# Are there any toys for pigeons?



## Saphira (Sep 2, 2017)

A couple of months ago a feral pigeon has become my unexpected apartment guest: baby rescue, intended to release, but an accident with his leg prolonged that into autumn and cold so he's stayed - and at present time I think he has become quite tame. He flies to my head - which seems to be his favourite spot, although will accept shoulder or arm too. While he's still fiercely attacking my hands, as soon as I put it down, he will start gently beaking my arm - I assume he sort of tries to preen it? He does that to my socks as well. He's only friendly like this to me, with my husband he is on vigorous cooeing terms - as in he starts the turn around dance and cooeing when my husband is a meter away. 

The issue is that I think he gets bored a lot. I don't have a lot of time, but even then, I'm not sure how to interact with him. Sometimes he flaps around the room - probably he has a lot of energy? 

So, what do housed pigeons do all day? Anything I can make his life more interesting with?


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## cwebster (Dec 11, 2010)

Our Phoebe had a window and watched everything going on, plus loved hanging parakeet toys. Plus we got her out to sit on us two hours per day while we watched tv. She loved Mickey mouse club, spongebob, john philip sousa marches, and sound of music songs.


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## Saphira (Sep 2, 2017)

Mine used to like watching out the window more when he was younger, before I attempted (and failed miserably) to release him. Nowadays he watches out in the morning, before I wake up - he sleeps near a window, but as soon as I wake up, he either joins me on the bed if I slack reading or follows me around the house if I move. 

He likes sitting on me quite a lot. On Sunday I had to trim my planted tank and it was quite an endeavor, as he kept walking on me and peering at what I'm doing. He also used to go on his own to his sleeping spot when it was starting to get dark, but lately he only went when I'm taking him and for a couple of days, he's not taking that anymore either, he sits on me while playing on the computer in the evenings. I don't think he cares at all about what happens on the screen, he just seems to like sitting close to me (pref on me). Same thing happened with the eating, I had to bring his crate in the office, because he started nibbling my socks when he wants food instead of going to his balcony.


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## FredaH (Apr 5, 2016)

I know exactly what you mean about peering over your shoulder to see what you're doing. I used to have a couple of mice in a cage in the pigeon room and I'd always have a pigeon or two doing exactly what you describe while cleaning their cage. It makes the whole process take that much longer doesn't it? 

I wonder if your friend is really a male because my females are much more inquisitive than the males and very committed to sitting on me no matter what I'm doing. Every time I bend down or get up they use their wings to keep balance but they won't budge from my shoulders - it's a risky process too because they love eyes and I have to remember not to look over my shoulder at anything because I'll end up with a beak in the eye - and that REALLY HURTS! Bad babies! 

A handful of straws mine like, they'll throw them about at times and I keep tail feathers too, just scattered on the floor for the occasional interest. They like destroying toilet paper too, I leave a roll on the floor and the males shred it to line their nests, while my baby tumbler just pulls it off and leaves it all over the floor. I've seen them play with dangling cat toys but I haven't tried that with mine. I think the straws and toilet paper are the most popular though and a partly cooked/softened corn on the cob to peck at.


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

That is very insightful that Freda thought it may well be a female. She is right in that it is often the females that are like velcro, more so than the males. I do have one male that was like that though, that I raised from a couple of days old. Both he and his sibling would ride on my shoulders the minute I went into the loft. Even when I was hammering or drilling something. But normally the females are the clingy ones. More so as they mature to adult. When they are young, both do it.

Most don't really play with toys. Some do like a stuffed animal to climb on and snuggle with. But aside from a companion pigeon, can't think of anything to keep them occupied or keep them company.


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## cwebster (Dec 11, 2010)

Phoebe loved a hanging toy with geometric wood pieces on it.it was a parakeet toy. We hung it over the printer and she would attack it with a mad look in her eyes, over and over. If we let it touch her she would dance around then chase it.


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## greywing (Jan 21, 2017)

The best toys for pigeons are usually nest materials, which they like to gather and arrange, and foraging toys. 

