# Just got doves and I need help



## HopperVal (Mar 16, 2011)

My friend just got 2 doves, realized she didn't have the time or room for them and then asked me to take them. I have experience owning parrots but I have never owned a dove, so I have a few questions.

What diet would you suggest? I saw somewhere that you can feed them a pelleted diet. My parrots are currently on a pelleted diet, could I also put the doves on them or do they need a different kind of pellet? What is better, a pelleted diet or a quality seed mix diet?

Also, one of them has some feather loss behind her head. The area is not red and does not seem irritated at all... what do you think it could be? They are kept together so I was thinking that maybe she gets picked on by the other one? I have a spare cage, should I separate them? I'm worried it might be mites and I might spread it to my other birds, what are some signs of mites I should look for? 

And finally, what kind of housing do they prefer? I know budgies like cages that are wider rather than taller so they have room to fly around. The cage that they are both living in now measures Height:23in Depth:22in Length:17in. Hows that?

Sorry for all the questions I'm just a bit overwhelmed! Ive never dealt with doves before.

Anybody that read that whole thing gets a cookie


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## Reti (Jul 20, 2003)

Are they a couple, male and female? Watch them and see if they fight. If they do you will have to separate them.
You will need a bigger cage, wider rather than higher.
My vet swears a pelleted diet is better. He recommends Harrisons pellets. But they also like seeds and if they are used to seeds they will have a hard time to adjust to pellets. You can mix them and they will get used to the pellets eventually.
You can spray them with Scalex for mites just to be sure they have no mites and won't spread any to your other birds. Do not spray it though on the area where your bird has feather loss.
Thank you for giving them a loving forever home.

Reti


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## Ede-bird (Jul 7, 2010)

I have parrots too  Hagen makes a pigeon/dove seed mix that I add pop corn and wheat too, and she also gets pigeon pellets ( very inexpensive) mixed with Harrisons adult fine pellets(not so inexpensive) she also gets pigeon grit. The pellets and grit I bought at a farm feed store where I but the other birds millet sprays - the other food came from the pet store and Vets. Don't forget to isolate the new birds from your flock for at least 4 weeks. We really like pictures here too  hint hint 

ps the seed mix is in one dish, the pellet mix in another, and the grit in yet another. And of course the water dish and the original food dish that she commandeered as a nest. Her Cage is a wire dog kennel that is 24inches wide, by 32 inches high by 4 feet long( give or take a few inches - I don't remember exactly. There are 2 long board perches, a fat branch perch and 2 bricks in it too  There are pictures somewhere on an old post of mine. The set up works really well.


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## HopperVal (Mar 16, 2011)

Reti said:


> Are they a couple, male and female?


My friend was told by their previous owner that they are both female. Is there any way for me to tell visually? I've been watching them and it doesn't _seem_ like she's getting picked on. They preen each other but I never see them pull feathers out...



Ede-bird said:


> I have parrots too
> 
> Ohhhh what kind?
> 
> ...


I need some flat perches, they only have the round ones they came with plus a few additions of my own. Will doves actually eat seeds AND pellets if they are in separate dishes? I know my parrots sure wont 

As soon as I get some extra cash they're getting a nice new cage and some new perches and new food. What about toys? I put a budgie toy in their cage yesterday and they did play with it a little.


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## Reti (Jul 20, 2003)

If they preen each other they wouldn't like it if they are separated. So, as long as they don't fight let them enjoy each other's company.
My cockatiel won't eat the pellets either if they are in a separate dish from the seeds. I mix them in the same dish and won't give him any new food until he eats everything, pellets included.
You can provide a couple of bricks for flat perches. They are inexpensive and my doves like them.


Reti


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## Luthien (Apr 29, 2011)

Congratulations on your new doves!! For feeding they need seeds, bird gravel and fruit, the gravel helps them digest better and the fruit gives them calcium which they need. Fruit once a week or so is good. As for the feather loss keep an eye on them to see if they fight and if not you might want to get him/her checked out by the vet. It could also be stress from the move. A doves cage should be minimum 2 square feet but bigger is better. Doves love to get out of their cage to fly around but be careful to have them enclosed in a room, cover windows and mirrors.

Have fun with them!


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## Libis (Oct 8, 2010)

My birds have done well on Kaytee supreme daily dove blend. 
Their grit is Kaytee hi cal grit. 

The bigger the cage you can give them the happier they'll be. I've moved Ed to a cage twice the size of his original and he's so happy. Now I'm plotting for a someday sunroom aviary for him and his mate (with the windows glazed or something to keep everyone from hitting the windows)


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