# Glacier seems depressed.



## philodice (Sep 30, 2007)

The new bird, which I am going to call a "Crown King" because of her crest even though the rest of her looks like a king, seems moody.
After monitoring for a few days, she really isn't pooping as much or eating as much as I'd like. Is it the new surroundings? Her seed was in a pink bowl that the doves loved. When I dumped seeds out of the bowl she ate. She hates the pink bowl then.
She puffs and blows and growls and pecks when I try to examine her or change her water, and runs around the cage in a panic.
She acts like she wants to roost up high with the doves but when she gets up there she predictably tries to beat them up. So I can't let her free fly in the aviary and a new cage just for her is in the works. I heard Glacier coo and roo the other day and it was a beautiful, deep sound she repeated several times.
I'm thinking that Glacier needs to get used to the new digs, like a teenager that has been kicked out of the parent's house. But I've also put in a wormer and a different dish. She simply isn't pooping enough, not like the guano machines other people have for pigeons.  They seem a bit green and watery, after starting on the Diatomaceous earth she pooped a good one and I'd like to see more of those.


----------



## EgypSwiftLady (Jan 14, 2008)

philodice said:


> The new bird, which I am going to call a "Crown King" because of her crest even though the rest of her looks like a king, seems moody.
> After monitoring for a few days, she really isn't pooping as much or eating as much as I'd like. Is it the new surroundings? Her seed was in a pink bowl that the doves loved. When I dumped seeds out of the bowl she ate. She hates the pink bowl then.
> She puffs and blows and growls and pecks when I try to examine her or change her water, and runs around the cage in a panic.
> She acts like she wants to roost up high with the doves but when she gets up there she predictably tries to beat them up. So I can't let her free fly in the aviary and a new cage just for her is in the works. I heard Glacier coo and roo the other day and it was a beautiful, deep sound she repeated several times.
> I'm thinking that Glacier needs to get used to the new digs, like a teenager that has been kicked out of the parent's house. But I've also put in a wormer and a different dish. She simply isn't pooping enough, not like the guano machines other people have for pigeons.  They seem a bit green and watery, after starting on the Diatomaceous earth she pooped a good one and I'd like to see more of those.


 I would give her more time to adjust. I had new pigeons come here that had to be fed their seed on the bottom of their cages until they adjusted to eating out of a dish. Remember her new digs are very scary right now until she gets use to you and how her new life is going to be.


----------



## maryjane (Jul 15, 2006)

It sounds like pretty normal settling-in behavior. Too bad she is threatened by the doves, aren't some pigeons just ridiculous about doves? I feel like saying, "hello, they're much smaller than you, what are you feeling threatened of?"  Hopefully she will calm down soon and feel at home. She also sounds like she may be a he.  You can try putting some lavender around the cage, as it has a calming effect (works well sometimes for my parrot). Good luck, here's hoping peace returns to the dove fortress.


----------



## Skyeking (Jan 17, 2003)

She needs time to adjust to all the newness: the birds, the bowls, surroundings and you. Time will take care of it.


----------



## philodice (Sep 30, 2007)

Glacier attacked the new feed dish this morning. It is smaller and not pink so it is less threatening, and 'he' now feels he has a pretty good handle on the seed dish. He pecked out of it, shoveled seed around, and then kicked it over just to be sure it wasn't going to attack. lol Here's hoping eating more = pooping more or I'll check back there to see where it's all going.  Just kidding.
I'll keep up on the silver and tea tree oil as it has been helping his droppings change from greenish to more brownish and more healthy urates.


----------



## amoonswirl (Nov 14, 2006)

It sounds like normal "settling in" moodiness to me. Could be more pronounced if S/he came from a home with other pigeons. They do get lonesome. My Munchkin was depressed for quite awhile when I first adopted him. In fact I would almost characterize his behavior as resentful. He was a lone pigeon then, and had come from a nice home with several companions. He really only perked up 100% once I got him a mate. (the doves just did not do it for him, lol)

By the way, I would definitely advise keeping pigeons and doves in separate enclosures. Especially with a King, the size difference gives the doves a real disadvantage in scuffles. They can get hurt badly.


----------



## Charis (Feb 11, 2007)

The thought I had is that if she was kept indoors before coming to you, she may be hot outside in your aviary. If I wasn't used to that heat, it would make me moody and depressed.


----------



## Whitefeather (Sep 2, 2002)

That sounds like normal behavior to me. 

As has been said, he's most likely going through a period of adjustment. 
He's been living alone, if you will, & now, all of a sudden, he's surrounded by little dovies. 
That would be the equivalent of one of us having lived alone & all of sudden we're surrounded by an apt. full of roommates. 
Definitely adjustment time. 

Cindy


----------



## philodice (Sep 30, 2007)

Not to worry, he can't attack the doves because he has an apartment of his own inside the dove fort. It is five feet high and three feet wide at least, and he has plenty of room to act resentful and depressed in. He has been acting eager to come out of the cage and less afraid of me, but once out it's "Ah, midgets! Scary little dovies!". He tries to attack but all the perches I have that he can land on are specially spaced so that it doesn't work out. He can't reach them. 

I've uploaded more pictures, and there does seem to be steady improvement as I give him his own personal space.


----------



## philodice (Sep 30, 2007)

BTW the dark spots on the wall are cement splatters I haven't painted over yet.


----------

