# Angie started biting me hard



## angopop (Mar 30, 2012)

Hello. We found Angie, a male king pigeon last march. After about 3 months of being sheepish, shy and sometimes mildly pecking my hand, Angie started approaching me and it became a warm fun relationship. He would perch on my shoulder, or let me pet and stroke him.

He acted standoffish towards my wife, and then gradually he started to warm up to her, and then seemed to prefer her company, but was still friendly toward me.

I noticed at times that if my wife and I were cuddling on the couch, Angie might get jealous and try to bite me.

We went away for Thanksgiving, unfortunately leaving Angie behind and got someone to feed him and clean the cage.

When we got back Angie did an energetic happy dance, but has been very aggressive towards me. He's been fine with my wife, but has been biting me. He would grab onto my sleeve and really whack it around. 

A short while ago he actually flew to my shoulder and bit my ear, the only instance of him actually 'attacking' me so far, but it has us both concerned.

He's been molting for the last few months, so I know he's uncomfortable.

Any thoughts on what might be going on and what we can do?

Thanks,
Arthur


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## tjc1 (Aug 22, 2012)

Does he only do this when both of you are around? Is he ok when you are alone with him? Reason I ask is I had a male parrot that was ok with me but if my wife can into the room he would go after me. I think he has found his mate and its your wife


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## angopop (Mar 30, 2012)

So far he bites me whether she's in the room or not.


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## Lefty07 (Dec 30, 2009)

*Aggressive male pigeon*

Does your pigeon become aggressive when you try to pet him or is his behavior not related to whether you touch him? Some birds don't like to be petted and other birds like it _too much _- i.e. they may be sexually stimulated when petted. So just be aware, if you are petting or stroking him, it could stimulate a hormonal reaction.

Also, does he have a mirror in his cage or some other access to his reflection? I know some male birds become very aggressive when they have a mirror. Again, it seems to be hormones. I had a lilttle male diamond dove that went crazy when he saw his reflection (photo below from the 1980s). I would let him out of his cage and he would immediately attack his reflection on the side of my stainless steel toaster. And this aggression would stay with him long after I put the toaster away. His name was "Pecker" and he fathered 7 babies and lived to be 15 - so his high hormonal activity didn't seem to hurt him - though I kept selling his mates because he would get so rough on them and want to breed constantly.

Lastly, he could just be having a hormonal period because of his age. This happens a lot with parrot family birds and I know with them, it can be a seasonal thing and you sometimes just have to wait for them to calm down on their own. Of course, getting him a mate and allowing him to breed would solve his aggression - at least while he is nesting - but that means possibly endless baby pigeons and you'd probably want to avoid that.


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## Dima (Jan 15, 2011)

It's perfectly ok what happens. I did notice that with me and my BF and his favorite pigeon. But when my BF spends more time with him and talks softly for a while, he pick him up and kisses him without problems. 
I have funny videos, when Pata, not only biting him on the ear, but also when Pata is on the floor and my BF callS him to come on his shoulder, he goes after his legs and attacks his feet, steps on the feet and bites his ankles. When my BF steps away, he goes again after him like a dog to bite his leg. I guess it's a way of saying : you go away, this is floor is my territory! LOL


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## angopop (Mar 30, 2012)

Well, it seems like Angie and I have made peace. I think he felt angry that we left him alone for four days and had a stranger come in to take care of him.

I suspect my landlord's daughter who took care of Angie might have tried to pet Angie ... cuz he seems more wary of hands than anything else, he tried to bite my wife's hand last night, but otherwise he's been the same old Angie as before.

Unfortunately we'll be going away again for Xmas again, so we'll probably go thru the same thing again....

Thanks for the replies....


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## NatashaQ (Apr 10, 2015)

This explains a lot why my fantail pigeon gets so violent. 
U can follow my work on Outdoor photography under galary.


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## cwebster (Dec 11, 2010)

Phoebe bites us sometimes. Usually she is crazy about me and bites my significant other, although she stops after a few minutes. I think pigeons tend to pick out one human at a time to be the preferred "mate."


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