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...

Keeping a pigeon in a cage in a small bedroom would be incredibly cruel. You need to stop pussyfooting around and explain to your son why this isn't an option.

You clearly don't have space for a decent sized aviary in your garden so unless you're willing to move, you have to tell your son no, Aspergers or not.

Pigeons absolutely aren't rats with wings. They're perfectly clean birds. However keeping on in a cage wouldn't be good for it. They need space to fly and other pigeons. I would advise finding a local pigeon racer and asking if your DS can go and help on weekend, or go with them on a release. Pigeons need experienced handlers

My DS also wants one.....I told him if he can catch one he can keep it :)

Foolish! I used to bring pigeons home in my hands all the time!

I think the word you need is "No"

Get him to free the birds in the garden. Get him to read up on birds and what they need in the wild.

You can’t keep pigeons in a bedroom. They’d hate it and be sad.

Feed the birds, not free them!!

My dh is a respiratory physician and he says that the most upsetting thing that he does is tell people that their lung disease is due to their pet. We are locked in an ongoing battle about the possibility of getting gerbils (we do have rabbits outside) but I know that there is absolutely no way that he would let the kids have a bird in their bedroom. I honestly think that he would leave me first.
It's just too risky from a respiratory point of view.