Pigeons are friendly birds that will make anyone who feeds them feel comfortable. The diet of a pigeon normally contains seeds, nuts, fruits, vegetables, and even dried fruits. Some owners of pigeons might even convert them to a diet focused on pellets. It’s not a tough job to feed pigeons, it’s pretty simple to find out what they should or might not want. Pigeons are not very fussy eaters and eat just about anything including human food. They are mainly herbivores, but they might even eat worms or insects when needed.
It is always a soothing task to feed your pets. As a dedicated pet owner, it is part of everyday life to do your research to figure out what best fits the needs of your pet to make sure they live a healthy fulfilling life.
Pigeons are a common sight if you live in the city. There are many types of pigeons, and blue-black, ash-red, brown, and sometimes just plain white, but are usually available in three colors. All of them are domestic, which makes it possible to keep them indoors and outdoors as pets.
Although there are several misconceptions about this bird that may make some individuals differ from keeping them as animals, bird lovers and owners understand that pigeons are harmless and easygoing animals that just need to meet their basic daily needs to thrive.
They are affectionate birds that like cats and dogs, can live with other pet animals that you might have in your home. They are not loud or disruptive and require no special attention that would have an impact on your daily life.
As a pet owner, one of the primary concerns anyone would have is whether or not you are doing the best you can when taking care of your pets and the diet they require. It is a rewarding experience to provide for your pets and see them happy and thriving.
It’s always important to know if the food you feed them will give them sustenance and enable them to have a fulfilling life.
While seeds or grains can commonly be eaten by all birds, each bird has different dietary preferences that need to be considered. If you are a dedicated bird keeper, you may want to investigate whether or not some diets might work for your birds.
Can Pigeons Eat Meat?
When keeping a pigeon as a pet, it is pretty common to share whatever you are having with your pet. And since, pigeons are not very fussy about what they eat, you might want to offer them everything that you can give.
Scraps of your fried chicken or meat that you might be throwing away might come into your head and you might even consider feeding it to your pet pigeon, but is it safe? It must be considered that pigeons mainly thrive on a herbivorous diet. A diet based on seeds, grains, or pellets is what any professional bird owner would recommend.
While walking around your city, you might have seen birds pick on anything that they can find- which would even include chicken! That might make you think that maybe pigeons can eat meat as well but that is not the case.
Raw meat or any kind of meat is not okay for your pigeon. They might eat it, but should they?
No!
Rural pigeons are particular about what they eat, focusing mainly on seeds and grains. While pigeons in a city will eat anything and everything to get the energy they need. If they pick on something and it is edible, they will eat it. And sometimes this might be a piece of chicken someone dropped.
This might not be good for them but city birds are not looking to maintain a certain diet.
However, when you are keeping a pet pigeon, you must make sure they have the best diet, and, in that case, eating meat should be off the table.
Is Meat Harmful For Your Pigeon?
Yes, raw meat can be harmful to your pigeon. Any kind of meat will be harmful in the long run. Your pigeon’s digestive system is not equipped to deal with things like meat. They are mainly herbivores, even if they eat insects, and so, their digestive system is not used to breaking down meat. Feeding them meat will only aggravate their digestive system and cause health issues that might shorten their lifespan.
Pigeons will eat meat if offered, they might even feed on each other if it comes down to surviving! But just because a bird might do some things for survival, it does not mean it is okay for them to do so.
While it may come to mind that meat provides protein that could be good for your pet, it should be known that pigeons do not require a lot of protein. Too much of it can cause them to lose their flexibility.
As their caretaker, you need to make sure they do not feed on anything that might cause their health to deteriorate.
Protein In A Pigeon’s Diet
Pigeons do not require a lot of protein in their diet. They only need protein when they are either breeding or after flying.
Protein builds muscles. This means, if your pigeon eats too much protein, it might lose its flexibility.
Pigeon food mixes have a moderate amount of all nutrients that your pet pigeon might need and you do not need to add any more unless recommended.
Protein is recommended to be added to baby pigeon’s diet as it will help in developing their feathers.
Are There Any Specific Foods For Pigeons?
Pigeons are not picky about what they eat. They are mainly content munching on grains, fruits, vegetables, seeds, but while they are largely considered herbivores, some might say they are not herbivores because insects or worms may even be eaten. Seeds in particular are a pigeon favorite- specifically sunflower seeds! Human foods that have nutritional value are also not off-limits, but it is recommended that they not be fed human food too often. As the diet of a pigeon is not very restrictive, it is not much of a hassle to feed them. But to optimize the health of your bird, it is important to keep a well-balanced diet rich in nutrients that your bird needs.
A pellet-based diet is always recommended for birds as this is the healthiest option for them.
Doing your research is important in figuring out how to give them the best diet. There are a lot of birds mixes available, specifically tailored to your bird’s needs. You might want to consult the pet store you got your bird from as it is easier to feed them the diet they are used to. If you should choose to change it, do it gradually so they can adjust accordingly.
Adding a bunch of colorful fruits can be a treat for your pet pigeon and will keep them excited for feeding time. Your pet pigeon is your friend and you should make sure they not only survive on their diet but also thrive.
Is Human Food Okay For Your Pigeon?
Since pigeons are social birds, they enjoy sharing mealtime with their human caretakers, which may lead you to share some of your food with your pet, and yes, pigeons can and will eat human food, but we may enjoy certain foods, but for these delicate creatures, it can be toxic.
These foods could affect their system, certain things such as caffeine, chocolate, and salt can be dangerous, causing serious harm ranging from dehydration to even worse things, such as death. Although you are encouraged to add fruits and vegetables to the diet of your pet bird, it is important to know that they are certain things that are not okay for their diets like apple seeds, fruit pits, avocados, garlic, and onions.
Conclusion
Taking care of pigeons takes dedication and commitment. Doing your research is important to know if you might be doing anything wrong. Feeding your pigeons is not a hard task, adding little treats to it is always a good idea. It is important to remember that while some food might be okay for humans to consume, it may not be the same for your pet pigeon. Even if they might not be picky about eating it, you want to make sure that it does not cause any potential health risks.
Just because your pigeon might eat anything, it is not okay for them to digest all foods. This can severely damage the digestive system in the longer run. If you want your pigeon to live a long healthy life, it is necessary to be aware of what you put into their diet.
Should any concerns arise, ask your local veterinarian for advice and consult them on any health issues that you might be worried about. Your birds rely on you to live a healthy fulfilling life and you must provide them an environment in which they can thrive.