# Found Baby Pigeon NEED HELP



## Victoria2010 (Jun 14, 2010)

Yesterday me and my husband discovered a baby pigeon in apartment building garage. Since there are two cats being fed by the lady around house that sometimes kill rats etc. we did not risk and took the pigeon in. We have him in a cage. He does not seem to be interested in seeds that we offered him, and does not drink water. Today i went and got some Kaytee exact hand feeding formula but we barely got a 1 cc into him by using syringe. He strugled so much that we were scared to hurt him. And when you try to open his bark - he wigles his head and i'm just affraid we will brake something.
According to the pictures i found he appears to be around 20-23 days old. 
We never had any experience with birds and this little guy is so terrified - just sits in one corner of his cage and never moves. He pooped at night with some greenish stuff thou....

He appears to be healthy and gives quite a struggle when we try to feed him.... he also squeaks..
But i noticed what appears to be some tiny white-ish things crawling between his feathers - how can i get rid of it??? and what can i use just to clean him up from anything he might have? i tried to look for something in petstore - but could not find anything..... He also has some stuff in the cage that looks like ashes???? what might it be? So far we where handling him in gloves and disinfecting hands after just in case.... i am honestly a bit scared that this baby has some diseases and i'm currently pregnant and don't need any of that stuff...
I really don't want to leave this guy out in the "wild" right now and would like to keep it till it can fly.. i cant really keep him at home because we have a cat... 

We live in California and its pretty warm in LA - so do i still need to place a warm water bottle for him at night? ( we set his cage outside right on the window AC - but not running it currently)
I have found some instructions with feeding a syringe with cloth over it - will it prevent most of the struggle???
And please any suggestions on how to clean him up from possible insects-parasites????


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## Feefo (Feb 8, 2002)

Hello and thank you for rescuing the baby.

At that age you can feed it defrosted peas and corn: 30 to 40 pieces, three times a day. Wrap him in a towel and use the method illustrated in *this video* He looks quite well developed and shouldn't need supplementary heat once he is feeding himself.

There is also more information on caring for a baby pigeon *here*

I hope that *this link * will reassure you about the risk of catching anything from it. A pigeon insect powder should get rid of any ectoparasites...our US members will be able to tell you what is available to you.


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## spirit wings (Mar 29, 2008)

at this age you can try to feed thawed peas and corn, the ones frozen in the bag at the grocery, just plain no sauce. he will need 20 and getting up to 50 peas or corn per feeding, three times a day. you have to open the beak and put a piece at the back of the throat so he will swallow it. you can roll him up in a towel like a burrito as that can help untill he gets used to it. he will have to be hand fed if he is not eating on his own..he may not know how yet...but leave a croc of seed in with him to let him see it and peck at it if he wishes.

oops posting at the same time...


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## rackerman (Jul 29, 2009)

Welcome to PT, you come to the right place. Now, you also said, he is not drinking? What you need to do is dunk his beak in a bowl of water, that way he will know its there and should drink on his own.
Do what Feefo & Spirit Wing said to feed him. I just hand raised a pair of 2 week old babies doing the same method. Good luck....


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## Victoria2010 (Jun 14, 2010)

thank you all for replies!!! i just sneaked up on him and saw him picking up seeds from the cage !!! Seems like his hunger got him out of the shock 
i am not sure about water - my husband tried to put his bark into container with it , but he did not seem too interested...should i use syringe to give him water? or he is just fooling around with us and already can eat and drink on his own??? 
I would be very happy to hear where i can find powder for cleaning him up.... i read somewhere on this site that you can use ant powder - but seems like not very safe alternative for me....

And any ideas on when he should be able to fly? and will ii be safe to let him out into the wild?


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## Victoria2010 (Jun 14, 2010)

If he is picking up the seeds - should i still force feed him with corn and peas??? i'm not sure he's getting enough....
and i understand there is no point of feeding him formula? i just bought it today... it won't do any harm if i keep feeding it to him? maybe corn twice a day and formula once??


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## cotdt (Apr 26, 2010)

it's a cute baby. the dandruff looking stuff is just the feathers developing. it's normal. it's not neccesary to cage the baby, a cardboard tray would do. pigeons hate wire-looking things.

it's hot in LA right now so you don't need to warm the baby.

my baby pigeon is just a couple days younger and i feed him formula, 30cc three times a day. i sometimes feed him pigeon eggs.

pigeon diseases don't spread to humans so you'll be OK.


