# Problem - really wants to be a daddy??



## PigeonBaby (Apr 30, 2012)

Hi, can't seem to find much info on this, please help I have a very poor confused bird, my 4yo male pigeon has developed VERY strong nesting instincts, it started a few weeks ago when I put an old toothbrush in his cage for him to play with and he consequently spent 3 weeks incubating it... Eventually he gave up with it and I removed it but then he saw the new toothbrush in the bathroom and kept trying to get to it, breaking the soap dish in the process, so toothbrush went inside cabinet and soap dish and toothbrush holder went on floor to avoid accidents, but he only went and tipped the holder over and - can you believe it - spent the afternoon sat on the toothpaste tube, in the middle of the bathroom floor! What have I started?? I know it's the season, I thought the toothbrush-sitting thing would be a phase, but he is desperate for an 'egg' to sit and it is sad! It reminds me of nature documentaries where a baby dies and the parent can't understand why it doesn't move. He is in bed now, I know tomorrow he will be flapping to the bathroom yet again looking for his 'baby', aaaaaaand... I just don't know what do. Do I let him have it or should I try to stop it? Either way feels cruel. He is so obsessed with that toothbrush it doesn't seem healthy, I know this is natural behaviour, but it's not because there is no mate, no baby, his efforts are in vain and I worry about the stress/exhaustion over sitting on it morning noon and night


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## Dima (Jan 15, 2011)

Wow. I like your pigeon. It's entertaining your story.
I do not see anything wrong with him wanting to sit on "eggs", but it would be nice if you put a fake egg, or small chicken egg in a nice set up nest.
They like to sit on eggs..when 18-21 days are gone, either they give up sitting or you remove it..when he start acting like he wants to sit on egg, give him one.
He will not be depressed because it didn't hatch..for a while he will be worried, but after you remove it he will forget.


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## PigeonBaby (Apr 30, 2012)

Hi Dima, he has 2 nests, a sweet tin with blanket and a cat carrier he absolutely fell in love with, he fills them with ribbons, paper, hair clips, straws, sticks etc. If I encourage him when will it end, he has only just got off his last 'egg' and straight away he wants to do it all over again, it seems a bit extreme. Also, I don't know how to handle him when he is incubating, he doesn't want to play, he hardly comes out, he obsesses over nesting materials and will end up panting from flapping around looking for bits of paper, and then doesn't want to be put to bed :/ I just don't want to see him stressed.


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## nancybird (Jan 30, 2011)

Sounds like he needs a mate.


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## PigeonBaby (Apr 30, 2012)

I want to give him whatever he wants but I don't think I have the space for another pigeon, and if he has only ever known people would he take to having another pigeon around?


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## Dima (Jan 15, 2011)

Nancy, how did i miss that. LOL, of course this is a sign of him taking seriously a family matter.
Your pigeon will be thrilled to have a real mate. They are fun to watch and see how much they care for each other. he will bring her all your hair clips, paper..and hopefully some real nesting material. She will arrange her nest..they will nibble and clean each other..kissing.

You can always adopt a female pigeon from rescue centres, and even here on PT we have adoption site.
The only thing you'll have to do is not to suddenly put them together. Keep the new pigeon first of all in quarantine for about 1 month. That way you can monitor that she is healthy and she is not developing any stress related health problems, then you put her in a cage and let your boy roam around it for another 2 weeks and finally the girl out of the cage with your boy. While she is in a cage, you will see his reaction;but with days going by he's going to want to be with he.

Never mind that he will not pay you so much attention anymore once he has a mate. Don't get jealous. You just want him to be a happy pigeon and give him what he deserves .


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## nancybird (Jan 30, 2011)

Yes Dima I agree with you.


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## spirit wings (Mar 29, 2008)

PigeonBaby said:


> Hi, can't seem to find much info on this, please help I have a very poor confused bird, my 4yo male pigeon has developed VERY strong nesting instincts, it started a few weeks ago when I put an old toothbrush in his cage for him to play with and he consequently spent 3 weeks incubating it... Eventually he gave up with it and I removed it but then he saw the new toothbrush in the bathroom and kept trying to get to it, breaking the soap dish in the process, so toothbrush went inside cabinet and soap dish and toothbrush holder went on floor to avoid accidents, but he only went and tipped the holder over and - can you believe it - spent the afternoon sat on the toothpaste tube, in the middle of the bathroom floor! What have I started?? I know it's the season, I thought the toothbrush-sitting thing would be a phase, but he is desperate for an 'egg' to sit and it is sad! It reminds me of nature documentaries where a baby dies and the parent can't understand why it doesn't move. He is in bed now, I know tomorrow he will be flapping to the bathroom yet again looking for his 'baby', aaaaaaand... I just don't know what do. Do I let him have it or should I try to stop it? Either way feels cruel. He is so obsessed with that toothbrush it doesn't seem healthy, I know this is natural behaviour, but it's not because there is no mate, no baby, his efforts are in vain and I worry about the stress/exhaustion over sitting on it morning noon and night


give him a nest in his place/cage/room and give him some fake eggs to sit. he will probably think you layed them for him if he sees you as his mate.


