# Pigeons or doves as pets?



## ClaireBear101 (Dec 30, 2014)

Hi everyone! I'm a newbie to this whole pigeon/dove business, so please bear with me.  I am wondering whether a pigeon or a dove makes a better pet. It would at least have a 3'x3'x3' cage and obviously some time outside the cage when I'm home. I want a single bird instead of a pair because I want it to bond with me (kinda selfish, I know), but want my future bird/s to have the happiest life possible... So these are my questions. (for now at least) 

1) Pigeon vs. dove as a pet
2) Male vs. female bird
3) Are pigeons and doves happier in pairs or do they need a mate?
4) There's nobody home for around 6-7 hours a day. Is this too long?

Thanks in advance!
Claire


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## Michy (Jul 29, 2011)

Hi Claire!!

If you are looking for a solitary bird for a pet, a dove/pigeon is not the bird for you. These are the type of birds that mate for life with another. They would not be happy otherwise and would display it with non-stop cooing. If you aren't home for 6-7 hours a day(then add on the hours you sleep/go out socially), chances of anything bonding with you is minimal.


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## John_D (Jan 24, 2002)

I do agree with Michy. Also, a pigeon/dove which is already full grown is probably *not* going to bond with you. Accept and tolerate, yes, but be a real 'pet', no.

We used to have a Eurasian Collared Dove who was hand-raised as an orphaned baby by her rescuers, and she saw humans as 'her kind' more than other doves. She was very tame, but of course it was not really in her best interests as a dove. Still, when they grow up with people it is often inevitable.


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## ClaireBear101 (Dec 30, 2014)

Okay thank you for the info. Different websites/people say that dove and pigeons can be happy by itself, but other sources say they must be in pairs, so I was little confused. 

So do you recommend mated pairs of doves or pigeons for a beginner? 

Also would a 3'x3'x3' cage be too small for a pair of birds?


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## cwebster (Dec 11, 2010)

We have a non releasable pet pigeon who lives in a large, 5 ft flight cage. She has bonded with us. We take her out at least two hours per day and she has a window and a lot of toys. Problems we gave run into, outside of the medical problems that made her not releasable, are that her bonding with us causes her to see us as a mate which makes her want to have sex with us. She requires strict day/night limits and taking her food out right after we feed her so she won't think there is a food surplus and want to lay eggs. We also have to alternate our time with her so she won't act sexual with one of us and want to breed. We can't pet her because that makes her show sexual behaviors such as wing flipping or laying down ready to be mounted! She is a great pet but we have to be exquisitively careful to discourage reproduction due to her past reproductive problems. She has needed hormone implants before we learned all the environmental controls on OUR behavior! Now we are having to treat her for atherosclerosis due to her inactivity, a special low fat pellet diet, meds and gentle exercise because she stopped flying. She is getting better rapidly but having a bird in a cage does cause heart problems. Alex the famous African Grey had atherosclerosis. So if you still want a pet pigeon, yes, she is wonderful. But you may want to find one from a rescue organization or shelter who isn't releasable so he/she won't be denied a chance for a normal life including a pigeon mate and lots of flying and exercise. There are undoubtedly non releasable pigeons where you live. We are so glad we adopted Phoebe who is a happy healthy bird and a great companion. But they aren't like a dog or cat. They have specific needs.


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## Scottsdaleaz (Aug 30, 2014)

Another resource for you to consider with respect to non-releasable doves and pigeons is Palomacy (formerly Mickacoo). They will tell you the same that no pigeon or dove should lead a solitary life, but I'm not sure what the advice would be around the specifics of your situation (e.g. 7 hours alone). 
For us, we have an outdoor aviary: 8' X 8' X 4'. We have two pigeons. There are not really pets, but are used to my presence when I feed them and don't move away. I can touch one on occasion. I haven't given up bonding more with them, but at least they have enough room to fly around, plenty to eat, and perhaps interact with each other (they have not mated).


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## chayi (May 1, 2010)

Just my two cents I wouldn't have nether a lonely dove or a lonely pigeon as a pet. I would rather have a cockatiel or some kind of parrot as a solitary bird to bond with you and best if very young that you hand feed. Pigeons and doves like to bond and some times for life.


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## ringneck_redneck_dov (Jan 29, 2015)

*reply*

i think a dove would be nice but their is not much difference. Mine is flying around my house and cooing as i am writing this


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## ringneck_redneck_dov (Jan 29, 2015)

*cont.*

if you are going to only have one it is important that you interact with it as much as possible because not only is it fun to hang out with you dove it is important that he gets to play with someone because every organism needs love.


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## Lefty07 (Dec 30, 2009)

A compromise to having a single dove could be to have another bird, of another species, in it's own cage, next to it. It will provide some companionship without resulting in extreme bonding. But be careful of any parrot species as they can be dangerous around doves. Even a small parakeet (budgie) can harass a much larger dove, if they are out of the cage together. You would just have to keep an eye on it and supervise. But I would say anything larger than a cockatiel could be dangerous around a dove. And even some smaller parrots, like Lovebirds or Parrotlets, can be very nasty around a defenseless dove - so I'd avoid those as a companion bird for a dove. A mild-mannered parrot such as a Cockatiel or Bourke Parakeet would be ideal, as would a canary or a couple finches. Again, of course a dove will prefer another dove as a companion but this advice is assuming that does not work for you.