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## Pawbla (Jan 6, 2009)

You can give him the formula and the peas and corn, just remember to keep feeding him until you see that he can fill his crop by himself. A couple of days more, just in case. The formula has everything the pigeon needs, but it's also important to make him eat something like seeds or corn to allow him to start eating by himself. However, if you are concerned about wasting the formula, don't worry... Summer is the most prolific season for birds, you'll end up with another one .

It may be necessary to cage the pigeon if the poster has any other animals. I cage for safety, as I have four dogs.


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## Charis (Feb 11, 2007)

Do keep feeding him until you are positive he is eating on his own. At this age they can be deceiving by playing with seeds and not really picking them up. When pigeons eat, the food goes into their crop, which is located at the bottom of the throat. The crop, when full, will feel squish and lumpy.
It's also a good idea to monitor how many poops the baby is having and how it looks. A baby that is eating will have a minimum of 20 poops a day. They should not be runny or bright green.


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## Victoria2010 (Jun 14, 2010)

Thank you all again!!!
we were feeding him again, but its so scared of us and terrified!! is that normal and how long normally pigeons get used to people? he pooped while we where feeding - and it was somewhat greenish and runny.... when back to his cage - he just sits in the corner again and squeaks .... seems to be falling asleep now... but we where able to get about 10 cc into him... will wait for 3 hours or so and see if he eats any seeds... then will get some corn...
thank you all again!!!


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## Victoria2010 (Jun 14, 2010)

I am happy to report that the baby is drinking on his own!!! i sneaked up on him where he cannot see me and saw him cleaning his feathers. Then he went to drink some water... he alternates eating seeds and drinking water - so i guess he actually eats seeds! but a soon as he sees me or my husband - he gets into corner of the cage and just looks at us....
i guess i should not worry about him being scared - it should make it easier for us to release it later???


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## Charis (Feb 11, 2007)

Victoria2010 said:


> Thank you all again!!!
> we were feeding him again, but its so scared of us and terrified!! is that normal and how long normally pigeons get used to people? he pooped while we where feeding - and it was somewhat greenish and runny.... when back to his cage - he just sits in the corner again and squeaks .... seems to be falling asleep now... but we where able to get about 10 cc into him... will wait for 3 hours or so and see if he eats any seeds... then will get some corn...
> thank you all again!!!


It's very normal that he be frightened of you. This is just as new to him as it is to you and you know what your mom told you about strangers! To him you are a big monster and he doesn't know if you are going to eat him or not. As soon as he figures out you are the food source, he may make an attitude adjustment and decide to be your friend.


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## Victoria2010 (Jun 14, 2010)

Here is an update!
as we tried to feed our stubborn fellow some corn - i felt his crop. Guess what?? he is full of seeds that i placed in the cage with him. I guess there is no need to hand feed him anymore - as long as he fills his crop up few times a day? he also had few seeds from my hand while out of the cage and while my husband had him on his hand... i guess that is a good sign
oh and he is a lot more comfortable in his cage than on top of it.... he jumps right in... and when you put your hand in the cage to get him out or to touch him - he squeaks like crazy and backs into corner... so still scared of us


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## Charis (Feb 11, 2007)

That's good news that he's eating. You must be very relieved.


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## Victoria2010 (Jun 14, 2010)

Oh yeas i am very happy that i dont have to "torture" him anymore )
when i should be able to release him? if he is about 23 days old?


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## rackerman (Jul 29, 2009)

Victoria2010 said:


> Oh yeas i am very happy that i dont have to "torture" him anymore )
> when i should be able to release him? if he is about 23 days old?


Please don't release him, he may not make it! I'd take him if you were near here!!


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## Charis (Feb 11, 2007)

Victoria2010 said:


> Oh yeas i am very happy that i dont have to "torture" him anymore )
> when i should be able to release him? if he is about 23 days old?


Rackerman is right. The thing is this...young pigeons learn what food is and where to find it from their dad. This baby will not have that option and so my suggestion would be to keep him until he is a bit older, eating *very well on his own* and in the mean time scout out a feral flock that is supported with food. 
Once you find that flock and the baby is a bit older and eating very well on his own, you can implement a soft release. A soft release is when you take the baby to where the feral flock feeds, in a cage...the baby should be put in the midst of them while they eat on the ground. You will need to do this for as often as it takes fr the baby's instinct to kick in and try to take flight, from inside the cage, when they do. Once that happens, you can let him join them.


Anything I've missed?


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## Victoria2010 (Jun 14, 2010)

ok! got it..
i really would hate to keep it in the cage, especially its a pretty small - typical hamster cage....and we already have a cat.... what size cage a fully grown pigeon needs? 
is it possible to set up some sort of place for this little guy later on so he can come back and feed/sleep? or they normally don't come back when released??? 
and for now - should i keep the seeds in the cage so he can eat as much as he wants? or should i offer him seeds 3 times a day to also help him bond? he still really scared of us - always backs into corner of the cage when we come close and squeaks if you try to pet him while in the cage....