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## nancybird (Jan 30, 2011)

Fake eggs could help him.


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## Dima (Jan 15, 2011)

As conclusion there are 2 choices for his happiness:
1.Fake eggs
2.A mate (pigeon). If you adopt a mate for him, due to your space issue, when they have eggs, just replace them with fake ones.


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## nancybird (Jan 30, 2011)

Dima said:


> As conclusion there are 2 choices for his happiness:
> 1.Fake eggs
> 2.A mate (pigeon). If you adopt a mate for him, due to your space issue, when they have eggs, just replace them with fake ones.


I agree with you.


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## PigeonBaby (Apr 30, 2012)

Hi, thanks, where can I obtain fake pigeon eggs? It's not harsh to make him sit on them all day for weeks? Getting him a girlfriend is a possibility in the future but not really at the moment. He has been staying out of the bathroom today and is being his usual playful self so the toothbrush phase seems to be over... for now.


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## Dima (Jan 15, 2011)

Fake eggs from PetSmart or Siegel Pigeons or any pigeon supply store.


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## Dima (Jan 15, 2011)

PigeonBaby said:


> Hi, thanks, where can I obtain fake pigeon eggs? It's not harsh to make him sit on them all day for weeks? Getting him a girlfriend is a possibility in the future but not really at the moment. He has been staying out of the bathroom today and is being his usual playful self so the toothbrush phase seems to be over... for now.


When he wants to sit on the toothbrush, just make a nice nest for him and put the egg in the nest. He will go by himself; at least he should, if you show him at least, he will understand.
You are not making him sit. He will sit by himself as long as he wants. Pigeons have strong instinct and if he will abandon the egg in less than 3 weeks. Pigeons love to sit on the eggs. Don't feel bad for him.


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## spirit wings (Mar 29, 2008)

PigeonBaby said:


> Hi, thanks, where can I obtain fake pigeon eggs? It's not harsh to make him sit on them all day for weeks? Getting him a girlfriend is a possibility in the future but not really at the moment. He has been staying out of the bathroom today and is being his usual playful self so the toothbrush phase seems to be over... for now.


you can get wooden eggs at craft stores also. the fake eggs are things for him to sit if he is sitting on other things you don't want him too, what pigeons do is sit eggs, so not sure why it would be harsh. he may not sit like a hen does and get up and down off the nest..the cock usually does the afternoon shift giving his hen a break. It may be a good idea to know what is normal behaviour for a pigeon/s esp when they are in pairs to undstand what his needs are.


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## altgirl35 (Sep 5, 2008)

why cant he have the toothbrush!! lol


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## Dima (Jan 15, 2011)

altgirl35 said:


> why cant he have the toothbrush!! lol


You have too much sense of humor.


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## altgirl35 (Sep 5, 2008)

I would totally give lumpy a toothbrush if he wanted it


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## Dima (Jan 15, 2011)

altgirl35 said:


> I would totally give lumpy a toothbrush if he wanted it


Give it a try, but i prefer him laying on your your head  . Nope: toothbrush on your head and Lumpy on it.
Come on: let's show some respect for our rescues


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## nancybird (Jan 30, 2011)

Thats funny. LOL


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## altgirl35 (Sep 5, 2008)

For those who don't know, lumpy is either being mean to me or humping my head
He's a brat!


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## John_D (Jan 24, 2002)

This is our Snowflake's nest ( affectionately called 'Flakey') before he went into the rescue aviary some years back. He was addicted to nesting, too 

We got him a Ty Beanie toy called Serenity dove of peace for his (ever-open) cage, which you can see on the 'nest', and he was happy as Larry! Flakey was out gathering more materials when I took this pic.

(We did remove the pack of Paracetamol, though - maybe he thought Serenity might have one of 'those headaches'?)

He is now contented with a real mate in his chosen box in the aviary.


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## spirit wings (Mar 29, 2008)

I would not want my pigeon eyeing my toothbrush...lol..


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