Piggi and Tipsey journal

[chriss80]

Hello,

I have a handsome rescued pigeon called Piggi. He has been helped very much by the people here and is now much better now. Piggi is one cute loving pigeon and has adapted living with me. The only problem with Piggi is that he does not eat by himself for mysterious reasons but otherwise he is one proud king.
More about Piggi here http://www.pigeons.biz/forums/showthread.php?t=22908


A few days ago we have adopted another pigeon called Tipsey to keep Piggi company. Tipsey has been loved and cared by Janet, you can read Janet post about Tipsey here http://www.pigeons.biz/forums/showth...ghlight=tipsey

Tipsey is cute a button, coos softly and has the elegance of a girl and it is one brave pigeon, not afraid to send up by itself at all even with its one broken wing. She loves walking in the garden discovering new things.
We are in the process of building an aviary for them now.

This is their journal that I will update from time to time to keep people that helped and cared about them on this forum in touch.

Thank you all very much for helping these wonderful birds.

[Feefo]

A journal is a lovely idea. I am dying to know what their first reaction to each other was.

Cynthia

[amyable]

Cristina, I'm so glad you have started a journal. I hope everyone enjoys reading about Piggi and Tipsey's new life together as they both have meant so much to us individually. Neither of us could have known when we were writing our posts that Piggi and Tipsey would end up together, and I know they will now go on to live very happy lives with you and John. A new aviary, how lucky are they!!!

We met up on a motorway service station on Easter Monday. I met Chris and John, and of course the much travelled Piggi, such a handsome boy! Letting Tipsey go was the hardest thing as she had become such a part of my life, but I made a promise to her when I took her in that I would try and find her a caring forever home as I couldn't keep her. When Chris offered to give her a home, it was everything I'd hoped for, so I had to let her go. It's still hard looking at her empty cage though. ( look at my red eyes as I go to put her in her box to take her to meet Chris), my last picture of her.
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I can't wait to hear how they get on, and see pictures of them together. There's always been a tiny question mark over whether Tipsey is definitely a girl or not, let's hope Piggi can give us the answer.

[chriss80]

Janet, the picture of the 2 of you together is lovely.
I just had today Tipsey in the garden while 6 feral pigeon joined on the floor and Tipsey got to flirt with them. I made a couple of videos, and is sooooooo cute. Tipsey is one fast runner, I have to point her to the door and she goes inside the house all by herself.
In the videos bellow there is a black pigeon and that is no other then Blackye, one happy pretty girl
http://video.google.co.uk/videoplay?...71946833283941

http://video.google.co.uk/videoplay?...39063258169268


So is what has been happening until now:

Monday when we arrived home from the long journey and got Tipsey from Janet we left her out in the room and she was pretty confused and ran around and went under all the furniture studying things around looking for a place to settled .Within an hour she found a place she was comfortable with where we put the some of the newspapers and towels and the box Janet gave us and so she can recognise something familiar and made her feel more comfortable. We put seeds and food available for her and she ate a few but while we had our meal she preferred eating bread.
We have left Piggi out of his cage too and he went up straight on the bookcase where his usual place is and stretched his wings. For a while they cooed at one another and soon Piggi came down on the floor and drank Tipseys water and pecked at the seeds. Can you believe this? What a nerve on Piggi, he has his food in his special place he knows, that was deliberate! LOL. So a fight was about to start but I’ve stopped it. The body language of them was pretty much similar; when piggi cooes Tipsey cooed too and when Piggi displayed Typsey displayed too.
Piggi sits on his tall bookcase and he comes down on the window ledge for water or when other pigeons arrived at his window and goes back up again. Strangely enough Piggi and Tipsey don’t show much interest for one another. Tipsey is more interested on one of the big soft toys to which amorous advanced are being made. When Tipsey was outside displayed to the hens a lot and flirted dragging his tail around them. So the conclusion has been drawn that Tipsey in fact Timmy. Tip is a very feminine male ive got to say while looks are concerned. His coos are so much softer then Piggis and he just looks so girly LOL but he sure acts like one brave male. They do tolerate each other very well, Timmy can not fly so he can not go to Piggis places so Piggi does not feel threatened but I would not let them together in the same room without me being around.
Timmy has conquered out hearts. Last evening I was holding him and toughed his head softly and almost has fallen asleep. Timmy likes my husband and lets him pet him.
Even though they are males I can see Piggi and Timmy exchange some nice coos between themselves too.
My next plans for the future are 2 hens, yup; these 2 boys must find true love. But first I have to build the aviary.

