Sorry, but please HELP!

[asdffhjglj]

Ok, I'm new here.

Thing start from... I used to like plants more than animals because I hate to develop a relationship with animals and see them die before me, it's a really sad thing to experience. So I have lot of plants in my room and recently I start planting lavendar & pepper mint seeds in a pot on my windowsill.

Things go so well until the seeds grow into 2 inches tall. One morning when I check on these plant as usual, I found that half of them being bite by a bird. So I setup a trap to catch this naughty bird... and I cought one the next morning! So I put it into a box planning to release it in 2 or 3 days just to scare it so it won't bite my plants again.

On the same day, when I came home at night I open the box and take a look at it I found there is an egg! My first thought is, I shouldn't have cought it. But then I think maybe I should let it stay for a while until the egg hatch because I don't want to see the egg die... I know that pigeon egg would hatch in about 17 days, but I'm not sure what I should do now...

By the way, I kind of love to have this pigeon as my companion after all these lucks to meet it.

So please tell me what should I do now. It is possible for the egg to hatch? and should I even try to tame it?

[Pidgey]

Well, it won't try to hatch that egg with no mate who's somewhere outside. They will already have built a nest somewhere and that's where the bird really needs to go. You never know how they're going to "tame"--it's actually the rare bird that becomes real friendly. Most want to get back to their lives.

However, if you've decided that you'd really like to have a pet pigeon, there are often unreleasable birds that need homes in the care of rehabbers who could use the room or other such wildlife care facilities. Where are you?

Pidgey

[asdffhjglj]

I'm in New York. I do like to have this pegeon as a friend, but maybe you're right, she rather live her live...

[Pidgey]

Well, it's not a question of "liking" so much as an uncontrollable instinct. If you could explain that she'd get to live 20 years with you in relatively good health, all the best food and clean water versus only living for a year or so outside, fighting the elements, eluding predators and everything else... well, I still don't think she'd choose to stay. There are pigeons that do, occasionally, but that's pretty rare.

Pidgey

[Pidgey]

New York State or City?

Pidgey

[asdffhjglj]

Hmmm... I thought pigeon can be pet. Yea, in New York City.

[Pidgey]

Sure they can be pets. Some can make excellent pets. In NYC it would be extremely easy to get you an unreleasable bird (one that's been hurt in such a way that it can't be released) that could probably make a real good pet. Let me go find you a story to read.

Pidgey

[Pidgey]

Go read this one:

http://www.urbanwildlifesociety.org/...ePijStory.html

Pidgey

[asdffhjglj]

I see, wild pigeon cannot be pet unless it is "unreleaseable".
Do you own a pigeon? Where do you get it?

[Pidgey]

I'm a rehabber--I get hurt and sick pigeons several times per year. Sometimes I find them and sometimes people bring them to me. I try to get them where they can be released but occasionally they can't because they can't fly anymore or something like that. I've got about 50 different pigeons with various stories.

It's not that you cannot keep a wild pigeon that's in perfect health, it's that he or she will probably be depressed and not enjoy life much like that. An unreleasable pigeon doesn't have that option so they usually make the best of it. The pigeon that you've got right now is going through the despair of not being able to get to her mate. They don't have a lot of ability to express emotions with their faces so you just can't tell it.

Pidgey

[asdffhjglj]

Hey, thanks for your options and the story. I will let it go tomorrow morning, it is 10pm now, don't think she can find her way home .

Maybe I'll take a few pictures with her before I let her go. Hopefully that won't scare her too much though.

By the way, this is a great forum for people who need help with their pigeon. Once again, thanks!

[Pidgey]

You're welcome.

Pidgey

[Kwikkordead]

They are genetically programmed to have an aversion to human contact. Let it fly and it will be much better off, even if it's life is much shorter. The egg? It's not even formed an embryo yet, so maybe try it for a tiny snack?