# More Questions



## vanja (Dec 27, 2010)

Hello dove and pigeon people,
I asked some questions before and now have a bunch of new one so bare with me.
SO far I have picked out the cage http://www.petsmart.com/product/index.jsp?productId=4313509 (it looks bigger in person) and the food http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?c=5059+5911+18947&pcatid=18947. I have yet to buy until I get my next pay check. 
So is a regular cuttle bone fine or is there any advantages to http://www.drsfostersmith.com/bird-supplies/beak-conditioners-mineral-blocks/ps/c/5059/8929. I do like the shape of the Manu ones.
Is it necessary to get a cage cleaning produce or will dish soap work. Also I have a carpet floor so I will have to be cleaning that up too. Unless there are poop suits for that purpose? Thoughts on that?
I was thinking about buying two of these for food and water. http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?c=5059+5950+21009&pcatid=21009
Do you think they are big enough?
So at last the dove.
I’m having trouble finding breeders in Tallahassee, FL. I have contacted Petsmart and they do get ringnecks in but they are generally grey. I was hoping for white or mostly white. Does anyone know of anyone around this area?


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## Siobhan (Dec 21, 2010)

Someone on the forum here suggested a dog kennel to me for my dove, who's the size of a pigeon, and it's absolutely perfect. It was a lot cheaper, too. I got mine on sale at our local farm supply store. If you're looking at a ringneck, though, you'd want smaller bar spacing than a dog kennel. For the food dish, you might want to consider a seed-catcher style because otherwise they toss seeds all over creation as they sift through looking for their favorites.


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## cwebster (Dec 11, 2010)

Hi! We got a six foot flight cage (you put it together) over the internet and some of the ceramic "crock" type dishes for food and water (because birdy scatters everything). It had a built-in bar across the cage halves which we covered with carpet, making a nice broad perch. We also put wooden boxes where she likes to sit and look out the window.You can put mesh around the outside bottom edge of the cage to catch any poop, seeds, or feathers that might be scattering out. Our cage has trays built in under it so we empty those regularly too, and replace the papers on the cage bottom daily. We vacuum periodically because we also have carpet underneath (the cage of course had to go near the computer so the bird gets a lot of attention while in her cage as well as out).--Cindy


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

vanja said:


> Hello dove and pigeon people,
> I asked some questions before and now have a bunch of new one so bare with me.
> SO far I have picked out the cage http://www.petsmart.com/product/index.jsp?productId=4313509 (it looks bigger in person) and the food http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?c=5059+5911+18947&pcatid=18947. I have yet to buy until I get my next pay check.
> *So is a regular cuttle bone fine or is there any advantages to http://www.drsfostersmith.com/bird-supplies/beak-conditioners-mineral-blocks/ps/c/5059/8929. I do like the shape of the Manu ones.*
> ...





Why are you buying cuttlebone? Most birds don't eat it. They just break it up. You would want high-cal. grit and oyster shell for calcium. Or grit with calcium in it.


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## vanja (Dec 27, 2010)

I thought the food dish I picked out was a type of seed catcher. As in not just a bowl on the floor. Is this one any better? http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?c=5059+5950+11589&pcatid=11589
what about this

http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?c=5059+5950+22381&pcatid=22381


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

That's much better.


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## vanja (Dec 27, 2010)

ok, no cuttle bone. Got it.


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## vanja (Dec 27, 2010)

Um, so which of the two food bowls do you think is best? Could I still use the first one for water?


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

Just my opinion, I would much more prefer the larger ones for either feed or water. The size makes it easier for the bird to use. I think the first ones are more for smaller birds.


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## Cyreen (Jun 6, 2010)

Cuttlebones are good for more than just calcium, they also act as a pumice for the beak. I offer a selection of calcium to my pet pigeon. Not only does she routinely go through cuttlebones, but she also has a dish of sterilized eggshell mixed with oyster shell (she lays regularly).


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## Doves1111 (Mar 5, 2005)

vanja said:


> Hello dove and pigeon people,
> I asked some questions before and now have a bunch of new one so bare with me.
> SO far I have picked out the cage http://www.petsmart.com/product/index.jsp?productId=4313509 (it looks bigger in person) and the food http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?c=5059+5911+18947&pcatid=18947. I have yet to buy until I get my next pay check.
> So is a regular cuttle bone fine or is there any advantages to http://www.drsfostersmith.com/bird-supplies/beak-conditioners-mineral-blocks/ps/c/5059/8929. I do like the shape of the Manu ones.
> ...


