How to dry a wet Pigeon

I ran to the deck to rescue Simon when a sudden downpour occurred. I found him taking a bath instead. But, not being a duck, he soaks up water and gets so saturated and heavy he can't walk without falling over.
He was shivering and freezing.
1st - a bath with soap and warm water.
2nd -  paper towels to get 90% of the water removed (better than a real towel).

3rd - I hold him for 45 minutes while using a hair dryer. He's always very cooperative.

4th - Nice and dry and brilliant white and fluffy. 

Simon gets so much petting by people and children, and they don't always have clean hands... so he gets dirty eventually.  He takes baths by himself, but somehow never manages to get totally clean (no soap). So, 2 or 3 times a year I give him a real bath.

They think they are telling the truth based on facts

It always amazes me when people think their version of the truth is the only possible truth (after extensive research? from reliable? sources finding the "real" truth? truth that THEY are already predisposed to agree with).
... Even worse when they think they MUST explain it to you because you "just don't understand" and you need to be educated by them. Grrrrrr.
... In their defense though, they're not really lying, ... they really believe in their facts whether their facts are true or not.

HE KNOWS... How does he know?

HE KNOWS... When Simon Pigeon thinks he's coming with to ride in the car, he often waits by the door. When he knows he's NOT coming with, he goes and sits in a corner somewhere. HOW does he know the difference ?

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Amazing software that can translate animal sounds into English words. What are they saying?

I was experimenting with Voice Recognition software trying to "train" it to my voice when all of a sudden it started wildly typing text on my screen that I had not said. Confused, until I realized it was picking up and translating the voice of my 8 yr old Modena Pigeon, Simon, who was in the room with me cooing with vigor .

This is what it actually typed
"and move and moo moo moo move the Moon and moo move and move move moo in and move and move move the move the move and move move move and moo move moon if in to move moon to moo moo
move the the move and move the Moon and the move and the the Moon and the Moon and the Moon and the Moon and move moo moo and move in and…" etc. - - - .
Now if I could just get him to express his thoughts a little more clearly…

How do you allow Pigeons in the house?

How do you allow Pigeons in the house?

Velcro and 2.5 live in the outside aviary, free to fly outside, but they (and Tuna cat) come in/out of the house thru a special insert I made for $7 for the patio door.

They usually fly to the Family Room hutch (Rubber mat on top)... or into the living room then on top of the Doves Aviary (Screen roof over Aviary, sand floor like a litter box). see link= https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=10151485803695295

Sometimes they fly down the hall 3rd door on the right to my office and spend the day with me. There I have special Perches with a rubber mat (see pic), on top of a file cabinet where they like to sleep, and a special perch with tray, over the computer keyboard where they often take naps. They are never in the house unattended. 

Simon Pigeon can, but rarely flies. That's why HE is able to mostly live in the house but occasionally he wants to go outside. He has a special area in the family room where he hangs out. Simon and Tuna cat sleep on my chest while I watch the TV news.
He usually spends the day with me in my office sleeping on my shoulder or the back of my desk chair, or...I've learned to type with one hand because he insists on being held and cuddled a lot.

When inside, they spend almost all the time in designated areas that are easy to maintain. They are odor free (unlike chicken poop).  Not too much different than cats or dogs in the house (except for feathers instead of fur to clean up).


Often they sit in front of the door, sometimes peck on the glass (Can't reach the doorbell).

2.5 just likes to come inside and take a nap.

Velcro loves to sit in my office with me. 

They like this spot in the family room because that's where the action is... and they can watch TV too. (Rubber mat on top)

I provide treats for them on top of the Doves aviary (screen top).  The Dove aviary has an easy to clean sand floor.

They like to stay up high so I place these on top of the tall file cabinets. (Rubber mat, easy to clean).

Simon loves to lay in the sun.

They both love to be hugged and cuddled. 

After looking out the patio door at the snow, Simon turned around and sat in front of the fireplace. (smart).

Simon, warming his toes after being outside in the snow.

Simon likes to watch TV with us.

When I'm outside... Simon wishes he could be outside too.

Henry loves Simon, and Simon loves the attention.

Simon the navigator.  He LOVES to ride in the car. 

HOW TO get a large tube into a small hole (Learned the hard way).
Many/most modern small gas devices use a fuel line pressed into a hole in the gas tank. These tend to last only a few years, get brittle then leak at the point of contact.
It's usually impossible to push the proper size tube into the hole, it must be pulled thru the hole.
1) Cut the tube at a 60-70 degree angle.
2) Drill a small hole on the backside of the cut.
3) Insert a small wire into the hole.
4) Fold the wire so it will not come out of the hole. The wire will guide the tip of the tube thru the hole opening.
5) Push the wire thru the gas tank hole from the outside, grab the wire thru the tank filler hole.
6 ) Pull wire, the tube will easily go thru the hole and into the tank.
7) Pull the tube far enough so you can remove the wire.
8) Pull the tube back into the tank until it's about 1/8" above the surface of the tank.
9) Connect other end of tube to carburetor.
10) Done.

 

Know what this is?

Stuff my sweet little Dove cleaned off my desk. She's mischievous and gets bored.