# Do Doves need to be indoor?



## Kamp Kaos (Jun 22, 2011)

We were thinking of getting a pair of Doves. We have Homers and Small fuguritas and were wondering if the doves could live in a loft like the others. The catch, we live in Minnesota. Just have them out in the summer and bring them in Winter? How low of temps can they handle? Does it depend on the breed of dove? As always guys, thank you for your time!


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## spirit wings (Mar 29, 2008)

The doves do better indoors and not going from one spot to another. if one did want to keep the doves outdoors you would have to acclimate them to it..and visa versa. going from one extreme to another can harm them. The doves should not be kept with pigeons. doves will start a fight they can not win with the bigger more robust pigeon. doves are really meant for in the home pet.. but some breeders do keep them outdoors.


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## nancybird (Jan 30, 2011)

I have doves & mine are kept outdoors.My 1st pair of doves lived to be 23 years old.When I 1st got them they lived indoors.I could tell they wanted to be outdoors.They were very quite inside.Once I got the outside cage built & put them init they became so full of life cooing more & lots of activity.I never looked back.I'm in a new home now & have new doves & a new walk in aviary outside & this one is 6feet X 6feet wide & 7Feet high.My doves can fly around.My winters are mild & we only get a frost warning maybe twice each winter.Summers here are very very hot 120 degrees so I use shade cloth & solar fans & I have an automatic water sprinkler that comes on 3 times a day for them.When its hot out they tend to be less active but I can tell they enjoy their large walk in aviary..


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## John_D (Jan 24, 2002)

Presume you are speaking of ringnecks or doves of similar size?

We have Eurasian collared doves (rescues) outside all year, but winter temperature rarely dips below 25˚ F. Of course, these were not bred as pets,so are fairly hardy.

They share with a couple of disabled ferals and a Wood Pigeon, so they come to no harm.

We did have some in the main aviary, with homers and assorted ferals, but if a pigeon cornered a dove, the dove would usually lose a few feathers at very least, so that didn't work out.


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## OurDoveBron (Aug 6, 2012)

nancybird said:


> I have doves & mine are kept outdoors.My 1st pair of doves lived to be 23 years old.When I 1st got them they lived indoors.I could tell they wanted to be outdoors.They were very quite inside.Once I got the outside cage built & put them init they became so full of life cooing more & lots of activity.I never looked back.I'm in a new home now & have new doves & a new walk in aviary outside & this one is 6feet X 6feet wide & 7Feet high.My doves can fly around.My winters are mild & we only get a frost warning maybe twice each winter.Summers here are very very hot 120 degrees so I use shade cloth & solar fans & I have an automatic water sprinkler that comes on 3 times a day for them.When its hot out they tend to be less active but I can tell they enjoy their large walk in aviary..


I sure wish I lived in a climate like that, it would be neat to be able to do that!! 

My husband has a cousin who lived in Texas, and raised Cockatoos in an outside aviary.


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## Kamp Kaos (Jun 22, 2011)

Thanks for the responses guys! I wish we lived in a warmer climate. I'm thinking that the doves would not do well outside here in Minnesota unless you had them in a heated area. The temp here in Jan and Feb can dip well into the sub-zero side.


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## nancybird (Jan 30, 2011)

My aviary only has ringneck doves in it. They would not make it on their own in the wilderness.


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