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## cotdt (Apr 26, 2010)

it's best to feed the baby out of your hands, to develop trust. not sure how long it will take for yours. my babies come up to me as soon as I enter the room, but they were hand-fed since they hatched.

once the pigeon gets used to your home, he will always fly back. give it a couple more months before releasing though, and make sure there are no predators in your area. the pigeon needs to have sunlight as keeping the position of the sun tells them the direction of home.


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## spirit wings (Mar 29, 2008)

cotdt said:


> it's best to feed the baby out of your hands, to develop trust. not sure how long it will take for yours. my babies come up to me as soon as I enter the room, but they were hand-fed since they hatched.
> 
> once the pigeon gets used to your home, he will always fly back. give it a couple more months before releasing though, and make sure there are no predators in your area. the pigeon needs to have sunlight as keeping the position of the sun tells them the direction of home.


I do not think it best to feed from the hand, as this one is going to be released.. he may try to land and beg from the wrong human that may do harm to him when he is in the park or where ever his flock lives.


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## Victoria2010 (Jun 14, 2010)

I have no problem with setting up a feeding "station" for him to come back to anytime.... its just that i can not keep him at home as an actual pet. In addition to that - we rent, and though we are not planning to move anytime soon, what would happen if we do? 
So far i think its best to do a soft release later on, but i don't know of any places in LA where they have safe feeding sites for pigeons.... i only heard of exterminators 

so what about the cage size??? he can barely open up his wings in it now... i found a cage online that is 19"X14"X31" high... will it be too small??? how much space a single pigeon needs ???


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## Charis (Feb 11, 2007)

The size of cage I like and have many of them, is...30" long...18" wide...18" tall.
*Pigeons like long rather than tall.* I believe the cages I use where designed as flight cages for smaller birds. They are large enough for a shelp, across one end to roost on, a brick on the floor of the cage to perch on, food and water dishes and even room under the shelf for a nest box or bowl.


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## Victoria2010 (Jun 14, 2010)

thank you! i found something like that on ebay


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## rackerman (Jul 29, 2009)

Victoria2010 said:


> I have no problem with setting up a feeding "station" for him to come back to anytime.... its just that i can not keep him at home as an actual pet. In addition to that - we rent, and though we are not planning to move anytime soon, what would happen if we do?
> So far i think its best to do a soft release later on, but i don't know of any places in LA where they have safe feeding sites for pigeons.... i only heard of exterminators
> 
> so what about the cage size??? he can barely open up his wings in it now... i found a cage online that is 19"X14"X31" high... will it be too small??? how much space a single pigeon needs ???


Could you afford to ship him out to a good home? I really hate to see it released. He/she would make a great pet!


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## Charis (Feb 11, 2007)

rackerman said:


> Could you afford to ship him out to a good home? I really hate to see it released. He/she would make a great pet!




You really are a good egg.


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## Victoria2010 (Jun 14, 2010)

i'm not sure how shipping out works and how much it costs?
we still discussing with my husband all the other options... so far i have not found any safe feeding sites - only an article that says its illegal to feed pigeons 
don't worry guys - i wont dump him on the street or something....
i still have not got the answer on how to treat him from parasites??? i see some small long gray/brown things crawling in and out his feathers... i would hate to get it on me or transfer it to our cat....

oh and today i tried to make friends with him... i put him on my lap and was offering him seeds for good half an hour... he actually ate maybe 10 total in 3-4 tries. 
Other than the parasites - he is doing great. still scared of me though - and "hits"me with the wing when i try to get him out of the cage or pet him while hes inside.. Poops look good - and food disappears from the bowl


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## spirit wings (Mar 29, 2008)

you can use seven dust on the parisites, you can put it in a bag and put him in the bag with head out and massage, use a powder puff around the head, or they have lice sprays for birds at the pet store.


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## rackerman (Jul 29, 2009)

Victoria2010 said:


> i'm not sure how shipping out works and how much it costs?
> we still discussing with my husband all the other options... so far i have not found any safe feeding sites - only an article that says its illegal to feed pigeons
> don't worry guys - i wont dump him on the street or something....
> i still have not got the answer on how to treat him from parasites??? i see some small long gray/brown things crawling in and out his feathers... i would hate to get it on me or transfer it to our cat....
> ...


I don't know how shipping works either? Hopefully someone can respond to that soon. I would take the little guy from you and give him a good home. I just can't afford to pay shipping.


