# Tame Pidge mating with Feral Rescue?



## DanceBiscuit (Jun 12, 2010)

Turns out Viktor, my tame pigeon is a female, and her attentions towards Crixus, the feral who couldn't fly has paid off: it seems they've accepted each other as mates and have been mating and cooing and generally staying quite close together.

Crixus is still absolutely deathly afraid of me, he doesn't like to be handled and will do his best to get as far as he can from me. I think in the next week or two he'll be ready to be released, but the mating issue complicates things(or does it?)

Would there be any negative side-effects to Crixus being released? Should I find/purchase a male for Viktor, or would she reject a new male?


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## spirit wings (Mar 29, 2008)

I would keep now, it is sad to seperate a mated pair.


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## Ivor (May 12, 2008)

I had two rescued birds the male was very tame he is a PMV survivor, and he's with me for a long time now, the female is not tame at all also a feral, she is fine now but was sick for 2 weeks probably when I found her, I keep both because they love so much and I can't release the female anymore even if she is healthy, I even had ops babies from them, if you can keep both together will be the best!!

Ivette


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## lwerden (May 31, 2008)

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The bird sitting on the dog's back in my avatar is Jackie, my totally tamed house pet pigeon.

I hand raised Jackie from 2 days old. She is unreleasable as she has only one eye. She is totally human imprinted and was an only pigeon with run of the house. When Jackie was approximately 1 year old I rescued an adult feral who was a victim of a glue trap. His name is now Snowflake. Snowflake was totally wild, still is, and was housed in a seperate cage where both he and Jackie could observe each other. To this day, it is impossible for me to handle Snowflake, he is agressive and would love to take my hand off if he could. As time passed during his recovery he and Jackie would coo for eachother and at times it almost sounded like they were crying for eachother. I put them together in one cage and they have been a mated pair ever since.

Snowflake is fully recovered and could propably be successfully released, however these two are totally devoted to eachother. As aggressive as Snowflake is with me, he is as gentle and loving to Jackie. They share nesting duties, preen eachother, and they kiss eachother most every day. I would never consider seperating them. I think each bird would be totally lost and depressed without the other.

Both birds are happy, healthy, and have the best of everything to meet their needs. I honestly don't think that given a choice, Snowflake would choose freedom over Jackie. He is 100% devoted to her as his mate.

I know others might have different feelings about keeping wild birds in capativity, but I feel have made the best decision for both of my birds.

Unfortunately, no one can tell you how to proceed, it will be a decision you will ultimately have to make on your own


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

lwerden said:


> --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
> 
> The bird sitting on the dog's back in my avatar is Jackie, my totally tamed house pet pigeon.
> 
> ...



I think you have too.


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## spirit wings (Mar 29, 2008)

...........keep the bird,......... what is there to debate about?, pigeon's are not native species of birds here, but relatives of domestic stock, he may be wild acting and not used to you now, but he will as time goes by and get a bit calmer with the whole set up, esp. because that is his mate's place she calls home. don't see any reason to over think this.


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## DanceBiscuit (Jun 12, 2010)

I will keep him after hearing more. I just keep having bad interactions with the wildlife center and they give me the impression that I'm just doing more harm than good when intervening with wild pigeons. I'm just doing the best with what I've got/know so its important f9r me to get opinions and feedback.

Happy news: Viktor laid an egg, mother and father are both taking turn with nesting duties. Gotta read up more....


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## spirit wings (Mar 29, 2008)

DanceBiscuit said:


> I will keep him after hearing more. I just keep having bad interactions with the wildlife center and they give me the impression that I'm just doing more harm than good when intervening with wild pigeons. I'm just doing the best with what I've got/know so its important f9r me to get opinions and feedback.
> 
> Happy news: Viktor laid an egg, mother and father are both taking turn with nesting duties. Gotta read up more....


how about YOUR opinion.. what do you think is "best"... I say either way he will be happy Im sure... but, let's see.... plenty of food, warm and comfy with my mate.. OR ... hope to find food today, gosh it is cold out, where did my mate go?... guess you know my opinion..lol.. not sure what "harm" you would be doing to him if you keep him safe..did they (wildlife center) explain the what harm you would be doing?


