# Quarantining a pigeon?



## cwebster (Dec 11, 2010)

A local racing enthusast has offered to,give us adult pigeon. I would love to adopt an adult female to give Fiona a friend, but am worried about circovirus after losing our squeaker, Chloe last year to circovirus. Now that we have moved our three girls into an outside shed, am not sure how to quarantine a new bird after getting her tested for circovirus since i cant keep any birds in the house because of pigeon lung. Any suggestions? We have a garage but it is dusty and full,of boxes and last year we trapped rats out there. The shed on the other hand is spotless, heated and has all the amenities. How do,people quarantine? In the past, we had one bird in each room of the house but i cant do that anymore.


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

Keeping her in the shed isn't quarantining. Some things are caught through the air, even if they don't share feed and water. Unless you can keep it in a rabbit hutch or something similar outside. That would be good to have anyway, in case for some reason you had to separate a sick bird or something.


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## cwebster (Dec 11, 2010)

I have an old rabbit hutch in the garage but it is colder in there without heat and it is dusty. Would never just put a new bird in the shed with the other birds because that would not be quarantine, due to airborne diseases as you mentioned. Dont want to harm our three girls, especially dont want to expose se them to circovirus. Would have to quarantine a new bird for 3 to 4 weeks, including waiting for circovirus testvresults. Just hate to pass up a chance at a possible friend for Fiona because there are few opportunities here to adopt pigeons here. . Cant go to bird shows anymore because of pigeon lung. I think wearing a respirator to a bird show might upset people.  The person looking for homes has several birds, mostly older breeders, he said, that he would like to rehome. 
Lucy seems all better from her respiratory problems and is on her last doses of antibiotic. All three birds are sitting on eggs but losing interest in them. Fiona is all by herself and Tracy and Lucy live together. Tried putting Lucy with Fiona before but Fiona picked on her and chased her because she was so much smaller and passive. Not sure whether Fiona even wants a friend because she is fixated on me but thought maybe a much larger hen the size of Fiona might be worth a try. Tracy and Lucy seem happier together than alone. Should i just not bother Fiona, under the assumption if its not broken dont fix it? If they dont get along dont know what id do with another single pigeon.


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

I would try it again, with the agreement that you were just trying it, and that if it didn't work out that you could return the bird to the original owner. He would probably agree to that. It's sad to see a pigeon by herself. She will get over her fixation on you, just give it a chance. Put their cages nest to each other to introduce them, till they get used to each other. If you just put a new bird in her cage, which is her territory, she will not react well. After a while, you could let them out in the shed together to get more used to each others presence. It should work if done slowly.
The rabbit cage could go outdoors, as it is warming up now anyway.


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## cwebster (Dec 11, 2010)

Am very disappointed. The guy never called me then gave away all the birds he was rehoming. He offered me a baby but am too worried about circovirus, after losing Chloe last summer. Egg obsessed Fiona would adore a baby. But i dont think circovirus would show up in tests on a baby pigeon. Sigh. It is very hard to find a pigeon where i live.


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

Fiona may not accept a baby that is not hers. Have you looked on Craigslist?


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## cwebster (Dec 11, 2010)

Craigslist is how i found the reputable guy giving away adult racers. But the first person who called him took them all...i hope the person took them for a loft and not some terrible purpose. Someone runs a pigeons wanted ad all the time, on craigslist, "want ones you are wanting to cull." I always mark this ad as prohibited and it goes away for a while. Hope they are not shooting birds. Will keep,looking. The other local breeder has an aviary that isnt hygienic, with pigeons mixing with sick chickens, some missing toes, and ferals, and sadly that is where we got Chloe, who had circovirus. Will not go back there. Hoping to hear back from a racing club an hour away, and from Palomacy, which is five hours away. I think i am more attached to my pet birds than a lot of people but then that is why we have them, to love and pamper them.


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

I can see your problem. I myself have too many males right now. Could use more hens, but don't really want to bring in more birds, so would be nice if someone around here were looking for a male. Do they have pigeon shows in your area? I have picked up a female that way, but unfortunately, also ended up with a male, when I thought I was getting 3 hens, so had to pair him up with one of the hens. So that wasn't really helpful. But if the owner is sure it is a hen, then that may be a way to find one. Would be nice if someone in your area had a non releasable hen that you could adopt. Maybe you will hear back from the racing club.


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## cwebster (Dec 11, 2010)

Hoping to find a nonreleasable bird but coming by any pigeons here is rare. There is a bird show next month but id have to wear a respirator...do you think that would turn people off or scare them away?


