# Getting Target a "Stuffed" Mate



## Prizm (Jun 28, 2006)

Some of you mentioned giving lonely pigeons a stuffed animal to keep them company--Does it matter if it looks like a bird? Target is so filled with hormones right now I'm afraid he's going to expload! I had to leave my hand in the cage for a few minutes just so he'd eat! (when I pulled away, he almost nervously started dancing and cooing again as if to say "Nooooooooo! Come baaaaaack!") What kind of stuffed animal should I get him?


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## Lorraine (May 16, 2004)

I don't think it matters much what it looks like.......my pet pigeon took a liking to a dog toy that I had....it was a plush or "stuffed" frog.....very bright green with white belly....that poor thing was raped and pillaged so much it was worn out. Since the demise of the frog (after about 3 years of "attention"), he pretty much just makes use of whatever is handy now....balled up socks are a favorite.


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## Victor (Dec 18, 2004)

My Tooters favorite is a large white seal. He just loves to hug "her" !


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## christina11 (Jan 20, 2006)

Hommer has a stuffed bird,

He loves to bite and fight with it but never cuddles.


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## dovegirl (Apr 15, 2006)

Hello,

Does the stuffed friend need to be the same size as the pigeon?

Ellie


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## Victor (Dec 18, 2004)

No Dovegirl, it does not.

My Beaksley has a small owl (former mc Donalds key chain) with the plastic snap removed, and is about 6 inches long. 

Tooters toy friend is actually almost as large as him.


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## ken_sturrock (Aug 6, 2006)

*plush pigeon companion*

How about this:

http://www.wildrepublic.com/pages/audubon/urban/rockdove.asp

We have one and are very fond of it.

-Ken


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## Victor (Dec 18, 2004)

Ken, we have the blue rock dove too, but our pigeons can't play with it. It is on display in our pigeon room on the shelf where we store our meds and supplements, along with a plushie swan and cocketiel. It is too nice to be beaten up.


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## Skyeking (Jan 17, 2003)

Victor said:


> Ken, we have the blue rock dove too, but our pigeons can't play with it. It is on display in our pigeon room on the shelf where we store our meds and supplements, along with a plushie swan and cocketiel. *It is too nice to be beaten up.*




Victor,

LOL....yes, as are other things, like my hand.  I need to get one of the stuffed ones and see if Skye would like to beat that up. Even though he does have a mate to occupy his time, he still needs to excercise that beak.


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## Prizm (Jun 28, 2006)

ken_sturrock said:


> How about this:
> 
> http://www.wildrepublic.com/pages/audubon/urban/rockdove.asp
> 
> ...


That is cute!

Oh dear, Target is proving to be an abusive husband! I got him a plushy friend and he repeatedly threw it over the edge of the upper tier of his cage. Bird battery!


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## dekebrent (Jun 17, 2005)

Prizm,

A friend gave me the stuffed rock dove above, and none of my pijjies have taken to it. I once left the stuffed rock dove on the table where my sweet Pete was eating, only to hear some grumbling and rumbling going on. I walked in to discover Pete's normal sweet disposition replaced by a scowl as she knocked the stuffed rock dove all over the table w/ an assortment of pushing pecks, bites, and a couple of wing slaps for good measure. She also knocked the stuffed rock dove off my shoulder once, then stood on my shoulder and peck-kissed my ear.


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## mr squeaks (Apr 14, 2005)

dekebrent said:


> Prizm,
> 
> A friend gave me the stuffed rock dove above, and none of my pijjies have taken to it. I once left the stuffed rock dove on the table where my sweet Pete was eating, only to hear some grumbling and rumbling going on. I walked in to discover Pete's normal sweet disposition replaced by a scowl as she knocked the stuffed rock dove all over the table w/ an assortment of pushing pecks, bites, and a couple of wing slaps for good measure. She also knocked the stuffed rock dove off my shoulder once, then stood on my shoulder and peck-kissed my ear.


Well, gee whiz, Derrick, Sweet Pete saw that rock dove as a THREAT. A jealous hen is a sight to behold, I'm sure! She is not taking ANY chances that you will take up with another female!

She is also saying that you are her mate and don't you forget it!


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## mr squeaks (Apr 14, 2005)

Prizm said:


> Some of you mentioned giving lonely pigeons a stuffed animal to keep them company--Does it matter if it looks like a bird? Target is so filled with hormones right now I'm afraid he's going to expload! I had to leave my hand in the cage for a few minutes just so he'd eat! (when I pulled away, he almost nervously started dancing and cooing again as if to say "Nooooooooo! Come baaaaaack!") What kind of stuffed animal should I get him?


Hey, Prizm, a miniature stuffed version of yourself would work! Sounds like you have a bird who thinks you're the GREATEST! Mate material, perhaps??


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## Prizm (Jun 28, 2006)

mr squeaks said:


> Hey, Prizm, a miniature stuffed version of yourself would work! Sounds like you have a bird who thinks you're the GREATEST! Mate material, perhaps??


No, he's in love with my hand only.  And he likes it when I coo at him. I gave him a perfectly good replacement though: A purple monkey! How can he resist that???


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## mr squeaks (Apr 14, 2005)

Prizm said:


> No, he's in love with my hand only.  And he likes it when I coo at him. I gave him a perfectly good replacement though: A purple monkey! How can he resist that???


He might enjoy the monkey, but I bet if you stuff a glove, he would like that MUCH better! After all, that will really resemble your "hand" more than a monkey...   

Never ceases to amaze me what pigeons like in their "stuffed" toys (mates?)!


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## Prizm (Jun 28, 2006)

Lol, that's actually a really good idea! Hey I just noticed something. He's huddling on the bottom of his cage and sometimes manages to wrap the newspaper lining around him. Right now he's laying on the bottom and twitching his wing tips and tail a little. Is that normal? If I coo at him, he gets up and fans his tail and sings back with a pigeon strut.


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## dovegirl (Apr 15, 2006)

Hi All,

Peter here.

We got Comet a stuffed friend.

Comet is terrified of his stuffed friend.

I put his stuffed friend in Comets loft, and Comet reacted strangely.

He moved to the far end of his loft! 

He stood very stiff and very tall. He didn't move an inch. He didn't make a sound. 

After 1 hr of Comet pretending to be a statue, I removed his stuffed friend. 

Even then, Comet didn't move or coo, until hunger got the better of him, and he ate his dinner. 

I have included a photo of his stuffed friend. It's a stuffed seal, about 1/2 of Comets size. It doesn't look that scary!

What should I do? 

Regards
Peter


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## nabisho (Nov 18, 2004)

*My guys love their plush toys*

Unless the plush toy gets out of line then watch out!

NAB 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wEKvtt_iw90


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## Prizm (Jun 28, 2006)

nabisho said:


> Unless the plush toy gets out of line then watch out!
> 
> NAB
> 
> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wEKvtt_iw90


LOL that's what my guy does!


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