# Pigeon Behavior - Is this normal????



## lwerden (May 31, 2008)

"One Eye Jack" is a 12 week old house pet. He has been hand raised since he was approx 1 week old. He is unreleasable as he has only one eye. "Jack" is very, very tame and has no fear of humans or dogs. I wish I had a camera ready yesterday as on one of Jacks exploration trips around the house yesterday he decided to land on one of the dogs - my little poodle "Pookie" . I had to rescue "Pookie" from "Jack". Jack was very happy and comfortable on Pookie's back, however Pookie is now scared to death of Jack and runs to hide under the bed whenever he sees Jack flying around the house.

Let me make it clear that in no way was "Jack" in any danger as I was only about 2 feet away and I scooped up Jack immediately as this is the first time anything like this has happened.

Jack loves all humans. I have a visiting nurse who comes to the house to care for my husband and as soon as she arrives he flys to her and lands on her shoulder. Also yesterday he followed me into the bathroom and insisted on sitting my head while I was on the toilet.

Jack spends the majority of his day out of his cage as long as I am able to keep an eye on him. He has never been allowed to walk around on the floors because of the dogs and he has never attempted to do so. He spends most of his time either perched on my shoulder, the fridge, curtain rods or on the chandlier in the dining room. 

Jack has the sweetest loving disposition imaginable until it is time to go to bed at night. He gets mad as heck when I put him in his cage at night. He jumps into his seed dish and spreads seed all over the place. If I try and put my hand in the cage to calm him he gets very aggressive. He puffs out his chest, starts prancing around Roo-Cooing and attacks with a vengence. It's like he turns into the "Green Hulk" at night. The only way to stop him is to turn off all the lights and then he will settle down in his nest in total darkness.

This only happens at night. During the day if I put him in the cage he is the perfect little gentleman.

Is this behavior normal??? Does anyone else have a similar problem with their bird.

Your comments will be appreciated.

Thanks and regards,
Louise


----------



## Feefo (Feb 8, 2002)

LOL! Sounds like a temper tantrum...and why shouldn't pigeons show their displeasure at being sent to bed? I don't think it is anything to worry about.

Cynthia


----------



## lwerden (May 31, 2008)

*Going to bed is no fun at all.*

I just finished putting Jack down for the night. Oh boy was he in rare form tonight. Roo-Cooing, Wing Slaping, Biting my hand and jumping in and out of his nesting basket.

I agree it's like a child having a temper tantrum, but I feel so guilty having to shut off all the lights on him when he seems so upset.

Does anyone have any ideas how I can curb or change this nightly pattern of behavior???? The rest of the time he is just the sweetest little guy. He never acts aggressive at any other time.


----------



## Victor (Dec 18, 2004)

Hi Louise, Give him some time to learn and adapt. Besides, the poor baby needs his rest...as well as you too. He will be fine.


----------



## philodice (Sep 30, 2007)

Maybe he is afraid of the dark...He knows that at night you turn off the lights after putting him in his cage. If he had a nightlight that might help.


----------



## nbdyuknow (Apr 10, 2007)

Hi Louise,

I have a house pigeon also. I have two homes for her, one large main one in the living room by the windows and another one that is a converted bunny hutch on a long coffee table next to my bed. Sophie does not really want to be enclosed in it, but at the same time, it is HER territory. So, if she is in a bad mood and someone sticks their hand it, there will definitely be pigeon violence! You seem to have hit upon the best solution--when the lights go out, it's time for sleep. Sophie will coo and cause a ruckus but as soon as the lights are turned off, she is quiet and settles down. 

Alas, as soon as the first light comes through the window (about 4:30-5:00am), she begins cooing in earnest for her breakfast, but that's another story.....

Sounds like you have a great, healthy pigeon with lots of personality!

Best,

Bill B.


----------



## little bird (Aug 11, 2006)

Whooboy...I have the opposite problem. Heaven forbid if I am on the phone or making a bite to eat at 7:30PM. Sunny puts himself in his cage....STOMPS around, BANGING the bars with his beak, SCREAMING his bloody head off. The only way to hush him is to drop everything and put him under his cover. It's like he has an internal clock.....but in truth it is only habit. Soon enough Jack will fall into the bedtime habit if you are consistant and the battle will cease.


