# Metal Rabbit Cage ok for Temporary Housing



## LostNFound (Jul 29, 2010)

Hello Pigeon fanciers. I am a bird fancier myself-I have a conure, and a cockatiel that came to us as a stray 5 yrs ago-we were never able to locate the owner. Anyway-We have a beautiful white and brown stray pigeon that has been hanging around our house since yesterday. Not at all afraid of humans but we spooked her yesterday when I tried to catch her. She looks well fed-bright eyed, and healthy and clean on visual inspection.

We have left out food and water, and she is back this morning. If I am able to secure this bird-would a wire rabbit cage be ok for temporary housing? I am asking because I know with other breeds-if the gaps between the metal bars are too wide there is a risk they can put their heads through and get caught.

I am willing to find/purchase something more suitable to contain her while we look for her owner-but I need to catch her first, and don't want to spend funds unnecessarily.


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## Reti (Jul 20, 2003)

The rabbit cage should be fine. Actually I house all my pigeons in rabbit cages and never had an incident.
Hope you can catch this little guy. 

Reti


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## LostNFound (Jul 29, 2010)

Thanks Reti-

I hope we can catch her (him?) too. This is the third stray bird to find me in last 5 years. 1 we were able to reunite with its owner-1 we still have-and this third one....well it remains to be seen.... (But it obviously knows where the good seed and fresh pans of water can be found...)


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## Birdmom4ever (Jan 14, 2003)

One word of caution if you manage to catch her: place the rabbit cage in the garage or the house, especially overnight. It's otherwise fine as a temporary pigeon cage but it's not predator safe. Anything with openings bigger than 1/2" square is risky. Most rabbit cages I've seen had 1" square or 1" x 1/2" square openings in the wire and that's big enough to allow a raccoon or hawk to grab the pigeon through the wire.


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## LostNFound (Jul 29, 2010)

Thanks Bird mom-that was my intent. Though I dont have alot of room in my house, and I do have to watch my pet birds health-dont want any cross transmission of disease from a stray. But I will find a spot for this little wanderer if I can catch her. She was back this evening-sitting on my roof right around the time the outdoor birds start roosting for the night. I have water and seed in dishes sitting on top of the rabbit cage-hoping to lure her closer-maybe get her into the cage itself. She let me get within 6 feet of her mid morning when she was eating seed I had put out on the grass....but if I got any closer she started moving away. I may have to towel her-maybe a bath towel will be big enough. But if I fail again I'm afraid i will spook her away for good. I tried leaving the shed open, but that didn't help. 

I've been eyeballing used coops on Craigs list-maybe If I can find something relatively cheap I can lure her in that way. I'm hoping she will come back in the morning-she was on my roof this morning @ 6AM, and came down to eat the seed and some bread I had tossed on a lower roof.

She looks so healthy-her plumage is beautiful. Whoever had this bird took good care of it-no band on her leg so even if I catch her it may be hard to find her owner.

Poor little thing-even my neighbors are watching for her now.


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## Birdmom4ever (Jan 14, 2003)

Best of luck catching her--she sounds like a beauty. My current involvement in pigeons began with a lost roller we caught in the street in front of our house ten years ago. Now we have 97 of them!


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## LostNFound (Jul 29, 2010)

97??!!

LOL. I think my husband would move out!


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## LostNFound (Jul 29, 2010)

Quick question. If I catch this bird and can't find the owner-Can they be kept inside in a roomy cage rather than an outdoor coop?


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## Reti (Jul 20, 2003)

He can be kept indoors, no problem. But he will need tine out of the cage daily for at least an hour or more if possible.

Reti


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## spirit wings (Mar 29, 2008)

diret sun is important though esp in the winter months..being cooped up in a house or apartment all the time is not as healthy. I would be ideal if he got some sunlight.

quote: Provide daily access to unfiltered sunlight and/or full-spectrum lighting. Birds need exposure to UVA and UVB rays from direct sunlight or full-spectrum lighting to synthesize vitamin D necessary for bone health. Window glass blocks necessary UV rays. 
If you can provide an outside enclosure that would be optimal for the bird - not only as part of an enriched environment but also to enjoy fresh outside air and unbroken sunrays. 
If you can't provide an outside area for your pet, here are some "lighting options " that will provide the same health benefits to your bird as natural sunlight would.


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

spirit wings said:


> diret sun is important though esp in the winter months..being cooped up in a house or apartment all the time is not as healthy. I would be ideal if he got some sunlight.
> 
> quote: Provide daily access to unfiltered sunlight and/or full-spectrum lighting. Birds need exposure to UVA and UVB rays from direct sunlight or full-spectrum lighting to synthesize vitamin D necessary for bone health. Window glass blocks necessary UV rays.
> If you can provide an outside enclosure that would be optimal for the bird - not only as part of an enriched environment but also to enjoy fresh outside air and unbroken sunrays.
> If you can't provide an outside area for your pet, here are some "lighting options " that will provide the same health benefits to your bird as natural sunlight would.




Good point. I use the bird lights for Scooter, my house pij.


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## Birdmom4ever (Jan 14, 2003)

LostNFound said:


> 97??!!
> 
> LOL. I think my husband would move out!


LOL, they are all outside and he built me a beautiful pigeon loft plus we have a large aviary. And a new aviary just for our doves. My husband loves birds too or we wouldn't have so many. 

Pigeons can be kept indoors as cage birds but IMO it's better to keep them outside. They have powder down feathers that create a lot of dust and they make a mess. But many of our PT members do keep them as house pets. 

-Cathy


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