# My pet pigeons and yours



## Whitefeather (Sep 2, 2002)

I think it would be fun to meet all our 'pet' pigeons.

I choose to adopt rescued pigeons that are non-releasable or had no place to go.
There is just something gratifying about offering a homeless pigeon a home.  

These are my babies:
*Mikko*, A.K.A. Stud muffin, is a white, Old Dutch Capuchine . He has been a member of our family for two years now.
*Frank & Jessie * are two adventurous 'feral' soul mates that my husband brought home from Denver, CO. They, as well have been members of our family for two years.
*Pij'ette* is a beautiful white pigeon with accented black wings & tail. She is my little China doll & joined our family a year & a half ago.
*Pij* is my sweet PMV survivor. He is a fancy pigeon of some sort, but no one has really been able to figure out exactly what his 'title' might be. Pij joined our family this past April.
*Ray Charles* is an adorable 'feral' checker who is blind. He joined our family in June of this past year.
*Sadie & Sam* were born November of last year to Mikko & Pij'ette, who became soul mates the moment they spotted each other. 

Pigeons are priceless!  

Cindy


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## maryco (Apr 1, 2002)

Hi Cindy, 

Thanks for sharing with us : )
About Ray Charles, did you get him as a young bird? Did he become blind.. because how did the poor thing survive out there as a feral with no sight?

Here is a bit about my pet pigeons Dotty and Pearl.

Dotty is a black and white handicapped feral (he only has one foot). I caught him in Nov. 2002 when I noticed he seemed a bit stressed out because of the cold and snow, also standing on the 'good' foot all the time was hard for him. A month earlier my pet beloeved Tooty passed away and so having Dotty around made me feel much better and I worked on taming him.

Pearl came to me a month later (end of Dec.) and I noticed her one afternoon on the window ledge beside Cloudy (a white feral pigeon with afew black specks on her back).
I knew right then that Pearl was a homer because she had this different look, so I put some food down on the floor and right away she followed the ferals and ate as if she hasn't seen food for ages. 
I had to try to catch her by quickly lowered myself out the window and managed to capture her very easily, then she went into the carrier with food and water. Amazingly after checking her out a bit I noticed that she didn't have not one bug or louse on her and she was in good condition.

About two days later (Jan.1) I had her married to Dotty and they lived happily ever after! ;-) (well, kind of.. except when Dotty pocked her in the eye after she got up onto his perch, LOL)

* I should have quarantined her but Thank God nothing happened, she was a healthy pigeon except for some malnourished looking feathers on her wings)


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## Whitefeather (Sep 2, 2002)

*About Ray Charles, did you get him as a young bird? Did he become blind.. because how did the poor thing survive out there as a feral with no sight?*
A fellow called me & explained he had a pigeon in his backyard that he had been feeding for *5 days * along with a few other ferals & noticed he was grabbing at the seeds but wasn't picking any up. When he would try to fly he would smack into the house. On the 5th day, he decided to try & catch him because he feared a cat, etc., might nab him.

Of course, my first thought was PMV. 
He was feathers & bone when I received him. As I placed him in a cage, he stumbled to the side & put his head right through the bar, so blindness didn't occur to me until I went to put seed & water in his cage & he didn't move. 
I circled my finger around his entire head, absolutely nothing. It's truly a miracle he survived at all. 

I put a low (maybe half inch) perch on the floor of his cage which extends across it so he knows when he stands on his perch he is facing his food. He has no problems eating. 

He has never uttered a peek though. He definitely knows his name. When I go in the AZ room I address each pij by their name & when I come to Ray Charles he circles his cage a couple times & looks around as if to follow my voice.

He is doing wonderfully. 
Here's a photo of my sweet Ray Charles

Cindy


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## maryco (Apr 1, 2002)

What a sweetie! : )
I'm so glad you have him in your care.. Thanks for sharing Ray Charles's story.


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## TAWhatley (Mar 6, 2001)

Bless you Cindy and Ray Charles .. I also have a blind or mostly so one that came from Bruce here on the list .. this is the =sweetest= bird and so happy to be alive. I've been graduating her from her cage she came in where she knew where everything was to a bigger one and then a bigger one .. she (we think) is now in a 3' x 3' x 2' and doing well. Truly, this is the sweetest bird on the planet.

Terry


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## KIPPY (Dec 18, 2003)

I have had the honor of meeting Cindys pijs and they are great. Ray is adorable and Pij is wild and crazy. The other guys are just as wonderful but the last time I saw these guys, Pij was cooing away and I freaked Ray out.
Cindy has a happy and lively flock over there.


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## turkey (May 19, 2002)

Ray Charles is sure lucky you have him Cindy. He looks so sweet in your hand.

Julie


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