# Are Glass Bowls Safe for Pigeons?



## Howard Nye (Oct 14, 2009)

Hi,

I have two pairs of non-releasable pigeons, who live in my apartment with me. I've primarily been using plastic bowls for their food and water, but am trying to change over to different bowls (1) because we need bowls that can be free-standing in the middle of the floor (the plastic bowls clip onto the bars of kennels, and aren't that sturdy out in the middle of the floor), and (2) because I've heard that plastic isn't the healthiest thing to be drinking out of. My cats (who incidentally live in a very different part of my apartment from the pigeons!) use glass and china bowls, and I thought that glass bowls would, unlike steel bowls, be capable of being washed in the dish washer without being degraded.

So my question is: is it safe for pigeons to use glass bowls? I only ask because I was thinking about the possibility of their pecking the glass and causing it to flake (in which case they could subsequently ingest flakes of glass!). Is this a possibility or am I just being paranoid?

Thanks so much,
Howard


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## meldrew (Jun 10, 2009)

Glass would be safe as long as it is not broken, the pigeons pecking at grain wouldn't be an issue in my view. You can get some plastic that is BPA free, however if you wanted to use the dishwasher glass sounds okay. There are some good crockery type dog bowls around that may suit?


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## Quazar (Jul 27, 2010)

unless your pigeons beaks are made out of diamond then youre just being paranoid lol 
One thing you may wish to consider is spillproof bowls. Pigeons just love to perch on the side of their bowls while they eat. Even heavier glass bowls as they get empty will tip when the bird decides to jump off or on.


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## spirit wings (Mar 29, 2008)

I would use glazed stoneware crocs...they are heavy so they can't tip them and are easy to clean.


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## Dima (Jan 15, 2011)

The only worry about the glass bowl should be that you don't put it on a shelf since it could fall and brake.


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## nancybird (Jan 30, 2011)

I use stoneware crocs and like them alot.


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