[Hiriki]

Closed (No longer searching!)

Hello, I recently posted in the wrong subforum (whoops) and didn't get much of a response, so I'm going to try again here...

I'm looking for a pigeon as an indoor pet. Breed isn't a concern for me, but I'd like the pigeon to either be previously handfed or young enough for me to handfeed for a short period myself. I'm located in Galesburg, Illinois and my permanent address is in Warrenville, Illinois (I can have the pigeon sent to either location, so if you're nearby Galesburg or Warrenville, all the better!)

Please post here or PM me for my number if you have chicks now or will have them any time from now until this summer (I'm in no hurry). Also feel free to refer me to sellers you know of!

Thanks!

 

[ssyyb2]

Hello, I recently posted in the wrong subforum (whoops) and didn't get much of a response, so I'm going to try again here...

I'm looking for a pigeon as an indoor pet. Breed isn't a concern for me, but I'd like the pigeon to either be previously handfed or young enough for me to handfeed for a short period myself. I'm located in Galesburg, Illinois and my permanent address is in Warrenville, Illinois (I can have the pigeon sent to either location, so if you're nearby Galesburg or Warrenville, all the better!)

Please post here or PM me for my number if you have chicks now or will have them any time from now until this summer (I'm in no hurry). Also feel free to refer me to sellers you know of!

Thanks!

My uncle runs an electric company in Galesburg! I don't know if you would want a homer but that is what I raise

 

[Hiriki]

That depends on the colors you have, I think . But I'm definitely not ruling out homers! If you have young homers right now I would love to see them.

 

[Jay3]

First you said that you didn't mind what breed it was, but now you are saying that it depends on the color?

 

[Hiriki]

Mostly what I meant by breed isn't a concern is that I'm not looking for a specific breed... Since I'm just looking for a pet, I'm more concerned with getting a younger bird that I can socialize than I am with breed, but I'm also not a fan of how white homers look, so I'd rather not buy that specific color... I think that's really the only color/breed I don't want...

I was unclear and contradictory, sorry about that.

 

[Jay3]

Mostly what I meant by breed isn't a concern is that I'm not looking for a specific breed... Since I'm just looking for a pet, I'm more concerned with getting a younger bird that I can socialize than I am with breed, but I'm also not a fan of how white homers look, so I'd rather not buy that specific color... I think that's really the only color/breed I don't want...

I was unclear and contradictory, sorry about that.

Well that makes it easier. I'm not really a fan of an all white bird either, but I love the blacks.

 

[Hiriki]

Yeah, I like the black ones as well . I'm especially partial to blue bars and andalusians.

 

[Jay3]

Why is it you are interested in a pigeon for a pet? Would he be kept outside or inside? How much do you know about them? Do you know someone with pigeons?

 

[Hiriki]

I've never had a pigeon before, so I only know as much as I could find while researching pigeons as pets online. I'm a huge fan of birds though, I raised chickens with my family as a child and had a budgie as a pet, and now that I'm a young adult and raising my own pets, I want a bird... a pigeon is by far the most roommate-friendly choice (because of noise level) and I fell in love with them after doing a little research.

But it is true that I don't know much so I would not be offended if someone chose not to sell me a bird because of that.

 

[Jay3]

Well it's easy enough to learn about them. They can make good pets I think, but if kept in a cage all day, then they need a couple of hours out of cage time daily, for exercise and interaction. Also, they each do have their own personality. Some are friendlier and like to be held, and some as they grow up, even if hand fed, become more independent. Most pigeons when they grow up don't like be cuddled, unless they are the personality type that initiates it. They like to come to you, not being grabbed by you. They can be messy to clean up after on a daily basis. They like to throw their seed around, for their favorite ones. I think that taking a healthy pigeon and putting him in a cage is unfair to the bird personally. Their life, and what they are programmed for, is mating and raising young. They are happier with a mate I think. If you own a lone bird than they will normally start to view you as a mate, and want to be around you. If you don't have the time to spend with them daily, then they would be very lonely. There are people who come on here looking to place unreleasable birds, for one reason or another. I think taking one of those is better, as you are helping a bird that needs a home, but not taking the freedom to live normally as a bird away from a healthy one. Sometimes they are unreleasable simply because they have been hand reared and will not know how to live in the wild. Or maybe had a broken wing which didn't heal well, and they can fly a bit, but not well enough to live in the wild. I have a pigeon with a splayed leg who lives in the house with us. His name is Scooter. He can fly, and walk a little, but not well. He is out of the cage all evening and most of the day on weekends. Our little mascot. I love Scooter, and he spends a lot of time on a shelf just above my computer. Also have a shelf in the bathroom for him, so he can keep us company while getting ready for work. We have a little enclosure that we can bring him outside to where he can enjoy the fresh air and sunshine in the warm weather, where he can watch the songbirds and feral pigeons and the chipmunks come to feed.
But it is a commitment. You can't just throw a bird in a cage, as so many do, and leave him there when you get busy with other things. They're like little people and do not like to be ignored. Think of how lonely and boring that would be for him or her to be all alone all the time. It's a big commitment, and they can live anywhere up to around 20 years. So make sure that you can give the time and commitment and will still make that time for him/her down the road. And also think about adopting a bird that needs a home.

 

[Jay3]

There is a place in California who rescues pigeons and finds homes for them. You may want to check them out. I believe they do ship birds.

MickaCoo Rescues and Rehomes Domestic Pigeons & Doves

MickaCoo Pigeon & Dove Rescue

http://www.pigeonrescue.org/

 

[Hiriki]

Thank you! I sent some emails off to that rescue to see if it would be a better match. I looked into rescues initially... about a month ago I think? But that's the only one I found and I just assumed automatically that they wouldn't ship. That was before I found how common shipping pigeons is and I guess it was already out of my mind by the time I did find out . I'm glad you told me though, because I do generally prefer rescues when it comes to birds.

Actually, with that I'm more or less done with this thread... I'm going to pursue a rescue pigeon instead, thanks!

 

[Jay3]

Well good Luck! Let us know how it all goes. Hope you can find the perfect match.