Non-releasable

[nkkritters]

Hi, I am new here. I am a wildlife rehabilitator who has a pigeon that apparently was shot at. It's wing is broken( I had it X-rayed). The vet does not feel it will ever fly well enough to be released. It is eating well and presently is in a large outdoor cage with a perch, food, water and a box shelter at the end of the cage. We have severe winters here and I do not want to winter him outside. A friend owns a feed store and offered to keep him there, in a cage. Will this " wild " bird be too stressed out or could he adapt? Also, wouldn't he be happier with birds of his own kind?? I hear they can be very affectionate. This lovely bird coos at me and I want what is best. Thanks for your help. Nancy

[Lin Hansen]

Hi nkkrittrs,

I think life is almost always preferable to death. If the bird is non releasable, he can either be kept in a cage or aviary or be put to death. I see you are in NY state. I am in NJ. The ferals make it through the winter here, so I am sure ferals make it through by you as well. I think the thing is you can not shock them...they have to get used to the weather gradually and they need some shelter from the wind. I would think you can continue to keep the bird in your large outdoor cage as long as he has some shelter from the elements. Your friend w/ the feed store would probably be okay too as long as the cage is big enough for the bird to stretch his wings...we have several members who keep pigeons as indoor pets...and I am sure they will be along shortly to offer advice.
Thank you for caring. I think you have two great options to offer this bird a happy life.

Linda

[Sweetie]

Pigeons are born to fly and always will flap their wings to try to fly and get excercise. They enjoy this. The are very loving and devoted creatures. More so than a dog and dogs are known to be very devoted. =Sweetie]Hi,
Nkkrittrs:

I also have a pigeon, her name is Sweetie. I try to keep Sweetie in a natural setting but I don't have a cage, I have her in a box. PetCo told me that with the weather being a cold as it is her box would keep her from the elements like, snow, wind, and a blizzard.

I live in Michigan and winters are rough here also. More so because of the lakes we have up here. We have at least 4 Great Lakes around here. Let me see if I can get them all right now. There is Lake Michigan, Lake Superior, Lake Erie, and Lake Ontario.
These are the four lakes that surround Michigan.

Today it is suppose to be 38 degrees outside and in the evening drop down to 23 degrees. It is recently now 29 degrees. But on Sunday it is supposed to be 25 degress during the day and drop down to 5 degrees in the evening. Then on Monday it is suppose to only get up to 18 degrees and drop down to 14 degrees.

So far Sweetie is taking the cold weather fine. I just have to give her water when I check on her. Her water tends to freeze. She is handling it very well for her first winter. She will be five months old around December 25. She is healthy so far, and not sick.

By the way Sweetie is also a bird that is ureleaseable at this time. She has a splay leg she reinjured and didn't heal right. I am going to see if possibly the leg can be surgically repaired. I do want her to be able to fly sometime and have better lift offs and take offs.

Have a nice day,

Victoria Lutes, Sweetie, and family[/quote]

[Karen 210773]

Hi, I have good few pigeons that can't fly, I have adapted my avairy and have ramps going all the way around, so they can still get to the top where they feel safe, also have false tree in there too for them to feel sheltered, they all are happy and all I can do is give them the best life I can, the ones I release alway's come back even wood pigeons which is unheard of, so I must be doing something right If a pigeon doesn't have the will to live you will know. Good luck and hope you find the perfect home for him, shame I don't live closer. XX

[cyro51]

Karen is correct about doing something right, because theoretically wood pigeons get so stressed in captivity that a lot of rehabbers euthanase them if they are unlikely to be releasable within 6 weeks. So if a wood pigeon seeks to return to its aviary after release it must have found its captivity pleasurable and reassuring!

Cynthia