# Renaming adopted pigeons?



## Twitchlet (Feb 27, 2013)

Hello all! 

This may seem silly (what's in a name, after all?), but I was wondering if anyone has had any experience renaming adopted pigeons? My husband and I want to adopt a pair of pigeons, but we love naming our pets. 

I know it is difficult to rename parrots, is it the same with pigeons?


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## conditionfreak (Jan 11, 2008)

Not a problem at all. Call them whatever floats your boat. They won't know the difference, and even if they did. They will learn their new name quickly, and probably won't care anyway.

Every dog and cat, and every parrot, usually get new names with new owners. Especially if they come from a humane shelter. They don't care, and they learn a new name in the first two days. The old name will be forgotten quickly. The voice may not, but the name will be.


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## CMH1211 (Mar 10, 2013)

What's in a name? Lol .. Juliet is that u... Jk. Yea name them watever u want... My wife named all our birds regular human names and the birds look at us like we are mentally challenged. I don't think they really care if u call them thunder winged angle from hell or Tom. To them food, water shelter makes them pets not names. GL and post pics.


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## Twitchlet (Feb 27, 2013)

Haha, thanks for the reassurance! We actually name all our pets from Shakespeare plays- good to know the pigeons won't care!


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## Charis (Feb 11, 2007)

If they are tame pigeons that are used to being called by name, they will understand. Many of my hand raised pigeons know their names.


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## Dima (Jan 15, 2011)

Mines know their names too


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## Twitchlet (Feb 27, 2013)

Our chinchilla definitely knows his name....and since pigeons are almost certainly smarter than him (although he is a dear), I figured that they would learn to respond by name too. 

Some animals seem to never get over their first names though and will only respond to that forever.


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## Dima (Jan 15, 2011)

When it's treat time call them by the name you chose.


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

That's what I do. When I hand feed treats, I will say their name over and over. They do learn it and come when called. Lots of mine know their names.
You will have to come back and show us their pictures and tell us what you named them!


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## Twitchlet (Feb 27, 2013)

That's how I trained Iago (the chinchilla), so that's definitely what we'll do! Treats are the answers to everything. 

It's going to be awhile before we can get a pair, but I'll post pictures when we do- the husband and I are moving to Seattle this summer and we certainly can't do anything before then. I'm just prematurely excited! 

By the way- anyone know any pigeon fanciers in Seattle? I know that there is a racing club, but nothing about pet/show pigeons.


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## spirit wings (Mar 29, 2008)

what breed of pigeon do you want? there are also rescues, some are racing homers and mixed breed from feral living.


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## Twitchlet (Feb 27, 2013)

We're interested in a few breeds- Ancient Tumblers, Budapest Short Face Tumblers, and Classic Old Frills. BUT- that being said, we're more interested in personality since they'd be living in the house with us and we'd like to rescue/adopt rather than buy, so obviously we're flexible.


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## spirit wings (Mar 29, 2008)

those breeds may be hard to come by to adopt as they are purebreeds. there was a member here that raised both of those and hand fed them but she asked quite a bit for them as the work involved esp with the short face as they can't raise their own young. here is a link to her contact info..but not sure if she is even breeding anylonger.

http://www.pigeons.biz/forums/member.php?u=6061


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## Twitchlet (Feb 27, 2013)

Sugarbunnie Loft was the first pigeon loft we looked at and we totally fell in love with the pigeons there (and the attitude of the breeder!)....Unfortunately, the site is no longer working. So, I can only assume she's not breeding her pigeons anymore. :/ 

And yeah, those breeds seem to be hard to come by, even if we wanted to buy instead of adopt. That's why we're open to other options.


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## spirit wings (Mar 29, 2008)

That is what I was thinking but did not know for sure..here is another contact that may be of help.

Short Face Budapest - Imported Bloodlines. Vienna, Ancient, Berliner – David Fhagen 631-289-5047 (ND12P)


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## Twitchlet (Feb 27, 2013)

Thank you! 

This thread is totally off topic now, but...one more question. Do big name breeders like selling to people that want pigeons simply as pets? Although we want a pair, we want them to enjoy interacting with us too- would breeders be interested in insuring that?


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## spirit wings (Mar 29, 2008)

you can't insure that because every pigeon is different and if they are not hand raised they will probably act just like any other pigeon which are not like hookbills which allot of times demand attention. pigeons are more like poultry IMO they have their genetic make up to be on attention for predators and do not like to be held, but they can be trained to treats and sit on a shoulder or something but not because they like you they just want the treat... all though allot of show breeders handle their birds at an early age and some breeds esp show can be not as flighty as say a performance breed that is athletic.. I could go out and pick up my jacobin because he was just docile and could not see well.. if I tried that with on of my homers that would not happen, I don't know what the breeds you want act like but they may be allot nicer to have a a pet in the house rather than a homing pigeon. I do not think a breeder would care that a bird went to a pet home..they have to breed allot to get good birds to show and not all of them make the cut so they need to find good homes for them.


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## Twitchlet (Feb 27, 2013)

Ah- so much to think about! I think we'll just have to start calling breeders and rescue centers and see what's what.


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## likebirds (Oct 22, 2012)

Get a couple that are a few weeks old and hand feed them until they are old enough to eat and drink by themselfs. They will become very close to you.


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## Twitchlet (Feb 27, 2013)

I have no personal experience hand feeding a bird and that's a little intimidating! I assume that hand feeding baby pigeons would require the same time committee as parrots? It's hard to work and do both, unless you can bring the pigeon in with you, right?


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## spirit wings (Mar 29, 2008)

feeding baby pigeons is even hard for people who have done it before as they do not gape like other birds but suck or gulp their food from inside the parents crop, so no you would not want to do it and it really is only done if orphand becasue the parents do the best job to give it the best chance of survival. pigeons can still be tamed some what by getting them just after weaning and interacting with them allot from the beginning. but I find when they mature they act just like ones who have not been handled as young...but that is in a flock situation in a loft like I have so that can make a difference..if they were pets in the house it could be something for you to do and see how it turns out. just as long as they are weaned at about 30 days of age.


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

If they are kept inside and handled they tend to remain more friendly than in a loft situation. But even in a loft situation, it just depends on how much time you spend with them.


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## Twitchlet (Feb 27, 2013)

We aren't prepared to start a loft at this point, so they'll be very spoiled indoor pets. As long as they don't completely ignore us in favor of each other, I'm sure it'll be fine. Right?


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## spirit wings (Mar 29, 2008)

They do prefer their mate over a human, that is normal for them. So if you are willing to accept them for just how they are it will be fine.


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