# Housing in garage?



## Emmastaff (Sep 24, 2011)

Is housing my pigeon in the garage an option? I am in Michigan, so it does get cold. I already found a large ferret cage (wire) for him as I planned to keep him indoors. But thinking about the dust and everything, I am considering my other options. The garage is attached to our house, but not heated. Can he be kept in a wire cage in there, or does he need more of an enclosed cage such as a rabbit Hutch? I'm worried he'd get too cold in the garage. But he could have some freedom to fly around in there which would be nice for him. (with the garage door shut of course). How cold is too cold for a pigeon? I am still considering keeping him indoors so he is more a part of the family, but am looking for your thoughts. If he stays in the house, I was going to get him a pigeon diaper so he can get some flying time indoors.
Sorry for all the questions by the way. I did not expect to become a pigeon owner last week...


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

Your questions are fine. That's how you learn. If I were to keep a lone pigeon, it would not be in the garage. It would be indoors and part of the family. He wouldn't be very happy out in a garage all by himself. Why bother having him? Pigeons are not loners. They are flock birds. They need companionship.

Aside from that, if you garage your car in there, then the fumes from the gas and engine would not be good for him. If he were to be kept outside, then a small loft and aviary setup would be nice, and a mate for company. Caging a bird up all by himself isn't good. That would be like having a dog and tying it up to a dog house all the time with little interaction from the family. It's just mean. And a very pointless and lonely life.


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## John_D (Jan 24, 2002)

From a purely _functional_ viewpoint it could work, provided there was sufficient light, and heating was available if winter temperatures got extremely low where you are. However, I agree with Jay3 - pigeons are not naturally solitary birds and do need the stimulus and 'feel good factor' of companionship, even if they don't always act like they appreciate it 

Please forgive this somewhat long tale ...

We have a recovered PMV pigeon, 'Puffin', who had to be isolated for a couple of months a while back. It was a choice of keeping him in a cage in our 'pigeon hospital wing' where he would be alone or me bringing him back to my apartment. 

Anyway, he came home with me, spending the first 3 days in a big cage. His wings did not function at all, and apart from his neck twisting and other symptoms, he was pretty much immobile and apathetic. After that, I let him out for exercise and his response soon became very animated. He quickly became interested in 'killing' soft bird toys and trying to bite chunks out of my hand and attack my feet, even with his disability. 

Now, I liked to take a nap on my bed on a weekend afternoon, and Puffin could only stand around in the bedroom and peer upwards in curiosity. Then, one Sunday, I opened my eyes to see Puffin sprawling out on the bed alongside me,as if to say 'phew, that was tough, but I got there!'

(Now he's in the aviary, can fly a little but runs up the wire like a sprinter, and has a mate and nestbox. He still hates me  )

A long way round of saying that I believe the company and interaction was good for him - that, like the 'giant' or not, it gave him some interest, provided a stimulus of something to investigate (and beat the heck out of!) rather than just sit doing nothing all day.


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## Emmastaff (Sep 24, 2011)

John, thanks for sharing. Pigeons sure do sound like characters! I look forward to watching our pigeon's personality bloom. : )


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

We keep a handicapped pigeon in the house with us. She is kept in a cage 16"wide X 18" long and 20" high. She is caged while we are not home, and out most of the time we are home. She has shelves we've put up in different places, where she can perch and interact with us. And keeps her from landing on the furniture for the most part. LOL. And we can't leave the room without having her chase us from room to room. She loves her time out of the cage. And it gives her much needed exercise. It works great for all of us.


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

As you can see, she gets around, and they make great in house pets. She really likes the shelves in different places, and we don't have all that much problem of her going on the furniture all that much. When she's out, we just throw towels over the backs of chairs. Also, the more you interact with them, the more social they would normally be with you. Although they are all different, and some are just, by nature, friendlier than others. 

Her shelf behind my computer chair









Her shelf on the window sill









Her bathroom shelf


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## Emmastaff (Sep 24, 2011)

Jay, what a nice looking bird she is!  She seems quite comfortable with all of the accommodations you have made for her, lucky bird!


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

Just wanted to let you know that it does work inside with you. Give it some thought.


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## Emmastaff (Sep 24, 2011)

Yes, we've decided to try it.


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

That's great! I think you'll be glad you tried it. Let us know how it goes. And remember that there are no questions that come up, that you can't ask.


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## Charis (Feb 11, 2007)

Those are some great pictures of Scooter, Jay.


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

Charis said:


> Those are some great pictures of Scooter, Jay.


Thanks Charis. I think she likes her picture taken. She such a little ham, that one. We were blessed when we got her.


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## John_D (Jan 24, 2002)

Bathroom shelf should be vanity shelf - sneaking a look at herself in the mirror


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

John_D said:


> Bathroom shelf should be vanity shelf - sneaking a look at herself in the mirror


Ya know, you're right! LOL.


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## Nkloft (Jan 24, 2011)

When i first got my pigeons i bought about like 6 of them my shed wasnt done, so the only option i had was to buy a dog cage and place it in the garage, i had them in the garage from september till like april and they were fine nothing happened to them.


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

Bears135 said:


> When i first got my pigeons i bought about like 6 of them my shed wasnt done, so the only option i had was to buy a dog cage and place it in the garage, i had them in the garage from september till like april and they were fine nothing happened to them.



The difference here is that you had 6 of them. And it wasn't a single lone bird. Also, it was making do until you could finish the shed. It wasn't for the lifetime of a single lone bird. They want to make him a pet, not part of a flock. Think there is a difference there also. Birds need interaction to become and remain a pet.


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