[amyable]

That is so good to see, I've played the video again and again. Tipsey/Timmy looks as if he's died and gone to heaven with so many pigeons to flirt with, I am so pleased.

The behaviour thing is so confusing. Just before 'Tipsey/Timmy' left me 'she/he' had started to coo constantly and lie down flat while I stroked 'her' head, so I had assumed that was more female, but up to then I had thought the pacing around behaviour might be male.
Timmy is a great new name anyway.

I really look forward to more updates. Who knows things might change again!!!

[chriss80]

Hi Janet, I am glad you liked the videos He lie down flat while my husband touches him too.
Timmy attempted to take a bath.
I really did not knew what he was trying to do pecking at the water like he was trying to eat it, I though he might drawn but while I watch I noticed he was splashing it on his back and chest and getting it underneath his feathers. Then at the end he had a good shake and started preening the wet feathers and arranging them. I did brought him a dish later with shallow water but he just did not cared for it, well is there waiting for him if he want to make himself pretty again.

[amyable]

You all sound as if you're having a lot of fun there. It's great that Timmy is so keen on John, I'm pleased he's transferred his affections and is still so tame with people.
He did love the water here but as he can't lift his one wing far, has a bit of trouble splashing and preening under there. (might cause 'him' a bit of trouble mating should he find a girl friend, if you know what I mean!!!)

I'm having trouble calling him 'he', it feels as if I'm talking about a different bird.

Loving the news bulletins.

Janet

[chriss80]

Hi Janet, Tipsey is one clean pigeon. I caught him again washing. Plenty of ladyes to court and hopefully he will get some affection. Some new pigeons too from this year have arrived.


When Tipsey was outside today was quite cloudy and soon it starting a few drops of rain to drop. Tipsey went straight into the house all byhimslef, he sure does not like bad weather.
We are still calling him Tipsey as he we just got used to it.
I see Tipsey eating everyday but I do not think he eats enough. I have weighted him and he is now 336 grams, I am keeping an eye on his weight and make sure he eats seeds. That worries me as I he is such a tiny bird comparing to my 500 grams big Piggi.
Tipsey is now near me down on the computer at my feet and coos as soon as he sees me looking at him. He is so cute.
I have only found Tipsey a couple of time turned upside down and he was not like that for long. One occasion was when he tried to get up to the window ledge while other pigeons wore at the window, trying to get there he must of tried got turned over to his back by mistake. I have put him on the window ledge on couple of occasions but he would not stay there.
Envy has risen to the surface today. Piggi kept coming down to peck as Tipseys seeds today. Tipsey was so brave and cooed around Piggi. Piggi got so scared on a couple of occasions that he trembled. No fight happened, just some intimidation tactics that Tipsey done made Piggi fly back up every time. Once great thing happened :PIGGI HAS BEEN SPOTED EATING 2 SEEDS from Tipsey’s food. All I ever saw Piggi ever eat was grit. I was so very happy. Then Tipsey ate seeds too after Piggi flew up from the same place. Nothing can get appetite up like competition I guess.

[amyable]

I find I still refer to him as Tipsey too, it is hard to change so that's great he is still 'Tipsey'. I picked that initially for two reasons, one, because he kept 'tipping' over, and two, it was like he was a bit 'tipsey', (I don't know if you use that word, for being a little drunk).

I love the fact he has so much freedom with you all there, I had to be so careful to make sure my dogs were locked away when I let him out, and then in the garden, the hawk became a problem unless I could just sit and watch him.

There is a big difference in Piggi's and Tipsey's weight, it is always difficult to guage how much he ate as he was so messy and used to throw his seeds all over the place picking out his favourites. The peanuts were the first thing he would go for but I only gave him a few when he went in his box for the night so he had to eat other things in the day. He did love picking around in the lawn and pecking at leaves too.
You're right, competition for food is a great way to make animals eat. Our small dog was always fussy but when he went to stay with the breeder's 15 other dogs when we were away, he would clean his bowl immediately!

Did Tipsey manage to get back up by himself when he fell over? He got so good at balancing I hadn't seen him fall over for such a long time. He had mastered jumping up and down steps but as you say, it was only when he tried to use his wings to get up high that he would topple over.
With his bad wing being so tight over his stomach, the feathers under there got rubbed away and if he struggled to get up he would claw and scratch the skin until it bled under his wing so I'd have to spray it with some antiseptic.
I have filed his nails in the past, but if he is running about outside more now they may be better.

It sounds as if Piggi is a real gentle giant, it must be strange for him to have to get used to another pigeon on his patch.

TWO SEEDS Piggi, take care you don't get indigestion!!!

