Because I cannot walk out my back door
or down my back stairs
without stepping in pigeon poo.
(Mind you, we just had our back deck and stairs powerwashed a few months ago to clear away even larger piles of pigeon droppings. Those pigeons don't waste any time.)
The problem is our next-door neighbors. They love animals. Their house (let's call it "ramshackle" -- I think that's the kindest way to put it) is home to at least four dogs, an unknown number of cats, and assorted rodent life that might or might not be invited by the owners. And every day (often twice a day), they go out into the yard and scatter loaves of Wonder bread for the pigeons -- the poor, helpless pigeons who can't possibly fend for themselves. They take in sickly, injured, and deformed pigeons and nurse them back to health -- mostly by scattering bread for them. And then the huge flock of pigeons that feasts on bread in their yard takes shelter from the elements on our back stairwell. When winter sets in, it's just going to get worse.
I can understand loving animals. I, too, love animals. I was a vegetarian for several years (and wish I still could be) because of my love for animals. I'm much more likely to cry at a movie that features animals in danger or distress than humans in the same situations. I cannot watch those animal cop shows on The Animal Planet because they're far too distressing. I want every animal to be happy and loved and cared for.
But even I have some limits.
For example, pigeons. I think those rats with wings, those spreaders of disease and vermin and guano, can take care of themselves just fine. And if they can't, that's what we call Survival of the Fittest. Not only is an unnaturally high pigeon population bad for the ecology of our little neighborhood -- it's bad for the people! Pigeons are not clean! They spread more than sixty known illness-causing bacteria in their droppings!
As upset and horrified and grossed out as we are about this situation, we just don't know what to do about it. We've tried everything we can think of. We've confronted the neighbors on several occasions, to no avail. We've called the city many times -- they used to help us out and threaten the neighbors with expensive fines for feeding pigeons, but now the Bureau of Rodent Control doesn't even return our calls anymore, and those threats didn't do a bit of good.
What can we do?? Can anyone suggest pigeon-control methods? Or ways to deal with those crazy neighbors? I'm at my wits' end.
17 comments:
Is Alka Seltzer too mean for an animal lover?
How about trapping them? How to dispose of them humanely after you've (live) trapped them though?
We have a feral cat problem around our house. Not the same as rats with wings (funny, Ruggless calls them the same thing). But they knock our trash cans over daily and eat any scraps that might be in there. I went to get in my car this morning and the remnants of last nights chicken were all over the carport.
What exactly do you do with the Alka Seltzer?
You feed them the Alka Seltzer. They can't burp or fart, so the soothing bubbles do something to their innards. I've always heard it blows up their stomachs... but Ruggless says it causes tears or something. I'm afraid to look it up. It might give me nightmares.
I did some web research about the pigeons/Alka Seltzer business, and it looks like it's just an urban legend. Not that I was seriously considering trying it. Certainly not.
At the museum we fed them corn laced with LSD. The died, but at least the saw reality in all those pretty colors man.
Feral cats don't help with the pigeons. Pigeons are to smart for that.
Beleive me, I know from experience that feral cats can't catch pegions.
RB should call Community Cat Care. They trap the feral cats, vaccinate them, and spay or neuter them.
That way, at least the numbers start going the right direction.
Tell RB NOT TO FEED or GET FRIENDLY with those cats. She should read my blog for a lesson in what happens when you do that.
Mom-- I have too many cats already. Don't worry, they aren't even close to being friendly. My only concern is that some of them look sick.
We've tried to ix-nay the eating of the trash. We even bought new trash cans with locking lids. These cats are professional scavengers. They get the lids off and knock them over for a kitty party. We've even put big rocks on top of the locked lids.
I've but one question... who obtained the LSD for the pigeons and is that legal?
RB,
First off, the museum got the LSD through Orkin. The DDA has instituted a program of trapping the pigeons, having them flash frozen, and fed to raptors in zoos. I love animals, but I'm sick of walking through pigeon guano every time I go the the bank.
The LSD frightens the pigeons so that the ones who survive are afraid to come back. The museum then made sure there were no good nesting spots, and the little buggers never came back.
Seriously,RB, you should call Community Cat Care. They're listed in the white pages, and they can help with the feral cat problem. I know what a pain they are, and they're not good for the environment. It's no sin to deal with them.
Good luck, and hug all the boys for me.
I wish we could get some of that LSD corn. I'm willing to try nearly anything.
I guess call Orkin. And buy some rubber snakes.
Is there any way that you could move? (Totally kidding) I am so sorry for your predicament. What about covering the deck and stairs with some sort of an awning or screen? Perhaps now that you are on the board, you can get the hoa to pay.
Just think yourself lucky my friend that those "flying Rats" as you describe them existed in the wars, take a moment out and consider the work that MEN and our mutual friend the Pigeons as again'st persons as yourself, have no idea what effort was made to keep our freedom from dictators like hitler and the like, your flying rats, as you describe them, I can assure you gave their lives, and were honoured the equivalent of the Victoria Cross the same as some of our forefathers to keep our freedom. Long may Pigeons rule, and I make no apology for putting a small "h" in hitler, Regards Ray, Tiptoe Pigeons.
Hey, there, rayg--
Don't get me wrong--I think there's a place in the world for all creatures. I just don't think the place for pigeons is on my back stairs, pooing all over everything. Forgive me if I don't have charitable thoughts for them or the diseases they carry.
Here are some solutions, ranging from the artful to the depraved to the effective:
www.canceledflight.com
www.killthepigeons.com
http://www.airgunexpress.com/Gamo_Rifles-Pistols/gamohunter890airriflecombo115-48-7022.htm.
We had this problem a few years back, ended up taking small strips of carpeting and hammering nails through them upside down and placed under the awnings so the nails were sticking up. This way, the pigeon can't land on wherever the nails are. This is a little time consuming if you have a large area where the pigeons land, but it worked for my family.
When I moved out to the city I had the same problem in my small apartment where they'd roost on my balcony outside the window. I didn't have any carpet, so I stripped one portion of an extension cord, and wrapped it around a piece of cardboard with one end covered in aluminum foil. Then plugged the other end into a wall outlet. The bastards learned fast ;).
Anonymous, I like the way you think.
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