# Sore Eye



## jak2002003 (Jan 10, 2012)

I recently lost my female ringneck dove to my neighbours cat. So I purchased a new female dove for my male.

The first day the male really attacked her, so I put her in a separate cage next to his. Today I let them fly around the room together and things seemed OK, so I put them back in the same cage together. No fighting. I went to work.

Now I have come home the female has been attacked and there are feathers everywhere. She looks a mess. No blood, but one of her eyes seems to have got pecked. Her eye looks OK, but the eyelids are swollen and feathers are missing in a patch under her eye. The eye is open, but she keeps squinting it and it looks sore.

Now they are separated again. Will the eye be OK? Is I just like us getting a black eye? How long till her feathers grow back? What should I do now to introduce them again, or will it never work?

Thank you.


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## Reti (Jul 20, 2003)

So sorry your new girl got a beating. It happens quite often.
Are you sure the new dove is a female? 
The feathers will grow back and the wounds will heal. You can purchase colloidal silver and apply to the wounds so they won't get infected. An antibiotic specific for eyes would do also.
And absolutely do not put them together again. Some males are aggressive towards their mates. I have a couple like that. They live in separate cages which I put next to each other and they get time out of the cage together. I noticed he never attacks her outside the cage but he will as soon as they are back in the same cage. So, this set up works great for all of us.
Btw, I've had those two for years now and obviously they can't live in the same cage due to his aggressiveness. But they seem happy when they spend time out together.

Reti


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## jak2002003 (Jan 10, 2012)

Thanks for the reply! I think it was too soon to introduce her as his mate only died 2 days ago. 

Actually I am sure the new one is a female. My males other mate was another male! They both bow cooed to each other, preened each other and mated - but obviously never any eggs! 

I will wait till the female is all healed up and try again. In the meantime I will hang her cage next to his so they touch each others beaks through the bars, but not get to each other.

I will check on her eye tomorrow and hope it looks a bit better. Do the feathers grow back quickly?


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