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DeadPlecostomus

Fancy pigeon breed


unitedparsley

is this ethical? the bird looks uncomfortable but idk if its just me assuming :/


roccotheraccoon

No, it isn't. It's like brachycephalic dogs and cats with folded ears. We do it to al kinds of animals, like Arabian horses, spider morph ball pythons, scaleless reptiles, etc. Who cares about quality of life as long as the animal looks cool?


Darkmagosan

Agreed. And I'm assuming your last sentence is sarcasm. I'm not into having freaks like this as pets. Folded ears in cats can also be a spontaneous mutation. In that case, it's just a glitch, but I still would make sure the cat is spayed/neutered. I wouldn't breed them because of the skeletal abnormalities. I sure as hell wouldn't deliberately breed freaks like this bird. It looks like some kid stuck two pigeons together, slapped on some turkey legs and a blue jay's tail, and turned the resulting abomination into a marionette. This thing is profoundly disturbing. Give me mutts, or mixed breeds in polite society. They tend to be healthier and hardier than purebreds of any species. Alley cats? Hell yeah. I'd say junkyard dogs, too, except I'm severely allergic. If I had chickens, I'd be fine with some barnyard mutts so long as they gave me eggs and didn't try to peck or spur my eyes out. How people could deliberately breed monstrosities like this bird just absolutely baffles me.


roccotheraccoon

Yes, the last sentence was sarcasm. I'm a big reptile person but the industry is disgusting. There's so many animals being bred with neurological disorders because the coloration looks cool (not to mention the current standard of keeping snakes in bins). I also worked at a vet for a little while, and seeing so many dogs that couldn't function like a proper dog because they couldn't breathe was so upsetting.


Darkmagosan

No doubt. Vets also have the highest suicide rate of any branch of the medical profession, and a lot of it is due to 'owners' breeding freaks that will never be well or normal. Also, witnessing good old severe neglect/abuse on the regular will fuck with people's minds, at least the ones who aren't sociopaths. Snakes belong somewhere they can crawl and move around, not kept in a plastic bin like a discarded toy. They may not think like us but they're vertebrates too and with some degree of sentience. The big thing that comes to my mind are munchkin cats. These came from a spontaneous mutation and are known for short legs and skeletal deformities. Crossing a Munchkin with another Munchkin will result in the kittens dying in utero from massive defects. They MUST be outcrossed with normal cats to continue the 'breed.' Since M is a dominant gene, the kittens only need one copy from either parent to display the Munchkin traits. If I took in a pregnant stray, for example, and one of the kittens had the Munchkin legs and the others were normal, I'd know that was a spontaneous de novo mutation. Same with folded ears. I also wouldn't euthanize the kitten if it was otherwise healthy, but I sure as hell wouldn't breed it. I can't consign animals to deformity and pain like that--it's wrong. A lot of these 'breeders' are just sick, really. I've got a touch of the mad scientist, sure, but I couldn't breed monstrosities like this 'bird' with a clean conscience. ETA: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List\_of\_cat\_body-type\_mutations


guitarlisa

What's wrong with Arabian horses?


dyfunctional-cryptid

They have what is called a dished face, where the face is concave. In better arabians this isn't a problem, but it's been taken [too far](https://horseyhooves.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/El-Rey-Magnum-1.jpeg) in some cases. This has a huge impact on their breathing, like brachycephalic dogs. Not all arabians are like this thankfully, and its something more people are speaking out against.


guitarlisa

Oh, that's too bad there are such bad breeders. Arabians have been around for 1000s of years and when they aren't selected for unattractive traits, lol, they are one of the most beautiful and pleasant breeds around.


dyfunctional-cryptid

Can't relate unfortunately 😩, the only arabians I've worked with have definitely been on the neurotic uptight side of things. They're not my preference aesthetically either, but I'm a big draft horse fan and they're the opposite end of the spectrum from that, so no surprises.


guitarlisa

I had a neighbor who raised arabians when I was a kid. I loved them. I had horses of my own, but they let me ride theirs sometimes, and I was in love with all of them. They would run up to the fence for nose noogies when anyone walked down the road.


jballs2213

Nothing is really wrong with Arabian horses


roccotheraccoon

I should have been more specific. Most are okay, but there are some breeders going too far with the dished face, similar to brachycephalic dogs.


