Do pigeons make good pets?
Although pigeons have been living with people for centuries and have often been used to carry messages, few people realise what wonderful pets they make. Pigeons are intelligent, gentle and loyal.
Keeping pigeons, as with any animal, can be a little costly in the beginning to make sure that their living environment is optimal for them. If you plan to keep them outside, you will need a good aviary. It will have to be rodent and predator safe, and offer roosting places, nesting boxes, food and water. The aviary must be sturdy and have a sheltered area that will stay shady on hot days and dry when it rains.
You will have to get used to the idea that these birds need to have fresh water and food daily. They also need a quick poop-scoop every day and a once a week thorough aviary clean out. This will help the birds stay in good physical condition.
Pigeons are terribly loyal to their families and will mate for life. They are easy to tame and can be befriended without too much effort. Pigeons are highly emotional and need to have a friend to spend the day with. They can befriend other species like dogs and cats, so long as they are kept safe. Even a person as a BFF will do if that person is around all day to keep them company.
They can even be kept as indoor pets. Their cage will have to be rather large, a double-flight cage is a good sized cage for a pair. Pigeons are sociable and shouldn’t be kept alone. If you keep them indoors you will have to let them out to do a bit of daily exercise. They will fly around the house or apartment, and with a bit of training can be taught to go back into their cage when time is up.
If you’re worried about the potential mess, there are little poop catching harnesses, called Pigeon Pants, on the market that can be worn by the birds to catch anything that might otherwise end up on the furniture. Of course as with the outdoor cage, the indoor one will also need regular cleaning. Alternatively, you could place liners around the place to make sure that droppings are easy to get rid of. Another great point about pigeons is that they can be potty trained.