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new pigeon momI am a first time pigeon mom & could use some advise. I've been hand raising a feral squab, now ~6 wks old. Is there some way to train her to stay off my head, perhaps perch on my shoulder instead? I assume it's instinctual to want to climb to the highest perch, but it's getting painful...makes..it..hard..to..type. Should I trim her nails? What vaccines is she going to need & when? I'm still trying to find her a companion bird. I was told she needs someone approx her own age(4-8 wks). She hasn't seen another bird since she was ~10 days old.
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just watched a vid of a man in NY who feeds his released ferals there..and he has a rule of not perching on his head..he just moves his head so they fly off of him and when they land where he wants(his shoulder or arms) he gives them treats.. perhaps you can try that... also keeping the nails clipped may help if he does land on you.
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BEECH TREE KNOLL LOFT Last edited by spirit wings; 19th March 2011 at 07:57 AM.
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Congratulations! My girl has a fascination with anything furry, whether it be my head or a cat tails so I'm not sure it's a highest perch thing. Given a choice she will jump off the highest perch to land on my head or a cat.
Just out of curiosity, how do you know your squab is a girl?
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I don't what sex-I just assign a sex to stop using the "it" pronoun. Actually I'm starting it think "she" may well be a "he"-there's a lot of iridescence around the neck for a juvenile. She's a dark (sread?) coloration.
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Hi Shanal and welcome to PT.
Have you named your squab yet? I know it's hard when you don't know its sex yet. I'm only a little over 8 months ahead of you, so I will leave the med/vaccine questions to the pros here (there are really great people here with great advice). As for trying to determine the sex, you won't know for sure until an egg gets laid (which can happen at 4 to 6 months). Have you tried putting him in front of a large mirror before. The boys like to strut their stuff (tail dragging, cooing, stretching thier necks) when they are in front of mirrors (some girls do too though). Kiko, my male, started showing his iridescent feathers first but Kalani's now shows more (no help there). Watch out when he/she does perch on your shoulder as they like to peck at your eye. So be careful looking at her/him when on your shoulder. I had to learn that one the hard way  Would love to see pics!  Beth
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Welcome Shanal, you have found a great forum for good advice and its very comforting to have people respond so quickly when you are a 'newbie' with no idea what to do for your pidgy. Podgy & I were in the same place 6 months ago (Hiya Beth - I haven't forgotten your message!!) & I am in the process now of discovering whether my feathered friend is male or female. Very exciting, I must say. I keep looking for an egg the way s/he has been carrying on lately.
Regarding the eye pecking thing - oh yeh! Watch out for that! Someone on here once said "there is a reason pirates wear an eye patch!!  Discovered that one for myself too! OUCHPodgy has been through his first head molt and the pin feathers are just coming through again now - he looks like a porcupine! I love all the 'firsts' we are discovering together and its great hearing similar stories from others. (Just like being a new mum in my opinion!) Very exciting. Enjoy your new friend & I hope we will continue to hear from you as s/he grows. Regards, Dana
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Hi and Welcome! Cooter is the same age as Beth's Kiko and Kalani-we went through alot of 'firsts' together. We thought Coots was a boy until he laid an egg! She is loving and affectionate pet- she has learned that she is allowed on my shoulder but not my head-I just kept moving her if she managed to land there or moving my head if I was fast enough to prevent her from landing there. I figured that it was easier and faster to change a shirt than to wash and dry my hair-LOL! We love pictures, and look forward to seeing your pijie!
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Maureen and Cooter
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Hi Maureen, it was your replied post to me about Cooter that has me all excited and looking for an egg! I will let you know the end result.... still think he is a boy though - I just watched a video and was listening to a male as he strutted and tail dragged - sounds just like my Podgy. But..... we will wait and see.
