# Doves are little thugs?



## penname (Jul 28, 2008)

Hi!
I have a blind Senegal dove and have been trying to get him a companion for a while now. He had a canary companion who sadly passed away, Noddy was coexisting with Lucky the canary but seemed rather indifferent to him. So I decided to get another dove. I found a pet shop that sells Barbary doves and got one but she attacked Noddy so she had to go back to the store. I then got a Senegal chick who ate and slept with Noddy and life was wonderful! It was so cute, they slept next to each other in their "nest".

When Sossees (meaning sausage) grew he turned out to probably be a he and started bullying Noddy. It started with pecking, so I separated them. The next day I put them together again and they were fine. I was having a bigger cage made and a couple of days it arrived and I thought great, with more space things should be better. 

So anyway Sossees starts avidly watching Noddy as he eats and then tries to take the seed from his mouth, but no apparent aggression. Then he stood in front of him, did a quick bow coo and attacked him 

As Noddy is totally blind and helpless he was shocked and flew backwards trying to get away from him so I separated them immediately and called a friend who has an aviary and some Senegals. She agreed to take Sossees so the next day I drove him over to her.

When I put him in her aviary another dove immediately flew over to him and proceeded to peck him viciously on his head. I panicked and we removed him. He was just standing there as if in a daze while he was being pecked, it was horrible!

So Marianne thought it would be better to put Sossees in with her quails. Yesterday I called to enquire about Sossees and she told me he'd attacked her quails! So he was put back in with the other doves and she said he had made friends with one of the doves. Needless to say I'm still worried about the little thug.

Marianne had told me doves are little thugs contrary to us always thinking of them as symbols of peace, I'm beginning to believe she's right lol.

When I put Noddy out in his flight pen my resident feral doves in the garden scrutinise the cage trying to find a way to get in and attack poor little Noddy. Seriously, so much for my idea of doves being peaceful little things


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## maryjane (Jul 15, 2006)

I'm sorry no one has responded, your post must have gotten somewhat lost.  Doves can indeed be little thugs!! They can be very stubborn and hard-headed, often refusing to back down even when they're on the losing end of a fight or battle for territory. And it's not unusual for them to establish an immediate pecking order when introducing a new dove. I have found that placing the new bird in a large cage *inside* the pen with the other doves works well. Then they can get used to each other safely, and the other male doves can establish their dominance without getting physical. After four days to a week (or so), I let the new dove (or pigeon) out for supervised visiting, and if all goes well, then they can stay out. Good luck with yours, I hope Noddy finds a special mate. Maybe a young female dove would be good, so she can grow up with him?? I hope it works out!


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## penname (Jul 28, 2008)

Thanks for your reply, much appreciated 

I have a young dove with Noddy at the moment, time will tell if they get along together, don't even know if it's a male or female. As Noddy is handicapped I'm afraid he will always be picked on regardless. Please keep your fingers crossed for him!


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## spirit wings (Mar 29, 2008)

penname said:


> Thanks for your reply, much appreciated
> 
> I have a young dove with Noddy at the moment, time will tell if they get along together, don't even know if it's a male or female. As Noddy is handicapped I'm afraid he will always be picked on regardless. Please keep your fingers crossed for him!


keep us updated, hope it goes well this time.


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## tiffanyh (May 30, 2008)

You could always consider another canary or or finch for him. My finch have bonded well with my doves.


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