I don't like the cage you picked out because it is so narrow. 14" is to narrow for a dove to be comfortable and to be able to put all food, grit, pellets, and water in without them getting pooped on or in. Also the doves' tails are going to get messed up from hitting the bars...and you won't be able to fit a nest in it. Here is an excellent cage for a pair of doves...it is the same price as the one you picked out but larger. It also says free shipping. I have four of these cages and love them!
http://www.greatcompanions.com/store/p/3752-Flight-Cage.aspx

Doves are ground feeders so that means the food and water containers should be on the floor of the cage. Make sure they are not placed under a perch so they do not get soiled in.
You can use the 2 cups that come with the cage for the High Calcium Grit (http://www.petsmart.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2753601) and the other cup you can put Pellets in (http://www.petsmart.com/product/index.jsp?productId=3627720). 

I use a "Reel Chick Feeder" for the seed placed right in front of the large door. No wasted scattered seed.
http://www.farmandfleet.com/products/558344-galvanized_chick_feeder_trough_reel.html

Or you can make your own homemade feeders...
http://www.internationaldovesociety.com/feedcontainers.htm

For water I use a 2 quart milk jug with a hole cut in the front. I place this in one of the back corners of the cage. The water stays clean because it is covered. You can see the jug in this picture behind the young Blond Ivory Ringneck. There are pics on this site too...
http://www.internationaldovesociety.com/waterers.htm


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## Libis (Oct 8, 2010)

My ringnecks do well with a big ceramic doggie bowl on the floor. It keeps them from throwing seeds everywhere. You just have to be careful where it sits on the floor because otherwise they'll poo in their seeds. That Tidy Seed No-Mess thing might also work, but do know that they really like eating off the ground. It might work anyways though. Just do be sure that they can't get stuck inside it.

That food you chose is the same that my birds eat. It's the best I've found anywhere for ringnecks.  This is the grit I use for my doves: http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?pcatid=6212
This grit will give them plenty of calcium. Mine won't touch a cuttlebone (I assume because their beaks are soft.)

This is roughly the size of cage that Edmund did well in as a single bird, and is still doing well in with his girl Lita: http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?pcatid=22937
I have the perches staggered such that if they don't feel like flying straight up, they don't have to to get to the top. They love this setup  (just the bottom cage, the top one is my diamond doves) Since this photo, I have moved the water dish and grit dish to the middle of the back of the cage. I found this cage used for $36 at a bird store I used to frequent (they did a great job compared to most places.) Some birds were brought to them in it, and had all been sold. They mostly had large parrots, so it was of little use to them.


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## Libis (Oct 8, 2010)

Siobhan said:


> Someone on the forum here suggested a dog kennel to me for my dove, who's the size of a pigeon, and it's absolutely perfect. It was a lot cheaper, too. I got mine on sale at our local farm supply store. If you're looking at a ringneck, though, you'd want smaller bar spacing than a dog kennel. For the food dish, you might want to consider a seed-catcher style because otherwise they toss seeds all over creation as they sift through looking for their favorites.


It's not pretty-looking, but sometimes you can alter the dog kennels and whatnot with aviary/bird netting. I did that with a guinea pig cage and it is working well for a quarantine/hospital cage for ringneck doves. 
(Just don't keep diamond doves in something like that--I tried it and they kept trying to squeeze their heads through the netting and making me horribly nervous that they would be hurt.) 

I'm sure you've seen netting like this at zoos to keep in birds. Just buy the kind that is 1cm square instead of this 1in stuff. Then use electrician's zipties to put it on the *inside* of the bars of the cage.


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## Doves1111 (Mar 5, 2005)

vanja said:


> I’m having trouble finding breeders in Tallahassee, FL. I have contacted Petsmart and they do get ringnecks in but they are generally grey. I was hoping for white or mostly white. Does anyone know of anyone around this area?


There is a breeder listed on Birdbreeders.com they you may want to call to see if they have any White Ringneck Doves available...
http://www.birdbreeders.com/BreederSearch.aspx

Sunshine Aviary
Tallahassee, FL 32312
850-491-7375

Dawn


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