# New pet pigeon, need advice on getting them a partner/friend



## Birdiee (Jul 18, 2020)

I have a fair amount of experience rehabbing wild pigeons, but this is the first time I've had one as a pet. It is a lost/abandoned pet that kept getting stuck in my place of work so I took it home. 

Me and my partner have to leave it at home for two days a week while we are at work at the same time. But at the end of August my partner goes back to full time so I don't want to leave it on its own all week. 

I think it is a female but it's hard to tell as it seems quite young and is very underweight. It is also very nervous but is slowly getting used to the two of us. I think getting him or her a mate or friend would help them gain confidence and would keep it company while we are at work. There is definitely enough room for two in the cage. 

Is it a good idea to bring in another pigeon while this one is so nervous. And is it fine to keep two females or two males together? I am going to take it to the vet to see if they can sex it, maybe get a DNA test to be sure.


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## Marina B (May 5, 2011)

Best will be to determine the sex, two males will definitely not get along. Two females might, although they can also fight. If you can adopt a pigeon that is fairly tame and used to people, then this might help for the young one to relax more in your company.

When you get a mate for your pigeon, first keep the second one in a seperate cage next to yours. They will need time to get used to each other. You can let them out together to make sure there are no bullying. 

You can also offer treats, pigeons love chopped up raw unsalted peanuts. This might help to get the young one more tamer. Also, never grab him to put him back in the cage. This will just freak him out more. Rather let him go back by himself or wait till it gets dark before putting him back.


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## Birdiee (Jul 18, 2020)

Thanks so much for the advice, it's really useful. I'll take it to get properly sexed at the vet and then find another to adopt of the opposite sex. Would you say the sooner we can get them a mate the better? How long is it okay for them to be a single pigeon on their own?

I'll try the unsalted peanuts. They have been quite fussy with food and won't touch the fruit and veg we give them, but I assume their owner before may not have given them any so is unfamiliar with fruit and veg. 

They are fairly calm when handled but do freak out if we try to pick them up. We open the door to the cage all day and let them go in and out as they please, but once out, they never want to go back in, so bed time is usually a bit of a nightmare. They just tend to find a comfy high spot and stay sat in the same spot for most of the day, I assume because they're nervous and it's a new space. We try to usher them in but it doesn't always work. I think maybe because the cage is new, as we didn't have this issue before the cage.


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## Marina B (May 5, 2011)

When he gets used to the peanuts, you can leave a small amount in his cage when you want him to go back inside. I'm sure this will work. Pigeons in general are not fond of fruit and vegetables, although you can put down a spinach leaf for him. My pigeons love spinach. An indoor bird will need vitamins, esp calcium with added vit D3.

When you adopt the other pigeon, put the cages next to each other for a week. Then let both of them come out on neutral territory and see how it goes.


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## Marina B (May 5, 2011)

Do you have the cage in a high spot? Pigeons feel safer when high of the ground, especially at night.


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## Birdiee (Jul 18, 2020)

Thanks so much, I'm definitely getting peanuts. I have some vitamins for him. He seems to like carrots but I think as you say, some greens are probably better. 

The cage does have high spots, he sits on them frequently, he likes to sit all about the cage.


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