# Fruit and Diamond dove nutrition



## Libis

Ok, so I've always understood diamond dove nutrition as being very seed-based. Nyjer seed, white millet, red millet, canary grass seed, sunflower chips, pellets of choice meant for seed-eating finches (I generally choose Kaytee Forti Diet Pro finch to cover these bases.) Basic grit with plenty of calcium (Kaytee hi-cal is what I buy.) Vitamin drops when needed.

Then, anything else is a snack right? Like, fruit and veggies once or twice a week? Eggfood once or less a week unless nesting/feeding babies? Am I way off base?

Someone I've been talking to is saying that the breeders in their area put half zupreem fruit and half zupreem finch and then add a little millet and some eggfood for the everyday diamond diet (not just breeding birds.) And that her birds have done well on it. Is this better than I'm feeding? Worse? I want to know lots of opinions here and backup research links/books/papers wherever possible. I'm always looking to perfect diets as well as I can afford. Please discuss/debate/educate as much as you can. I really want to know.


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## Lefty07

In my opinion, you were feeding your Diamond Doves just fine before you met this person who told you to go with all pellets. Personally, I think people go overboard with pellets. Yes, they are nutrional but birds _prefer_ seeds - they eat *seeds* in the wild after all. I suspect the needs of Diamond Doves are pretty simple. I think an enriched finch seed mix with_ some _pellets mixed in is more than adequate (in other words, I think you were just fine giving them a mix that is mostly seeds but has some pellets). I also think real egg food (made from fresh hard-boiled eggs) is very rich and should just be an occasional treat (once every few weeks) - except when breeding, when they can have it every day.










I had the above Diamond Dove live to age 15 (and father many babies) on enriched finch seed mixes with occasional egg food (mostly when nesting).


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## Libis

Where I was concerned was that I was at first under the impression that this person was feeding something for fruitivores as half the feed. That turns out not to be the case so now I feel a lot better about how I feed. (She's feeding something with a little fruit in it for flavors.)


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## Lefty07

*Fruit flavored pellets...*

Oh I know what you mean. I actually mix some of those pellets in all my bird's seed mixes (finches, doves, parakeets). I figure it's extra nutrition, _if_ they eat it. But it is only a small portion of the mix. Yea, i don't think Diamond Doves _need_ any fruits in their diets - I'm not sure what they would try anyway? 

My Ringneck Doves like cooked green peas but, even for them, they have to be small (baby) peas.


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## Libis

Lefty07 said:


> Oh I know what you mean. I actually mix some of those pellets in all my bird's seed mixes (finches, doves, parakeets). I figure it's extra nutrition, _if_ they eat it. But it is only a small portion of the mix. Yea, i don't think Diamond Doves _need_ any fruits in their diets - I'm not sure what they would try anyway?
> 
> My Ringneck Doves like cooked green peas but, even for them, they have to be small (baby) peas.


Where do you get small enough baby peas?--weirdly enough I've been looking for tiny cooked peas for my goldfish lol

Yeah, they aren't big on fruit. The ringnecks like fruit more when I offer it, but if I give much they just get loose poops.


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## Lefty07

*Baby peas...*

I think Green Giant sells the "baby peas" I buy for my doves. They come in their "Steamer" bags that you micro-wave. 

But these baby peas are small enough for Ringneck Doves, not Diamonds. I don't know what pea would be small enough for a Diamond Dove to eat! But maybe you could try cutting them up?


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## Libis

Lefty07 said:


> I think Green Giant sells the "baby peas" I buy for my doves. They come in their "Steamer" bags that you micro-wave.
> 
> But these baby peas are small enough for Ringneck Doves, not Diamonds. I don't know what pea would be small enough for a Diamond Dove to eat! But maybe you could try cutting them up?


I'm not asking for the diamonds--though cutting them up for them might work

I was asking for my goldfish XD lol


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