# Ferals as Pets /// The tough life of ferals



## Astounding (Aug 27, 2015)

Would a feral make a good pet? What would be the best age to raise from for this?

I see lots of pigeons nesting under a parking garage near here. A few babies have died now. I'm wondering if I should take one and raise it either for release or to keep as a pet. It's a tough place for pigeons. I see dead pigeons on the ground, some flattened. I see shattered eggs on the ground. One nest I had been watching one of the babies died and I did nothing even though the other baby had moved away from the corpse and didn't look so good. I checked back 2 days later and the 2nd baby had expired. It was heartbreaking to see the small feathered body with head lying down motionless. I saw one pigeon which appears to have had a bottle thrown at it (it's just a pile of bones and feathers now) and I recently caught a pigeon here with a broken wing and made the mistake of bringing it to a rehabber who likely euthanized it. Her opinion was that pigeons don't make good pets and therefore are better off euthanized. I think she was criminally insane. I've never seen a bird handled as roughly as she did. There are various ages of babies here from eyes closed yellow down to bare wings to fully feathered and wing slapping. From what I've read the squabs that do survive may be euthanized by the city.

I'm not uneducated about pigeons, I recently allowed a pair to nest in an upstairs room and raise a baby all the way until it flew away. I installed a camera and documented the entire process. I will be posting the story of Pidgey soon! That's how I realized I love pigeons. Pidgey was the cleanest, strongest, best looking pigeon I've seen in the area when he flew out the window to start his new life! I had treated him for lice and cleaned his nest area. I found out that what everyone says and thinks about pigeons isn't true. I also understand what would be required for caring for a pigeon, especially indoors. 

What I'd like to know is about tameness and if this option really makes any sense for a pet, compared to purchasing a domestic young bird. I'm also wondering what the opinions are about finishing raising any squab that appears to be in trouble and then releasing it. I feel guilty for not being able to save the 2nd baby from the nest.

What are the opinions on this subject?


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## kiddy (Feb 5, 2015)

Thanks a lot for your care and concern about the poor needy birds. I am so sorry to hear about the rehabber lady who just euthanises the birds and probably did for the injured wing bird, though we know very well, ferals make good pets. She just doesn't know anything about birds but to advise wrong and taking a bird's life is a crime and people suffer because of that, but they don't realize. 
Well about your idea to take baby pigeons in is not a bad one but there should be some reason behind. If babies they will be tamed though but what I think is the reason why they die there terribly. Do their parents abandon them or people chase them away or the area is not safe from the predators?
Actually the babies are best raised by their parents and to be free in wild they need to learn from their parents, how to forage for food. But in case we see any baby abandoned or sick or any other reasons to take them in, we always suggest to help them and some people do it amazingly. 
In your case pls share why babies die there (because usually they are best raised by parents) so we can guide you better. 
Thanks again for your love and caring heart for pigeons.


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## RamseyRingnecks (Jun 18, 2013)

You seem like more of a rescuer at heart, so fostering may be the best fit for you. 

Where are you? There may be rescues in your area that will be deeply blessed by the help.


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## Astounding (Aug 27, 2015)

I'm not sure what happened to the babies that died. My guess is disease or neglect.

I'm located in New Hampshire.


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## kiddy (Feb 5, 2015)

So next time onwards keep a close eye on them, not too close to scare the babies or parents  
But yes they might need your help if abandoned (due to any reasons) or sick. 
I don't know exactly what can you do for sick birds though because you would need medicines for that. We have some medicines on hand just in case. Seeing a vet may just end up in euthanasia (unless it is your pet /you call it a pet) and rehabber in your area seems no help to you. 
Well, with a helping heart and pure intentions you may get ways to save them. 
So keep it up and update us whatever you face problems in. 
Also remember, feral pigeons too make great pets but usually we don't prefer them having as pets unless need be, because we would take away their freedom which is most important to them. But if they need it, we should go forward and help and that's your goal should be as a pigeon lover. 
Thanks


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## cwebster (Dec 11, 2010)

Agree with kiddy. Ferals can make great pets but only if they need to be pets, because they have problems or need protection or can't fly. Our beloved Phoebe was a feral who broke her wing was nearly decapitated after she flew into a fan twice where I work. She healed nicely and was the most loving and loved creature on earth. If you ever take any bird to any vet or rehabbers, agree with kiddy...tell them it is your pet, not a feral. Many rehabbers will not try to save an injured wild bird esp a pigeon. We found our our local wildlife rehab just euthanizes so we have rehabbed a crow, a scrub jay, and a woodpecker ourselves.