[chriss80]

Hi Janet, Tipsey has spent very little time tipped over as I checked on him often when it happened. I felt so sorry for him but I helped him up and he was back there cooing and full of energy.

Tipsey has accommodated very well , he knows all his borrows, paths and hideaways with its shortcuts in the living room. No fight has started between Piggi and Tipsey,they seem to have an unwritten agreement and they pretty much ignore each other. Rarely will they exchange a few words only known by them . Tipsey is always looking for attention and comes at out feet and coos, sometimes being friendly and other times not. When we walk trough the living room Tipsey will come out from under the sofa and attak anything it moves, is so funny seeing something so tiny being so territorial. Tipsey does not stay in the garden to take him for a walk unless there are other pigeons outside present. If there is no one out there Tipsey will just sit in front of the door until I open it so he can get in. Perhaps having soft carpet underneath his feet and warm room with a lot of space is not as appealing as a cold garden. I am quite sure things will change when the nice weather will come, is so cold now.
Otherwise I am noticing Tipseys eating habbits. He is not loosing weight but he eats very little. I think he keeps his weigh because he eats all the fatty seeds like the sunflowers, peanuts and hempseeds, and not all the other many type of seeds I have available for him. I am going to search for some vitamins to give Tipsey since his diet is not that divers to compensate.

[amyable]

I think Tipsey was here for too long being spoilt!!
It was hard to tell for sure what he ate specifically as he was very messy and I would always find his seed dish scattered all over. He just tossed them all over the place in his search for his favourite seeds.
I only used to give him a few peanuts in the evening, when he went back in his box for the night, but those were a great favourite.

I can just imagine him running all over the place with his head bobbing away. It always made me laugh when I chased him to catch him in the garden, his head was going ten to the dozen and his little legs went like clockwork, so funny. Has he sorted out a regular spot he calls home now or does he still sleep in his box?

Does Piggi watch Tipsey's antics from his area up high, and does he still come down for attention. I wonder what he really makes of this new kid on the block! He probably thinks that life was so simple before this weirdo came on the scene!!

Still love to hear about them both, so pleased he's with you.

[PigeonQueen]

Hello Chris and Janet,
It's really great to hear that these two dear little piggies are doing so well.

And so comforting to know they are able to enjoy their lives despite their disabilities.

You have both been wonderful. So much love,kindness and devotion.

[chriss80]

Hi Janet

Tipsey is one wired eater. He eats during the whole day but only one or tow seeds each time, his weight is still the same. I only feel a few seeds in his crop usually. He sure loves those peanuts. Sometimes I will insist and he will eat and extra few. I have seen him eating 2 corn seeds one day too but they are not disappears of the plate at the same rate as the peanuts.
The head bobbing makes us laugh too. I still can’t believe haw fast he can run.
Tipseys favourite spots in the house are where there is no newspaper covering the carpet. I use newspapers so I can clean easier. Once he starts hanging to much in one corner I put newspapers down he won’t even go there anymore LOL. I do not use the box anymore as he will just sit in the back of the sofa when he sleeps at night.
Piggi seems to have a superiority complex lol and he sure flaunts in front of Tipsey. I think Piggi just likes teasing Tipsey. Piggi will come on the floor; Tipsey will come from under the sofa and Piggi will fly back up again. Piggi does that many times. What I like is that there are no fights between them, is some dancing around one another and they both backing up nicely so I hope it stays like this.
The are both very fun to watch. Can’t wait to finish the aviary.

[chriss80]

Piggi is eating small yellow seeds now; he pecks at them and swallows them but he does not eat enough of them. I kept him 2 and a half days without me feeding him and he still refused to eat all by himself. In those 2 and a half days he was one cranky pigeon and he even attacked Tipsey 3 times. Nothing bad happened as I was there.
Otherwise Tipsey and Piggi get along very well and they take at least once a week baths together. Piggi seems to want to take a bath in the sand.
Tipsey eats more in some days and less in others, his weight is still the same and I am giving him some vitamins now.

[amyable]

Well at least Piggi is still trying, does he see Tipsey eating and do you think it has made any difference having another bird to watch?
It's funny that he got cranky when you stopped feeding him, I wonder what was going through his head!

I'm glad they do get on seeing as Tipsey ended up fooling us into thinking he was a she initially. I assume no romance blossoming for either of them with the visitors outside in the garden yet. They'd better polish up their acts if they want to get a lady each. (perhaps Tipsey is watching his figure by not eating too much). Possibly not being a flyer, he doesn't need to eat as much as he isn't using so much energy.

Any news on the aviary?