# My bird's buddy died!



## cookiebun (Jun 2, 2008)

Hi. One of my pet doves died last Sunday. 
Now her buddy seems very lonely. Is there a bird of a different species that might make her a good companion? I don't want to get another Ring Neck in case it turns out to be male. 
Here's the thread I started when I got these birds:
http://www.pigeons.biz/forums/f24/new-pets-2-ring-necked-doves-both-males-55965.html

The bird that died is the one standing on my knuckles. She was only a year and a half old. She gave no signs of being ill. It was like she flew down to have her breakfast and just fell over and died. 
Can any one recommend how to cheer Big Bird/Margaret up?


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## Dima (Jan 15, 2011)

I am so sorry for your loss.
They were two females?
You can always choose the ring neck you want either male of female. To get one of opposite sex sounds normal to me. but do not attempt from the begining to introduce them to each other. Keep the new one for 3-4 week in quarantine and then in a cage so Margaret can see her future buddy and show signs of interest.
For now all you can do is give give the attention she needs, vitamins , treats and may be a mirror.


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## spirit wings (Mar 29, 2008)

I'm very sorry she lost her mate, I'm not sure how one would cheer her up, but I'm sure she will adjust over time.


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## nancybird (Jan 30, 2011)

I'm sorry her mate died.She needs another dove to keep her company.


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## cookiebun (Jun 2, 2008)

I'm afraid if I got another dove she would beat it up. 
Since you can't tell the males from females, I'm afraid of getting a male. I don't want chicks. 
Apparently this has never happened to anyone here????


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## Dima (Jan 15, 2011)

You can always replace the eggs from the first 2 days with dummy ones/ fakes.
That's what i do with my pigeons.


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

cookiebun said:


> I'm afraid if I got another dove she would beat it up.
> Since you can't tell the males from females, I'm afraid of getting a male. I don't want chicks.
> *Apparently this has never happened to anyone here????*



Why do you say that? If you haven't gotten many answers, maybe that's because there aren't any. Eventually she'll feel better. There are no quick fixes. Another bird for a companion is about the best suggestion you could get. You don't want to get another bird, so what else is there?


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## Lefty07 (Dec 30, 2009)

I wouldn't rush out and get another dove immediately. Take you time and see if you can find a breeder who will give you a known female dove - or who will let you swap for another, if the bird bird you get from them turns out to be male. And like the others have said, you'll need a separate cage for a while so your old one doesn't attack it for invading it's territory. Let them get to know each other gradually from separate cages - then with "out-of-cage time" together for a while. Only when they choose to be together in one of the cages, do you know they are ready to move in.

As for another species, there really isn't another type of bird that will make a good friend for a Ringneck Dove - though another non-agressive bird in another cage would be some company, if you don't get another dove. My Java Sparrow (a type of finch) seems to like "visiting" my doves. When I let my birds out, he flies into the dove's cage and hangs out with them for the day - but always returns to his own cage by night time.










Another possibility is a Bourke Parakeet or Scarlet Chested Parakeet (with it's own cage). Both are extremely non-aggressive parrot-family birds (they are not aggressive like Budgies, which I would never trust around a helpless dove) and can co-exist around doves and be loose together, though I don't know that they would bond with them at all.




























As for why your dove died - that worries me a little since Ringnecks are so tough - I have one that is 20 years old and still going. Is it possible she choked on something? Some of the commercial "dove food" mixes sometimes have some big round seeds in them, which I think a Ringneck can't swallow - like it's a seed a Pigeon might be able to eat, but not a Dove. I would check your seed mix for these big round seeds and make sure you remove them.


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