I have some Bourke Parakeets (shown below). They are probably the most mild-mannered parakeet and seem safe around my doves when they are all out together, flying around.


But my green Budgie is so spunky and fearless that he scares my Ringneck Doves! He doesn't hurt them but they are only out together for short periods and I am there to supervise. Also they are doing their free flight in my 18 X 20 foot sunroom so there's lots of space.


Following up on my earlier point, I have 2 female Bourke Parakeets (who don't like each other) and 1 male Budgie (green parakeet). I cage them separately but next to each other. So they have company but there's no breeding or extreme bonding between them and so they all stay friendly with me.


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## sreeshs (Aug 16, 2009)

You can adopt two small pigeons. I never had doves so can't comment on them but pigeons will still bond with you even if they are mated pairs. Yet they will not bond in the same way as an african lovebird or a budgerigar will do. 3x3x3 is not good enough for two pigeons unless they have day time access to flight area/room. No bird prefers a solitary life compared to a mated or companionship one, it is just how we humans mould it to our convenience.
I visit my loft on an average 2 days a week, some of my pigeons still bond with me. All of them will take treats from hand and some selective ones fly on to my streched out hand, do 'inspections' and then fly towards the perch or nest and poop on the hand occasionally.


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## Lefty07 (Dec 30, 2009)

In addition to what I wrote above, I agree with Sreeshs. You can have 2 doves and they will still interact with you, especially if you get them when they are young and you hand-feed them to tame them. You should preferably get them from different breeders - in case they breed, you don't want them to be related (because of potential inbreeding / genetic problems).

2 male doves may fight, however, if they are fully grown when you get them and you try to put them in the same cage. But again, you can do 2 cages and they are usually fine outside the cage(s), especially if there is no female for them to fight over. 2 females usually get a long fine in the same cage.

I have 3 Ringnecks (2 males and 1 female). They all get a long fine when they are flying around my sunroom, outside their cages - but the 2 males don't like being in the same cage. My female alternates visiting both males but no one is breeding. And all 3 of my doves are very tame.


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## ringneck_redneck_dov (Jan 29, 2015)

I have a white male ringneck dove and he is awesome. I let him out to play all over my house and just sits on the cupboards, on the fridge on (and in) his cage, this computer and the tv, wherever he feels like. he occasionally does close fly-byes to our heads. he is loving enough and we rescued him from near death about a year ago. we think he was released on Anzac day as a celebration dove but because they are not white homing pigeons they just die in the wild.


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## Raisindust (Apr 8, 2010)

I personally prefer pigeons as they're a little quieter ( or at least have a deeper voice that doesn't carry as much as most doves ) and a lot bigger, and plus shiny neck feathers  But pigeons and doves act very similar, I guess that would depend on you and of course what kind of birds are near you!


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## kimochi (Jan 7, 2015)

I agree with some of the other comments. If you are looking for a bird to bond with you, then a male budgie/parakeet would be better. Especially if you can get a baby that has been hand raised. Parrot birds are generally better as companion birds than pigeons or doves.


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## hamlet (Oct 26, 2004)

Hello. Pigeon or dove: Pigeon. They are smart, but dusty vs a parrot. I like pigeons because they do not run away and get lost: most flying breeds. I once found an all white pigeon sitting on a girl's head, that liked to fly with the ferals and land on my hand after wards. It is hard for me to see a bird trying to come out of its cage and me doing nothing about it. 
I think 3 by 3 by 3 is good enough for one to fly its wings without damage. For sure a male is better if it is not mean. Feral stock turned aggressive with me. I do not like two pigeons in a cage that much because the males kind of abuse their females sometimes. If you have a place and do not mind if they coo: figuritas coo softley and they are small and cute. I am not sure if they can free fly, then try a pigeon. After all, they come in many styles and you can color some of them yourself. Here is one on youtube by Robert: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bQPZz3_cl54


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## PamperedPigeon (Sep 23, 2014)

I have two pigeons that I got when they were about 7-10 days old and I hand-fed them. They did go through a phase after weaning where they didn't like being handled and saw hands as another bird that was always trying to grab at them. With a lot of patience (and hemp seeds - their favorite treat), the female, Lola, has made friends with the hands and loves to snuggle with me and nuzzle and coo when being petted...in fact, she's sometimes a little too friendly and can be a bit of a pest . My male, Rio, enjoys being close to us - he follows us from room to room and will fly to us when we're sitting still, but still gets a little spooked when you try to pet him...we are working on it, but he's still a work in progress.

Overall, I'd say that pigeons make great pets, although they are pretty messy. I also have two German shepherds and two snakes, and while I LOVE my pups, they aren't affectionate like my Lola, and they don't fit on my shoulder or lap ...plus, we can't take the dogs on vacation, but we can take the birds.


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