----------



## mr squeaks (Apr 14, 2005)

Squeaks and I are also a member of the "nighttime/early morning" club!!

When I'm UP, Squeaks says he has to be TOO! If I put him to bed WITHOUT turning off the lights and going to bed, he raises a ruckus, stomping and carrying on! Sooo, he is now a night owl and goes to bed at 10, 11, whenever I do.

'Course, that doesn't stop him from wanting OUT at first light, just like Sophie! *SIGH*

I thought he was just spoiled but I know he's not... 

Hugs and Scritches
Shi


----------



## Lovebirds (Sep 6, 2002)

little bird said:


> Whooboy...I have the opposite problem. Heaven forbid if I am on the phone or making a bite to eat at 7:30PM. Sunny puts himself in his cage....STOMPS around, BANGING the bars with his beak, SCREAMING his bloody head off. The only way to hush him is to drop everything and put him under his cover. It's like he has an internal clock.....but in truth it is only habit. Soon enough Jack will fall into the bedtime habit if you are consistant and the battle will cease.


My Walley is the same way, sort of............about 9:00 give or take a few minutes, no matter where he is or what he's doing, it's time for him to go "night night"..............If I have him out upstairs, he just goes and get in his cage and waits for me to cover him up. If he's downstairs with us, all of the sudden, he flys up to the ceiling fan and starts screaming. I get up, and tell him it's time to go "night night" and he flys up stairs with me and I put him in his cage. We don't have a set "time" really..........depends on what time of year and how early it gets dark. Routine is the key though for sure, whether the like it or not..........they adjust.


----------



## mr squeaks (Apr 14, 2005)

ROFL, Renee!

I just love the word "adjust!" Squeaks and I adjust all right...I do things *HIS* way!! No more problems!    

Love and Hugs
Shi


----------



## NewPigie (Jun 15, 2008)

Well I dunno if that's normal but it's really cute! 
I've got a little yorkie whose name is also Pookie. 

He's been sort of trained to let the ferals on my patio be ... but at Cindy's house the other day he tried to climb in the box and get Cinco. NAUGHTY!


----------



## nmillerhhi (May 30, 2008)

Blessing throws a fit if we put a cover over her at night. Her cage is in the dining room along with the dogs' cages (we call it our gated community). We have a small light over the kitchen sink at night. We tried covering Blessing's cage at first but she got really angry and would reach through the wires in her cage to pull it off. Now we don't cover her. She gets in her nesting box and roosts for the night when we put the dogs in their cages.


----------



## irretractable (Jun 4, 2008)

*Same problem!*

I logged on tonight to see if I could figure out why my 1 1/2 mo old pigeon, Pomba, has been acting so odd - for the past 2 weeks, she's been attacking my hand, stomping, puffing, and cooing every time I try to put her to bed (or come near her with my hand at night.) She used to go to bed without any problems and seem content in her cage - I guess adolescence is setting in!  Throughout the rest of the day she's fine - rides on my head/shoulder, lets me scratch her head . . .Guess this behavior isn't that unusual! Rachel


----------



## lwerden (May 31, 2008)

Hi Racel,

Glad to hear I'm not alone out here with this behavior. 

I'm kind of getting used to it. Every night it is the same battle of wits between me and Jack. I've tried to show him who's the boss, but he has his own idea about that.

Amazing little creatures these pigeons are.

Regards,
Louise


----------



## Widgy Lover (Jul 24, 2008)

I have a house pigeon too, "Petunia". I found her as a baby, she was part of the flock I feed, but she couldn't fly as she was so young. I brought her in and gave her a huge parrot cage, which she quickly made her own. Origionally her name was "Pete", as I thought she was HE. She was always agressive like that at night, slapping with wings, cooing and dancing all puffed up. Then "Pete" laid an egg, much to my suprise lol, and I had to rename to "Petunia". She has grown out of her agressive ways now, right after she laid her first egg at about 6 months old, and now only cuddles, and "grooms" my hand, while making a purring noise. She enjoys being held and cuddled, but buries her head in my arms if I take her to a different room! At night she goes to sleep with no problems, but demands her cuddles first thing in the morning. So, hang in there!! It's just puberty hehe.


----------

