# Keeping Pigeon inside - Dangerous?



## Emypony (Jan 12, 2017)

(I hope it's the right place to post)
I began reading on the internet about the issues that may arise from keeping a pigeon indoors, but I wanted to ask anyway, just to be sure? It's a wild pigeon but it seems healthy enough, aside from sneezing a few times a day. (could probably be somewhat of a cold, I'm not sure, it was really cold when I got him.) other than that, I don't think it has any other diseases but I got paranoid anyway.

I keep it in my room since my parents don't like it anywhere else in the house, but I do keep him in a box at night and otherwise he sits at the windowsill or on the table (with a lot of papers around) next to me. 

Are there any major health risks I should be concerned about? Do you think 1-2 months of keeping him in my room would be a threat to my health? (I plan to release him afterwards).

I try to clean whatever mess he does just about everyday but he does stay close to me whenever I'm on the computer, leaving small feather dust everywhere. I read a bit on risks online and some say 'do not keep birds in your bedroom' but would one be such a big problem? ((I really cannot keep him anywhere else))

Thanks in advance for the replies ^^


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## baileybird (Nov 6, 2017)

To my knowledge, it’s fine. I know a lot of people that keep their pigeons in their rooms, and a couple that hardly use their cage and are pretty much allowed free roam of the room/rest of the house. That being said, pigeons are fairly dusty. If you have severe allergies or problems with dust, I wouldn’t suggest keeping them in your room 24/7. You could potentially also develop allergies, but none of my friends have had it happen to them. 

I think if you’re not having any reaction to being around the bird and you clean up after them, vacuum any feather/fluff balls, and offer a lukewarm bath every once in a while, you should be fine.


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## Silverwings (Oct 27, 2017)

If you keep the pigeon, you might not be able to let it go. 

Good luck!


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## cwebster (Dec 11, 2010)

Agree that if you keep the pigeon he will need to be a pet and not let go. He willbe dependent on and socialized to you. 
Only danger from pigeons indoors is if you have hypersensitivity pneumonitis, a lung disease triggered by pigeon dust. I have it so can never keep any bird indoors again. I never go near birds without a respiratory mask. I change clothing and shower if i am exposed to pigeons even with the mask. A simple blood test will diagnose this. Some people who have pigeons over long periods of time seem to develop a susceptibility. My symptoms started after i worked in a moldy trailer. I found out my bad breathing was due to molds, wet grasses, and pigeon proteins.


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## YaSin11 (Jul 23, 2009)

Hi,

Wanted to add a different perspective : is it healthy for the pigeon..?...

No problems keeping the pigeon indoors IMHO, but please make sure the pigeon gets ample sunlight, calcium, grit etc.

Opening the windows occasionally to let in fresh air would be helpful.

As others have mentioned; keeping the pigeon all the time with you/in room will definitely build a very strong dependency on you. Might make it hard for it to integrate with local feral flocks later on;something to think about.

Good Luck.


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## Emypony (Jan 12, 2017)

Haha, sorry that I forgot about this thread! I'll update you guys onto what's been going on with my pigeon, but also replying to the (long overdue) messages.


baileybird said:


> To my knowledge, it’s fine. I know a lot of people that keep their pigeons in their rooms, and a couple that hardly use their cage and are pretty much allowed free roam of the room/rest of the house. That being said, pigeons are fairly dusty. If you have severe allergies or problems with dust, I wouldn’t suggest keeping them in your room 24/7. You could potentially also develop allergies, but none of my friends have had it happen to them.
> 
> I think if you’re not having any reaction to being around the bird and you clean up after them, vacuum any feather/fluff balls, and offer a lukewarm bath every once in a while, you should be fine.


No allergies here! I try to vacuum pretty often and I give him baths whenever he feels like it. Can't force him xD



Silverwings said:


> If you keep the pigeon, you might not be able to let it go.
> 
> Good luck!


I certainly get a bit worried if I don't see him for the night but he always comes back for food and water.



cwebster said:


> Agree that if you keep the pigeon he will need to be a pet and not let go. He willbe dependent on and socialized to you.
> Only danger from pigeons indoors is if you have hypersensitivity pneumonitis, a lung disease triggered by pigeon dust. I have it so can never keep any bird indoors again. I never go near birds without a respiratory mask. I change clothing and shower if i am exposed to pigeons even with the mask. A simple blood test will diagnose this. Some people who have pigeons over long periods of time seem to develop a susceptibility. My symptoms started after i worked in a moldy trailer. I found out my bad breathing was due to molds, wet grasses, and pigeon proteins.


I guess I can understand. I let him go outside as I can't keep watch on him when at school and he seems to have fun flying around with the other pigeons (although they don't want to stay with him that much). I still feed him fresh seeds and water everyday and taking care of him. I moved my desk a couple of weeks ago and I had a spot of mold right behind it so bad that it was black (but it wasn't black mold). Hopefully I didn't catch anything as it has been there for...years ^^''''



YaSin11 said:


> Hi,
> 
> Wanted to add a different perspective : is it healthy for the pigeon..?...
> 
> ...


