# Pigeon Growling?



## Ari_93 (Jun 6, 2011)

So I posted on here a while ago that i found a homing pigeon, I returned her and the owner was so happy that he gave me a male and a female so I could raise my own babies. That was maybe a week and a half ago so they are still getting settled in. The other day I went to hold the female and when I took her out of the cage I am keeping them in, the male went a little crazy and started making a sound that sounded like growling. Not like a dog growling, more like a human trying to growl with their mouth closed. And then the same thing happened when I took the male out and held him, the female made the growling noise. I'm not really sure what it is, I'm new to this whole pigeon thing.  Any help would be appreciated! :]


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## Libis (Oct 8, 2010)

Ari_93 said:


> So I posted on here a while ago that i found a homing pigeon, I returned her and the owner was so happy that he gave me a male and a female so I could raise my own babies. That was maybe a week and a half ago so they are still getting settled in. The other day I went to hold the female and when I took her out of the cage I am keeping them in, the male went a little crazy and started making a sound that sounded like growling. Not like a dog growling, more like a human trying to growl with their mouth closed. And then the same thing happened when I took the male out and held him, the female made the growling noise. I'm not really sure what it is, I'm new to this whole pigeon thing.  Any help would be appreciated! :]


Sounds like they're trying to protect their mate from the big scary predator. 

Before you let them have babies (wouldn't want to stress them accidentally while they're sitting/caring for young) maybe start sitting by the cage a lot and talking quietly and lyrically. Once they get accustomed to this, start putting your hand in the cage flat at the bottom with their favorite part of their seed mix in your hand (if that's what you feed--otherwise try with the pellets etc that you feed them or give a few raw unsalted Spanish peanuts.) Eventually, they will eat from your hand. For this, though, at first you might have to be extremely quiet and maybe not even look at them while they approach. You know, be as little like a predator for their pov as possible.

If they keep growling when you know they aren't afraid--well they feel that the cage is their territory and you are trespassing.


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## Ari_93 (Jun 6, 2011)

Also, just now while they are both in their cage the male is doing the growling noise while he is laying on the ground looking at the female... and she just did the same thing to him :/ what does that mean?


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## Libis (Oct 8, 2010)

Ari_93 said:


> Also, just now while they are both in their cage the male is doing the growling noise while he is laying on the ground looking at the female... and she just did the same thing to him :/ what does that mean?


That sounds like what my diamond doves do--just talking to each other. Might have a part in the mating ritual, as well. 

I'm not around pigeons a lot--doves and parrots are what I keep so I have basic behavior understanding, but I don't know all of pigeon's noise behaviors, so what do other peeps think?


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## Ari_93 (Jun 6, 2011)

Libis said:


> Sounds like they're trying to protect their mate from the big scary predator.
> 
> Before you let them have babies (wouldn't want to stress them accidentally while they're sitting/caring for young) maybe start sitting by the cage a lot and talking quietly and lyrically. Once they get accustomed to this, start putting your hand in the cage flat at the bottom with their favorite part of their seed mix in your hand (if that's what you feed--otherwise try with the pellets etc that you feed them or give a few raw unsalted Spanish peanuts.) Eventually, they will eat from your hand. For this, though, at first you might have to be extremely quiet and maybe not even look at them while they approach. You know, be as little like a predator for their pov as possible.
> 
> If they keep growling when you know they aren't afraid--well they feel that the cage is their territory and you are trespassing.


ohhhh ok. Thanks I will try this :]


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## Libis (Oct 8, 2010)

Ari_93 said:


> ohhhh ok. Thanks I will try this :]


Just do note that I'm not certain of their meaning for the growling to eachother, though it does sound like when they growl while you hold their mate it is them being upset with you. I know my ringneck dove pair will do the same thing but instead of growling they laugh (like Mwa-HA-Ha-haaa-hA lol.) 

All you can really do about that is get them to trust you more, but they might still get upset when you grab their mate sometimes. In my ringnecks, I've seen the same behavior for territorialness, and for jealousy when they see that I'm playing with another bird out of cage and not them (not all of my birds get along so everyone can't come out to play at once--small room.)


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## Ari_93 (Jun 6, 2011)

Libis said:


> Just do note that I'm not certain of their meaning for the growling to eachother, though it does sound like when they growl while you hold their mate it is them being upset with you. I know my ringneck dove pair will do the same thing but instead of growling they laugh (like Mwa-HA-Ha-haaa-hA lol.)
> 
> All you can really do about that is get them to trust you more, but they might still get upset when you grab their mate sometimes. In my ringnecks, I've seen the same behavior for territorialness, and for jealousy when they see that I'm playing with another bird out of cage and not them (not all of my birds get along so everyone can't come out to play at once--small room.)


ok, I will see if I can socialize them more to me. Their original owner seemed to hold them often, but maybe it is just the new place, and the new person that is making them weird


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## Libis (Oct 8, 2010)

Ari_93 said:


> ok, I will see if I can socialize them more to me. Their original owner seemed to hold them often, but maybe it is just the new place, and the new person that is making them weird


Yeah, it will take them a few weeks to settle in. I forgot how recently you got them and should have also taken that into account. 
I know it sounds stupid, but sometimes I read storybooks to fidgety birds (my old parrot used to love looking at the pictures while I talked to him--dunno if pigeons would care about that part). It seems like that gets them used to your voice well and you don't have to keep coming up with what to say to them.

Oh, and they don't know you even though they were tame to the previous owner. One of my ringnecks will cuddle in my hand and "preen" me, but he fluffs up and tries to look scary and defend me when he sees a "stranger."


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## Ari_93 (Jun 6, 2011)

Libis said:


> Yeah, it will take them a few weeks to settle in. I forgot how recently you got them and should have also taken that into account.
> I know it sounds stupid, but sometimes I read storybooks to fidgety birds (my old parrot used to love looking at the pictures while I talked to him--dunno if pigeons would care about that part). It seems like that gets them used to your voice well and you don't have to keep coming up with what to say to them.
> 
> Oh, and they don't know you even though they were tame to the previous owner. One of my ringnecks will cuddle in my hand and "preen" me, but he fluffs up and tries to look scary and defend me when he sees a "stranger."


Hehe I like that idea of reading to them, thats cute


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## Libis (Oct 8, 2010)

Ari_93 said:


> Hehe I like that idea of reading to them, thats cute


  I think the family went kind of o.0 and then ignored it lol. They know I love my babies too much.


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## Ari_93 (Jun 6, 2011)

Libis said:


> I think the family went kind of o.0 and then ignored it lol. They know I love my babies too much.


hehe awwww


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## RodSD (Oct 24, 2008)

If they are a true pair (male and female), then what you are observing is a mating ritual. Put some nest bowl with nesting materials such as pine needles, etc., then maybe in 7-10 days you will have eggs. After that if they incubate the eggs, then after 17-18 days you will have babies.


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## rcwms90 (Apr 28, 2011)

there simply saying HEY GET YOUR HANDS OFF MY LOVER!! but we don't speak pigeon so we don't know lol jk i guess the bird has bonded together they're just trying to protect each other by scaring u off.


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