Bird Toys

Miss Willis · January 3, 2009

Hello. I think I'm not like everyone else here, I get the sense most of you have lofts w/ multi birds while I have one pigeon in the house in a cage as a pet. But I wanted to get your knowledgeable opinions.

I noticed when my bird is out playing, she's very nosy and busy. She likes to peck stuff, tug on fabrics and strings, and I have this dial game I play with my friend where you spin the dial and have to do what it says, well my bird sat there spinning the dial for about 45 minutes!

So I got the idea to get her some bird toys from the pet store. When I first put them in the cage she looked nervous, but after awhile she started tugging on the stringy thing I got her.

Do you think pigeons like to have objects to play with or do you think it was just annoying her so she was tugging on it?

wayne77 · January 3, 2009

My mum hasa pet wood pigeon this lives in coridoor of my racing loft. She has a mirror and bell and plays with them

Peckedhen · January 3, 2009

I think that its a good idea to give her toys. Pigeons are sociable and, as you have discovered, inquisitive creatures; in the absence of others to interact with her, the toys will interest her and may help to stop her becoming bored and lonely. You could try putting a mirror in with her.

Peckedhen · January 3, 2009

Great minds think alike Wayne77

mark croker · January 3, 2009

i have been playing with the idea for my young birds, might give it a go now, in the garden they play with the football and a small one could be good in the loft, all helps for the love of home

Miss Willis · January 4, 2009

Thanks everybody, I think you're right. She did play with her toys because a bunch of threads I gave her were lying around the cage. She's out right now, pecking and tugging on books. She doesn't like to be picked up but seems otherwise comfortable around here, she's sitting a few feet from the dog, they just ignore each other. I think they like toys.

Peckedhen · January 4, 2009

Just take care that she doesn't get the thread tangles around her toes - it can stop the blood supply and cause terrible problems.

DJ · January 4, 2009

how did the pigeon come to be your pet ? she or he looks like a tippler that visits me for food debbie

Miss Willis · February 7, 2009

Peckedhen, thanks for the advice about the threads. Several weeks ago I ended up buying some bird toys at the petstore, so I would be sure they were safe. I got her a bell, a tinkly dangly thing, and some hanging pull toys. She's really smart, she knows how to ring the bell when I sleep in too late. I gave her some of that nesting material to play with too, but she's already bored with it and ignores it.

Hi Debbie, she was found at one of the state wildlife management areas this fall wing clipped and unable to fly. I took her home because of her light color I was certain she would be hawk food. Her wing feathers have grown back and she's a great flyer now.

From what I gather, she's a gray grizzle tippler hen. Your bird must be very beautiful if it looks like my Willie!