Ds wants a pigeon?

[Albatross454]

Hi. I've only used mumsnet about three times so if I'm on the wrong forum, please could somebody direct me to the right place? :)
anyway...
My ds (twelve years old, he also has aspergers) has recently got into pigeons. He looks up pigeon facts on his phone and he likes to talk about them. A couple of days ago he asked if he can have one as a pet?? Of course I told him that I don't want to get diseases, where will he keep it etc but..
He said that he'll keep it in his (very small) bedroom in a large cage, clean it everyday, keep window open and be 'a responsible pet owner'
Now if this was any other animal or bird I'd probably say yes... but a pigeon? Indoors, too? Is this even possible? Do people really keep these as pets?

I had a look into it and found that they're supposed to be quite messy, but still nice. I'm honestly fine with that but this is a pigeon. Surely it must have diseases, rabies etc? My son is also a chronic mouth breather (Nothing that bad, he doesn't have asthma or allergies, It's just his nose is always clogged up due to some problem, he's getting surgery for it in september) so i'm wondering if the poo will get to his chest? I honesty have no idea. If anybody has advice, please tell me! I honestly don't know what to tell him...

Oh, and I forgot to mention! We also have a quite boisterous west highland terrier, thought she never goes into ds's room.

I have heard of racing pigeons kept as pets outside in large aviaries, but never as a pet in the home. I personally dont think birds should be kept in cages, they should be able to fly so a large aviary outside would be the minimum for me. In regards to diseases if it was a captive bred pigeon it shouldnt have any problems like that.

Pigeons are social creatures - it would be cruel to keep one alone, you'd need at least a pair.

There is some good guidance here - www.roysfarm.com/keep-pigeons-as-pets/

They shouldn't be kept in a bedroom ; they'd need an aviary built in the garden. Keeping a pigeon in a small space like a bedroom is asking for respiratory problems, for both your son and the birds.

Pigeons don't carry rabies as it only affects mammals (we don't have rabies in the UK anyway). They can spread other diseases such as salmonella, but this would be lower risk in birds purchased from a responsible pigeon keeper with limited contact with wild birds.

No rats with wings.
Outside in a shed if they’re homing pigeons but in a cage in the bedroom.
You’re allowed to say no.

@Chuffingchuff I agree about the keeping it outside part! The problem is is that we have such a small garden and we already have a guinea pig taking up the space that we have. DS doesn't like to leave his bedroom so he never talks to it, he doesn't like going outside, either. About the captive bred diseases, do you think i'd be able to vaccinate it just in case?

@awkwardpaws27

I was thinking about the keeping a pair part! I told ds that I wouldn't be able to keep it in his bedroom, he just keeps saying that he'll keep the doors and window open, and that he 'has a good immune system' (???)
I didn't know about the salmonella part

I can’t believe you’re even considering this. You can’t seriously be thinking of this have not one but two pigeons in a cage in the bedroom?

@Lllot5

I know, I know! It's stupid. He's literally begging for a bloody pigeon and I don't want to break his heart. With his asperger's he doesn't take no's lightly so i'm trying to think of what to do. I was wondering maybe after surgery? He does also have space to put a large cage in if we replaced the desk, but I don't know.

If the window is always open, then the pigeons are presumably never let out of a cage? You really can't do that. They need a suitable enclosure, if you don't have space maybe there is another way your son can get involved like joining a pigeon fanciers / racing club, rather than keeping his own?
You also shouldn't keep guinea pigs alone either, they need a friend.

Madness. The dog will get hold of it anyway.

@Awkwardpaws27 The guinea pig is seven years old and his friend died last year.

Is this real?

You want to get two pigeons in a cage, in a bedroom?

They should be in a large aviary and able to fly around!

Is there a pigeon fanciers club nearby that he could join?

Also worth reading up on birds and asthma - www.occupationalasthma.com/occupational_asthma_pageview.aspx?id=78

Sorry OP, I know you want your DS to be happy but it'll be worse of you get the pigeon and then have to re-home it because it's making him ill...