All in the fun of 'firsts'.Dana
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Hi Shanal (Hi Dana and Maureen),
Kiko turned 9 months yesterday and Kalani today! I'm still going through firsts with them. It's been a blast. Here are a few things that I learned.Clipping nails is tricky, better off filing them with an emory board IMO. A 2 to 3 inch water bowl is good, anything larger turns into a bathtub Use a vitamin supplement with vitamin D3 in it once or twice a week Put a drop or two of apple cider vinegar (ACV) in water once a week Put a cap full or two of ACV in bathwater Unless indoor pet pigeons are around other birds or outside soil, no need for vaccines. Watch your seed carefully, I bought seed in a supermarket that was pretty pricey and found tiny worms in it.  Raw or roasted unsalted sunflower seed hearts make great treats, but like kids, they'll want/eat them first then not eat their main feed. Stock up on Windex Multi-Surface Anitbacterial Spray (it's yellow). It's good on granit, glass, tile, wood, poop and so much more. Can get it at Wal-Mart. Avoid the Lysol 4 in 1 (yuk, messy, leaves filmy haze and smells). How about you Maureen, anything you would add? Have you had your first wing slap yet? I love those, and call me crazy, but I also love how they smell. I look forward to hearing more about your baby and seeing pics. Take care, Beth
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Thanks everyone, for the great advise. Iris does seem to be figuring out that the shoulder is okay, but I'll move her if she lands on my head-such a clever girl. One thing I still worried about is-if I need to find her a companion who is the same age or if I can intro her to an older bird. Should I wait till I know what sex she(he?)is?
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Hi girls - this seems to be a Shanal, Beth, Dana & Maureen thread
 I enjoy the 'conversations' we have. Shame we can't get together and visit, with our birds - we'd have our own 'flock'. I bet we would probably talk all day about our feathered friends!Anyway - I wld be interested in the responses to Shanals question regarding a friend for her bird. I am in the same place with Podgy, wondering if he should have a mate. Mind you, the thought of picking up after TWO birds poops doesn't inspire me very much Also, it seems to be easier said than done over here in Australia - you wouldn't believe the lack of information regarding pigeons - I can't even access the Australian Pigeon Talk website - I had to write information regarding my interest in racing - of which I have none, & have yet to receive a reply allowing me access to their site! Makes me think they wouldn't be much help in getting hold of a single pigeon for my Podgy. So, seems I must move to America to find his friend, hee hee. I am sure my husband and 6 kids wouldn't think much of that!!!!!!
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I have thought about getting Cooter a friend-now that I know what sex she is, it doesn't matter as much whether we get a boy or girl (fake eggs we have!). Everyone told me 2 males would fight. I think that flock birds do better with a friend of their own species, maybe not the same type of pigeon, but definitely another pigeon. Coots might think that she is a parrot though
We'll see what spring and early summer bring. She'll be 9 months old on Friday really close to Kiko and Kalani
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Maureen and Cooter
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!!!Sorry girls...I didn't mean to interrupt...carry on... Dawn
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Oh I bet our flock (human and feahtered) would have a blast together too!
Dana, it's sounding more and more like your Podgy is a boy. It differs with all hens, but Kalani started laying eggs at 4 months (of course that was with the stimulation of a male around). Maureen, how old was Cooter when she started laying eggs? It seems like it was about the same (last mid-Nov right?) Shanal, I guess it will be a while before you know for sure if you have an Iris or an Ira, From listening to others, it sounds like a solo bird is more interactive/affectionate with you and more dependent on you for its social "flock" needs. With two they have each other so the time they spend with you is more limited and they are more territorial (IMO). When Kalani and Kiko do not have eggs, which is about 5 days to a week each month, it is tough. The poopy patrol is much more challenging (I swear they each poopy more when they are out together than when they are each out seperately!), if you get too close to one the other gets mad at you, they don't come over to you and give you any attention and they make a lot more noise. Once the eggs arrive things get easier and more affectionate (probably what you are used to now). I wonder if having a solo male is much different from having a solo female? It's so cute, Kalani is perched on the top of my laptop watching everything I am doing right now. She just pecked the screen, so I guess she wants to say hi to Cooter, Podgy and Iris . Soooooo cute! Okay, she is ready for my attention now, gotta go.Beth
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And their smell - mmmmmmmmm love it! My husband thinks there is something strange about me, hah hah, there probably is, but I will be sure to tell him I am not the only one who enjoys sniffing the back of their pigeon!! Dana
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