# Indoor bird: needs more flying space?



## NancyJ (Aug 24, 2007)

My single pet pigeon lives solely indoors, but he came to me as a former racer. Although he flies around my small apartment every day for several hours, I feel bad because he probably misses the joy of real flights in bigger spaces.

Is there any safe, indoor place I could take him occasionally and let him fly around freely? I was thinking someplace like a gymnasium or empty banquet hall... I don't want to risk letting him outside (especially since he is alone), and I don't want to bring him to a place with high roosts and risk him not coming back down, but I would like to increase his quality of life.

Am I just being a worrywart about Birdy's happiness? Has anyone ever taken their pigeons somewhere to "let loose"?


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## Lovebirds (Sep 6, 2002)

NancyJ said:


> My single pet pigeon lives solely indoors, but he came to me as a former racer. Although he flies around my small apartment every day for several hours, I feel bad because he probably misses the joy of real flights in bigger spaces.
> 
> Is there any safe, indoor place I could take him occasionally and let him fly around freely? I was thinking someplace like a gymnasium or empty banquet hall... I don't want to risk letting him outside (especially since he is alone), and I don't want to bring him to a place with high roosts and risk him not coming back down, but I would like to increase his quality of life.
> 
> Am I just being a worrywart about Birdy's happiness? Has anyone ever taken their pigeons somewhere to "let loose"?




Nancy, I would expect if you DID take him to a building that had "lots" of space, he wouldn't fly more than a couple of minutes and then he would sit down somewhere. I wouldn't worry to much about it. 
When a racer flies, it's usually for only about an hour or less and then they go back into the loft and "hang out" the rest of the day. The only time they fly for hours and hours is when they are sent to a race and have no choice if they want to get back home. 
I wouldn't necessarily be under the assumtion that he's "longing" to fly and fly and fly............I expect he's just fine.
Pigeon fanciers have breeders in thier lofts that are ex-racers. Once in the breeding loft, MOST of them are never allowed free flight time outside the loft and they do just fine.


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## Roxy (Nov 1, 2007)

I am going to be getting a pet pigeon soon and am eager to see more responses to this thread since I plan on keeping mine as a "indoor only" pet....


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## mr squeaks (Apr 14, 2005)

Well, Nancy, my only comment would be that if you don't have a LOT of house (oops! that is, _apartment)_ space for him to fly...any possibility of buidling (or buying) him his very OWN flying area?? Of course, that would depend on whether you have the room to do so.

Mr. Squeaks cannot fly so, I'm sure other members who have flyers will be along with their comments and suggestions.

Wishing you both all the best!!

Please let us know what you decide... 

Shi & Squeaks


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## TAWhatley (Mar 6, 2001)

I think Renee is right on the money with her post about this. For sure, a danger of letting the bird fly in a large area like a gymnasium or warehouse is how to get the bird down/back once he decides to perch on the rafters. I think having a nice little predator proof flight pen would be wonderful, but if that is not possible, the bird isn't going to have a miserable life being kept as a well loved and well cared for pet especially since he gets this time out in your apartment. JMO ..

Terry


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## NancyJ (Aug 24, 2007)

I don't think I was clear in my original post... Birdy _has _free reign in my apartment when I let him out, and that's every day for several hours, and my little apartment is 575 sq ft. So a pen would probably actually _restrict _his space...

I was more worried about him missing the chance to fly longer distances than from my living room to the kitchen. But I feel better, thanks to you guys posting!


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## Lovebirds (Sep 6, 2002)

NancyJ said:


> I don't think I was clear in my original post... Birdy _has _free reign in my apartment when I let him out, and that's every day for several hours, and my little apartment is 575 sq ft.


Then he's just fine.


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## nbdyuknow (Apr 10, 2007)

For awhile, I had the same concern with Sophie, if she was unhappy not flying since she lives entirely indoors in my house. She is out quite a lot, and actually only uses flying to get to places she wants to go that she can't walk or "hop" to easily. Every great once in a while, she does just flap her wings, but not that often. Certainly, the type of pigeon she is may have something to do with that, but as far as I can tell, she seems to be a pretty happy pigeon. 

I think that like most animals (and people) pigeons tend to be very different individually. While there are great rules of thumb that are helpful for most things (housing, diet, etc.) I am guessing that most pigeons will have their own preferences for others. I can also say that in Sophie's case, she has absolutely no difficulty in communicating to me what those preferences are--when she wants to come out of her house, when she wants to go back into her house, when she wants petting, etc. etc. So, I would say unless your bird is giving you the indication that he really wants to fly more, he is probably content being safe and loved by you.


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