# My first really tame pigeon...food, aggression, inside or out?



## Insomniac (Aug 21, 2007)

Hey everyone, 

I haven't been online much lately so I haven't posted lately, but things have been busy as usual. We're taking pigeons from the Humane Society and Wildlife Rehabilitation Society now so our pigeon volume is a lot higher... we always have some being rehabilitated and a few releasable ones gaining strength with our resident flock. We've released three in the past few months, one in the fall and two a couple of weeks ago when it was unseasonably warm out. 

We have 13 resident pigeons and four more that will eventually be released.

We recently had one come to us after the Humane Society contacted us when the owner came to surrender him to them. He was a 2009 hatchling and handraised from the beginning. He seemed utterly confused when I showed him a pigeon. He follows people around, lands on our shoulders, and hates being locked in his cage when people are in the room. I am going to order some PGwear for him, he has made himself quite at home in my room. I do have a few questions though...

He is eating a mixture of millet, safflower, Zupreem Fruit Budgie Pellets, and Tropican Parakeet Pellets... he refuses to eat anything larger then these tiny seeds! He throws out cracked corn and split peas and won't even attempt the full versions of both... For now I am just giving him a mixture and hoping he'll realize that he can swallow the other food...any other tips?

Also, I realize it is spring and I watch the other pigeons with their mates enough to know what he is doing and how he is feeling...but...he seems to think that our hands, feet and faces are all separate entities. He may have some affection (too much..) for my right hand one day, but will attack everything else...and the next day, the right hand is an enemy as well and he has a thing for a foot! Does anybody have any tips on getting him to realize that he needs to accept me for all of me? Hahaha. He really has a one track mind and I feel bad that he doesn't have a full-time mate like the other pigeons... should I give up on my desire to have a house pigeon and try to get him to like other pigeons?  

Thanks in advance for the advice!


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## jmaxpsi (Jul 31, 2009)

I think he thinks you are his mate. LOL. I haven't of anyone trying to pair one hand raised pigeon with another. I guess it is worth a try if you wanted. I mean, how much harm can you do. As far as seeds go, my housed pigeon hates peas. But never ate whole corn kernels. He always ate the smaller seeds like milo, wheat, rice, and etc. So I started throwing some whole corn and cracked corn in and he started to eat it after tasting it. Funny thing, he used to love eating pellets as he was weaning out. Now, he hates it. I guess, they'll eat what you give them. Not in excess, or else they'll just make a mess and choose what they like to eat.


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## Skyeking (Jan 17, 2003)

He is a doll!!!Sounds like he is a wonderfully spoiled pigeon who has adapted to a human world. He has claimed any territory you allow him freedom to fly in, and that is why he is biting and pecking. He sees your hands as a threat, and therefore he is aggressive. Take it as a compliment that he attacks and sees you as his equal.

I have had several males that acted that way, and have seen a few torn socks to prove it. I was given a wonderful male house pet who acted exactly the same. He was only given millet to eat and his feathering looked terible. It took a little time for him to eat all the other seeds in the mix, but he did.

Time will help, and he will adjust. Change his diet slowly, and only give him as much as he will eat at one meal, and no more. He is picking out the seeds he loves and flicking out the ones he refuses to eat-(because he knows he is going to get more), but he needs them to get the full spectrum of nutrients. You can coax him on te large seeds by hand feeding him a few. Give him a pigeon mix, it is specifically made for pigeons and designed to meet their nutritional needs.


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## Insomniac (Aug 21, 2007)

He is definitely a doll and he definitely thinks I am his mate! I just wish he would remember that he liked me the day before, rather then treat me as if I'm a new person every time he sees me. He acts like this with everyone, not just me, and he never calms down. He sees every human as a mate, it seems, and never settles down.

My concern with his diet is that he won't eat the pigeon mix. I know he needs to eat pigeon mix... my other 13 pigeons are currently eating the winter mix from Baden Feed and live outdoors. He won't swallow anything bigger then the pellets that his old owner was feeding.

He has also had his wings clipped since a young bird, thankfully he knows how to fly now that his feathers are growing out...he is fat though, and pants after flying! Time should fix that...


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## mr squeaks (Apr 14, 2005)

Is that Fox, Insomniac? Looks like him...the pijie who loves to take a bath in your sink!

I, too, have a male bird who considers me his mate. Of course, I'm talking about Mr. Squeaks. He does not like other pigeons and considers the apartment HIS territory. I have 3 other pigeons and have noticed that he will tolerate Gime (cock) and Woe (hen) _unless_ they get too close to him. However, if he sees Dom (cock), it's *instant attack!* I had never seen pigeons fight but they can sure go at it beak and claw!

So, Dom, Gimie and Woe have the bedroom for morning exercise behind a closed door. Squeaks and my 2 cats stay with me in the living room area.

Mr. Squeaks has also developed TWO modes: daddy and mate. When in mate, he follows me around and will let me hold (for awhile), pet and scritch him. At night, I put him in his cage.

For daddy mode, I have a small basket lined with a hand towel and a wooden egg. I give him a handfull of shredded paper which quickly disappears under him for his bedding. He will spend hours in his nest and only comes out to poop and eat. He can stay in his nest outside his cage all night. 

These modes can last for a few weeks at a time...

Sooo, my questions to you are: does he have a cage that is his own? Can you give him a basket or bowl for a nest with some long pine needles, tobacco stems or shredded paper and a fake egg? 

Of course, my situation is different than many because I live alone and Squeaks doesn't have the distractions of other humans. Actually, he considers other humans "stranger danger!!" 

Wishing all the best with Love and Hugs and Scritches

Shi and Mr. Squeaks 

P.S. I forgot to add that if my bare feet come close to his nest while he is in daddy mode, he attacks them! OUCH!


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## c.hert (Jan 15, 2010)

These birds are training you lol beautiful checkered pigeon and talk about a good life for birds Mr. Squeaks would you like about 60 more of these beautiful birds and they are not picky on seed either....and they all love baths...and rain showers...c.hert


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## Insomniac (Aug 21, 2007)

Yup, that's my Fox! <3

He can really attack me sometimes!! He is really quite indecisive on whether he likes me or not! Sometimes he is a little TOO loving and mounts my hand, regurgitates (I don't encourage this at all) and lets me scratch his head and neck...other times he is attacking me in full ferocity, like I am another cock. He hates when I am on my laptop, he won't leave me alone! It starts to really hurt!

He does have his own cage, a rather small one on my bookshelf that he goes into to roost and eat. I'll give him a nest box and see how he feels about it. I certainly have a bunch of fake eggs! I might need to bring in a larger cage ,but I'd rather not...once he gets his PGwear, I'd like him to be out of his cage whenever someone is home to change him.He isn't in it much as it is.


My main concern is his happiness though.

I really want an indoor pigeon...he seems happy. But would he be happier outdoors with the others?


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