# Seismic Communication: Slappy Feet



## Koomori (Mar 9, 2015)

I've understood for a long time that a variety of animals use seismic communication to determine anything from a water source to the estimated size and presumed threat level of a predator. I also have come to learn that when animals engage in this type of communication, rather than observation, it is their way of trying to tell their observer something. I keep my King Pigeon, Archimedes, indoors about 75% of the time. He gets plenty of fresh air, I'll have him in a screen porch, and I do take him for short walks whenever possible. I check him for lice/mites/deer ticks whenever we come in and if he does not take a bath by himself, I will bath him once a day (usually he's good about it, he's a very clean pigey). 

I vacuum and disinfect him aviary whenever it is soiled, I have treated my home (prior to spring) with the most bird-safe pesticide I could to try and keep out ticks, fleas, and the like. My dog passed away on memorial Day weekend and the cat does not carry any parasites on him (as I also groom his stinky kitty butt). All that being said, when I started noticing Archimedes beginning this foot slapping behavior, I was immediately curious. 

Of course, the first thing I did was obsess over his poop. I'm sure some of you reading this that have read my other posts may recall that one. Ha, ha, but I really was looking for answers. His poop went back to normal after a change of diet and so I ruled out worms. Next, just like a Howler Monkey, I preened over every inch of this bird. I did the "white towel test", physically examined his body as closely as I could to the point of comfortable restraining him so that I could check his skin condition beneath his feathers. No signs of increased scratching... just your normal skin look as a bird is going through moult. 

So what did it mean? He's stomping his feet at me, I noticed, not when he preens or fixes himself but whenever I enter the room, aviary, or he'll randomly do it after approaching me fast with his wings spread. That was my first clue, he's showing aggression... but why to me? I feed him! That little punk.... what's a mother to do?

I realized that if I back down, he's going to get into this mindset that I am subordinate to him. Uh-uh. The kids don't run the house. So I began stomping my feet (lightly) back, which caused him to fly to my fist and perch there. He did not attack, peck, bite, nor did he continue to stomp his feet. Ok, I did not expect that but I went with it and I simply got into the habit of when he started stomping his feet, I'd answer with my own series of stomps, he would fly to me and we'd do chores together. 

Here is what I think is happening:


Archimedes issues a challenge
I accept challenge and issue one back
Archimedes associates me with food
Archimedes associates undesirable behavior with no/less food
Archimedes does not attack
Archimedes takes a submissive role when he confronts me
I reward him with attention, affection, and food
I am the alpha in terms of our relationship as conspecifics

I had, prior to this, noted a decrease in aggressive biting and pecking to injure (i.e. going to my eyes) as mating season came to a close, and I can only imagine that Archimedes must think I am another male and that he must challenge me from time to time. I think that as long as I keep nipping it in the bud and gently showing him who's boss in my motherly way, he'll mellow out even more. I think he'll realize, eventually, that it is pointless to challenge me but also that there is no need to, I can fulfill his needs (for the most part) and there are no females for us to compete over. 

It's times like this that I wonder if finding him a mate would only complicate things. At one point I really wanted to but now I am not so sure. I'm almost afraid that if I do, and I start paying attention to her, he'll harm her or resume his former aggressive behavior with me. 

This is the most fun thing about having a pigeon for the first time. I am really loving the opportunity to learn his behavior and see how it translates both socially and a-socially. Right now, Archimedes is perched above where I type, all fluffed out, nice and relaxed. It seems that after any given initial challenge is responded to and handled, he's cool and doesn't do it again. Maybe he's just acting up because he wants attention. Isn't that what teenage boys do when they get hormonal?


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## cwebster (Dec 11, 2010)

Enjoyed the story. LOL!


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## Koomori (Mar 9, 2015)

Thanks! I'm going to try and collect some video of our interactions like this and throw them up on my YouTube. I just LOOOVE studying animal behavior. I took one class of it and got hooked. Animals aren't like people, they don't say things they don't mean, ya know?

