# Real Pets vs Ferals



## LovesPijjies (May 21, 2010)

The other pigeons I have had as pets have been ferals which I brought up from nestlings, but Chocolate and Vanilla are "real pets" , that is to say, I bought them from a breeder.

I am wondering if, as they were raised till now in a loft with their parents, there will be lots of differences in behaviour from the ones i raised myself.

I have already noticed that although they eat seeds, they won't eat anything else, even when presented to them, whereas, my others, from a very young age, liked to eat a bite of pizza, a little apple, etc.

One of my ferals loved icecream, and would go crazy turning in circles if he thought I had a dish of it he could share!


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## Msfreebird (Sep 23, 2007)

LovesPijjies said:


> The other pigeons I have had as pets have been ferals which I brought up from nestlings, but Chocolate and Vanilla are "real pets" , that is to say, I bought them from a breeder.
> 
> I am wondering if, as they were raised till now in a loft with their parents, there will be lots of differences in behaviour from the ones i raised myself.
> 
> ...


LOL, sounds to me like your "hand raised feral's" are the "real pets" - spoiled one's! YOU raised them and they are eating what you taught them to eat.
Chocolate and Vanilla are "domestic" pigeons raised by their parents and taught to eat seed by THEIR PARENTS. 
Just be careful, some foods aren't good for birds  -


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## LovesPijjies (May 21, 2010)

Msfreebird said:


> LOL, sounds to me like your "hand raised feral's" are the "real pets" - spoiled one's! YOU raised them and they are eating what you taught them to eat.
> Chocolate and Vanilla are "domestic" pigeons raised by their parents and taught to eat seed by THEIR PARENTS.
> Just be careful, some foods aren't good for birds  -


No, I know they mustn't eat salt, or anything very sharp like fries which could catch in their throats, or chocolate which is also harmful to other animals.

I am puzzled though as to why they should not eat avacados, as pigeons re related to parrots, and I can imagine parrots in their native habitat pecking at avacados.


I gave my others treats such as dried peas and red lentils, also the insides of sunflower seeds, as well as a tiny bit of scrambled egg which they loved when they were tiny babies.

Edit on that, I have seen feral pigeons in parks eating almost anything, old burgers, fries, sandwiches, but then i guess they can't find seed so easily so they have to eat whatever they find.


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## Msfreebird (Sep 23, 2007)

Pigeons in the wild will eat anything to survive.
Avocado's are poisonous, and so is chocolate to birds.


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## John_D (Jan 24, 2002)

Well, pigeons are Columbiforme birds and parrots etc are Psittaciformes, so there's not really a relationship. You would find that jungle dwelling pigeons/doves are fruit eaters (there are various 'fruit doves'), but our pigeons are granivores. I have seen ferals eat berries, on occasion, given there wasn't much else around but naturally raised pigeons are not inclined to eat fruit. Ours do like green foods, like a crispy lettuce, or chopped leaves of spinach, watercress, rocket and suchlike.

John


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## Msfreebird (Sep 23, 2007)

It's basically "proper diet" vs. "anything to survive" vs. "treats"
My Mollucan Cockatoo is on a pellet diet because she almost died when she was young eating a seed mix diet. She ate one of the stems (red pepper stem) that was in with the mix. It preferated her intestines and she almost bled to death.
But she also eats what I have for a meal everyday. - Meat, potatoes, veggies, pizza, eggs, popcorn, ravioli, cheese curls and much more! But, NO sweets or added salt and NO avacado


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## LovesPijjies (May 21, 2010)

Msfreebird said:


> She ate one of the stems (red pepper stem) that was in with the mix. It preferated her intestines and she almost bled to death.
> But she also eats what I have for a meal everyday. - Meat, potatoes, veggies, pizza, eggs, popcorn, ravioli, cheese curls and much more! But, NO sweets or added salt and NO avacado



Oh no, poor bird.This sounds like my pigeon, who would basically get a little taste of anything I was eating for dinner, some things he appeared to like, other things he didnt.I always thought before I gave him anything if it could harm him and never gave him more than a small bite.

I do know though that I observed my pigeon eating small spiders and flies, however everything i have read says that they don't eat them.


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## TerriB (Nov 16, 2003)

LovesPijjies said:


> ...I do know though that I observed my pigeon eating small spiders and flies, however everything i have read says that they don't eat them.


Your birds are fortunate that you are so observant! I don't know whether pigeons eat small bugs for the protein or by accident just pecking around, but I have found that some of my birds enjoy the occasional snack of dog kibble crumbs (which contains animal proteins).


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## doveone52 (Aug 3, 2009)

I have a hen, about a yr old, loft raised by pigeon parents. Kind of flighty but always one of my favorites as she is beautiful and oh so feminine! Well, her mate died and they had week old babies in the nest! I brought all three in so I could help her. In absolutely no time, she was my best friend! after the babies fledged, i reluctantly returned her to the loft, thinking she'd revert back to being a wild woman. But not so. She has a new mate but she still comes to me allowing me to pick her up and cuddle. I think they just have an ability to bond with humans unlike anything I've ever seen.


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## TerriB (Nov 16, 2003)

Very cool! It's so neat when they decide you're worth hanging with.


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

LovesPijjies said:


> I am puzzled though as to why they should not eat avacados, as pigeons re related to parrots, and I can imagine parrots in their native habitat pecking at avacados.


The bark, twigs, leaves of the avocado tree, and the skin and pit of the avocado fruit contain a
toxin called persin. Persin in avocados is dangerous to birds and to other animals including dogs, cats, rabbits and horses. There may be other enzymes/chemicals in the avocado that may cause an animaThe bark, twigs, leaves of the avocado tree, and the skin and pit of the avocado fruit contain a l’s body to fail at processing proteins, also. Reactions noted in birds are heart rhythm problems, heart failure, breathing difficulties and sudden death. What is positively known is there is documented evidence that the bark, twigs, skin and pit can be toxic. Warnings have been issued about feeding avocado to parrots since the 1940s.

http://www.goodstuffbirdfood.com/?p=80


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## cotdt (Apr 26, 2010)

Aren't cherries also poisonous to pigeons? They are to parrots.

Ferals make great pets if hand-raised, but even then it depends on their individual personality. But yeah, hand-raised ones are the best. I take one of the babies from the parents at Day 5, the day their eyes open. I want a King pigeon as I heard they are docile and cuddly, making great pets.

I like to keep pet pigeons indoors, and potty train them. I hold the pigeon over the toilet and say "poop" and it poops a big one.


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## Pawbla (Jan 6, 2009)

ALWAYS, ALWAYS check here before trying a new food for the birds. Some things are unexpectedly dangerous! I've seen lists where I end up "but... how could this be dangerous?".

And I agree - your ferals are the "real", spoiled pets.


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