# Totally confused



## Reti (Jul 20, 2003)

I guess some of you have seen TB on the feral pigeon competition. Doesn't she look like a youngester? I thought she might be four-five month at the most. Can they become mature at that age? I guess so, unless she is older.

Here is the story. For days now Peeper, Victoria's widower, has been very aggressive, noisy, and just annoying to everyone. Understandably, his mate just passed away 10 days ago.
Fot the past two days he has been very aggressive towards TB to a point where I had to lock them up either the one or the other cause I was afraid poor TB might get injured by big Peeper. Well, now since I was in the room watching them I let them both loose and lo and behold I turn around and they are both in TB's cage kissing and cooing and loving. I gave them a nest and both jupmed in there, they are in heaven.
I couldn't believe my eyes, that is how surprised I was, and TB might be cute but not exactly a beauty for an adult male. Oh well, beauty is on the eye of the beholder, I guess.

Reti


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## Skyeking (Jan 17, 2003)

Why I think she is absolutely darling.....

LOL...does that mean TB is a keeper now, or are you still going to release her?

It is possible that she may not be quite 6 months of age exactly, but it is around that time when they do mature. She also hasn't had anyone to take notice of her before, or maybe she wasn't interested until Peeper came along.

Pigeons will also play act roles when becoming mature, before they actually are mature. Have the actually mated yet?

Also, Florida seems to bring out early maturity in all creatures as well as pigeons. Couldn't be hormones in the food or our water now, could it?.....

Perhaps it is all your wonderful nourishing care too!


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## Reti (Jul 20, 2003)

I didn't see them mate, it just happened, they are kissing still and cuddling in the nest. And if she is confused about gender/maturity, I don't think Peeper is. He is a flirter and had many girlfriends on the side while married to Vic.

This is TB2, she is not releasable cause she has only half a wing on one side, I don't even know if she will be able to fly. So, I was going to keep her or find her a home, guess I have to keep her now.

It is TB1 I want to release before it's too late.

Guess the Florida sun might have something to do with it, I hope not hormones in food or water.

Reti


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## Pidgey (May 20, 2005)

The feral females mature a lot younger than the homer females do. I remember reading something about wolves a long time ago--it takes several generations in domestic life before they start becoming more like regular dogs in certain respects. I think "they" discovered that it was the easing off of stress hormones (not having to make it as a community out in the wild) that eventually began to adapt the domesticated wolves virtually into just plain dogs.

So, genetically speaking, the wilder of a life you lead, the faster it is and the body adapts to the pace. "Live fast... die young... leave a good-lookin' corpse!"

Anyhow, a feral female will often start breeding at six months where homer females might not start thinking about it for a year. It's just a question of whether you were hatched on the wrong side of the underpass.

Pidgey


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## Lovebirds (Sep 6, 2002)

We have a few young hens that mate up and lay every year around 4 or 5 months old. I've never let them raise the babies though. They get dummy eggs. Not sure what kind of parents they would be at that age. But I don't think it's that uncommon for a young one, not in captivity anyway.


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## Reti (Jul 20, 2003)

Well, that didn't go too well. For some reason, out of the blue, Peeper started beating her. Then they were fine and then he started again and he beat her up pretty bad.
So, either she is not responding as he would like her too, or, and that is my guess, she is still too young. So, for now she will stay in the cage, since she can't fly anyways and we wait for her to grow up a little more. And Peeper can court her through the bars of the cage.
Peeper is known to be violent, so he better gets his act together if he wants a young girl.

Reti


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## feralpigeon (Feb 14, 2005)

Hi Reti, 

I do think that PB is adorable, and very sweet looking. This is a very interesting story about the two of them and Peeper's behavior in particular.
Sometimes I think the males can be so full of the drive to mate that if frustrated they can get mean even if they might not be if their 'need' was fulfilled.....still think he might need some anger management courses, 
tho . 

DD hadn't had her first molt yet, and was probably in the range of 5-6 months when she took up roost on another building and paired up w/an all black pij there. I've seen others from different locations that I feed, also start showing an interest before 6 months, probably more in the range of 5 months and I think I'm being generous.

So I think that the analogy that Pidgey gave is a good one regarding the behavior of ferals as opposed to human raised oriented birds/animals. 

Glad that Peepers will have to admire from afar tho, that would be a big concern to have them together right now un-chaparoned so to speak.

fp


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## Reti (Jul 20, 2003)

feralpigeon said:


> Hi Reti,
> 
> still think he might need some anger management courses,
> tho .
> ...



He does need that for sure. He was never a sweet pigeon, but now seems he is totally out of control.

Reti


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## mr squeaks (Apr 14, 2005)

Reti said:


> He does need that for sure. He was never a sweet pigeon, but now seems he is totally out of control.
> 
> Reti


mmm, maybe he needs a "tranquilizer" or is missing some vitamin or mineral from his diet??? Just a thought...

An "abuser" pij, eh? Similar to some human situations! At least you were able to get TB away in time...


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## Reti (Jul 20, 2003)

Well, they are back together. I came back from work and let Peeper into her cage and they are billing and mating. I guess it is serious.
I went to check on them a few minutes ago and I found an egg on the floor in front of the cage. I am not sure to whom this egg belongs to, but if TB is in love with Peeper for a while now, it might be hers, right? Everybody else is sitting on eggs (dummies) already, besides Jane and I doubt it is hers.

Reti


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## sk8er (Jan 8, 2006)

Hey Reti,
Can we see some of their photos. Very cute story though.


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## Reti (Jul 20, 2003)

sk8er said:


> Hey Reti,
> Can we see some of their photos. Very cute story though.




Photos will follow soon. Have to have my friend come over and take some.
I entered TB in the feral competition, you can see her pic there. She is adorable, still don't think she is a beauty though.


Mr. Squeaks, I think all Peeper needs is a tranquilizer, otherwise he is the fattest and biggest feral I ever saw, he is 460gr and fat. When he coos and dances everything on him jiggles.
As for his behavior, he always was kind on the weird side and always aggressive.

Reti


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