# earning a pigeons trust



## badbird (Aug 15, 2005)

i need help with bonding with a difficult bird and becoming friends/earning trust.

i was recently given a pigeon. its had human contact before but it is now in a new environment with a new owner. it was previously in a small loft in a barn in a farm with a couple of other birds. they sold the farm and were looking for homes for these birds. they can't be released because they rely on us to feed them.

the bird is deathly afraid when i go near the cage. it makes these shreiking noises like eeeep or a high pitched ooooh when i tried to touch it, or pick it up. at first it "flew" around in the cage like it was a mexican jumping bean. the cage is pretty rooming but it went nuts when i first brought it home.

the bird is now settled but like i said it becomes agitated when i near the cage, touch it, etc. it is easier to catch now however. it loves to fly in my house, but of course tries at all costs to be caught. i can finally catch it and scratch its little head, sweet talk to it, and pet it but i think it doesn't like me. it does not bite or wing slap ever. its only in the cage when i am not around for supervision. the bird appears to be eating and drinking although not nearly as much as scooter.

but it does seem freaked out by me. what can make this bird more friendly and more trusting? i have offered peanuts, snacks, only offering its source of food from my hand but it thinks i am the antichrist.

i named the bird cinnamon and i dont know if its a boy or a girl. no eggs yet lol.


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## Skyeking (Jan 17, 2003)

Hi badbird,

What kind of interaction is Scooter having with Cinnamon? Did you also acquire the other birds?

The bird is probably deathly afraid of everything in sight, it may have had very limited contact with humans, and now is getting more contact then ever, plus it is also having to get used to a whole new environment.

Just continue to be patient and gentle, and keep feeding the bird from your hand and such.

I'm afraid time is going to be the only remedy for this. Some birds settle down alot and others don't as much, but it will take time.

I have some newly acquired youngsters that look at me like I'm gonna kill them everytime I go near, and they grunt loudly, and when I catch them, they act like they want to jump out of their pigeons suit and leave it behind in my hand. I just continue to make my presence daily and try to make contact with them as well as I do my other birds. Eventually they will become more relaxed when they see me, but they will never be completely tame. It may take several months. They are just getting used to their way around my coop, and getting used to my routine, and the new feeders and drinkers. There is alot of stress involved in it for them.

Skye just hops on my shoulder and looks at me...like "Mom, did we really need more birds, come on now....and where is my peanut?"


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## Reti (Jul 20, 2003)

Skye just hops on my shoulder and looks at me...like "Mom, did we really need more birds, come on now....and where is my peanut?"[/QUOTE]


LOL, that is what Tiny does too. Some birds just want to be with their humans and want nothing to do with other birds.

It's funny, some of my "wilder" birds I can go very close to them as long as I don't make eye contact with them, the second I look at them they take off in panic

Reti


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## mr squeaks (Apr 14, 2005)

*I Definitely*

agree with Treesa about time.

Although Squeaks' situation was different because he was injured when I found him and can't fly, he, too, took MONTHS to finally decide I was his mate!  

I kept telling Dr. Burke (his doctor) that the bird HATED me and Dr. Burke kept insisting that pigeons make great pets. Well, sure enough...now, you would never know that Squeaks is the same bird!  

Also, there are STILL times when he will act "protective" about his home. Once he is out and about, new attitude.  

Take your time to talk, offer treats and move slowly. Bet, down the road, Badbird, you won't know it's the same bird!


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## badbird (Aug 15, 2005)

the bird does get slightly better everyday.
i can't put him with scooter because scooter bites the new bird and slaps him with his wing. its not friendly pecking or preening...scooter looks like a bat out of hell. so they are separate.

i will give it time. i just went to pet cinnamon and it ducks its head in and makes a grunt noise although its too high pitched to be a grunt...scooter grunted but cinnamon seems to make some other kind of distress noise. anyway he/she tucked its head in and formed a ball when i went to pet it... this time it didn't run all over the cage when i was near but it let me pet it although it was making noises like "get away from me!"


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## badbird (Aug 15, 2005)

i only have cinnamon because i dont have a lot of room here. they kept 1 bird, i took one and they gave away the other few birds to other friends.

one thing i noticed is that it eats and poops less than scooter...and drinks alot less. but, it is very healthy.


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## mr squeaks (Apr 14, 2005)

*Yep,*

Squeakers does the same thing. He will do his "no neck" ball too. I just pet his head and down his back and sometimes reach in to "scratch his neck through his feathers.

He will also make "moan" type noises at times and when he REALLY wants attention, his moans escalate in pitch and become quite loud! No problem understanding what he means then!

Keep up the good work. Hope that Cinnamon and Scooter become "buds" in time...


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## Victor (Dec 18, 2004)

Hi Badbird, 

The members gave you some good advice, and remember the most important thing required from you is patience .It is normal. Add a dash of time and be sure and sprinkle in some quality time, just as I am sure you already do with Scooter. Your new addition has just its life completely changed around and doesn't really know what your intentions are. It is normal for it to be afraid and in time it will adjust and eat just as well as Scooter.Every pigeon has its own unique personality .It took Tooter about one year...now I can't keep him off me  and gets angry with me if I miss a day of "me" time with him.Hang in there.


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