Keepsakes Loft

Housekeeping Post incoming!

Hello, pigeon friends! Here is information about our tagging methods, and some relevant links. This post will be updated and modified whenever possible/needed. (Last updated 11/23/2022)

Presently we have Tumblr, and a website, and an Instagram, as well as a Linktree where links to everything can be found in one place.

When I tag our birds on Tumblr, it’s usually by their name, and (if they were bred by our loft) I also include their parents (example: Duke x Duchess; Phas x Barrow, Gryphon x Kitiara, Chimera x Bedwyr, Fenix x Maple, Tim x Meadow, etc.). I also try to label birds that are available with the “Available” tag.

Our wait list application is here!

Our askbox is open, and we are happy to answer any questions you might have about our birds, or about pigeons as pets.

If you would like to do more reading about pigeons as pets, the Companion Pigeon Club (CPC) care document can be viewed here: CPC Care Document.

We are located in southern Ontario. We are able to arrange socially distanced pickups (please bring your own carrier, or let us know in advance if you cannot). Unfortunately we are unable to ship birds cross-country during the winter. We are able to ship during the spring, summer, and early autumn, and have babies all over the country who have safely arrived in their new homes! Please reach out if you’d like to inquire for a quote about shipping by air or ground.

Thanks for reading! Happy scrolling,

Slice of life loft pics 💕

The Chinese Owls have cleared quarantine! Meet Ophelia (grizzle), Atticus (almond), and Sawyer (qualmond).

Day 1 - 27 of Teddy 🧸

At this point, Teddy doesn’t want to stay still for photos and wants to fly! This kid is such a cuddlebug, too! Such a lovely disposition.

Day 1 to day 27 for Tinsel. ✨

This kiddo is so cute. They have a knack for getting themself in trouble 😅 they’ve just started flying (badly), and keep ending up in the wrong nest box.

Happy New Year from us at Keepsakes Loft! ✨🪩🎉🎊🍾

May your year be full of any necessary change, healing, and much rest.

Hello!

I’m grateful to hear that your friend has tried to contact the breeder first - though it’s sad to hear that they haven’t received a response.

Pigeons can make excellent pets! Patience and positive reinforcement are the name of the game when it comes to making friends with a new pidge. One of our friends described bonding with a pigeon as “a little like getting a new room mate/friend”. You might not be immediately be cuddling on the couch, but sharing meals together, watching movies/TV/hanging out, etc are great ways to establish a baseline of trust.

Pigeons tend to be very protective of their “nest” space, so we encourage most interactions to happen outside of their cage (if they have one).

Doing things that other pigeons would do together also helps foster the understanding that “this is my weird new flightless flockmate” - so eating together, chilling in a quiet space, etc can help establish that.

Figuring out which seeds your buddy’s pidge thinks are best can also help - many like safflower seed, hemp seeds, roasted unsalted chipped peanuts, and mung beans to name a few options! When we are trying to socialize with a new bird to our flock, we use a specifically coloured dish (ours is orange), that we establish gets “the good stuff”, and slowly over the course of a month or more work on increasing our proximity to the dish.

Establishing “treats in here” is step 1. Step 2 is just being in the room while they eat from the high value treat dish. When they seem chill about it, you can move to step 3, which is to be closer to the dish. This one can take time! But when they are able to be in arm’s reach, step 4 is trying to hold the dish and let them eat from it.

This can be slow going, because we are big scary predators, and they are tiny prey animals, but with consistency, snacks, and patience, it’s possible! Everything is on the bird’s terms - so if they get too spooked at any step, you can walk it back to a previous stage and try again later.

Some birds will be more inclined to interact than others, so it’s important to remember that not all birds will be snuggly potatoes - and it can sometimes take time!

We also recommend checking out the CPC (Companion Pigeon Club) care document - it’s the most comprehensive guide we have found to keeping pigeons as pets. (Insert link here)

Aspen! This baby isn’t yet out of the woods, but he’s feeling so much better. We haven’t posted much about this little booger because he’s been so sick for so long - he had a foreign body (probably a hemp seed) in his sinuses, which caused an infection and abscess that he’s had two surgeries for. He may need a third, but we hope not!

We joke that he’s the most expensive bird in the loft from all of his vet bills, but this kiddo was worth it. Absolutely hilarious personality, and a will to live that would not quit.

Some highlights from Typhoon’s first month of life! It’s amazing how quickly they grow. 🐣✨

They hatched on November 2, and we tried to take a picture every day at the same time to catch their stages of growth. Their parents did such a good job raising them!

Duke and Duchess. ✨👑

Mother and son. 🟠🖤🟠