# Introducing me and Maggie



## Siobhan (Dec 21, 2010)

I didn't find a dedicated "introductions" forum so ... 

Yesterday, a friend of a friend gave me Magic the white dove, whose name will now be Maggie, because I like my babies to all have people names. She joins a flock consisting of two Quaker parrots, Clyde and Jade (Clyde is No. 1 Birdy in Charge); two budgies, Bonnie and Benjy; a tiel, Freddie; two dogs, George and Gigi, a basset and a Lab; and my mouse, Henry, and hamster, Humphrey. And Hubby and me. 

Maggie is still feeling grumpy and scared from being uprooted and while she let me hold her yesterday, last night and this morning she pecks at me if I try to touch her. Then she puffs up and pulls her head in until she looks like a white ball.  I'm fathoms deep in love with her but she doesn't return the affection. Yet. 

I've lots of experience with parrots and I raised pigeons when I was in junior high but that was some years ago. I would think I have to win Maggie over the way you have to win any bird's heart, and that I have to give her time to adjust and learn to trust us. However, she's in a cage that's just big enough and is used to being out and flying at her former home, and she won't come out for me. I don't want to be pushy until she starts to settle in and feels comfortable, so my question is, will she be all right staying in the cage for a few days? All I remember about my pigeons -- who lived in a building outdoors that my dad fixed up for them, and had the freedom to come and go as they chose -- is that they were sweet-tempered and made lovely cooing sounds.


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## spirit wings (Mar 29, 2008)

pigeons do not like change and it takes them awhile to settle in.. even then they can be standoffish.. not like some hook bills that seem to really need the interaction.. because she was taken from her flock she will need time to adjust as they are flock birds.. they do not like the round perches as I see in the cage..they do better with ledges..as that is what the pigeons natural habitat was ...cliff walls.. a shelf on one side of the cage would be better and she may like a nest box..a place to get in, she should be fed a pigeon mix not the hookbill mix...if you find she is not warming up to you in a few months you may want to think about finding her a companion..


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## Siobhan (Dec 21, 2010)

She was the only bird in her former home, and had been there for five years. She slept on one of the perches last night and has ample floor space that's flat -- I put paper down so she wouldn't have to stand on the wires, the way they had it set up. This is the cage she's had for five years, so I didn't want to force yet another change on her until she'd had time to adjust. Eventually, she'll have to have a bigger cage. I think this one's too small. The food in the floor there is "finch/parakeet mix" which looks more like it's suited for budgies than for her, but again, it's what she's used to and I don't want to force too much change on her too quickly. I have proper food for her but I wanted to wait to offer it until tonight, when she's had a day to get used to us and maybe relax a bit. I'm also going to see if she'll peck at some veggies or toast tonight. My parrots all like toast, and the wild pigeons outside like it, too.


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## Quazar (Jul 27, 2010)

Doesnt matter how much flat floor space the bird has, they like to perch, and as spiritwings says, they prefer FLAT PERCHES, not round, its easier on their feet.
The only time you'll see them on the bottom of the cage is when they eat and drink (if their food is there), or if they walk around, or if they are ill. When they rest, they normally sit on the flat perch, and if its wider, like a shelf they will often settle right down and lie on it.


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## Siobhan (Dec 21, 2010)

I borrowed my tiel's wire shelf and covered it with a washcloth and put it in for her and she completely ignores it. It's big enough to hold her, and I put it where a perch is under it for stability, but she hasn't shown any interest in it. I also took out one of the skinny perches and put a big fat one in its place. She came out for a couple of minutes tonight and sat on my arm and let me pet her, but as soon as I filled up her food dish, she went right back in of her own accord and started pigging out. I gave her a piece of bread and some of the wild bird food because I didn't think the finch food her former family sent home with me was satisfying her. She LOVED the wild bird food. She made a mess, of course, tossing it around looking for what she likes, but I expected that. I think she's going to be okay when she starts to feel at home. My Quakers are fascinated and like to sit on top of her cage and stare at her, and she looks up at them like she's wondering who they think they are.