The guinea pig is elderly - if you aren't planning to get any more, maybe building an aviary would be an option in a year or so when you no longer have a guinea pig? Alternatively, is there any possibility of your son considering another bird - chickens for example can be great pets.

I hope you find something that works for your family.

Oh god, think of the stench!
You cannot keep pigeons in a bedroom. It’s cruel to them and unhealthy for everyone.
By all means encourage your son’s research and maybe accompany him to a local fancy pigeon club?
As he learns more about them he’ll come to understand it would be cruel to keep them inside. Having a hobby he can pursue outside the home can be a real boon.

@Awkwardpaws27 I forgot to reply about the club idea that you mentioned. I think that's a brilliant idea but I talked to him before and he said he doesn't want to race them and he wants it as a pet.

Who have I raised?

@Hiltsclemfandango

I'm not the one wanting a pigeon, it's my son. Like I said before, I think they should be outside but I barely have a garden. He said he'd let them out to fly around the room which sounds like a stupid idea but I still don't know what to tell him.

@MrsMoastyToasty There are a lot of clubs nearby but he doesn't want to join them.

@Awkwardpaws27 Thank you for the advice and support!

I used to have a pigeon in my bedroom. In theory it lived outside in a pigeon shed. In practise it would come through my window and roost on my desk whenever I left the window open. I was not impressed.

My grandad used to show pigeons. This one was kicked out of the nest so he hand reared it. It slept in a box in the hall at first but quickly made itself at home in my room. It shit everywhere and ate my make-up. I despised it. It was still visiting my room for years after I moved out.

A compromise might be a very young pigeon DS could hand-tame in his room and then let it live outside. Pigeons are homing animals. It will come home to roost when the window is open.

@Frequency

what about cats and hawks etc?

My dd went through a real phase of being obsessed by pigeons.

I googled local pigeon fanciers and they were the most lovely people. They let dd visit, we were invited to their events and, fortunatly, she soon grew out of it.

Talk to your local club, they may well allow him to help out and some kind members there will allow him to visit and help out.

I would contact someone that specialises in bird rescue and rehab and see what they say. They are best placed to advise and may even have a special needs pigeon that needs a more sedate pace of life. I know of a lovely lady that could provide could advice as she has some rescues that have had to live as pets for their own welfare. I'll PM you

I don't remember my grandad every having an issue with cats catching his birds and they had two of their own. His pigeon shed was cat proof with only a small (lockable) opening right at the top. There was nothing for the cats to grip or jump off to get up there. I don't recall losing any pigeons to hawks either but we live in a built-up, northern town. We get a few chicken hawks but they're a rare sight.

When he 'retired' from pigeon showing he kept just his favourite birds in a large, converted rabbit hutch which hung off the garden fence on brackets so they were up out of the way of cats/foxes.

Op we have an accidental pet pigeon. Its a long story but we rescued him 3 years ago and expected him to leave when he was stronger. He never has.

He's a clapper according to dh, probably from a local allotment. He lives outside in a small Guinea pig cage, but is let out every morning to fly where he wants, he willingly goes back to bed when we call him in.

He's very tame and friendly and tries to get in the house on a daily basis. I would love to have a pigeon friend for him, but we definitely don't want another, and he does hang out with a pair of wood pigeons in the day.

He's a messy bugger, lots of poo and he also chucks his feed everywhere. It wouldn't be fair or practical to keep one caged in the house. They also live a long time, about 8 years according to dh so it's a big commitment.

Have a walk around your local allotment and see if you can see anyone with a loft, many pigeon fanciers are happy to talk a out their birds.

The photo is our Kez, keeping an eye on me while I work. He's a funny little thing and I am quite fond of him but definitely wouldn't want him asleep in my room.

Honestly? Keeping birds in cages is weird and evil and wrong. Don’t do it.

Diamond doves in a very large cage.

@squee123 That sounds lovely!!