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## DanceBiscuit (Jun 12, 2010)

I do think that now that they're a mated couple, and that pigeons mate for life, it would be best that I keep him with Viktor, and hope that after a while he'll calm down and realize I'm an ok person, bringer of food, water, and baths.

The reason I ask is because the wildlife center's view is that a feral's fear of humans is ingraned in them and that living with a predator(human) would cause a lot of stress(one person mentioned crop infections due to an unnatural diet/living conditions) and that it was ultimately considered cruelty to keep any feral animal and depriving them of a natural life.

I can understand their point of view, and having little experience with birds, I can only rely on others' experience. Despite how I feel, I have to get a few opinions in order to be fair to the animal, y'know? Because of flock/group mentality, I know that they will tend to hide any discomfort/stress from others in order to avoid being ostracized from the group, so its really any ones guess how and what they're feeling...


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## Dobato (Jul 3, 2008)

DanceBiscuit said:


> The reason I ask is because the wildlife center's view is that a feral's fear of humans is ingraned in them and that living with a predator(human) would cause a lot of stress(one person mentioned crop infections due to an unnatural diet/living conditions) and that it was ultimately considered cruelty to keep any feral animal and depriving them of a natural life.


Yeah, right, French fries, donuts, pizza and gutter water are much better for them in their "natural living condition" instead of a good quality pigeon mix and clean fresh water, sorry, I couldn't resist. DanceBiscuit, you'll get a number of opinions to help guide you, but I have come to the conclusion during my time on this board that some Wildlife Centers have a certain biased mind set, with regards to pigeons.

Karyn


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## spirit wings (Mar 29, 2008)

DanceBiscuit said:


> I do think that now that they're a mated couple, and that pigeons mate for life, it would be best that I keep him with Viktor, and hope that after a while he'll calm down and realize I'm an ok person, bringer of food, water, and baths.
> 
> The reason I ask is because the wildlife center's view is that a feral's fear of humans is ingraned in them and that living with a predator(human) would cause a lot of stress(one person mentioned crop infections due to an unnatural diet/living conditions) and that it was ultimately considered cruelty to keep any feral animal and depriving them of a natural life.
> 
> I can understand their point of view, and having little experience with birds, I can only rely on others' experience. Despite how I feel, I have to get a few opinions in order to be fair to the animal, y'know? Because of flock/group mentality, I know that they will tend to hide any discomfort/stress from others in order to avoid being ostracized from the group, so its really any ones guess how and what they're feeling...



don't feel bad.... he is a very lucky feral pigeon to have all that he has with you... now a wild bird say like a cardinal.. would not cope.. so I see why one of those would be better off set free, they are a wild species....pigeons can cope as they were domesticated at one time... he may never see you as keeper, but it really does not matter as long as he is safe and with his mate.. that is all he cares about, he will adjust in his own way,,,, maybe not be a "pet", but have a safe and happy home.


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## DanceBiscuit (Jun 12, 2010)

Karyn: the more I learn, the more I agree with you. I just need to feel that they're doing the best with the (bad) information they have. They have quite a few pigeons with them, so its not like they're all being turned away at the door... I just think that the wildlife center, the humane society, and others just aren't on the same page despite similar goals, and its frustratingly sad to see.

Spirit wings: he's come quite a long way from being flightless and starved, for sure. He's all fluffed up taking on his fatherly duties in the nest. I guess that reinforces the fact that he's content where he is with Viktor(though I guess its Viktoria now...)

I just need the input because the right thing to do sometimes isn't what we want it to be or what we feel is right, y'know? anyhoo...


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