being obliged to eat and drink for going into it.


Phil
Las Vegas


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## Prizm (Jun 28, 2006)

jacobsshygrl said:


> Prizm, your situatin sounds much like mine was with Winnie. I was CLUELESS, but Winnie has come to be a terrific pet. She lives in a small dog cage I bought from a local wallmart. It is just a simple cage probably perfect sized for anything from a beagle and smaller. I have it on an entertainment center and her food and water and toys stay in it, and she sleeps in it, but really the rest of her time is spent roaming the house. Sometimes we limit her space to just a room or two, but often shes allowed to roam. It seems as though she has started to think she is in fact a dog, not a pigeon. She follows me or my dog around the house, and even eats out of the dog's food and water bowls or my cerial bowl in the morning. That cage you have picked out looks big enough for a sleeper, but I really dont like cages for animals that don't need to be caged. i bought one of those shnazzy little diapers and although winnie doesn't like it that much, she wears it when we dont want her to poop everywhere. i hope you are able to keep your pidge and it is convenient for both of you. they make such terrific pets. And if you need any help, or questions answered, i can't tell you much about pigeons, but i can tell you what i've experienced with Winnie.


Our situations do indeed sound simillar! I'd love to hear all about your Winnie  I actually have a large dog crate that I think would be perfect because it's big enough for him to stretch his wings, fly up to a perch, and it has a wide flooring on which he could peck scattered seeds and things (to help him wean?) The reason I'm not using it now is, it is occupied by two rabbits. I began asking co-workers for caging ideas and one offered me her two late ferret's cages, which may be perfect for the rabbits! So, once that opens up, Target gets to move into the dog crate  About the feeding: I don't mind him making a mess, but for some reason he was having trouble figuring out how to eat the formula. He'd open and close his beak all over my hand but would only occasionally gulp down the food. Thanks to this board, I followed a suggestion to feed him soaked puppy chow and he took to it wonderfully! The funny thing is, he'll only eat it if it's in my hand, but I'm trying to teach him the food tastes just as good in a bowl by holding a bowl full in my hand (he's ok with this, but if I put it down I must do it gradually so he doesn't realise I'm not holding it anymore! Heehee



pdpbison said:


> Hi Prism,
> 
> 
> I myself do not resort to the use of Cages, unless for the Pigeon's convelesence time from illness or injury...or for a period of observation.
> ...


Thanks for posting  I, too, want him to fly, but I think you have more allowing circumstances for free flight. There's a large priary dog field not far from here that attracts birds of prey, and my pigeon doesn't have any flock mates to look out for him. My neighborhood also has numerous households with indoor/outdoor cats, including my own. I wouldn't want him free-flying around cats, even though I think mine is exceptional when it comes to bonding with other species.
Last year I brought in a chicken who (I believe) escaped a disection table of the vetrinarian school across the street and Leonid (my cat) bonded with him to the point where he'd stay in the yard to protect him from other cats! That bird would follow him around, walk over him, sleep next to him--it was the sweetest thing! Even now, you can see Leonid remarkably pull his claws inward, so the tips don't show, when he reaches out to touch the pigeon. Target, on the other hand, pecks the approaching paw. Leonid doesn't look happy when he does this, and he keeps trying until his petting becomes a batting motion and I interviene. Poop is the other reason I would rather not have him fly unsupervised in the house. When I'm home though, I was thinking of letting him fly with one of those flight suites as I won't want to coop him up all day! I won't clip his wings, and I'll give him room to fly about, and window perches etc. If he's miserable living inside, I'd be more inclined to give him to someone who owns more pigeons rather than have him face the dangers outside my home. (I see kestrels and hawks too often, and last year, a great horned owl made it's nest in a tree right off the near-by highway)

That's my take on free-flight in my situation.
It sounds like your bird is very safe and very happy though!
Thanks for your input & I hope you'll let me know any ideas on making him more comfortable? What do you think of the large dog crate? Do you guys think he'd like a sleeping box placed inside it? He still loves those cat-balls with bells in them by the way.


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## pdpbison (Mar 15, 2005)

Hi Prizm, 


Well...if he is healthy, the poops will be easy to pick up or clean up, and with one Bird, there is not much to it really.


Most Pigeons who are members of people-families, like to be with whatever the people are doing, at least some of the time.

Dogs, People, Pigeons, all similarly, are social Creatues, and they like to be part of the goings on of a household.


Anyway, I have never had any problems with indoor free-rovers...

One of course ends up making some small concessions, in eliminating some of the more classic potential hazards of things easily knocked down, or of things dangerous to the Bird.


If you do have him in a Cage, whether only sometimes or as may be, make sure the cage bottom is at about your own shoulder height.

They hate being 'low'...and who can blame them?

Good luck...!


Phil
Las Vegas


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## Prizm (Jun 28, 2006)

Thanks again! Just an update, I ended up with this: 
http://www.petsmart.com/global/prod...rret+cage&In=All&previousText=ferret+cage&N=2
It was given to me by a co-worker who used to keep ferrets in it. I had the divider cut in half so Target could fly up to the higher tier and covered that with newspaper. He's able to flap his wings, fly up to it, and seems to enjoy roosting there with the radio on in the living room when no one's home.  I'd like to let him free-roam more, but the white parts of his poops are a bit too messy only because they smear--Is that normal? A lot of them are fairly runny, but he is going consistantly now. He also isn't eating on his own yet. He can bend his head, pick up the chow and swallow it on his own, but he won't eat much as far as bird seed yet.


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## mountainstorm (May 3, 2006)

I was thinking of making a cage on top of my dresser, which I covered this weekend with linoleum. Much easier to clean! But will it be big enough? 2 1/2 feet by 15 inches. It's big enough without him being enclosed, but it's an awful lot smaller than the space (8 feet by 4 feet, approximately) of the bathroom. But if I had a cage on my dresser, he would have sunlight during the day and still be safe from the cats. I could also, I'm sure, make something that extends out from the sides of the dresser to make the floor bigger.

what do you think?

Rach

PS The only reason for a cage would be so while I'm gone at work, he could be out in the room, but be safe from the cats.


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## Skyeking (Jan 17, 2003)

Hi Prizm,

As long as there are no sharp ends (I think that cage is okay for now), and as long as he can't stick his head thru the wire as we have seen injuries due to openings too large. Make sure to put newspaper on the bottom or other thick covering.


Hi Rach,

The cage is okay for temporary housing, but not all day. It is good to have the cage up high as he will feel secure, but make sure if it is near a window that it doesn't get overheated during the day. Pigeons do need access to fresh air, but not drafty winds.


One last thought:

Cages should be used mainly for housing- a place to sleep at night & protection, but they should have access to flight during the day.

Cages should be roomy enough so they can stretch and perch, and the cage should be up high for comfort and secutiry.


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## maryjane (Jul 15, 2006)

I've kept pigeons in the house at different times, and found that if they don't know outside is there, they don't worry about getting out there! (unlike cats!) He has bonded with you most likely, and will continue to do so as he gets older, so he will be happy inside with you. My birds enjoyed sitting in the window on sunny days but we never had a problem with them getting out. They made their own house wherever they pleased, but it mostly seemed to be the kitchen cabinets over the stove lol. Now they all live outside in their aviaries but I do miss kitchen pigeons...though I never have to double-check my plate before I eat these days.......


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