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

Oh that's right. So going to the bird show probably wouldn't be a good idea.
People come on here all the time with non releasable birds. Maybe some nearer you will have a bird that they need to find a home for. Not so easy is it?


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## cwebster (Dec 11, 2010)

Spoke with someone last night a few hours away who has an adult female. Am so hoping this will be the one! Will see if that works out. Its very hard to find pigeons where i live. The other person i spoke with travels around the world and just won six major races but he auctions his birds for $350 to $1,000,000 which is a bit out of my league.


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## Woodnative (Jul 4, 2010)

Shouldn't be that hard to find a hen. A racer especially but if just a mate a hen of any breed should work out fine. BTW there are always folks at the shows wearing respirators, or at least dust guards. Some of the older judges/keepers have problems with the dust. I don't think you have to test for circovirus.....most of the virus' run their coursed and if they don't kill (directly or indirectly) the bird should be fine. Just keep it separate for a couple weeks and watch closely for symptoms of PMV, Circovirus etc. but it it remains healthy you should be good. The racing folks mix a lot of different birds together when they race, so some may have more chance of disease exposure. Seems like people are always finding lost racers, could check with your local SPCA etc. If you can't find a hen locally people will always ship USPS. This sounds scary initially but I have never had a problem the few times I did it.


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## c.hert (Jan 15, 2010)

Wonderful advice and that bird of Quail's looks absolutely wonderful and shipping is not bad as well. Birds usually do very well...That birdie is for you...


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## cwebster (Dec 11, 2010)

Quails bird is lovely but is 3000 miles away.


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

Birds have gotten lost in shipping, and have been left outside in freezing temps, and boiling hot days on loading platforms. People have gotten dead birds that way. Some have even been lost, and never showed up. Hate to think what happened to them. 
I know some have not had a problem with shipping, and I think they are very lucky, as it does happen.
Flying does cost more, but is so worth it. They are usually there in one day, and they are fussy about how they are flown, give them water and check them more. It is just a safer option.


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## cwebster (Dec 11, 2010)

If the female works out that a lady two plus hours away has offered, will drive there and meet her. She is an avid bird lover and her offering the bird is very kind. Would always avoid shipping a bird because of the possible dire outcomes you mentioned. The bird she has is weaning a young male after losing her mate to a hawk. Very sad. She doesnt want the mother and son to mate so has offered to let the female live with Fiona. Will find out more in a few days hopefully. Am tempted to,try Fiona in with Lucy and Tracy to see how she does but they are sitting on eggs and the cage is small for three birds.


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## cwebster (Dec 11, 2010)

Just tried putting Fiona in with Tracy and Lucy who are sitting on eggs. Tracy, who is less than half her size, viciously attacked Fiona so i had to take Fiona out.


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

Putting her in their territory was a really bad idea. That will never work. They are a pair and view that as their territory. Even in a loft where there is lots more room, there will always be a couple of birds anyway that will challenge a newcomer. But in a smaller enclosure like that cage.......................


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## cwebster (Dec 11, 2010)

Will try them on neutral territory. Am hoping to see how Fiona likes being with other pigeons before getting her a friend. When I tried Lucy with her, Fiona picked on her so i had to put a divider then remove it when she held her poop,until i took her to the vet. When i put Lucy and Tracy together, they were friends immediately. I do not inderstand pigeon attraction at all.


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

They are not going to get along in a cage together. If they had the whole shed, then it would be better, but still 3 birds aren't good. They get along better if they all have a companion. The other 2 are a pair, so Fiona makes a 3rd wheel. I'm sure she would like another pigeon for a friend. They all do. You just have to introduce them right, rather than putting one in someone elses territory. That just doesn't work. In the shed it would, but not in the confines of a cage, even a large one.


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## cwebster (Dec 11, 2010)

After im sure a new female is healthy, will introduce them on neutral ground as you suggest.


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## cwebster (Dec 11, 2010)

Just fed everyone and noticed Fiona pulled newspaper over her grit dish and had a new egg in front of that, with bits of orchard grass lovingly arrayed under it. She is tenderly turning it and would be such a great mom if we were breeding more birds. Tracy and Fiona are taking turns keeping their eggs warm, in the next cage. I feel bad none will hatch but given the many pigeons without homes, could never in good conscience breed any.


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

I know. Aren't they cute when they are in parent mode? Nothing wrong with people letting their birds raise a baby as long as they have the room and want the birds. It's what they live for. Someone letting their birds hatch a baby isn't going to hurt or help the birds needing homes.


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