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## rackerman (Jul 29, 2009)

Charis said:


> You really are a good egg.


Well Thank you......


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## spirit wings (Mar 29, 2008)

from CA to MI would be a long haul, esp in the hot weather. but shipping works like this, you have to buy an post office approved box sold online, put the bird in it, take it to the post office and send to address with his phone number written on the lable on a monday or tuesday overnighted. He picks the bird up the next day at the post office or the day after sometimes, cost about 45 dollars not including the box or get him passage on an airplane.


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## Charis (Feb 11, 2007)

Maybe we can find him a ride on a pet train.


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## rackerman (Jul 29, 2009)

I would rather take the little guy than see him released in the wild. I don't think he'd make it!


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## NYBOY (Sep 15, 2009)

Rackerman I think your right! LA is a bad place to be a pigeon. He would be much safer with you. If Victoria can"t keep him and can't afford to ship him, I will pay shipping to you. Alex


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## Victoria2010 (Jun 14, 2010)

Thank you all for your help and advice! 
Me and my husband still in the process of deciding if we are to keep him as a pet.... 
i will let you all know as soon as we decide!


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## rackerman (Jul 29, 2009)

NYBOY said:


> Rackerman I think your right! LA is a bad place to be a pigeon. He would be much safer with you. If Victoria can"t keep him and can't afford to ship him, I will pay shipping to you. Alex


Thanks NYBOY, thats awful nice of you! We will have to see what they decide now..........


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## TAWhatley (Mar 6, 2001)

Victoria,

Unless the bird is very, very tame (in which case it needs to be found a home) take it to Huntington Central Park in Huntington Beach. Go down to the west end by Alice's Restaurant and release the bird. They sell bird seed there and it's a lovely and bird friendly place. Big feral flock there.

Terry


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## Victoria2010 (Jun 14, 2010)

well.. after lots of talking... my husband and i decided to keep him... he promised me to take care of the bird later on when baby comes 

but the problem remains - he seems not ready to be tamed.... i just spent an hour with him on my lap offering him seeds - and he only bit my hand few times while i was trying to pet him... i also offered him water - but no luck... he was just all fluffed up ... now 5 minutes later i walk by the cage - and he is on the side where water and food is with a wet beak and a seed stuck to it!!!!
so should i take the seed out of the cage and only offer it to him 3 times a day on my lap from my hand??? 
he also became little more aggressive when trying to take him out of the cage - not only he "hits" you with his wing... hes also trying to bite


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## Charis (Feb 11, 2007)

Actually...he does sound like a good candidate to release.


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## Victoria2010 (Jun 14, 2010)

that's what i keep thinking....i would hate to torture and force this bird to do something he does not like....
I was expecting him to become more calm, but seems like hes resisting more and more everyday...
i guess have to wait around and see how he progresses...

so does it ever happen that some birds just never bond with humans? i actually never had any problems with any pets... 
i'm almost sure hes a male now )


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## Victoria2010 (Jun 14, 2010)

maybe his parents taught him very well that people are dangerous? ))


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## cotdt (Apr 26, 2010)

wow that is one mean bird! some birds are just not good with people.

he thinks of the cage as his "territory" now, so try taking him out when interacting with him. he might just be a little nicer on neutral ground.


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## Victoria2010 (Jun 14, 2010)

as i said - yesterday he ate seeds from my hand 2 times.... ones on my lap , and the other time while on my husbands lap while he was petting him lightly....
but today - he tried to bite my finger while on my lap when i brought it close to him!!!
and when you put him on top of the cage - he just jumps right in and goes into his favorite corner all fluffed up...


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## Victoria2010 (Jun 14, 2010)

here is his every day look...
you can see pretty colors coming thru on the side of the head... is he a typical pigeon color?


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## John_D (Jan 24, 2002)

He sure is a good looking youngster ... every bit 'real pigeon' and very normal male pigeon behavior by the sounds of it

Like cotdt said, that's his stomping ground, so intruding hands keep out 

My observation and experience with our pigeons suggests that most of them do not make the connection that the face (which they know and trust) and the hand (which they seem to perceive as some threatening being) are just two related parts of their carer (or servant  ), not two different 'creatures'. But who really knows what goes on in those little heads.

John


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## Victoria2010 (Jun 14, 2010)

Well - so far he still scared of me and my husband and goes into corner whenever we get close to the cage...
but he ate out of our hands today... and when you let him on the floor - one small flight of stairs away from the cage - he goes right to the cage... now he can hop all the steps himself - but cage is still too high up  
he got his lice and mites treatment today and i'm still looking for a bigger cage....