I've been researching on what food I actually have to give him other than just seeds (somehow I read somewhere pigeons can't digest fruits and vegetables so I've been reluctant to try anything?? geez where did I even find that <_<). (I'm a bit shy to ask my parents for money to buy him the right things to munch on (grit and calcium, etc). I've recently started giving him rice and some walnuts, plus just added ACV into the water today so I'm hoping to see some improvements, since I'm a bit worried about his green poop that I've noticed today.) As I've wrote above I've been letting him fly around the apartment complex I live in because it's not that big and he enjoys sitting on top of the blocks. I haven't given him any shots because I couldn't take him to an avian vet but I've ordered a flightsuit so I hope that when I get that I can attach a leash and get him to one without the fear of him flying away. I have no cage for him to transport him to one but I definitely don't want him to catch anything from the other pigeons outside. My neighbor also has pigeons so I assume they're healthy, and there's another small flock that seems to be hanging around. They look pretty healthy too so I doubt they have anything but I'm not sure if they belong to someone. Anyway I should probably make another post on what he could potentially have (because I'm pretty worried ^^'')

Currently I've kept him inside since it's pouring outside and I don't want him to catch a pigeon cold or something xD..


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

Grit and calcium are important for the bird, and they do like cut up dark greens which are good for them. 
A lone pigeon flying outside is not safe. Hawks will eventually grab him.


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## Emypony (Jan 12, 2017)

Jay3 said:


> Grit and calcium are important for the bird, and they do like cut up dark greens which are good for them.
> A lone pigeon flying outside is not safe. Hawks will eventually grab him.


I will admit I have not searched this up yet but I will after posting this. I live in a small town next to the Danube. The only prevalent birds here are doves, pigeons, crows and seagulls. I've seen one or two hawks way out outside the city in the past 5 years. I only knew of the hawk problem for people who live at the countryside and such. He doesn't fly up too high into the sky (as I've seen some other pigeons around here do) so I'm not sure of the possibility of being spotted by a hawk. 

I apologize if most of my assumptions are incorrect. I've never had a pigeon before so I'm not sure what I should always be on the lookout for. I'll see about acquiring grit and calcium for him in small quantities. Is there any way to have him open up to eating more fruits and vegetables? He seems scared of them (and me, for the matter).


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## Emypony (Jan 12, 2017)

Emypony said:


> I will admit I have not searched this up yet but I will after posting this. I live in a small town next to the Danube. The only prevalent birds here are doves, pigeons, crows and seagulls. I've seen one or two hawks way out outside the city in the past 5 years. I only knew of the hawk problem for people who live at the countryside and such. He doesn't fly up too high into the sky (as I've seen some other pigeons around here do) so I'm not sure of the possibility of being spotted by a hawk.
> 
> I apologize if most of my assumptions are incorrect. I've never had a pigeon before so I'm not sure what I should always be on the lookout for. I'll see about acquiring grit and calcium for him in small quantities. Is there any way to have him open up to eating more fruits and vegetables? He seems scared of them (and me, for the matter).


I went ahead and did a bit of searching. There's no hawks in the area and the ones that are, well, they're an endangered species being only in the natural park that we have, ways away from the city. 

I've noticed my pigeon seems to be hanging out a bit more with the others, which is good, I think.


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

They aren't really fruit eaters, but the dark leafy veggies are good for them and they do eat that. You are mistaken. Hawks are everywhere. Anywhere there are pigeons and other birds they eat, they will be there. He doesn't have to fly up high to be noticed by a hawk. They will often grab them on rooftops or songbirds on feeders. You are going to do what you want to do anyway, but if something happens...............remember that you have been prewarned. If he doesn't come home one day, know that he may well have been lunch.


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## Emypony (Jan 12, 2017)

Jay3 said:


> They aren't really fruit eaters, but the dark leafy veggies are good for them and they do eat that. You are mistaken. Hawks are everywhere. Anywhere there are pigeons and other birds they eat, they will be there. He doesn't have to fly up high to be noticed by a hawk. They will often grab them on rooftops or songbirds on feeders. You are going to do what you want to do anyway, but if something happens...............remember that you have been prewarned. If he doesn't come home one day, know that he may well have been lunch.


I'll see what veggies he's willing to try.

I'll keep the warning in mind but there's not much that I can do, since I don't want to keep him inside all day either. I'll take care of him as long as he's here.

Well, in other news, I got him a ring. I think it suits him ^^'


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## cwebster (Dec 11, 2010)

Beautiful bird. Hope you decide to keep him.


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## Emypony (Jan 12, 2017)

cwebster said:


> Beautiful bird. Hope you decide to keep him.


Thank you! And I don't think I could get rid of him even if I wanted to xD. Besides I've raised and took care of him for a reason, and that isn't to give him away.


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