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## doveone52 (Aug 3, 2009)

Siobhan, welcome to PT and congrats on your new acquisition! She is lovely! 
I'm a pigeon and ringneck fan but don't know much about hookbills. I have read that a hookbill can rip the beak off of a pigeon or dove! Yikes! That made a big impression on me esp when the subject was budgies and doves. 
Sounds like you are doing everything you can think of to make her happy in her new home. They all have their own little personalities but it sounds like she's warming up to you already! Enjoy!


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## Quazar (Jul 27, 2010)

Siobhan said:


> I borrowed my tiel's wire shelf and covered it with a washcloth and put it in for her and she completely ignores it. It's big enough to hold her, and I put it where a perch is under it for stability, but she hasn't shown any interest in it.


maybe coz its wire & covered. although flat, its not "solid feeling" under the feet.


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## Siobhan (Dec 21, 2010)

She's never had a shelf so she may not recognize it. I can't do anything about getting her a better one right now, anyway. I opened her cage this morning to give her breakfast and fresh water and she came out, stood in front of it, flapped her wings thoroughly, and went back in. I was going to let her fly around if she wanted to, but I guess she didn't. 

I don't think you need to worry about the parrots biting her beak off. Quakers are lots smaller than she is and I don't think they can do any damage to her. I'm more worried about her doing damage to them. And while they sometimes pull my tiel's tail, and he's smaller than they are, they all get along most of the time. I imagine she'll mostly ignore them, really. They've stared at her and walked on top of her cage but then they lost interest.


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## spirit wings (Mar 29, 2008)

Siobhan said:


> She's never had a shelf so she may not recognize it. I can't do anything about getting her a better one right now, anyway. I opened her cage this morning to give her breakfast and fresh water and she came out, stood in front of it, flapped her wings thoroughly, and went back in. I was going to let her fly around if she wanted to, but I guess she didn't.
> 
> I don't think you need to worry about the parrots biting her beak off. Quakers are lots smaller than she is and I don't think they can do any damage to her. I'm more worried about her doing damage to them. And while they sometimes pull my tiel's tail, and he's smaller than they are, they all get along most of the time. I imagine she'll mostly ignore them, really. They've stared at her and walked on top of her cage but then they lost interest.


it is not the size of the bird it is the beak.. they crack things with it.. pigeons do not use their beak that way so they are no match for a hookbill.. I would never let them out at the same time.. too dangerouse.. you might not take suggestions well but I would heed this one.


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## Siobhan (Dec 21, 2010)

spirit wings said:


> it is not the size of the bird it is the beak.. they crack things with it.. pigeons do not use their beak that way so they are no match for a hookbill.. I would never let them out at the same time.. too dangerouse.. you might not take suggestions well but I would heed this one.


You don't know me and whether I "take suggestions well" or not. I came here looking for more experienced pigeon and dove people because it's been 30 years since I had pigeons. If I can't find friendly assistance here, I'll have to muddle along the best I can and learn as I go.


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## spirit wings (Mar 29, 2008)

Siobhan said:


> You don't know me and whether I "take suggestions well" or not. I came here looking for more experienced pigeon and dove people because it's been 30 years since I had pigeons. If I can't find friendly assistance here, I'll have to muddle along the best I can and learn as I go.


well you did not seem to think anything is wrong with your cage setup and or the perch.. so yeah It seems you do.. and saying your parrots won't hurt your pigeon.. so Im just saying you seem resisitant ..and this important instant I would heed it for your birds saftey.. we have seen and heard too many horror stories.. so just letting you know..and trying to help you better take care of your pigeon..


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## doveone52 (Aug 3, 2009)

Siobhan, if you're wanting advice on pigeons or doves, this is the place to be. Many people on here have "been there, done that", not just something read out of a book. I'm still learning (it's all a learning process) and if we can be big enough to take the info and use it to better our pigeons/doves lives then it really is all good.
I can tell you from experience that spirit wings is a veritable wealth of knowledge, not to mention a wonderfully kind and generous soul. And of course, I'm not partial or anything like that-lol! 
We are interested in you and your birds and I hope you will stay a while. I gave my oldest son a quaker awhile back and they are fascinating birds! He's all grown with a home of his own so he won't be ripping anybody's beaks off...lol!