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## Woodnative (Jul 4, 2010)

Ferals are just that.....feral. They are not native here. They are descendents of lost or escaped birds......the luckiest and smartest that were able to find food and reproduce. Think feral cats. Cats are nice pets. Most that are abandoned die but the luckiest/strongest/smartest survive. They may live near man. If you captured an adult wild feral cat it would probably be as wild as any wild animal. A few adults may be used to people and a few might be tamable but in general most would not be happy. However if you found a small kitten, it could be tamed up and be a nice house cat. Same with the pigeons.......a younger youngster would probably tame up nicely....in general......if you finished hand raising it.


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## Larry_Cologne (Jul 6, 2004)

When I was living in Cologne, Germany, I noticed that the ferals I was somehow able to identify did not live their full potential life span. My conclusion was that in the city there are many toxins working against them: the rainwater they drink probably has petroleum residues, the air they breathe has vehicle exhaust fumes, and so on. Birds are very susceptible to noxious fumes. Remember that miners use canaries to warn them of danger? If the canary died, it was time to evacuate. Not a nice life for a canary, though.

A park here in Antwerp has a castle with a moat of stagnant standing water, heavily covered with oil to block the breathing tubes of mosquito larvae. The surface has a purplish and iridescent cover. Everything looks dead and motionless. No insects, no fish, no amphibians. Perhaps used motor oil was refused. I watched a wood pigeon sip water from the moat last Sunday, and wondered.


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## cwebster (Dec 11, 2010)

Am very sad about the plight of ferals. Have not seen many lately, just a handful, in places where I used to see hundreds. Wish they were protected and cherished. They deserve much better.


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

Wild birds deserve to live wild. Unless it was in need or something then not really fair to capture it and make it a pet. It won't live a normal happy life without a mate, family, and living free. There may be people in your area with pigeons who would give you a young bird to raise.


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## wiggles and puddles (Sep 3, 2015)

Woodnative said:


> Feral are just that.....feral. They are not native here. They are descendents of lost or escaped birds......the luckiest and smartest that were able to find food and reproduce. Think feral cats. Cats are nice pets. Most that are abandoned die but the luckiest/strongest/smartest survive. They may live near man. If you captured an adult wild feral cat it would probably be as wild as any wild animal. A few adults may be used to people and a few might be tamable but in general most would not be happy. However if you found a small kitten, it could be tamed up and be a nice house cat. Same with the pigeons.......a younger youngster would probably tame up nicely....in general......if you finished hand raising it.


 I have two pigeons that I saved when their mother died. They were about two weeks old. I hand fed them, and they are now "house pigeons" as they now live exclusively indoors. They are the most docile, sweet birds. They are more well behaved and affectionate then some birds you can get at the pet store. They give kisses, and when they come out of their huge parrot cage I purchased for them every day, they have a "bird diaper" they don't fuss about putting on. Wiggles likes to sit on my head, Puddles like tummy rubs and they both want to be held for hours. Your ."_a younger youngster would probably tame up nicely....in general......if you finished hand raising it"_ is a vast understatement for both my personal experience, and quite a few other posters who have had ferals.

That said, I agree With Jay 3. Unless there is a great need, and loss of life seems more probable then not, it is best not to intervene. The only reason I did was because the mother had died and the babies could not survive on their own. The nesting spot could be dangerous. Perhaps you could try discouraging their continued use of it by clearing out the nesting material, and removing any nesting material they may bring back before any future eggs are laid. Sometimes the best thing you can do, if all else fails, is remove the eggs and burry them. If humans are scarring off the parents, or predators are getting the babies, it would be best to prevent pain from getting the babies all together, before they hatch. But like I said, that would be the absolute *LAST RESORT IF ALL ELSE FAILS.*


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

The difference is that you saved them when their mother died. Not the same to go out and take them from their parents.


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## jak2002003 (Jan 10, 2012)

*ferals*

If you don't already own pigeons.. or you have never kept them before, you should NOT take baby feral pigeons as pets.

You will not know how to hand raise them properly, and they could easily get sick and die.

Also, you may not like keeping pigeons as pets when they grow up... and they you could not release them as they would not know how to survive in the wild, and you could not sell them or give them away as pigeon fanciers only like pure breed pigeons.. not feral ones.

If you are serious about wanting pigeons as pets, build a coop and buy a pair of pure breed pigeons of your choice.. then get experience keeping them and seeing if you like them as pets. In the future, you may find a feral pigeon in need of rescue.. then you can rescue it knowing what you are letting yourself into and how to care for pigeons.


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