# Pigeon water consumption



## Columbiformes (Jan 8, 2008)

Could anyone please direct me to a good, authoritative reference for the amount of water an "average" pigeon consumes in a day based on its bodyweight?

I need to extrapolate an individual oral dose of a med that may be dosed in drinking water at the rate of 1 mL med : 5 Litres water. I realize that many factors will influence water consumption. For example, an indoor pigeon that does not fly extensively will consume far less water than an outdoor or feral pigeon. And warm weather will also increase water consumption.

I have asked my bird to tell me just how much water he drinks in a 24-hour period, but all I got was a blank stare from him...


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## Reti (Jul 20, 2003)

Columbiformes said:


> I have asked my bird to tell me just how much water he drinks in a 24-hour period, but all I got was a blank stare from him...



Yeah, if it has medicine in it....none 

I read somewhere that an average weight pigeon (400-500gr) should drink 30 to 60cc's of water/day, average 45cc's. Twice as much in hot weather.

Reti


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## Columbiformes (Jan 8, 2008)

Thanks for the water stats!



Reti said:


> Yeah, if it has medicine in it....none


My nutty buddies actually _like_ it when I add something to their water. The surest way to get them to take a bath is to add medicine to their bird baths. The more expensive the medicine, the more likely they are to jump in the fresh concoction and slosh around, thereby requiring their father to dump the drink and start all over.


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## philodice (Sep 30, 2007)

I have found that to be true, also. Oooh, neem oil in the bathtub! Plunk!


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## pdpbison (Mar 15, 2005)

Columbiformes said:


> Could anyone please direct me to a good, authoritative reference for the amount of water an "average" pigeon consumes in a day based on its bodyweight?
> 
> I need to extrapolate an individual oral dose of a med that may be dosed in drinking water at the rate of 1 mL med : 5 Litres water. I realize that many factors will influence water consumption. For example, an indoor pigeon that does not fly extensively will consume far less water than an outdoor or feral pigeon. And warm weather will also increase water consumption.
> 
> ...



Hi Columbiformes, 



Just elect a stable container which would hold about 2/3rds of a Tea Cup worth, and, if before 24 hours is up, it is empty, just add some more plain Water to it.


Ambient humidity is the lagrer factor in how much they will drink...



Here, in the Southern Mojave, an average size feral, in a cage, convelesing, with no aridity from any central heat or any heat at all, will drink about a Tea Cup a day...and, definitely more in Summer.


Some individuals, for whatever reason, of course will drink more or less than their same weight fellows.



Good luck..!


Phil
l v


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