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## ValencianFigs (Jul 10, 2010)

Welcome to Pigeon Talk! It is really fun to have a pigeon! But remember they are not like hook bills at all, they have different ways of living and live in totaly different environments. Slowly introduce maggie into a different environment. First thing is to buy a bigger cage if you can and if possible put a flat perch. If she is fine right now then that is good, but she would enjoy it more if she has bigger space and easier perching. You could put a brick as a perch. I am doing that right now for my breeding figuritas and they love it and it keeps the nails trimmed. Good Luck!


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## Cyreen (Jun 6, 2010)

Siobhan said:


> ...She joins a flock consisting of two Quaker parrots, Clyde and Jade (Clyde is No. 1 Birdy in Charge); two budgies, Bonnie and Benjy; a tiel, Freddie; two dogs, George and Gigi, a basset and a Lab; and my mouse, Henry, and hamster, Humphrey. And Hubby and me.


Hi Siobhan, you sound a lot like me. I have a Ollie (rescued pigeon), Joule (Caique), Darby and Chase (cats), Max (dog), and several fish tanks scattered about my home. 

Ollie was a couple years old before I found this website and while I understand and generally agree with the suggestions offered here, Ollie is not your typical pigeon, nor are my cats typical cats or my dog... well you get the gist. Joule's pretty typical for a Caique, whatever that means. 

Considering the her age, Maggie's going to have developed particular tastes that are probably not very pigeon-like. If the set up you have is what she's used to, then I agree with a slow transition. Being a parrot owner, you know doubt have generous ideas in regard to cage sizes and I have no doubt Maggie's circumstances will be changing shortly. 

My girl, Ollie does very well on a pellet diet (Roudybush), with some added greens she mostly throws around and some seed for a treat (every Saturday). I also keep a dish of sterilized egg shell (Twin Beak's) mixed with oyster shell for calcium and recently added a dish of Herb Salad, which she loves. In return, Ollie routinely produces lovely, thick-shelled eggs like clockwork and the vet adores her.

As for perches, I have a variety of fat perches and flat shelves in her huge parrot cage for her and while she uses them all, her favorite is her rope perch. 

P.S. Just in case no else mentions it - plastic cat balls with bells are a must.


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## ValencianFigs (Jul 10, 2010)

Hello,

Also please remember when you are introducing your maggie the wild bird seed, I would mix in some of the parakeet seed until she fully converts into the new diet.

I followed this plan.
Day 1-4:
One Part New Mix and Three Parts Old Mix.
Day 5-10:
Two Part New Mix and Two Part Old Mix.
Day 11-15:
Three Parts New Mix and One Part Old Mix.
Day 16 - Forever!: Just give her the new mix!

This helps her slowly accommodate to the new mix. And could you please explain to use what is in your new mix?


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## Siobhan (Dec 21, 2010)

The wild bird food is a regular commercial blend typical of what we feed to the outdoor birds, which in the summer, anyway, consists of a large number of mourning doves -- not just like Maggie, of course, but in the same general species. I've given her about one-quarter of it and finch mix with a bit of grit mixed in for the other three-quarters, which is what her last people gave her and what she's used to. I give her a piece of bread every day, which she pecks at to be polite but doesn't really eat. Hubby gave her some lettuce yesterday, which she also pecked at to be polite but didn't eat. 

She has started to sit on her shelf a bit, but still prefers the perches, and this morning I found her on the fat perch I replaced one of the skinny ones with. I'll get her a brick but I suspect that since she's lived in this cage with perches for five years, she likes what she has and is used to. 

