# Next step in taming.



## Jelandusn (Jan 4, 2016)

Hi all,
I have a pigeon that I'm trying to tame. He is around a year old and fairly used to people. He will come right to me and eat food from a bowl that is next to me. I've been trying to get him to eat out of my hand with the hopes of slowly getting him perching on me and then being ok with me touching and holding him. I know this is a lot to ask, but I'd like to take him outside but don't want to have to manhandle him every time. I don't have a safe outdoor loft and with coyotes, foxes, raccoons, fischer cats and whatever else there my be, I don't trust that I could build one where he could spend nights outside. Plus it gets awfully cold in the winter.
In any case, he is not very skittish when I go into his cage. He will calmly walk away but after I have been sitting for a little while, he will come over and eat. If I put food in my hand and hold it out, he will come over, wing slap and peck my hand and then eat the food around my hand that fell out. Am I inadvertently teaching him to beat me up for food? I don't invade his space, he comes to my hand to beat me up. Will he eventually skip the beating and just eat from my hand? After he's full he will stay by me and relax so I think he enjoys my company. It just seems like I can't get past the stage where he is ok being near me but won't let me touch me or won't touch me unless it's to peck or smack me.


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

He is just showing you that it is on his terms that he is taking the seed. I'll bet you have a male. Eventually he will just eat from your hand and not have to beat you up first. LOL.
If you get some unsalted peanuts, and chop them up, mix them in with his food so that he will eventually try them. It may take a little while for him to see them as food. But eventually he will, and I have not met a pigeon, or most other birds either, that do not love unsalted peanuts. Once he finds out that he loves them, he will fly to you for the treat. And he will definitely eat them from your hand. Just a little bit though, as they are too high in fat for him to have too many. Wouldn't be good for him. They also usually very much like safflower seed. That could work too. Again though, not too many as they are too high in fat. You also need to understand that not all pigeons like to be held. In fact, most do not. But they like to come to you, when they want to, and sit on your head, arm, or shoulder. Just be patient, and let him get used to you in his time, and on his terms, and he will come around. Remember, with a pigeon, it has to be on their terms, when they are ready. Let us know how it goes.


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## Jelandusn (Jan 4, 2016)

Thanks for the reply! I'll keep working on building trust with him. I am not really looking for a lap bird, although I wouldn't complain if he turns out to be one. I just want to be able to handle him so I can bring him outside when the weather is nice without have to traumatize him and damage his trust in me. 

Another thing, he doesn't fly. I have a few perches in his cage but he only uses the one that I set on the ground. I was thinking of getting a few more for the ground, but I thought pigeons like to roost up high. The highest one is only around 3 1/2 feet or so. There's a lower one around 1 foot off the ground. Maybe they are too small and he doesn't feel secure enough to fly to them?


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

Can you post a picture of the cage? That may help a lot.
A cage isn't really large enough to fly in. 
As far as taking him outside, that isn't safe, as he could eventually fly and get somewhere that you cannot get to him. Also, hawks have been known to grab pet birds off of peoples shoulders. A safe enclosure where he can sun himself and maybe take a bath would be great. If not getting outside for sunshine, then they should have a calcium supplement with vit. D3. The sun gives them vit. D3, which they need to be able to use any calcium they get. Without it, their bodies can't utilize the calcium that they need.


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## Jelandusn (Jan 4, 2016)

Here's a pic of his cage. There's more cage up top but no perches or anything. I had a little success tonight! He ate out of my hand for about a minute and then he decided he'd rather peck the snot out of me and I had to retreat. Baby steps I suppose. Any tips on how to make his cage more comfy? I clean it once a week but missed last weekend because I was sick. Should be able to clean it tomorrow.


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

WOW! Plenty big to fly up to the perches. They don't generally like round perches, so maybe he can't fly. Does he fly in the room?
They do like a shelf. Can you run a shelf across the back? Maybe where those perches are, or a little bit higher. Not way up. Use a 6 or 8 inch wide board.


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

Some people put bricks on the bottom, and they like to perch on those.


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## cwebster (Dec 11, 2010)

Or rolled towels on the floor, or a wide bar like Jay3 said near the top.


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## cwebster (Dec 11, 2010)

He will soon be a lap bird if you go slow and offer food from your hand.


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