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

cotdt said:


> it's a cute baby. the dandruff looking stuff is just the feathers developing. it's normal. it's not neccesary to cage the baby, a cardboard tray would do. pigeons hate wire-looking things.
> 
> it's hot in LA right now so you don't need to warm the baby.
> 
> ...


They said they are keeping him outside. A cage would be necessary, as he could get away before he is ready, and also a predator could very easily get him. It should be a cage that a rodent cannot get into. Mice can make him sick, and rats can kill him. He needs to be kept safe until he is old enough to release, if that is the plan. Or to find him a home.


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

You haven't really had him all that long. He's feral. It takes a while for them to learn to trust. Some come around sooner, others take a long time. Most pigeons love chopped unsalted peanuts. Once they realize how good they are, they will come readily to your hand for them. Problem is in getting them to try them so that they will know how good they are. Try mixing a few pieces of chopped unsalted peanuts in with his food. Eventually he will try them. Eventually he'll probably love them, then when he sees them in your hand, he should come to you for them. This takes time though. You can't rush a bird. It has to be on their terms and in their own time. I have a loft full of rescues, some are ferals, homers, fancies.............They came at all ages. And the peanuts, along with a lot of patience and kindness, and spending time with them, works great. There are a couple that I cannot get close to, but most I have won over. They have to first learn to trust you. That takes time. And some never will. Also, some pigeons like to be petted, while others absolutely hate it. You just have to go by what the bird likes or doesn't, and go slowly in his time frame. If this happens to be a pigeon that will never warm up to you, then I don't think he would be very happy as a pet. He would then be happier free to find a mate and raise a family. It would be very lonesome for him to be a pet, if he didn't warm up to people. But give him a little more time, as he just might come around. Good luck with him.


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## Pawbla (Jan 6, 2009)

John_D said:


> My observation and experience with our pigeons suggests that most of them do not make the connection that the face (which they know and trust) and the hand (which they seem to perceive as some threatening being) are just two related parts of their carer (or servant  ), not two different 'creatures'. But who really knows what goes on in those little heads.


Most small animals see us like that. What I find strange though, is that they find face/shoulder/whatever as a friendly thing, rather than the hand that feeds them.


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## Victoria2010 (Jun 14, 2010)

Jay thank you for the info!!!
I guess if he never becomes friendly and starts to trust us - he will be better off free with other birds.
I will definitely try some peanuts on him!!!I'm not in rush, its just that from other stories that i read - seems like birds get attached to humans so fast. 
So far i'm feeding him a Dove mix... and he picks out his favorite seeds from it ( the brown/red ones)... he does the same when feeding him from hand  its soooo cute!!!
as far as the cage - its right in front of our door on the second floor. Its like a covered patio - and we never see other animals around. The cage is in a safe place and since there are 2 cats "guarding" the area, i only saw some remains of rats... These cats are fed by the lady downstairs.... The cage is secured to the railing - so it cant be tipped over. I'm looking for a bigger cage still. 
For now i'm covering the cage over night with a towel so it will be warmer and more secure.
This little guys temper is sooo big!!! i have to come up with a name for him to reflect that )


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## Victoria2010 (Jun 14, 2010)

There are 2 pigeons flying in between our building and neighbors since yesterday.... One trying to land on the window sills an AC's....Seems like they hang out on the roof. Could it be baby's parents? We found him in the garage right there in between buildings... We brought the cage out so they can see him, and made him squeak a little - but they did not pay any attention to him  and then there is no way they can get him since he cannot fly?


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## NYBOY (Sep 15, 2009)

Victoria dog crates are great cages for pigeons. You can pick up a used one cheap on craigslist. Good luck with your new friend. Alex


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## Victoria2010 (Jun 14, 2010)

NYBOY said:


> Victoria dog crates are great cages for pigeons. You can pick up a used one cheap on craigslist. Good luck with your new friend. Alex


Thank You! i'll look into that...
and whats the maximum bar spacing i can have?


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## Victoria2010 (Jun 14, 2010)

the baby is trying to fly outside the cage... he hops on the side of it ( inside) and flaps his wings....
What should i do????


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

Victoria2010 said:


> the baby is trying to fly outside the cage... he hops on the side of it ( inside) and flaps his wings....
> What should i do????



They all flap their wings for exercise. That is one reason why he needs to be kept in a cage large enough for him to stand on the floor of the cage and flap his wings.


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## Victoria2010 (Jun 14, 2010)

he does not stand on the floor when he does it... he actually takes off inside the cage!! and hops on the wall of it while flapping wings


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