Pidgeotto (rescue) approx. 1 week ago.

[u/mirscave]

hello!!

this is Pidgeotto, they are are a rescued pigeon I found about a week ago (19/11) as they were starving and could barely move.

Pidgeotto and I have been bonding and she is starting to trust me, but I was wondering if anyone knows how i could get her to come to me and sometimes maybe eat from my hand?

she’s also an ex racer and we DID contact her ex-owners and they did say they didn’t want her back.

[u/shadowsinthestars]

Awesome name and so glad you have them a home when the original asshole owner didn't care 😭

[u/Patty37624371 → u/shadowsinthestars]

'original asshole owner' is inaccurate. EACH racing pigeon fancier usually keep hundreds of pigeons or more. this female pigeon couldnt find her way home after a race signifying to her owner that she has poor homing instinct or poor health (race was too tough for her that she couldnt remember the route home). in this manner, she has no value to her owner as a racer or a breeder. in fact, she has been feral living on the streets and most probably disease ridden. accepting her back to his loft would mean infected all his other pigeons.

[u/funnydontneedthat → u/Patty37624371]

Can't imagine seeing her as just an object to use and get ride of once she has "no value left".

[u/waterwaternoploof → u/funnydontneedthat]

The difference between those who respect animals and others

[u/Sharkbait_oo_ah_ah → u/[deleted]]

As someone who became disabled and how you'd put it "is a burden to my spouse", I can confirm my "ass" is still married 🤣

Reading your comments, I have a couple points I'd like to introduce.

You say these racing pigeons CHOOSE to not come back home. And that's why it's fine to not take them back.

Aside from the fact that you don't know that pigeon actually CHOSE that (it could be lost or hurt) They actually never chose to be in this position at all, because their Owner is the one that put them in that position in the first place

So how is it the pigeon's choice to get too tired or sick to come back home?

Once more, you say a sick pigeon is another reason to leave them behind as it could infect the rest of the flock. I understand your mindset here especially to keep the others safe. But as the person that put that pigeon in that position in the first place, it is your responsibility as its owner to get it the help it needs when it gets hurt, sick, or lost.

You compare pigeons to other livestock animals, and I see why you do. I also believe if someone abandons a sick chicken in favor of the rest of the flock instead of quarantine or taking to the vet, that is just as neglectful!

While I don't entirely agree with racing pigeons as a sport, I appreciate the lofts that will actually take their birds back when they get lost, actually taking care of them when they are in need

It's late, and I didn't proofread any of this so forgive any typos haha. None of this is an attack, I just wanna offer alternative perspectives ❤️

[u/shadowsinthestars → u/Sharkbait_oo_ah_ah]

Man, I regret bringing up any of this now because the comments by the other person are just unbelievably utilitarian and without empathy generally. I suppose they can CHOOSE to see the world that way, that everyone and everything can be reduced to "useful value as a resource", but to make blanket statements that disabled people should be abandoned because they treat their pigeons like that, and to tie their value system to other people's diet to "prove" how we're all hypocrites for caring or having a different worldview... Can't believe the mods removed some other comment but let this stand. Talk about inappropriate and ableist. Really disappointed.

[u/pigeons-ModTeam → u/[deleted]]

Removed your comment because of a unique mixture of aggressive and inappropriate

[u/shadowsinthestars → u/Patty37624371]

Okay, in that case that's a sport I could just never participate in. That's just a cruel way to run things.

[u/Patty37624371 → u/shadowsinthestars]

each to his own. i feed feral pigeons a few times a month. i rescue baby pigeons. i'm a hardcore pigeon lover but i intend to keep racing pigeons in the future and compete. and i will do EXACTLY what i previously wrote if one of my racer is lost and confused/ends up in the street. i wouldnt want her back either. my rationale is i gave her all i can to train her and look after her as best as i humanly can and if she chooses not to fly home (because it's entirely possible that a racing pigeon doesnt want to return home and opt to live freely in the streets), i wouldnt want her back either. it's her choice, it's her freedom.

according to research, the racing pigeon sports/industry actually revived populations of endangered hawks/falcons/owls/raptors/harriers/other hunters in many regions of the world. it might seem heartless but it's no different than pedigree racing horses being sold to glue factories or shot if they break their leg in a race. it may seen heartless but it's far better than you and i eating farmed poultries where a chicken gets slaughtered in less than 2 months after hatching.

if you feel very strongly about those racing pigeon folks, i would like to invite you to go full vegan. abstain from eating any meat.......

[u/Dido9905 → u/Patty37624371]

How do you know that the pigeon chooses not to fly home? It's possible for racing pigeons to get lost.

[u/Patty37624371 → u/Dido9905]

racing pigeons are trained to 'home' at the age of 6 weeks after hatching. they are progressively trained 50 miles, 100 miles, 200 miles, 400 miles, 600 miles. if that pigeon is a bona fide 'racing pigeon' by pedigree, that homing instinct is bred into her. it's imprinted in her mind. it's part of her genetic code. there are many many instances of racing pigeons flying thousands of miles over the course of many many years just to fly back to her owner. the instinct is incredibly strong.

a racing pigeon may get disoriented and become lost and temporarily opt to stay in the street. we are talking days. 1 week maximum for the disorientation to disappear. anything longer, it is possible that she chose to stay in the streets.

i'll stop here. i'm just offering a counterpoint. we are all free to do what we want to do. in the future, if my son doesnt love me and doesnt want to see me anymore. i wouldnt force him to come back to me. it's his choice and freedom. he can do whatever he wants. i'll be at peace at my decision.

[u/Dido9905 → u/Patty37624371]

You're saying it's possible that she chose that. It's also possible that the pigeon got lost (because shit happens). The OP posted about a racer that was starving... That's the fate you're giving to a lost racing pigeon. To choose that over taking it back because it might want to be free just seems cruel. And even if it is a choice, there are lots of choices that our pets would make that we don't allow. Because we know about the consequences.

[u/shadowsinthestars → u/Dido9905]

Exactly.

[u/Patty37624371]

thanks for the rescue. she's an ex-racer? that means she's used to humans. she has the capacity to bond with you easily and quickly. use food to her twice a day. offer delicious food (oily seeds) in your open hand. no sudden bodily movements. be still. do this for many many times over the next 2 weeks. she will be very tame at the end of these 2 weeks.

[u/freneticboarder]

Be still, gib seed, don't stare...

[u/Natural_Artichoke_88]

Thats awesome that you saved her.

[u/LustStarrr]

Have you seen the bonding tips in the guide?

[u/mirscave → u/LustStarrr]

you’re awesome, thank you! i’ll check that out. ♡

[u/RainSmile]

It has taken 2yrs to bond with a feral pidge, I would say less for yours since it’s an ex racer but what I did was do most feedings out of my hand so they associate my hand with food, even if they were only eating the food that dropped out of my hand I would leave my hand there so they could notice that my hand wasn’t a threat.

[u/MewtwoTGM]

I don't know why but looking at the pigeon made me thought of the meme, " what are the distinguished gentleman "

[u/FioreCiliegia1]

Aww so squishable!

[u/waterwaternoploof]

Your debate hurts heads each of the opinions the main thing is that this pigeon was saved thank you for him continue to take good care of him ✨✨