# I'm not sure my pigeon's a pet or not...



## sleep1937 (Jan 21, 2018)

I have a 2.5 months old rescued pigeon. When I found him he about 3 weeks old and now he's all grown up and most definitely a male. An aggressive and territorial one. He spends most of his time outside from morning to dusk, and comes back to eat and sleep.
He started to coo about 2 weeks ago and ever since he's been a real meanie. In the evening he perches above the window, and he coos & bites me furiously if I try to pet him (he loved being petted a couple of weeks ago). He hates my hands, but he seems to think my sleeve is his mate.
So... I don't even know if he's even a pet. He's outside most of the time but I don't know if he's making friends with other pigeons. He's not at all nice and it just seems that he doesn't want anything to do with me anymore (accept for f**king my sleeve).
Will he ever be friendly again, or does he not want any contact with me? Should I try to be friends again or just let it go?


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## cwebster (Dec 11, 2010)

As pigeons reach puberty they seem to go through this. Would get him a cage or aviary to sleep in and a girl bird.


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## Marina B (May 5, 2011)

It will be cruel to confine him to a cage at this stage, he's already had a taste of freedom. They do get aggressive as they mature, even one's that was raised from a few days old. Pigeons don't consider your hands as part of you. He's also defending his territory, I also get attacked and cooed at by 2 of my male handreared pigeons when I enter the aviary (their space).

He obviously comes back for food. Just continue to provide him with that and let him hang around if he wants to. Won't it be nice if he brings back a female with him one day? Or you can adopt a handicapped female and he might fall in love and start spending more time at home.


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## sleep1937 (Jan 21, 2018)

Marina B said:


> It will be cruel to confine him to a cage at this stage, he's already had a taste of freedom. They do get aggressive as they mature, even one's that was raised from a few days old. Pigeons don't consider your hands as part of you. He's also defending his territory, I also get attacked and cooed at by 2 of my male handreared pigeons when I enter the aviary (their space).
> 
> He obviously comes back for food. Just continue to provide him with that and let him hang around if he wants to. Won't it be nice if he brings back a female with him one day? Or you can adopt a handicapped female and he might fall in love and start spending more time at home.





cwebster said:


> As pigeons reach puberty they seem to go through this. Would get him a cage or aviary to sleep in and a girl bird.


Thanks, I'm kind of hoping he will meet a female pigeon outside and find his own nesting place. I have too many pets already, I wasn't even going to keep this one... 
I don't mind letting go & letting him live his own life, I'm just not sure if I will ever have a chance to pet him again, or if I should even bother & try to maintain the bond we had.
There's also a problem with the fact that his "territory" is a room in a rented apartment on the 4th floor. We won't live here forever...


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## Marina B (May 5, 2011)

How long ago did you release him? Is there a balcony close to the window where he enters? If so, you can rather start putting his food out there and make him some sort of a perch to sleep on. Otherwise build a ledge or something onto the window where he enters and rather put his food out there. If he still wants to sleep in the room, let him do that for now. Will be cruel to just close the window.

I won't bother to keep the bond going on. Surely it must be very satisfying that he keeps on coming back and able to free fly out there. He will eventually find a mate and would prefer to spend more time with her.

Does he seem very hungry when he comes back for food?

It is possible that he's human imprinted, that sometimes happens with rearing very young pigeons from a couple of days old. At least your one was 3 weeks old. Just give him time, hopefully you won't move soon and by the time you do he will be well adjusted to the outside world.


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

Marina B said:


> How long ago did you release him? Is there a balcony close to the window where he enters? If so, you can rather start putting his food out there and make him some sort of a perch to sleep on. Otherwise build a ledge or something onto the window where he enters and rather put his food out there. If he still wants to sleep in the room, let him do that for now. Will be cruel to just close the window.
> 
> I won't bother to keep the bond going on. Surely it must be very satisfying that he keeps on coming back and able to free fly out there. He will eventually find a mate and would prefer to spend more time with her.
> 
> ...


^Agree with this advice


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## sleep1937 (Jan 21, 2018)

Marina B said:


> How long ago did you release him? Is there a balcony close to the window where he enters? If so, you can rather start putting his food out there and make him some sort of a perch to sleep on. Otherwise build a ledge or something onto the window where he enters and rather put his food out there. If he still wants to sleep in the room, let him do that for now. Will be cruel to just close the window.
> 
> I won't bother to keep the bond going on. Surely it must be very satisfying that he keeps on coming back and able to free fly out there. He will eventually find a mate and would prefer to spend more time with her.
> 
> ...


I waited until I was sure he can fly well, he was about 6 weeks old when I was confident he'd be ok. There's no balcony, just a window with a wide ledge outside. I put him out on the ledge and then closed the window behind him, because he was reluctant to try at first. But after the first flight he was hooked. His food is also out there now, and he perches on the window itself, from the inside.
He always looks famished when he comes back, I'm assuming he doesn't eat anything outside. I've never seen him anywhere else but on the roof of the building. I don't think he ever goes down to the ground.

Thank you for your answer, for now he comes inside to eat and sleep whenever he wants. He doesn't want to be touched. I really hope he'll find a mate soon as well.


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

I hope he can become part of a flock soon. If he doesn't join a flock he isn't safe outside. He is a sitting duck for a bird of pray, sitting on the roof. They are safer in flocks, which is why they live that way.


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## YaSin11 (Jul 23, 2009)

I heartily agree with Marina Bs' advice.

Not wanting to be touched, petted is an extension of their natural survival instinct, and it is good that s/he has developed that;esp. since it is flying outside.

Good Luck.


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## sleep1937 (Jan 21, 2018)

*Thanks and pictures of the little rascal *

Thank you everyone... I really appreciate all your help. These forums were such a great resource throughout this whole thing. It helped with everything from giving practical advice to satisfying my curiosity. Even if he won't have anything to do with me, I'm glad I could save him and go through this journey. 

I'm adding pictures from a couple of weeks ago when he was more friendly. 
wish him luck!


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## Marina B (May 5, 2011)

What a beauty! I'm sure he will find a nice female soon! Can understand why it's so difficult for you to let go.


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## cwebster (Dec 11, 2010)

Very cute bird!


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## YaSin11 (Jul 23, 2009)

Best of Luck to your wonderful pigeon


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