Pigeons vs Ringneck Doves as Indoor Pets

[CCUK]

Its nothing like cigarette smoke. Its just dander like any animal has.

You are being reckless in recommending that someone keeps a pigeon inside. You do know the risk of pigeon fancier lung. It isn't the same as any other animal dander. Pigeons have a higher concentration of proteins in their droppings and dander, that is what causes it. How clean you keep your loft, enclosure, whatever has nothing to do with it. It is in the atmosphere.

 

[Serin]

You are being reckless in recommending that someone keeps a pigeon inside. You do know the risk of pigeon fancier lung. It isn't the same as any other animal dander. Pigeons have a higher concentration of proteins in their droppings and dander, that is what causes it. How clean you keep your loft, enclosure, whatever has nothing to do with it. It is in the atmosphere.

You are being closed minded discouraging one of the best adapted indoor pets of any species available by fear mongering a rare disease caused by poor husbandry.

 

[Serin]

Hi everybody. So I really want some indoor pet birds (and parrots are out of the question). Ideally, I would like them to be snuggly and loving,
not standoffish. Would pigeons or ringneck doves fit this more? I also would want to have them in a mated pair, so would this effect their affection levels? Personal experiences and anecdotes totally encouraged!

If you have a facebook i reccomend this group. You can see the anecdotes from 945 people, none of who have been made sick by their pets.

https://m.facebook.com/groups/330055274207891/?ref=group_header&view=group

A house bird or two and a cage cleaned daily is not equivalent to a stuffy loft with five or ten or twenty birds cleaned weekly or less. If you're very concerned put a hepa filter in the room. I keep one in the bedroom.

 

[CCUK]

You are being closed minded discouraging one of the best adapted indoor pets of any species available by fear mongering a rare disease caused by poor husbandry.

You cannot deny the FACT that pigeon lung is a real condition caused from the keeping of pigeons. Keeping them inside WILL increase this risk. I'm not scaremongering just telling the truth. Check the facts
https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/medicine-and-dentistry/pigeon-breeder-lung

 

[Serin]

You cannot deny the FACT that pigeon lung is a real condition caused from the keeping of pigeons. Keeping them inside WILL increase this risk. I'm not scaremongering just telling the truth. Check the facts
https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/medicine-and-dentistry/pigeon-breeder-lung

Dried aerisolized bird droppings in general are mentioned alongside water leaks, mushroom spores, and hay fungus. This article does implicate the dander of parrots and budgerigars though but are you also against them? Any species of bird indoors in great enough concentration without sufficient cleaning can contribute over the longterm but it is not a concern unless you keep them in filthy conditions and let the dust and droppings become air borne.

 

[CCUK]

Dried aerisolized bird droppings in general are mentioned alongside water leaks, mushroom spores, and hay fungus. This article does implicate the dander of parrots and budgerigars though but are you also against them? Any species of bird indoors in great enough concentration without sufficient cleaning can contribute over the longterm but it is not a concern unless you keep them in filthy conditions and let the dust and droppings become air borne.

Your love for your birds is admirable. And your knowledge is great but you know the risks even if you won't accept it. If you are happy with the risk to yourself then fine but don't play it down to someone who may not be in possession of all the facts.

 

[emulhall]

If you have a facebook i reccomend this group. You can see the anecdotes from 945 people, none of who have been made sick by their pets.

https://m.facebook.com/groups/330055274207891/?ref=group_header&view=group

A house bird or two and a cage cleaned daily is not equivalent to a stuffy loft with five or ten or twenty birds cleaned weekly or less. If you're very concerned put a hepa filter in the room. I keep one in the bedroom.

Awesome! Thank you!

 

[Serin]

Your love for your birds is admirable. And your knowledge is great but you know the risks even if you won't accept it. If you are happy with the risk to yourself then fine but don't play it down to someone who may not be in possession of all the facts.

I researched this for three years before I bought one.

I talked to pigeon breeders, owners of birds who have had individual birds inside for as long as 19 years, and a pulmonary doctor who had only seen one case, and it was someone who did not own any birds.

I read through all the articles, even talked to someone who developed the disease themselves (someone who raised around 500 budgies in a closed backyard outroom for the show fancy.)

I also have met some people who keep more pigeons than i think is reasonable indoors in very dirty conditions for years and they did not have symptoms either. Those who do likely have an underlying predisposition.

I determined that it is a very, very small risk to keep a pet pigeon inside - but yes, it is one theoretically. So is getting struck by lightning. It is also risky to keep budgies inside by the same token. Unless one is highly allergic to the specific protein, which they would know almost immediately, they are unlikely to have any issues. Keep an air filter on, dust around the cage, spray the cage papers before cleaning to keep dust from getting in the air, don't use loose bedding, pick up dropping immediately, vacuum daily and let the bird bathe at least twice a week to limit their dander.

They are still the most rewarding pet bird I have worked with and I will recommend them over any other bird in their size class, with the disclaimer that they do make a mess proportional to their size. It is less, though, than larger birds conventionally considered pets like cockatoos which produce enough dust to coat the walls of their cages in just a couple of days. That is not good to breathe in either.

 

[ChocolateMouse]

? I'm a little confused as to why diseases have more than a passing mention here without answers to the question really, since it's not what the OP asked about.
Cat scratch fever is real too but people still keep and love their cats. Severe salmonella from turtles is deeply common. Plenty of arthropods and reptiles have semi-venomous bites or stings, etc. but still make fine pets if you like them. Some can kill you but are still loved.

It's been mentioned. Duty done. All animals have risks so...? It happens sometimes? Mind your health if you own a bird?

OP, I agree with Serin that doves are a little... Bland. But VERY easy to handle. I think pigeons are more interesting but maybe not as easy to handle. Doves can be pretty cuddly. They're all pretty closely related so it's hard to go very wrong either way. Doves are maybe a little more delicate with regards to their environment than pigeons.

 

[Serin]

I had a ringneck dove before I got my pigeon, I raised him from a chick without caging him, and so I think he was a little more social and was exposed to a wider variety of things in youth so he seemed to be a bit smarter than the average dove. He would come when called for a food reward and learned to navigate the house with no trouble, but I've heard other people say their doves are so dumb as to get stuck in corners! He let you pick him up and liked his wings petted but he spent most of his time doing his own thing and just sort of acted indifferent to people. He was fun. But he wasn't very clever. He was only slightly less messy.

I recommend a pigeon over a dove, but would suggest certain breeds over others. Most people end up with ferals or homers, and these can be loving if you get them young but are more aloof and nervous as a rule than fancy breeds bred for show. I have a German owl and her temperament is ideal, she tamed in a few days and is highly affectionate and so smart it's scary. She is part of the family, not just a pet like my dove was.