# Is this Feral pet material?



## qeracing (Jul 14, 2005)

Hi

I got a pidgen on Thursday (or was it Friday) well, I've had if for a few days, it is about 24 or 25 days old.. I've been feeding it abotu 3 times a day (every 6 hours, when the crop empties) and feeding it peas/corn by hand letting it eat from me... 

It HATEs me though, I have to chase it around to hold it and hold my hand in front of me to get it to eat... So, I dont know if it will take a while for it to stop squeaking and running away like it is scared to death of me (doesn't breath hard or anything when I actually hold it) or if I should just plan to release it and buy a baby racer somewhere that I can bond to and start to range?? Any input is highly appriciated!!! I dont want to keep an unhappy pigeon  Should be FREE if that is what it wants!!!


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## Skyeking (Jan 17, 2003)

Hello there,


Thank you for helping this youngster.

Did you get this youngster because of an injury or lost its parents? Do you have another thread with the history, so I don't have to ask these questions?

You can start to offer the bird pigeon seed at this point in his life, also. Leave a nice deep dish of it in his cage and also one with water. See if he will drink and most likely he will eat. 

He objects to the feedings because he is not used to that kind of handling, and maybe he doesn't need to be handled. He may just go for the seed instinctively. Once he picks one seed up right after the other and actually swallows it, then there is no need to feed the peas. He may not like just peas and corn because that is not the best diet for a pigeon, nor can you use it on permanent basis.

If this is a feral, he is not a domestic pigeon, and shouldn't be kept or taken for the reason of racing. The only reason a feral should be kept, is for rehabbing from an injury or a youngster who is needy and has a possible injury. It is preferable that this youngster be released back to the flock once its eating well, flying well, and has no injuries.

You should find someone who has racing pigeons, a pigeon club in your area, to help you. Most of these people will be very helpful and happy to get you started.


Treesa


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## Pidgey (May 20, 2005)

Hi, Treesa,

This is the story of the finding of this particular pigeon:

http://www.pigeons.biz/forums/showthread.php?t=11215

I've already forgotten the important points myself so I'm going to have to go back and read it myself. Okay, I read it--he sounds pretty much par for the course to me. They almost never like being fed that way (they always prefer their parents method) but that doesn't have anything to do with whether or not they like you.

Pidgey


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## pdpbison (Mar 15, 2005)

Hi qeracing,


You could see my recent thread if you like...

http://www.pigeons.biz/forums/showthread.php?t=11244

Which might help matters...

Unless your communication with a young Pigeon is very good, it will have no reason to tolerate you other than grudgeingly or with stress and discomfort, nor, certainly, would it wish to be a Pet.

Even if your comunication with them is very good, they need not have any reason to wish to be a Pet.

Some can be wonderful Pets and Companions, and this, like other relationships between consenting parties, is not likely to be arbitrary or unilateral or enforceable.

If a wild Bird wishes to live with a person, it is because the Bird wants to do that. 

And it is seldom that any wild Bird would feel any reason to do so, no matter what the person thinks or feels they have to offer.

They like to be about their own lives, or, to resume their own Lives if possible, if for some reason for the moment, they can not.

So, don't feel bad...it is just the way it is!

Even the Babys we raise, will grow up, and they are meant to grow up to assume independance and self posession, and in order to survive and have ther wits about them, this is important.

Some of these are wonderful and affectionate companions for quite a while, and what is normal for them, eventually, is to start having adult thoughts and feelings, which sometimes is compatible with being a Pet, and sometimes not, and this will depend on a lot of things, includeing the quality of the relationship in their views of it.

My view, is that unless non-releaseable from handicap, youngsters wom we have raised or cared for from their dependant time, are best assimilated into or back into a wild Flock, which to do right, can take a week of progressive forays which we as their caretaker or guardian or parent surrogate, need to oversee and supervise...just like their wild parents would have.


Phil
Las Vegas


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## qeracing (Jul 14, 2005)

History of the finding of this bird:
http://www.pigeons.biz/forums/showthread.php?t=11215
Ya, well it IS eating, it likes the peas and corn a LOT.. I am going to drive out to a store that sells the proper grit -all they have here is canary and parakeet grit- then I can feed it the seeds 

I have gotten a few different opinions, some say they make good pets, others are saying to let it go... I wouldn't actually race it, though it might be interesting to see how a feral would do against a pigeon bred to race, but I would learn with it, range it a little bit and see if I like the sport and if I get along with pigons well..

I just wouldn't want to keep it if it doesn't like me.. I wouldn't object to finding a young pigeon -bred- that I could tame better but I figured this might work out well, and if it never comes home then at least it will be doing what it wants  I dont know much about pigeons yet, so I am trusting all your opinions and so far it is about even to keeping or releasing it... A few people have said give it another week to see if it likes you any better, if not, then I can let it go...
Thanks


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