# This might seem strange, but this bird is starting to like me a little *too* much.



## ArgentBadger (Apr 25, 2016)

I've been keeping a pigeon for a friend of mine while she's out of town for the summer and I've had him for a month. He started out biting me all the time, but just recently he decided to be friends with me. Well, yesterday he started trying to gather nesting material, and today he started making nala eyes at me and calling deep husky hroo-hroo sounds in my general direction. It's super sweet, BUT my friend comes back in about a month and I don't want to break his little heart when he leaves me! So how do I tell the poor pigeon I just want to be friends???

Side note- I wish my two were as personable as he is! I would let him flock with them, but it's only him and another pair so they all fight.


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

That is the price one pays when keeping a lone pigeon. Pigeons really are happier with a companion bird. That is forcing him to live in a human world where he really doesn't even belong. It goes against everything that is programmed into him. To pair up with a mate, build a nest together, have eggs and raise babies. This is what they live for. To keep a lone pigeon, is to deprive him of living his life. Because he is stuck in a human world, and a mate is all important to him, he will then try to turn a caregiver or owner into a mate. Really not great for him, as the mate is usually not around, comes and goes at will, and doesn't share a nest with him. This has to be very confusing for the poor pigeon. If one must be kept, then in caring about the birds needs, one really should keep a pair together at least.
Keeping pigeons is a commitment, or should be. Leaving him with a new person long enough that he feels the need to bond with them, then taking him back is only making a bad situation even worse for him. They need a mate that is committed to them, and a person just isn't. Not in the same way.
There is nothing you can do about it. You cannot change the nature of the bird. Maybe talk to your friend about getting the poor thing a mate or companion when they return.


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## Skyeking (Jan 17, 2003)

*Pigeons thrive with one another, that is the way they were meant to live. That poor bird is not living a normal life, and is just trying to adapt to a human world-and now he thinks you are his mate, he is lonely and needs a friend. Do see if you can talk your friend into getting another pigeon. I totally agree with Jay.*


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## ArgentBadger (Apr 25, 2016)

Ah, I was afraid of that. Poor fella. I'll talk with my friend about getting him a friend when she gets back. She loves her bird dearly, and would have taken him with her if she wasn't going overseas. I guess for now, since there's no changing his mind about me, I'll just give him as much company as I can. Since it's summer, I can spend a very large amount of time at home with him, so at least he won't be as lonely. I really wish he wouldn't fight with my other pigeons so that he could get birdie social time, but since all together there are two males and one female I can understand why they wouldn't get along.

Thank you for your input. I love coming on to these forums, I always learn so much and you guys are being really nice about helping me bumble through the initial stages of pigeon keeping.


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

If it is him who is starting the fighting with the other pigeons, then he is probably trying to take the mate of the other male. If it is the other male starting the fights, then he doesn't want another male around. If they are in a cage or enclosure, then they see it as their territory, and he is viewed as an intruder.
Giving him more time for now would be good.


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## ArgentBadger (Apr 25, 2016)

Ah, yeah it's him who is starting the fights, so I bet he's trying to take the female for himself. I tried to let him interact with only the female to see if they could coexist, but he grabbed her and started pulling feathers out from her neck so I had to pick him up to let her get away. No damage was done, but they will be staying permanently separate from now on.

His new favorite spot is chilling on my desk next to my computer, so luckily it's pretty easy to give him social time.


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

Is the female not mated to the other bird?


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## ArgentBadger (Apr 25, 2016)

She is, but I thought maybe they could chill for social time. The male was sitting on the nest and she was out of the cage flying around already and had landed to peck at some seeds I put on the floor. I wanted to see if they would maybe be social. I put him down a small distance away, and he walked over and they ate together for a few bites and then he jumped her. I always thought that eating together was a flock thing and I thought maybe that everyone could be friends, but I was maybe too optimistic. Granted, I have no idea about normal pigeon social interactions and it was very much a trial and error sort of thing. In a flock situation, do they pretty much only interact in a friendly way with their mate, or do they have other pigeon friends?


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

Putting her with the male is only going to cause problems. He is mated to the other bird. I would just keep them separate till her owner comes back. Are you sure it's a female?


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## ArgentBadger (Apr 25, 2016)

Yup, I saw my male mate with her, and I saw her lay an egg. I will keep my pair separate from my friend's bird from now on, and just spend time with him myself. It's no trouble for me to do, and he's actually being really cute now instead of biting me like he used to. As bad as I feel that his little heart will be broken when his owner takes him back, I am also really enjoying it. He loves for me to pet his head, and he loves to sit on my desk next to me while I am on the computer.  He is giving me the type of interaction that I one day hope to achieve with my pair, where they chill and hang out with me of their own free will without being scared! It's a shame I can't let them all out at the same time to be a flock together. I would love for them to learn to not be scared of me from him.


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

They will learn to not be afraid when they learn to trust you.


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## ArgentBadger (Apr 25, 2016)

So, um... my friend's bird that I thought was a cock just laid an egg. Is it normal for a hen to act all territorial and do displays like a cock bird? Also there was a small smear of blood on the egg, is it normal for their first egg ever to be that way? I will keep an eye on HER and make sure that the second egg comes within 48 hours. Anything else I should do for her now that she's laid an egg? Should I give her a nest?


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## cwebster (Dec 11, 2010)

We have four girls. Three have done territorial displays similar to males. All four have laid eggs. I let them make their own bests of newspaper and straw or hay. If your bird is a girl, calcium plus d3 would be good for her.


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

Yes, give her a nest and put the egg in it.
Where did she lay the egg?


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## ArgentBadger (Apr 25, 2016)

She laid the egg in one of the corners of her cage. I got an old shallow dog bowl that I never use anymore and wiped it down with a lysol wipe and let it dry, then lined it with paper towels. I also put some shredded paper in there so she could customize it as she wants. I put it in the corner she picked and put the egg in it, and she got in and sat on her egg after a few minutes. I also added some calcium grit to her cage and she pecked at it for quite a few minutes, so I think she needed it. Thanks guys! I was completely flabbergasted when I found the egg, I picked it up and stared at it like it would disappear if I waited long enough! This morning, she had added some of the shredded paper and some of her own feathers to the nest, so I think she approves.


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