# doves & mealworms?



## penname (Jul 28, 2008)

Noddy my Senegal dove is a blind feral dove, these doves eat insects and I used to feed him boiled meat and eggs but now that he's learnt to eat on his own he doesn't want to be fed. I've read on a dove site that mealworms are good in moderation but I also read here that they can carry bacteria and harm the bird, the kind I was looking to get is freeze dried (Flukerfarms), can freeze dried mealworms contain bacteria? And if they are safe, how many times a week should I offer him mealworms? Would they harm my canary who lives with him and inspects/tries/eats everything I put in the cage?


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## Ed (Sep 18, 2008)

check this site out
http://www.greengardener.co.uk/bird.htm


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## penname (Jul 28, 2008)

Thanks for the link! I was just doing a bit of reading in the RSBP forums!

So far what I've learnt:

The Good:
Full of vitamins and nutritious

The Bad:
may contain harmful bacteria
have hard shells may be bad for birds


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## spirit wings (Mar 29, 2008)

penname said:


> Thanks for the link! I was just doing a bit of reading in the RSBP forums!
> 
> So far what I've learnt:
> 
> ...


You might just want to try gamebird crumbles you get at a feed store, check out the protein in it. i do not think they need much to add to the grain/seed diet....


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## EgypSwiftLady (Jan 14, 2008)

penname said:


> Noddy my Senegal dove is a blind feral dove, these doves eat insects and I used to feed him boiled meat and eggs but now that he's learnt to eat on his own he doesn't want to be fed. I've read on a dove site that mealworms are good in moderation but I also read here that they can carry bacteria and harm the bird, the kind I was looking to get is freeze dried (Flukerfarms), can freeze dried mealworms contain bacteria? And if they are safe, how many times a week should I offer him mealworms? Would they harm my canary who lives with him and inspects/tries/eats everything I put in the cage?


 Your canary might just like them too Since Noddy is blind I would feed him a few 6-12 live, that way he can hear the worms in the bowl. Many insect eating birds hear the bugs before they actually see them.
I feed my RN's live mealworms and haven't had a health problem, the mealworm breeders raise their worms under very clean management so i really don't see a bacterial problem. We also feed mealworms to many of the reptiles that live here too and have for years without any problems.


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## penname (Jul 28, 2008)

Thanks for your invaluable comments. The only gamebird crumbles I had found are 5lb bags, and since I am in Egypt it would cost a lot to have shipped over 

Again, because I am in Egypt having live mealworms shipped isn't an option so I guess my best option are the freezedried ones. I guess the freeze drying process would do away with any bacteria right?


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## penname (Jul 28, 2008)

EgypSwiftLady said:


> Your canary might just like them too Since Noddy is blind I would feed him a few 6-12 live, that way he can hear the worms in the bowl. Many insect eating birds hear the bugs before they actually see them.



*Shudder* insects yikes! Even the thought of dried ones gives me the shivers! But if protein is what Noddy needs, then I'll have to deal with it...ugh! The husband's going to be thrilled when all the stuff I'm ordering arrives


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## Ed (Sep 18, 2008)

Oo I didnt know you were in Egypt.
That does make things a little harder for you


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## penname (Jul 28, 2008)

StoN3d said:


> Oo I didnt know you were in Egypt.
> That does make things a little harder for you


Tell me about it, I pay a lot of shipping on stuff, especially books (I love to read) they weigh a lot!


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## Ed (Sep 18, 2008)

try getting E-Books
you will be able to save on the shipping cost.
I have access to tons of E-Books
If you pm me a list of ones that you are looking for (non-pigeon related) and Ill see if I can find them for you.
I say non pigeon related because ive been looking for months now and cant find any lol
well I found one
but it was sent to me by someone on this site


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## John_D (Jan 24, 2002)

Would have thought a grain and seed diet, supplemented by some greens now and then, would be just fine for a dove. Most pigeons and doves (except fruit doves, maybe) are ground feeding seed eaters. Certainly pigeons have been known to eat some insects and tiny snails when breeding, and quite likely dove species do too.

John


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## penname (Jul 28, 2008)

StoN3d said:


> try getting E-Books
> you will be able to save on the shipping cost.
> I have access to tons of E-Books
> If you pm me a list of ones that you are looking for (non-pigeon related) and Ill see if I can find them for you.
> ...


I think I got the pigeon e-book from the same kind person, it's brilliant isn't it?

I'm a bit old fashioned, I like the paper variety : so I end up spending all my money on having books I can't find here shipped over. I tried printing e-books out but it just wasn't the same


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## penname (Jul 28, 2008)

John_D said:


> Would have thought a grain and seed diet, supplemented by some greens now and then, would be just fine for a dove. Most pigeons and doves (except fruit doves, maybe) are ground feeding seed eaters. Certainly pigeons have been known to eat some insects and tiny snails when breeding, and quite likely dove species do too.
> 
> John


From what I've been reading about Senegal doves, they eat insects (along with seeds), the ones in my garden seem to. Noddy had a bad start when he was young (you can see his pictures in my photo album on my profile), and my vet told me to give him meat and boiled egg every now and then which did wonders for him. Now ever since he's started eating by himself he doesn't let me feed him and I'm concerned about putting eggs or meat in his dish as they only way he's able to eat is to actually step into his plate and blindly stab and eat whatever he can grab. I'm concerned standing on eggs or meat can't be good for his feet.


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## John_D (Jan 24, 2002)

Guess the idea was to build him up with additional protein and whatever else is in meat and eggs? With a good diet, you could probably just give him multivitamins in his water (or the powder mixed in the feed) instead, to keep him in good balance, if you have a concern.

John


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## karijo (Apr 11, 2006)

I watched a small flock of pigeons this morning pulling earthworms out of an island of grass next to a gas station, along the sidewalk.

I had no idea they ate worms, but this group of maybe 6 or 8 birds was acting like a pack of hungry robins! I never saw that before.


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## spirit wings (Mar 29, 2008)

penname said:


> Thanks for your invaluable comments. The only gamebird crumbles I had found are 5lb bags, and since I am in Egypt it would cost a lot to have shipped over
> 
> Again, because I am in Egypt having live mealworms shipped isn't an option so I guess my best option are the freezedried ones. I guess the freeze drying process would do away with any bacteria right?


I say hard boiled egg crumbled up in a dish and let him take what he needs, he will know, and that is a safe protein.....


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