-
Welcome to Avian Avenue! To view our forum with less advertisments please register with us.
Memberships are free and it will just take a moment. Click here
Tips for a happy dove?
- Thread starter IsaDa18
- Start date
Hi there! What kind of dove do you have and how or is he? Is he a ringneck? I have a handful of white ringneck doves and they are simply wonderful pets. I have had doves for about half a year now and I spend time looking for new information every opportunity I get.
I find that although they don't play like parrots they do like playing with toys. Mine enjoy plastic linked chains, homemade toys with interesting things to peck at like beads, buttons or mini cupcake liners, sisal, some interesting looking baby toys, plastic flowers, Natural fiber mats like coconut fiber or grass. I spend time holding, sitting with and gently petting doves for about thirty mins a day especially when I'm trying to earn their trust. I scritch/ massage their neck and cheeks, help them with pinnies, talk softly to them and repeat their name often. They calm down quickly, usually. If they are actually frightened I would not hold them against their will and I would start with talking softly first and moving closer until you are so close you can give them a quick kiss. I have done this haha. Then work on stepping up and then sitting with you. It depends on how wild the bird is you have. My first two were not tame and were not house doves but were used to people in general. They have came a long way. The two Doves being very prolific... expanded very fast to four and then some. They have created quite the little family. Each set of their offspring is a different level of tameness due to my handling techniques. I'm not sure if this last clutch is staying with us yet or if I am selling/ homing them. Time will tell. I wasn't planning on going into a dove breeding business so my daughter will have to cope with the process of taking the eggs away if I can't them out of breeding mode. (Lots of tears and pleading because of her stance on any living thing).
I got off track. I am sorry. I love my birds. Make sure his cage is roomy, especially wide vs tall. They are not that active in their cages like parrots but they do like to jump around from platforms and flap their wings occasionally or pace. The last two are done especially when they are begging to be let out to fly ( all while staring directly at me)!
Make sure they have platform perches to rest on. They can be found in chinchilla sections if you need to find one in a big chain store or you can easily make them. They will Perch but generally prefer flat perches.
I cover the bars/grid on the bottom of their cages with papers and change it every day or as needed. I feed them a mix of Hagen pigeon and dove food, pellets, and some of the regular seed mix I buy. I put their food in round plastic chicken feeders and their drinking water in a small crock.
I occasionally scatter calcium on the floor of their cage.
Spend as much time as you can developing a strong bond with him, and start taking him places with you in a small pet carrier. When you only have one dove, you are going to be very important to him and the time you spend together will be incredibly important. I use a soft sided Carrier got the birds (two actually) and take them for rides and even sometimes sit in the car at the park so they can enjoy the view. The doves have not gone on one of these trips yet though. I bet they will enjoy it.
Let me know what you specifically need help with and I will try to help.
I find that although they don't play like parrots they do like playing with toys. Mine enjoy plastic linked chains, homemade toys with interesting things to peck at like beads, buttons or mini cupcake liners, sisal, some interesting looking baby toys, plastic flowers, Natural fiber mats like coconut fiber or grass. I spend time holding, sitting with and gently petting doves for about thirty mins a day especially when I'm trying to earn their trust. I scritch/ massage their neck and cheeks, help them with pinnies, talk softly to them and repeat their name often. They calm down quickly, usually. If they are actually frightened I would not hold them against their will and I would start with talking softly first and moving closer until you are so close you can give them a quick kiss. I have done this haha. Then work on stepping up and then sitting with you. It depends on how wild the bird is you have. My first two were not tame and were not house doves but were used to people in general. They have came a long way. The two Doves being very prolific... expanded very fast to four and then some. They have created quite the little family. Each set of their offspring is a different level of tameness due to my handling techniques. I'm not sure if this last clutch is staying with us yet or if I am selling/ homing them. Time will tell. I wasn't planning on going into a dove breeding business so my daughter will have to cope with the process of taking the eggs away if I can't them out of breeding mode. (Lots of tears and pleading because of her stance on any living thing).
I got off track. I am sorry. I love my birds. Make sure his cage is roomy, especially wide vs tall. They are not that active in their cages like parrots but they do like to jump around from platforms and flap their wings occasionally or pace. The last two are done especially when they are begging to be let out to fly ( all while staring directly at me)!
Make sure they have platform perches to rest on. They can be found in chinchilla sections if you need to find one in a big chain store or you can easily make them. They will Perch but generally prefer flat perches.
I cover the bars/grid on the bottom of their cages with papers and change it every day or as needed. I feed them a mix of Hagen pigeon and dove food, pellets, and some of the regular seed mix I buy. I put their food in round plastic chicken feeders and their drinking water in a small crock.
I occasionally scatter calcium on the floor of their cage.
Spend as much time as you can developing a strong bond with him, and start taking him places with you in a small pet carrier. When you only have one dove, you are going to be very important to him and the time you spend together will be incredibly important. I use a soft sided Carrier got the birds (two actually) and take them for rides and even sometimes sit in the car at the park so they can enjoy the view. The doves have not gone on one of these trips yet though. I bet they will enjoy it.
Let me know what you specifically need help with and I will try to help.
