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Dove Care & Cage Setup

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Chevelle

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Jessica
Hey everyone, sorry I haven't been around too much lately, will try to participate some more :).

Recently had a white dove surrendered to my work...he's supposed to be around 10 weeks old, and he is super sweet... so sweet I've fallen in :heart:. I'm trying to do some research, but I can't seem to find too much information on keeping them indoors, or as a single pet. He comes to the front of the cage when I go in the room, steps up, sits with me and lets me rub on him without taking off. Would it be cruel to keep him as a single caged bird, if he gets let out and interacted with everyday? I have a rather large master bedroom with high ceilings and good space for flying and exercising, but he would have to be caged while I'm at work.

I was also really curious about the best way to set up a cage for them. I know they can't climb with their beaks...does anyone have pictures of their setups? Also toys, treats, and other things they like? Thank you!
 

rikkitikki

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There's some dove owners here, I hope one of them will be along soon to give you info :hug8:
I believe Vicki (Braveheartdogs) may have one? :huh: Can't remember for sure though...
 

Inkrose115

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I know my little diamond dove liked porches and ramps. He could use ladders, but if they were too steep they gave him trouble (no beak to help him climb).
 

Birdbabe

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My doves like scrambled eggs, cornbread and cooked plain spahgetti as a treat. It has to be spahgetti, not anything else....spioled brats. They also eat the tiny florets on the broccoli and pull on the wheatgrass that I get at "sprouts" market.
 

BraveheartDogs

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Hey everyone, sorry I haven't been around too much lately, will try to participate some more :).

Recently had a white dove surrendered to my work...he's supposed to be around 10 weeks old, and he is super sweet... so sweet I've fallen in :heart:. I'm trying to do some research, but I can't seem to find too much information on keeping them indoors, or as a single pet. He comes to the front of the cage when I go in the room, steps up, sits with me and lets me rub on him without taking off. Would it be cruel to keep him as a single caged bird, if he gets let out and interacted with everyday? I have a rather large master bedroom with high ceilings and good space for flying and exercising, but he would have to be caged while I'm at work.

I was also really curious about the best way to set up a cage for them. I know they can't climb with their beaks...does anyone have pictures of their setups? Also toys, treats, and other things they like? Thank you!
Hi there,

I have 5 ringneck doves that I keep outside in a large aviary. My aviary is about 7' x 6' x 3.5'. One of the doves in there is Harmony and I have had her for years. I kept her for years in the house in a cage. I decided she needed a friend and got another dove for her and moved her outside. The pair have had various cages but seem the most happy in the aviary, even with the 3 other doves (two of the others are their adult babies). Doves make fabulous pets. If you tame your dove (which isn't difficult to do) you will be able to handle and hold her. I think that the main thing is they need plenty of space to fly. If you keep them in a cage, you just need to let them out often. I felt like I didn't do that enough for Harmony which is one of the reasons that I wanted her to be in an aviary. I am really happy i did it.
 

Chevelle

Walking the driveway
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MA
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Jessica
Thank you thank you...I brought him home tonight :). Now that I can see him in the cage, it seems sufficient for the time being, and he will have flight time daily. I'm looking at some different cage options (maybe a three section cage for all the birds) in the next few months. He is quite tame and is content to sit and relax with me. I will make an intro thread for him as soon as he is settled in and I can grab some pics.
 

cdsal_99

Meeting neighbors
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5/11/11
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Hi Jessica,

I realize this thread is over one month old, so I hope you are still taking answers. :)

Being a person with a single indoor dove, I can certainly relate to the question. I see here on the thread that you have gotten your dove a cage already. If you are taking suggestions on indoor cage sizes for the future, may I suggest 24" wide X 24" long X 24" high. I found this to be spacious for a single dove as long as they are let daily time out of their cage.


As far as toys, Paz likes his mirror; I think he likes the idea of cooing to "another dove" in the cage in addition to cooing to me and other household members. For more on what Paz prefers, you can check out his dovebook profile (link provided with my signature below).

Are you a member of the ADA (American Dove Association)? They currently publish a quarterly newsletter called DoveLine which is full of articles on nutrition, housing, and recreation for doves. Over the years, they've published a good number of articles and member opinion pieces on cage set-ups; one such piece that comes to mind is "Are Your Doves Indoor Pets?" from the December-January 1998 issue. If you are a member of the association, that article is available on their website via member access. My site DOVEBOOK also links to other outside web resources that may further help you and give you ideas as to your dove.

All the best,

Sal
 

jasminlana

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aww thanks for that info. I have a dove. He is not flighted. We let him out just about every day. He just likes to perch and look out the window. when we go out in the yard we let him out. we just let him free roam while we are out because he doesn't fly and he doesn't wander out of the yard.
 

Sky

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Doves make fabulous pets. If you tame your dove (which isn't difficult to do) you will be able to handle and hold her.
I am really glad to hear this because I've always wanted doves but I've heard they are not very easy to tame and will be flighty. Are ringneck and diamond doves just as tame as the other, as long as you tame them? And are they really docile and can be kept with other docile birds?
 
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