# My First Pet Pigeons. And They Are Terrified.



## Pond Smith (9 mo ago)

Hello! I hope your having a pleasant day! About four months ago I got two pet pigeons from a breeder who claimed they were well handled and friendly, Sweet-Pea (Female) and Goobert (Male), they are less than a year old, an they have been really fun to watch fly around the room I have them in and play with the toys I got them. There's just one thing, they are positively terrified of my presence, if I walk past their cage when they are in there they will fly out or try and hide in the corner of it. They flee to the farthest side of their cage when I change their food and water in the mornings. And if my hand is within 2 feet of them they will freak out to the point on of them flew into the side of their cage when I was cleaning it. They recently haven't been leaving their cage a lot because they layed eggs twice already, none of the eggs have been fertile. But when Sweet-Pea is in her nesting area she will let me pet her head, and doesn't seem to mind at all. Goobert on the other hand, when he lays on the eggs he will leave the nest if I get to close; so I just tend not to bother them. I know building bonds with birds is a process, and I have been doing a lot to try and get them to trust me but they seem quite insistent on fearing me. Does anyone perhaps have advise on what I can do to make them feel more comfortable with me?


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## Doves Witness (Apr 23, 2016)

Let me guess, you go into that room only to tend to the birds, so you go straight toward them? Try spending more time in the same room with them, doing unrelated things. Read a book, check messages on your phone, eat a sandwich, etc. Ignore them as though you are not a predator and perhaps they will stop mistaking you for one.

At this moment, there is a feral pigeon sitting under my computer desk about 10 inches from my feet. She is not tame, but she cannot fly due to either muscle and/or bone damage from an attack at least four months ago. She absolutely hates submitting to being picked-up, yet if I calmly put my hands together before her on the floor with palms up, she knows that I am offering to lift and carry her back to her basket, so she doesn't run away. She still struggles to get free of my hands after I've picked her up, but not so strongly as she did when she first got here.


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## cwebster (Dec 11, 2010)

It just takes time. All our birds were timid at first.


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## beachwood45789 (Jul 15, 2014)

Hi, do exactly what doves suggest the birds have to get to know you, when ever you are in the room with the birds talk to them ask them how are my babies doing stuff like that when you feed them talk to them, if you just feed and water them and then leave the room they will never trust you to pet them or land on your shoulder


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## Hania41806 (Oct 21, 2020)

Do what doves witness said. You can also try not feeding them in the mornings and then coming in the afternoon and having them eat while you’re in the room.


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## Pond Smith (9 mo ago)

I spend quite a bit of time in the room because that's where I do a majority of my work, and I keep some enclosure in there for my snakes (All secured so the pigeons cant interact with them in any way). I speak to my pigeons at times and I have noticed some behavior that I don't particularly understand. When I talk to Sweet-Pea her feather un-fluff (I'm not quite sure what to call it, its like her feathers pin back more than usual). She doesn't seem to be fearful of me talking, I'm juts curious what this behavior means.


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## Doves Witness (Apr 23, 2016)

Do they panic only when you approach, or the whole time you are in the room? The tightening of the feathers could be preparing for take-off to fly. I have many and sometimes long conversations with the birds here, however they are all "hoo hoo" and "uh-ooOOOOOOoohhh-oooooh" and that sort of thing. Occasionally with dancing, well, if you can call it that. The birds also coo and hoo and dance some of the time, when they aren't just staring at me with a trace of pity in their eyes.


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## Pond Smith (9 mo ago)

Doves Witness said:


> Do they panic only when you approach, or the whole time you are in the room? The tightening of the feathers could be preparing for take-off to fly. I have many and sometimes long conversations with the birds here, however they are all "hoo hoo" and "uh-ooOOOOOOoohhh-oooooh" and that sort of thing. Occasionally with dancing, well, if you can call it that. The birds also coo and hoo and dance some of the time, when they aren't just staring at me with a trace of pity in their eyes.


Goobert panics a lot when I get too close, but Sweet-Pea is a bit more sociable and vocal. If I get too close to her she will coo at me before moving away. Goobert just runs or fly's away. They seem calm when I'm just in the room, but sometimes if I move suddenly they watch me very intensely.


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## Doves Witness (Apr 23, 2016)

I can't think of why they would be so frightened of your approach, especially given that they are pet birds. The coo / huh sound from Sweet-pea when you approach her is a warning. If you stop and "hoo" back at her she might relax and not fly away.


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## Alliegator28 (May 14, 2021)

I have a rescue feral and he/ she was petrified of me as well, I got gidget feb 1 and I spend a great deal of time with her . We are communicating playfully there are bells around and I always have one where I sit and so if they touch one ring yours it is a version of interaction and mine picked up on it very early . This way I know she is wanting to interact with me and so often she and I do it a couple times and we both get excited. She very much likes me now but is completely hands off . We also watch stuff on the I pad together and I leave it on for her on the table it’s like a cat tv or something a rainbow worm goes across the screen to music and bird sounds , when I watch she will come and sit on my legs . It is definitely much more difficult then with a parrot but I think gentle persistence oh and always point to where you are going and tell them what your doing , that way they understand how to get out of the way for a while this helped with mine , she understands everything I say , they are very smart. This is my first pigeon and I am just trying to establish communication at this point as well good luck and how lovely to have 2


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## TerryFinn0359 (11 mo ago)

Start cutting back on there food and pick up *UNSALTED* peanuts and break them into small pieces and start feeding them a little bit each day. You must be consistent what time you feed them. Should only feed them twice a day and don't leave any food arround. A pigeon only needs 1 once of feed per day per bird.


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## navamanas (Mar 17, 2016)

Don't worry about the length of time it takes for them to get used to you. I currently have two pigeons who were both wild/feral adults (one injured, one sick) when I picked them up. I've have Chancey since November 6th, 2016. I thought she was a boy because she was larger than, and so aggressive to my little hen (Clovey). After about 9 months, Chancey began getting a bit more friendly, and progressed from grunting at us to cooing... When Clovey died, then Chancey reverted to being antisocial and very fearful of us. In about 6 months, though, she chose my wife as her mate (which, in our minds, confirmed that she was a boy). Then, finally, on October 1st, 2018 she laid an egg (It was very confusing for us!). Then in 2020, I found a male (I presume) who was very sick with PPMV-1, and although he eventually recovered, it's only been very recent (this year) that he began being tolerant (not friendly) towards his human guardians... Either way, I love my pigeons...

They all have different experiences that results in different personalities. Clovey wanted to be by me all the time... Chancey is back and forth, and Scouty prefers to watch us from afar. I've had at least a couple dozen so far - other than 4 (including the 3 mentioned here), all of them were temporary. They are amazing, amusing, fascinating... they are little microcosms that show us simplified formats of human behavior and interaction. The best way to understand them is by putting time into getting to know them. Just remember that getting to know one or two of them won't tell you anything about any other pigeon that you meet. Just like Alligator28 says, they are more difficult that a parrot, but with enough time and patience, you'll get to know what they like and need. Definitely figure out what they like, food or otherwise.


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