You can make or buy foraging toys pretty easily - they can be as simple as an egg carton with the lid torn off & seed scattered in some of the egg compartments. You?ll need to put some rocks in it to hold it down when they walk on it, though! Other popular forage toys include small squares of fake grass with seed scattered through it, little wicker balls with seeds inside, and a variety of treat foraging toys made for cats. Basically, if they can solve little challenges to get food, it?s more fun and interesting for them than only eating from a bowl. 

They also often like mirrors, and some like stuffed toys to sit next to.


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## cwebster (Dec 11, 2010)

Phoebe loved a feeding enrichment dish toy which required moving aside a little window to get to her food.
They are no longer at the pet store but ebay has them. 
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Habitat-De...938098?hash=item337a1b3f32:g:m~oAAOSwiYFXEeKC
She loved the Hide and Go Treat and the Forage Frenzy.


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

greywing said:


> The best toys for pigeons are usually nest materials, which they like to gather and arrange, and foraging toys.
> 
> You can make or buy foraging toys pretty easily - they can be as simple as an egg carton with the lid torn off & seed scattered in some of the egg compartments. You?ll need to put some rocks in it to hold it down when they walk on it, though! Other popular forage toys include small squares of fake grass with seed scattered through it, little wicker balls with seeds inside, and a variety of treat foraging toys made for cats. Basically, if they can solve little challenges to get food, it?s more fun and interesting for them than only eating from a bowl.
> 
> They also often like mirrors, and some like stuffed toys to sit next to.


The foraging toys sound interesting and a good idea. That would keep them busy for part of the day. I like that.


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## Saphira (Sep 2, 2017)

Wow, thank you for the replies!

I really don't know what gender my pigeon is - which makes me confused about getting him or her a companion. I assumed it was a he, because of the fluffing around and cooeing and territorial display - also the colours on the neck. It's a very curious bird, which today ended up in a bit of a float, since it dove in the fish tank while I was cleaning it (no danger, took him right out, but I think the fish didn't like the sudden pigeon feet). Still, Bobina (it's not a girl name here, it means Coil in romanian) wanted to sample the duckweed. I'm not sure if it's toxic, I know ducks eat it, but I didn't let him have it anyway so he plunged in the tank.

I read about DNA testing - but don't think I have where to do that. As for eggs - which is the other way I heard you can tell, I think it's too young for those.

The forage part sounds like something they would enjoy, gotta see how I do that. My pigeon also seems to like strings. It would peck the chains from the tank lamp, or chase a piece of string that I drag around like a cat - grab it and give it a good shake.


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## [email protected] (May 8, 2017)

Saphira said:


> Mine used to like watching out the window more when he was younger, before I attempted (and failed miserably) to release him. Nowadays he watches out in the morning, before I wake up - he sleeps near a window, but as soon as I wake up, he either joins me on the bed if I slack reading or follows me around the house if I move.
> 
> He likes sitting on me quite a lot. On Sunday I had to trim my planted tank and it was quite an endeavor, as he kept walking on me and peering at what I'm doing. He also used to go on his own to his sleeping spot when it was starting to get dark, but lately he only went when I'm taking him and for a couple of days, he's not taking that anymore either, he sits on me while playing on the computer in the evenings. I don't think he cares at all about what happens on the screen, he just seems to like sitting close to me (pref on me). Same thing happened with the eating, I had to bring his crate in the office, because he started nibbling my socks when he wants food instead of going to his balcony.


Hi, does your pigeon not poop on you? Because mine is always with me from the start but I've been making her sit in the balcony alone unless im cleaning her cage as she used to follow me into my room and just chill with me as i played fifa but pooped all over my chair. Does yours wear a diaper or anything?


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## Saphira (Sep 2, 2017)

No, sadly I could not find any place selling pigeon diapers in Europe, and they both poop wherever and whenever they feel like - I just got used to have wipes at hand and clean the mess. Not the best of the situation, but until recently I only had one, and he would have been miserable locked somewhere alone.


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## Colombina (Jan 22, 2017)

Probably it's not helpful (because your country is not listed there) but this one has some distributors in Europe:


www.flightquarters.com/bird-diapers/international-customers.html


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