# How did you get your indoor pigeons to trust you?



## Coocifer (Jun 25, 2017)

Hi there, I'm an absolute and complete newbie to this forum, and bird ownership. I've wanted pigeons for years and I have done a LOT of research, but of course I couldn't predict all the questions I'd end up having, and I have SO MANY! 

Quick snapshot of my situation: 

I adopted my very first bird, a black male lahore pigeon from a local fancier's loft where I live. He was a single bird being caged separately from the other birds. He was hand-raised by the previous owner as he removed him a little early from the nest to encourage his breeding birds to hatch more babies. He had a mate at one point but the breeder sold her to another interested party, so I do think he has at some point had babies? 

I think once he fledged and was put back in the other birds, his one-on-one human contact was pretty limited. 

Overall, he's a docile bird, but he's still afraid of me, and terrified of my hands. I know gaining his trust will take time, and I'm not looking to rush it. It's been less than a week but even now, every day I do see progress. 

I talk to him and I don't force our interactions. Once in a while I get in close when I need to, but I go slowly and try not to reach directly for him. If I move very slowly and go on his level he'll let me get within touching distance, but heaven forbid I reach out. He hasn't wing slapped or shown any interest in aggressive behaviour, even within his own cage. He just moves away if he's not sure what I'm doing when I slowly reach out to change his water or the lining of his cage.

When I am home he's out of the cage. He free roams my very large, 450 square foot bedroom. 

I control his feeding times, and I sit near the cage while he eats. 

So my question is like the title. 

What did you people with indoor pigeons do to gain the trust of your pigeons? 

What was the turning point when you knew you had gained the birds trust? Was it an a-ha moment, or was it just a gradual progression? 

I plan on getting him a mate later in the year, but first I want to be secure in getting him to acclimate and bond with me. I plan on trying to hand feed him peanuts and raw corn throughout next week. I'm hoping by next Saturday I can have him eating out of my hand, but I'm not trying to force things along of course. 

Also, he won't bathe. Is it because maybe he doesn't feel secure enough yet? I suspect he may have never been bathed. I leave him a bathing pan in his cage, and it's out of the cage when he's free-roaming, but nothing. He's quite dusty and I'd like to fix this(he'll stand in the water but that's it).

Sorry if this post is a little word-vomitty/meandering. I hope to hear from you guys soon!


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

Sounds as though you are doing everything right. He may have never bathed before, and when there is more than one, they are more likely to want to splash in the water. Try splashing in it with your hand. Just go slow and keep talking to him calmly. The more you are around, the more he will get used to you. Don't chase him to get him back in the cage. Do it at night and just turn the lights out and pick him up. They don't see well in the dark so won't usually fly off. He should come around slowly. Some times it does take longer with some than others. He is used to being in a loft with other pigeons. This is all new and strange to him. Patience works best. Can you post a picture of him? Does he have a name?

I use chopped unsalted peanuts or safflower seeds which they also like, or shelled sunflower seeds. Just go easy on all those things and treat them like treats, as they are all high in fat so many are not good for him. At first he won't even know what peanuts are, so mixing some in with his food so that he will eventually try them is a good idea.


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## Coocifer (Jun 25, 2017)

Jay3 said:


> .... Don't chase him to get him back in the cage. Do it at night and just turn the lights out and pick him up. They don't see well in the dark so won't usually fly off...





Are you certain about picking him up in the dark like that? Even if he doesn't fly off, I'm worried it'll affect his issues with being afraid of my hands to begin with. I don't chase him into the cage or anything, but I do sort of slowly corral him. I get closer to him a little bit at a time, staying near his eye level, and I let him uncertainly walk away from me and generally he'll eventually get into the cage after slowly following after him. It is something that for now is relying on his skiddishness though. I suppose when he's more used to me that won't work and I will have to pick him up. I do want to of course get him to a point where he's comfortable being handled anyways.

Also, for now his cage is on the floor because it's an exceptionally large dog crate. When my Dad's in town and we both have the time to spare we're gonna build a table to mount it on, but for now it remains on the floor. I make a point of getting down near his eye level when I'm approaching him to open it or feed him as I know at the moment it's not the most mentally secure place for him to be that low to the ground.

Besides that, I'm relieved I'm doing things alright! He definitely seems interested in me moreso today. He walked about a foot away from my legs under my desk while I was at my computer, which is the closest he's gotten to me on his own terms. He's been perched on the hard case pet taxi I brought him home in most of today, which is maybe 4 or 5 feet away from me. Right now he's laying down on top of it, he seems pretty at ease. He was only comfortable doing the one-leg standing nap inside the cage the first two nights. 

Also, the first two days even with the cage door open he would just sit at the bottom of his cage in front of his mirror preening, nevermind wandering around or napping freely near me. 

I should add that for now his wings are clipped. I plan on letting him be flighted again in the future, once we're both more settled in with each other and he's at ease with me. 


Also, his name is Sinatra, after the singer. And I do have some photos! They're from instagram and just taken with my phone, but here's one!


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## cwebster (Dec 11, 2010)

Sinatra is beautiful! Patience and treats work, as others suggest. Our first feral was injured but got friendly after we started playing with a toy through the cage. At first, she wanted to bite and wing slap me, but instead she started to bite the toy, and soon after became our shoulder and desktop computer surfer. She was a total lover. Another bird we adopted, Lucy, was from a local racers aviary. She acted terrified for three months but when we got her a female friend, suddenly she wasnt afraid anymore and even though she is bonded to Tracy, she loves people and loves having her head gently petted.


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## Coocifer (Jun 25, 2017)

That's such a fantastic story! It does seem like females tend to more often be less aloof than the males, but Lahores seem to have a good reputation for gentleness and friendliness so I'm hoping he'll come around to giving and receiving affection in due time. 

How did you get the female playing with a toy with you through the cage? How long did it take for her to be receptive to something like that? He's better with not running away when I go to open the cage because he's realizing that I'm not going to snatch or force him in or out, but if I moved my hands quickly around the cage towards him and not the door he'd surely back away from me.


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

Coocifer said:


> Are you certain about picking him up in the dark like that? Even if he doesn't fly off, I'm worried it'll affect his issues with being afraid of my hands to begin with. I don't chase him into the cage or anything, but I do sort of slowly corral him. I get closer to him a little bit at a time, staying near his eye level, and I let him uncertainly walk away from me and generally he'll eventually get into the cage after slowly following after him. It is something that for now is relying on his skiddishness though. I suppose when he's more used to me that won't work and I will have to pick him up. I do want to of course get him to a point where he's comfortable being handled anyways.
> 
> I always speak to them before picking them up so they know it's me and not some predator. But you aren't picking him up roughly so don't think it would cause problems with your hands. It hasn't with me.
> 
> ...


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## Jass SamOplay (May 29, 2012)

Hlo coocifer and welcome to PT
Congrats on your new pet. He is such a handsome hunk..
He is new at your place will probably take some time to settle down. And when he does, he is gonna follow you around and coo for you when your not around.
Lahore pigeons make greaaaaaat pets. This breed is known to be very friendly with humans. So once he makes himself comfy youre gonna love him.


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