When they try to communicate with you, they are being very sincere and acting on their needs and psychological thresholds. If you can get to a point where you know what you're looking at when they act certain ways, you can become very, very good at knowing what your animals want and need. I am particularly fascinated by birds and so I hope that as I make posts like this and rant about my observations and post up videos or pictures of birds doing... well.. bird stuff.. it can help people understand better or maybe I've got it wrong and someone who knows more about the behavior can buddy up with me and help me grow as an animal behaviorist. 

Either way, I'm glad you liked the post. I'll update it when I get video. Right now I have a lazy pile of pigeon in his nest enjoying a cool summer day.


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## kiddy (Feb 5, 2015)

Yes me too liked the post, don't know if these are hormonal changes or what but I have seen their behavioral changes many times. My cock who would never bite me is nowadays taking out my skin and he has started this since he has seen his baby doing this, while he was adult when I bought him and he raised two babies and when one of them started pecking and biting me, he too started doing this, so I couldn't get it as a hormonal change rather someone's bad inspiration  
Second baby whom I hand raised and he loves me a lot, still he is showing aggressiveness these days, he is 3 months old now and still likes to eat from my hand tho he is weaned and he has no problem in eating but when he sees me eating or even starting to eat or sometimes just like that he comes to me and starts pecking my hands and holding my fingers and this is when he has been already fed and not at all hungry. He keeps trying and trying until I give him something in his mouth down the throat and then too he doesn't want to go but he wants more and he reacts like he is being fed by mate as he regurgitates and shakes his neck which they do with mates, then I have to leave him when I think I will overfeed him if he will keep asking for food. And then he jumps over my shoulder and starts cooing and pecking my ears and dancing and taking circles over my shoulder as it is his territory . lol. And yes I can't hold any other pigeon, If I hold anyone else in my hand he will fly to its back and starts pecking so I think if your Archemedes doesn't like the bird you bring for him, he may react in the same way but I believe he will learn soon as they like to be with mates.
So really they all are of very different behaviors, sometimes we even can't guess what are they going to do and they do something very unexpected and so I think this learning process about pigeons has no end and we have to just keep learning and enjoy these adorable birds.


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## Koomori (Mar 9, 2015)

Well said, and I think that's pretty cute with your little one and how claimed you are. I'm pretty sure the pigeon will grow out of it or maybe ditch you for a mate. I'm kinda hoping Archimedes manages to calm his little birdy butt down so I can eventually get him one. Socializing him with other pigeons has done him a great service so far. He definitely appreciates my company more and he knows that he's not the toughest pigeon in the universe. But I do sincerely think that he thinks I'm another male so he's always trying to compete or be cocky with me. I suppose that's his very nature as a male within a territory because believe me, he doesn't pull this crap at the sanctuary when I have him in with the other pigeons. Then as soon as I walk in it's;

"Mom! OMG I thought you'd never come back! Take me home! Take me to my octopus and piles of shredded paper! Let's leave this place!"

Hardcore anthropomorphisizing but he does love up to me extra sweetly when we are out. He'll even let me flip him on his back and rub his legs and belly - it's almost like he is showing the other pigeons that he has a right they don't, which is being fussed over by a human. I get him home and it's right back to being himself. LOL

He wants to show off to his friends when we're in public but back at the house it's business as usual. Go figure. Teenagers. 

Anyway, I agree with you that the adult male is taking social cues from the younger one. Perhaps because he sees the younger one reacting as though you are a threat, the adult simply goes into "protect" mode and joins the young one in the pecking and biting. Your adult may very well understand that you are not a threat, but he is now maybe showing the younger one that regardless of how much you attack, there's no fight back so eventually the younger one may learn you are no threat. It's interesting. Birds sure are funny little creatures.

As for the one with the oddball food cues, I had a similar problem too. Granted, I don't eat often - I am kind of like a farm animal. I never sit down for a full meal but I'll graze on stuff throughout the day. While I was doing the classical conditioning on Archimedes he began to associate my food intake with his own. I resolved this by just not eating where he can see me. Maybe it has to do with feeding by hand but then again, even after his training concluded and I switched him to a dish, he'll still eat if he sees me eat. Eating is a social thing though, I think a lot of animals (even humans) eat socially. It'd be interesting to see if pigeons truly are the same.


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