# Lonely mourning Dove. Can't release. Needs friends



## Daniella169 (Apr 17, 2016)

Hello, 
I joined this forum because of Cooky. I found him almost a year ago, abandoned by his parents. I hand fed him, took care of him and when was time to let him go we had a bad stormy weather, so he had to stay.
He was free all the time inside our home; this lats month I got him a cage and I make him spend time there when I'm not home. My small poodle is constantly after him.
I would like to buy a big aviary. The ideal esenario would be another male dove, to avoid breeding!, maybe a right neck, etc and a few other birds so they can have more social interaction.
Please, I need advices!
Would this work?

Can he be happy with other male dove?

Is anything I can do to avoid babies if I get him a female? He would love that!!! He is always calling a mate, that;s sad!

What other birds can live with him and the other dove?, finches?

THANKS!!


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

pigeons and doves live to mate. Normally 2 males will not work, as they would usually fight. If you know he is a male, then try finding a female, and order some plastic fake eggs for doves online. When they lay eggs, you just switch them out with the fake eggs, which they will hopefully sit on for the time it takes to hatch real eggs. Then they will give up and start mating again. Then you switch out the eggs again. They would be much happier with doves than with other birds. Maybe a couple of pairs.


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## wiggles and puddles (Sep 3, 2015)

I agree with Jay3, if you know he is a male, I would get him a female. I have two house birds, that were hand raised. I swap out the real eggs with fake ones I ordered on Amazon and they don't know the difference. Once they decide they will not hatch, I take the fake eggs out, and before long real eggs are laid (usually between the 1st and 3rd of every month) and the process starts over again. I have a large parrot cage they stay in, but come out for play time every day, and they are very happy. I use the bird diapers to keep things clean while they are out of the cage. A large aviary for your male, with a mate, that you would also need to swap out the real eggs with fake ones, would also be a great option. There are lots of females that are in need of a good home, and your male dove would be happy to have a mate.


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## Daniella169 (Apr 17, 2016)

Thanks Jay3. This dove is a wild morning dove, would be impossible to get a female just like him. Can I buy for him another kind of dove? what kind would you recommend?

I asked about birds that get alone with the them, because I always wanted finches and I can't have both. Anyway, I want this dove the be happy.


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## Daniella169 (Apr 17, 2016)

Thanks!!  and what kind of dove you thing I should get for him? where can I get her?


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## RamseyRingnecks (Jun 18, 2013)

Daniella169 said:


> Thanks!!  and what kind of dove you thing I should get for him? where can I get her?


You might try a female ringneck, but first I would look into getting the necessary permit for keeping your mourning dove. All native birds are federally protected in the US, and it is illegal to have one with out the paperwork saying you can.


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