Pigeons are living with us for centuries, and we also use them for different purposes. As in history, pigeons used to send messages, and still, pigeons known for it. However, many people keep them as pets and use them in different race competitions.
And the one who flies high and for a long time will be the winner. But with it, there are many perceptions about pigeons. And one of them is pigeons exploding with baking soda. So let’s look at this fact that do pigeons explode from eating baking soda is truth or myth.
That’s why if you have pigeons and want to know it or if you want to get rid of pigeons, then dive into this article. As in this article, I’m going to explain all such facts.
However, eating baking soda doesn’t make a pigeon explode. So exploding pigeons with baking soda is a myth and has no proof.
As baking soda is a commercial product and used for baking at high-temperature baking soda swell, myth came into existence. But in the end, it is just a myth, and pigeons and no other bird explode from eating baking soda.
Does Baking Soda Make Pigeons Explode?
Baking soda cannot make pigeons exploding. As baking soda is used for baking in which at high-temperature baking soda expand and produces gas.
In humans, we also consume baking soda when we have difficulty with stomach gas pass. As baking soda produces gas and helps to pass out gas throw the body easily.
But pigeons don’t have such a system to produce gas and pass it out from the body. However, the reason is that pigeons have a fast digestive system, and their food has less time to stay in the body to produce gas. Moreover, pigeons don’t have such gut flora, which can produce gas.
So, from all of this, the myth of exploding pigeons came, but there is no scientific proof about it. Moreover, the food has less time to stay in the pigeon’s stomach due to the fast digestive system. So baking soda has no time to swell and explode.
In addition, baking soda expands at high temperatures like 80 degrees centigrade. And to get such a high temperature in a pigeon’s body is very unlikely.
Does Uncooked Rice Make Pigeons Explode?
However, this is another myth for pigeons exploding. Let’s have a look at this myth in detail.
As uncooked rice expands in volume by absorbing water. So if pigeons eat uncooked rice, they will become thirsty and, in return will drink more water.
Read also: Can Birds Eat Uncooked Oats?
And rice absorbs this water and starts expanding. So if pigeons eat a lot of rice, then they will expand in the stomach. Therefore, uncooked rice can cause pigeons to explode. But, wait a minute,
As we all know, rice absorbs water at high temperatures and absorbing water by rice is a slow process. And we also know due to the fast digestive system, food in a pigeon’s stomach has very little time. Not only this, but before sending food to the stomach, pigeons store it in a pack under the throat.
And in this pack, the food is grind into tinier pieces. So, at last, the uncooked rice has no time to absorb water in the pigeon’s body and to let it explode. So this is also another myth about pigeons.
However, many say that this myth’s existence is from the fact that people used to throw rice at weddings. Therefore, to stop people from it this myth came into existence.
Does Alka-Seltzer Make Pigeons Explode?
However, Alka seltzer produces gas when in contact with water. There is no evidence of pigeons farting, so many think it can cause pigeons to explode.
However, pigeons can burp and can release extra air through it. That’s why it is also a myth that alka seltzer can explode a pigeon’s stomach. So, like rice and baking soda, Alka seltzer cannot make pigeons explode.
Do Oats Make Pigeons Explode?
However, oats are healthy for pigeons, and we have to add an adequate amount of oats to their food. Moreover, oats also can expand slightly when exposing to water, but not to that level to cause an explosion.
So, oats cannot make a pigeon exploding. Moreover, we have to add uncooked oats to pigeon’s food. But avoid giving them cooked oats as cooked oats become sticky and glue type.
What Make a Pigeon Explode?
However, we discussed the pigeon exploding myths. But now, I’m going to discuss all those chemicals that can make a pigeon explode. So follow if you want to know what makes birds explode.
Calcium Carbide:
Calcium carbide is an industrial chemical and produces a harmful gas, “acetylene,” in a pigeon’s stomach. And this gas can cause the explosion of the pigeon’s stomach. Therefore, this chemical causes the death of pigeons if they eat them accidentally.
Magnesium Silicide:
Moreover, magnesium silicide is also an industrial material and is used in the making of several alloys. If any pigeon eats it accidentally, then it makes an explosive reaction with oxygen.
Therefore, magnesium silicide is also fatal for pigeons. And if pigeons eat it accidentally, then it will cause pigeons to explode.
Thallium:
Thallium is also dangerous to pigeons and can become fatal for them. Is it a poison, so if a pigeon eats it or inhale it, it causes their death. As it leads to nausea, vomiting, etc., in pigeons which causes their death.
Do Pigeons Burp?
Yes-like humans, pigeons also can burp. However, burping happens when we swallow air with our food. And this air is trapped in the upper part of the digestive system. Hence, releasing of this gas is called burping.
And same goes for the pigeons. As they also swallow extra air with food, and pigeons release this air via burping.
Do Pigeons Fart?
However, there is as such evidence available about pigeons farting. Like others, pigeons also have an anus, but no study shows pigeons farting. As farting happens when bacteria of our gut break the food. And in this process, gas produce which throws out from the body called fart.
But as pigeons don’t fart, so there are many reasons behind this. As food in the pigeon’s digestive system has little time to stay in the body, there may be no time to produce the gas.
However, the bacteria of pigeon’s gut are of a different kind than humans. And they produce no gas because of their different diet. And if there is no gas, then pigeons don’t need to fart.
What We Have To Feed Pigeons And What We Have To Avoid?
Pigeons are wild birds, but they know how to live with humans. As they are with us for centuries. That’s why their food consists of several ingredients. As, you can offer them oats, nuts, seeds, fruits, etc.
Read also: How Do Pigeons See?
But there are many other things that you have to avoid to offer them. And these foods might be fatal for them. As chocolates, caffeine, avocado, dog and cat food, alcohol, etc.
All these foods can be fatal for pigeons, so avoid offering them instead of offering them healthy food.
Wrap Up:
However, pigeons exploding via eating baking soda, uncooked rice, oats, and Alka seltzer is just a myth. As after eating them give not do any harm to pigeons.
As pigeon’s digestive mechanism is so fast that such things don’t have time to harm pigeons. Secondly, as pigeons have no farting evidence because of it also these myths stand out.
But pigeons burp like us and can throw extra air inhale during eating. That’s why all these theories are just myths and have no proof.
However, many other foods are dangerous to pigeons, like chocolate and avocado. Moreover, many other elements like calcium carbide, magnesium silicide, thallium, etc. can make a pigeon exploding.