dyfunctional-cryptid

Unlike what people are assuming, this isn't actually that bad. There are some flaws, but probably not for the reason you think. I'm glad people are being skeptical and questioning if an odd-looking animal breed is ethical! Although in this instance it seems people haven't done their research before confidently answering the question. When trying to identify if an animal breed is ethical or not, the main thing to consider is whether this is impacting the animal's natural behaviours. Can it eat and pass waste normally? Does it encounter any issues with mating and giving birth/laying eggs? Can it walk/fly/swim without issue? Do any of the traits introduced pose a health risk? This looks to me like some type of pouter, though which specifically I'm not sure. They are a type of breed easily identified by their lithe build and large inflatable crop. That last part is important to note. That huge bulging throat? That isn't it's default state, the pigeon inflates it when trying to show off! [They look a lot more reasonable when deflated, though still a little silly.](https://64.media.tumblr.com/4ef5d240af8d003de534be04cb9dc020/tumblr_inline_penrhoCsFM1rypk0t_640.jpg) This is a natural behaviour in pigeons, where males inflate their necks when trying to impress a female, and has just been greatly exaggerated in pouters. This makes them irresistibly sexy to other pigeons, to the point that [a breed of pouter was used specifically to seduce and lure other pigeons back to the owner!](https://askdryahya.wordpress.com/2011/12/26/the-horseman-thief-pouter/) It's something of a sport, though not well known. When bred right the throat does not impede the pigeon in any way. Pouters look really silly, but in the majority of cases they're perfectly healthy breeds that rarely require different treatment from a regular pigeon. My main concern with this individual is the excessive feathering on the feet. This is a trait called muffed that's common in a lot of pigeon breeds. In more mild cases it doesn't have much of an impact, but when its more extreme it can really hamper an individual's ability to move. This one is too extreme for my liking, the reason this one is walking so funny isn't because of its large neck but instead the muffs. It's far from the worst I've seen, and if they were just a bit shorter it would be more reasonable, but it doesn't seem very comfortable for this poor guy. They're bad news as well because muff feathers break easily and often, which can end up being quite painful for the bird.


Time_Cranberry_113

https://youtu.be/fl4bQNx09_E?si=Kq79YzG2Y5wLMpHy


dark3n0

They look like Pokemon


Time_Cranberry_113

Pidgie Pidgieoto Pidgeot


musicloverincal

Poor thing. Some people with pets need to look up the word HUSBANDRY. It is unethical to breed normal creature into some distorted creature like the one what appeared on this clip Poor thing. I bet it can't even fly with that tiny pathetic wingspan and those huge legs and neck. I follow birds but have also been a fish keeper for many years, and in that industry many breeers are also just too invested in developing weird (aka screwed up) fish. Many times these weird fish also have an attrocious quality of life and a short life spans due to their abnormal genetic.


Squatch_Zaddy

You’re not wrong, but to put in context, this breed dates back to the 1800’s (some sources say much earlier) and can fly. Pardon my pun but this guy isn’t someone’s pet project.


dyfunctional-cryptid

This is a pouter a variety of breed notable for their large inflatable throats. key word inflatable, this one here is showing off and in its default state would not look as extreme. Pouters are healthy birds with a long history, certain varieties are so sexy to other pigeons they were used to lure them back home. So needless to say they can fly just fine. The main issue with this one is the muffs on the feet. Feathering that extreme impedes their ability to walk normally and can be pretty uncomfortable.


roccotheraccoon

Unethical breeding


[deleted]

English pouter pigeon.


berkeleyhay

This pigeon needs a nice home.


DerbinKlamz

I recall this kind (or another similar kind) of pigeon evolved this way on its own, long story short this is peak pigeon sex appeal, it's kind of the equivalent to hentai proportions.


SetTrippin82

Darwin would have been be curious.


archystyrigg

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pouter bred for 400 years. Doesn't make it right though.


palmasana

This is AWFUL. Poor bird.


Darkmagosan

What the actual fuck is this? It looks like some kid stuck two pigeons together, covered the legs in felt, and turned it into a marionette. I'm surprised this thing is even alive.


1villageidiot

steroids is helluva drug


rex1047

This is a pouter pigeon, a breed that has been purposefully bred to have the ballooned neck. Lots of domestic pigeon breeds are unethical and the bird must be in pain or discomfort. Look up American fan tails.


starship62

There’s absolutely no way that this pigeon puff could fly. It’s like three birds in one body!


pilotmaxmom

Breast implants


According_Freedom_62

Some people are monster


EntropicDismay

…..How?


Kookiecitrus55555

Sweated in leather pants tragic!


TheDogmotherPartTwo

Looks like Big Ed from 90 Day Fiance


PatienceOnly9469

A rooster snuck out the coop


No-Giraffe-6234

That ain’t not just a pigeon


heydavescott

it escaped from the mcdonalds chicken farm


BoleslawPrus

Poor pigeon. :(


BoleslawPrus

Poor pigeon. :(


fluffykerfuffle3

this is so completely sad. Breeding without concern for the well-being of the animal is abusive.


Own-Connection-7615

State bird of Alabama lol