She's been warming up to us and this morning, she surprised me by coming out of her cage, hopping onto my hand and walking up my arm to my shoulder, where she spent quite a while preening and riding around as I got my coffee and showed her to the parrots (inside their cages), who were stunned at the sight of her on my shoulder. I guess they thought she'd just stay in her cage. She also likes to sit on my head, and she let me kiss her wing. I offer her my flat hand to sit on, but she doesn't mind perching on my finger the way the parrots do, either. The shoulder seems to be her favorite. 

Still no cooing. Maybe in a few days when she's feeling even more at home than she does now. 

I'm going to give her another week or so to acclimate to us before I look for a bigger cage. I don't want to foist too much change on her at once. But considering I have MUCH bigger cages, proportionally, for the parrots, I can't leave her in that cage for long. Bar spacing isn't such an issue with a dove as with parrots, who climb around, so maybe I can find something meant for a ferret, or an indoor dog kennel, perhaps, that will suit her and be large enough. Any suggestions for what would suit? We have a couple of farm supply stores in the area that would probably carry better cages for a dove than I would find at a pet shop that caters to parrots' needs. Or an online source?


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## spirit wings (Mar 29, 2008)

the dog crate is a good idea.. I have seen alot of house pigeon kept in those, they put like a shelf on each side so they can go back and forth and open in the middle to allow for wing flapping.. the feed change can come gradual... as the wild bird food can be used but if you want to make it better you can add things to it that pigeons need and like ..like dried peas, lentils, safflower seeds (if it does not have it already).. here is a list of things in a pigeon mix below is a link.. if your going to give bread as a treat use whole wheat, the white can get stuck in the crop.. the grit is not given with the feed it is put in a seperate croc and she will eat what she wants or needs from it.. because she is a hen a calcium source is important and she will need the hi-cal grit used for cockatiels as getting a huge bag of crushed oystershell for one bird would be a bit much..lol.. sounds like she is coming around..she sounds like a nice pigeon..

http://www.purgrain.com/Ingredients-2010.html


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## doveone52 (Aug 3, 2009)

I think the farm supply place would be a good place to start. Even something for rabbits might be good. As you know, the size of the cage is less critical if she is getting some outside time. I've acquired my cages here and there so maybe someone will know where to find the perfect cage. Where are you located?


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## Siobhan (Dec 21, 2010)

I'm in Illinois. I think next weekend I'll go to a farm supply store and look for something for her. She doesn't show much interest in the shelf she's got -- gravitates right to the perches, especially the fat one I put in the other day. She's sitting on it right now. The shelf is sturdy and stable and easily big enough for her, but she just doesn't seem to care for it. I let her out this morning and again when I came home and she hops right up on my hand and sits on my shoulder as cozy as you please. There are lots of safflower seeds in my tiel's food, so I might give her some of that, too. And I bought her a couple of new dishes for food and water. Hers didn't attach to the cage so she spilled them. She didn't know what to think of the new food dish, but I put her food in it when I cleaned her cage tonight and she finally decided tossing seeds out of it all over the house was just as fun as it had been with the other dish. LOL For some reason, she didn't mind having a new water dish nearly as much; drank out it as soon as I put it in her cage. 

She is a slob, though. All birds are, but I'd forgotten just how messy pigeons are, and mine were outside birds when I was a kid. I'll have to quit giving the budgies a hard time about what a mess they make because it's nothing to the side of what Maggie can do. <G> I clean her cage and by the time I get done with the parrots' cages, you can't tell I ever cleaned hers.


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## ValencianFigs (Jul 10, 2010)

I'm glad that you are having a great time with Maggie! It was a great experience when I got my first dove 7 years ago. And just this summer I got my first pigeons and it was also a great experience. They are really different from the parakeets I had. I think a dog cage would be great! especially one for like a German Sheppard or Huskies. If you have any 2 x 4 wood you could make that as a perch and she would like it! Fatter perches is a good way for her to get used to flat perches! Don't be in a rush with her, make her slowly "acclimatize" to her new habitat. Also if you find a nice cockatiel mix that has peas, small pellets, safflower and buckwheat, sun flower seeds, it would be a nice addition to her food because it has most of the stuff she needs.


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