# Pigeon afraid of hands.



## Ashleighz (Jul 31, 2013)

I rescued a baby pigeon when he was 5 days old. Loki is about 2 months old now. He still squeaks instead of cooing. He trusts me for the most part, he will even sleep with me when let him out of his cage 8 am. The only time he trusts my hands is if there is food in them. He won't let me pet him very much. Do I start only hand feed him and take away his cage food? He does seem to beg for food rather than go in his cage for it. I just need to know how to make stop spazzing out when I move my hands and should I be giving something else other than seeds?


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## John_D (Jan 24, 2002)

1. He is what is called a 'squeaker', the growing-up stage. At that age they are considered fledged, and are capable of self-feeding but will still beg a parent, or any adult sometimes, for food. They grow out of that, mostly because the adults won't feed them. At about 3 months they have the first adult molt and will geerally have gone from squeak to coo, often with a kind of quacking sound on the way.

2. Many, maybe most, pigeons see hands as some kind of 'creature' that invades or threatens, specially when it enters their cage or box. One of our friends refers to his pet pigeon playing 'spider creatures' with hands  Some learn to trust hands and are unconcerned, depending on the context. Some of ours who attack hands that come close are fine once picked up and held in the same hands or, as you see, being fed by them. On the whole, it seems they do not have the ability to see parts of us as just bits of the same being, rather as separate objects.


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## mikeyg (Jul 11, 2012)

He will squeak for 2 to 3 months so it may go away soon. Do you hold him alot? And he is not a cat remember...Let him eat out of your hand like he is doing he may come around, but leave his cage food. After all you did rescue him people may be completely new to him....Good Luck, Glad you are taking care of the little dude.


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## mikeyg (Jul 11, 2012)

On the whole, it seems they do not have the ability to see parts of us as just bits of the same being, rather as separate objects.

That is so true indeed!


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## Rod Hultquist (Aug 23, 2009)

While hand feeding, use your other hand to make contact with the pigeon. Gently pull on on its tail, wing tips and feet. At first it may be a little leary of your actions, but the more contact you make the sooner it will be less afraid. With a little patience you can make them very tame.


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## Ashleighz (Jul 31, 2013)

I try to hold him a couple times a day, if he lets me. I do usually hold him in one hand and feed him in the other once or twice a day. I'm all he knows and interacts with me differently compared to other people. He used love it when I'd pet his neck and fall asleep on my stomach. The hand thing started a week or two afterhe was completely weaned. I just want him to be happy and healthy.


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## Ashleighz (Jul 31, 2013)

Usually the second he sees my other hand he backs away but I will try that Rod.


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## Jass SamOplay (May 29, 2012)

Ashleighz said:


> I rescued a baby pigeon when he was 5 days old. Loki is about 2 months old now. He still squeaks instead of cooing. He trusts me for the most part, he will even sleep with me when let him out of his cage 8 am. *The only time he trusts my hands is if there is food in them. He won't let me pet him very much. Do I start only hand feed him and take away his cage food? He does seem to beg for food rather than go in his cage for it.* I just need to know how to make stop spazzing out when I move my hands and should I be giving something else other than seeds?


I assume u have only one bird,he don't have company of his kind. You want a close relation with him and want him to be tame. He's handfed that's why his growth is late.

If u have hand raised him from that age he should trust u. But every pigeons has its own characteristics and personality. I have some pigeons who wouldn't hesitate to sit on my hand or head and have some others who won't come near me. Some let me pet them in their pens other will agressively bite my hand away. But when all are hungry they all gather and rob me LL. What I'm tryna say is feed is ur weapon. Feed is the motivator. Elephants,dogs,lions,seals,dolphins etc all can be trained by using the tool called feed. I would say remove the feed from cage. Give him a tablespoon of feed in the morng and one tspoon in evng,in palm of ur hand while making sit in ur lap or on other hand. Avail him grit all the time but not feed. U can give him 2-3peanuts etc as a snack time to time so that he get to know that U're his friend and feeder. Spend time with him and feed him with ur hands. This will help the bond gain strength b/w u and him.


