# First time pigeon owner



## KristinaK1989 (Apr 12, 2012)

Hi all, 

So I got my new pet, it's 3 yrs old fantail, female, I named her Chloe. Got her from a breeder, but he does not handle his birds, so she's not very tame.

It's been a week and I've been spending quiet some time with her, she eats out of my hand with no problem, she comes out of her cage as soon as I open the door, she'll sit in my hand, BUT not for too long, she flies away to a different spot 

What should I do to make her come to me?!


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## Charis (Feb 11, 2007)

Kristina...give her time. She probably has been used to a loft with other pigeons and this will be quite an adjustment. You will need to win her trust over time. It's really good that she's eating out of your hand already.
Do you know if she was taken from a mate?


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

You can't make her come to you. She will come to you when she wants to. You haven't had her very long. It's good that she eats out of your hand. An incentive would be to offer her chopped unsalted peanuts. It'll take her a while to know what they are, but once she tries them, she will love them, and come to you for treats. Earning a birds trust takes lots of time and patience. If you give her that, then eventually she will probably come to you.


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## KristinaK1989 (Apr 12, 2012)

Thanks for reply!

Not sure if she was taken away from a mate, but she was in a loft with a bunch of other pigeons thou


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

Well if she did have a mate there, then I'm sure that she's very unhappy and missing him right now.


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## Charis (Feb 11, 2007)

I don't know if you've had the chance to do some research on pigeons, but when they do mate, they mate for life unless one dies or they are separated.
I think it may be more difficult for an adult pigeon, that has been around other pigeons, possibly mated, to make an adjustment to being the only pigeon and bond to a human. Do you know for a fact yours is a female?


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## KristinaK1989 (Apr 12, 2012)

The breeder said it's a female and it's the best choice out of the rest of them. Yeah, I know pigeons mate for life and such, I did a lot of research before I got her. She seem pretty happy thou, she eats well, wonders around my room, she even feels comfortable around my dog


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## Charis (Feb 11, 2007)

One of the most important things you can do for her is to make sure she has a vitamin supplement with calcium and vitamin d3. As she will be an inside bird, she will need it every day. 
I give my pigeons field greens and minced carrots and they go crazy over them.


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## KristinaK1989 (Apr 12, 2012)

Will do. i've been giving her lettuce, as the breeder said they love it, but she doesnt seem interested in it. She loves sunflower seeds lol and she constantly cleaning herself, even right now, she's sitting in front of my mirror and cleaning herself like there's no tomorrow!


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## nycpigeonlady (Jan 22, 2012)

Charis said:


> I don't know if you've had the chance to do some research on pigeons, but when they do mate, they mate for life unless one dies or they are separated.


Well actually, from my observations of feral pigeons, that is not strictly true. They can leave their mate and find another even if they are not separated. I recently witnessed the "wife" of 4 years of a sick pigeon I was taking care of leave him and this was quite a bit before I took him in. She mated to another male who already had a wife. The threesome isn't working out too well for the old wife, who's constantly chased away by the new one, and even her once loving husband chases her off now. She's still totally committed to him despite constantly being spurned by her husband and his new wife. Only very rarely when if both are not there she will sit on their eggs for a bit until they're back. It's sad but incredibly fascinating to watch, because these are feral pigeons living free - they have all the choice of mates they want and yet......

I find pigeons to be so much more diverse and complex in their behavior (kind of like people) than what I had read about in my research. Or maybe that's just debauched New York City pigeons!


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## Charis (Feb 11, 2007)

NYPL...I have noticed some straying too. In October, one of my lovely hand raised hens died. Her mate sat in their box and called and called. It went on for days until another hen left her mate and joined him.
On the other hand, on Easter morning I was able to release a male pigeon that had severely injured. His recovery took 3 months. I released him where he was found and within seconds a lovely little hen joined him, they bowed, kissed and flew to their eave.
With all the pigeons I have here and have had, I can only think of one over time where a couple parted.


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## KristinaK1989 (Apr 12, 2012)

Aww!!!! At my school's garage there is a pigeon couple have a nest, every time I drive by on 5th floor of the garage I see them wondering around and of course male cooing all over the female, they been there for about 2-3 semesters now ^^


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## KristinaK1989 (Apr 12, 2012)

The funny thing is, Chloe (my pigeon) picked her favorite spot - top of my night table lol by the door, she always sits there, cleans herself, and watches me. The funny part is, every time someone opens my door she starts making those mourning noices lol it's so funny


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

KristinaK1989 said:


> Will do. i've been giving her lettuce, as the breeder said they love it, but she doesnt seem interested in it. She loves sunflower seeds lol and she constantly cleaning herself, even right now, she's sitting in front of my mirror and cleaning herself like there's no tomorrow!


How do you present the lettuce? I chop it up fairly small, and most love it. Maybe you're giving it to them in pieces that are too large.


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## KristinaK1989 (Apr 12, 2012)

It also looks like she's sheding her winter feathers, everytime she shakes there are those little white puffy feathers flying all overr -.-'


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## KristinaK1989 (Apr 12, 2012)

That probably is my mistake, I gave it to her in pieces, going to chop it in pieces next time! Thanks!


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

Mine don't like it much if the pieces are big. They like them finely chopped.


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

I bet they'll love it. Let us know. Try the carrots too!


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## KristinaK1989 (Apr 12, 2012)

That looks so good! Totally changing her diet starting tomorrow! Thank you!


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## nycpigeonlady (Jan 22, 2012)

Charis said:


> With all the pigeons I have here and have had, I can only think of one over time where a couple parted.


I have seen it happen several times - it most of these, for one or another reason the couple's eggs would get destroyed usually several times in row by people removing them from their balconies. But it's usually not couples who've been together for many years. I have seen almost all my pigeons mate with someone who is not their mate at some point or another, but at the end of it they still go back to their mate, so I guess that wouldn't count.


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## KristinaK1989 (Apr 12, 2012)

Jay3 said:


> I bet they'll love it. Let us know. Try the carrots too!


Jay! You're genious! I chopped carrots and lettuce into little pieces, and she loved it!!!


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

Oh, I'm so glad! Good job!


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## KristinaK1989 (Apr 12, 2012)

Thank you much!


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## KristinaK1989 (Apr 12, 2012)

Though I'd post a little update 

Chloe is doing great, she spends majority of a day out of her cage, wondering around my room, her favorite place is top of my night stand. She cooes everytime someone is talking. She knows her name, when is called, she starts cooing and looking around. She eats out of my hand, and comes to me whenever she feels like!


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## almondman (Aug 22, 2009)

Sounds like you got it all under control. Great job! Thanks for the update.


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## KristinaK1989 (Apr 12, 2012)

Yupp!!!


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## KristinaK1989 (Apr 12, 2012)

So my birdie is blind on one eye


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## almondman (Aug 22, 2009)

What happened!


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## Chitee&Pumba (Apr 26, 2012)

According to my observation, 
1. If an adult male gets separated in a loft and a young female is around, the male will flirt around them and they'll end up mating.
2. If an adult female gets separated in a loft, it usually doesn't flirt around with either younger males or marture males. Usually they'll be hostile towards the already present males (mated or non-mated). Not very sure if same would happen if you introduce a new young male.
3. Mated young females may flirt around with other matured males but would roost and be with its original mate.


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## Chitee&Pumba (Apr 26, 2012)

Please post picture of her.


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## Chitee&Pumba (Apr 26, 2012)

Please post a picture of her


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