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## hamlet (Oct 26, 2004)

Hello. I would like to add this: If it were me, i would also try to call it to your hand to feed. Then, slowly move away from it until it learns to jump or fly to you for feed. Thanks.


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## spirit wings (Mar 29, 2008)

Ashleighz said:


> I rescued a baby pigeon when he was 5 days old. Loki is about 2 months old now. He still squeaks instead of cooing. He trusts me for the most part, he will even sleep with me when let him out of his cage 8 am. The only time he trusts my hands is if there is food in them. He won't let me pet him very much. Do I start only hand feed him and take away his cage food? He does seem to beg for food rather than go in his cage for it. I just need to know how to make stop spazzing out when I move my hands and should I be giving something else other than seeds?


He should be eating his own seeds by now, so I would feed him as you would any other pet bird. he will be afraid of hands, it is how they survive it is instinct, hands look like predator claws or paws, they can 't turn it off, so it is just something YOU get used to, rather than asking him too. hand feeding can be done with treats after he is weaned well and eating on his own and not looking to you for his meals.


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## Rod Hultquist (Aug 23, 2009)

This is a fun clip to watch. You see how the birds take the peanuts from her hand.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z4wQ2Hqxgxc


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## Ashleighz (Jul 31, 2013)

He can eat on his own and knows where his food and water is. He even begs for my food lol. I don't think he knows how to eat big seeds or peanuts yet. I have mixed seeds and never eats the mini sunflower seeds, he will even push out of my hands. I will try peanuts though. I do want to be able let him outside but I'm worried about him not knowing how to interact with other birds since he only knows humans. His real family is on my roof, and would reject him again. I'm also worried about diseases.


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## Jass SamOplay (May 29, 2012)

Rod Hultquist said:


> This is a fun clip to watch. You see how the birds take the peanuts from her hand.
> 
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z4wQ2Hqxgxc


Yea Rod,this is what I'm talking about. Really fun to watch...


brocky bieber said:


> I have some pigeons who wouldn't hesitate to sit on my hand or head and have some others who won't come near me. Some let me pet them in their pens other will agressively bite my hand away. But when all are hungry they all gather and rob me LL. What I'm tryna say is feed is ur weapon. Feed is the motivator.


Feeding with hands helps to win a birds interest,trust and love.


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## AlicjanPip (Jun 19, 2013)

Ashleighz said:


> I rescued a baby pigeon when he was 5 days old. Loki is about 2 months old now. He still squeaks instead of cooing. He trusts me for the most part, he will even sleep with me when let him out of his cage 8 am. The only time he trusts my hands is if there is food in them. He won't let me pet him very much. Do I start only hand feed him and take away his cage food? He does seem to beg for food rather than go in his cage for it. I just need to know how to make stop spazzing out when I move my hands and should I be giving something else other than seeds?


Hi Ashleigh  I had my Pipi from day 6, so very similar to you, hehe...and I still handfeed the little guy.

Regarding your baby pigeon's fear of hands...the one thing that quickly dawned on me with Pip, was he hated 'fingers'. Everyone's fingers at first. Now everyone's but mine. Looks like fingers are a problem, especially individual fingers pointing or touching, reaching out at the pigeon. So, the way I got Pip's trust was when I touched him, I made sure to touch with the back of my hand at first. Fingers closed up, then gradually bit by bit, open and together, and so on. Neck rubs, back rubs, pulling tail gently are good...kind of like you're 'preening' him for him, hehe.  And slow movements, nothing abrupt. Talking also does the trick. Continuous talking. I might be mad, but talking does wonders. Aside from seeds (wheat, milo, safflower, corn, peas), I give my Pip bread balls as a occasional treat...grainy bread balls. He eats them like a piggy.


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## AlanHood (Sep 16, 2013)

Not matter a lot...!
Just keep this baby in touch with you as much as possible and make him use to your closeness. 
Thus the problem will defiantly be solved.

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