# found baby laughing dove



## BHargav (Jun 8, 2016)

Hii
I am from India 

Recently I found baby laughing dove.
I want to know that what should I have to give them to eat?
How much and how many times?"
Please suggest me....


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## Marina B (May 5, 2011)

Can you post a photo of the baby? Will be easier to give advice depending on how old he is. You can also google on youtube "how to feed baby dove" or "baby pigeon" and there will be lots of video's available.


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## Marina B (May 5, 2011)

Also read the thread "hatchling dove found". There are links providing info on how to care for them.


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## BHargav (Jun 8, 2016)

Thanks for quick reply
Here's the photo of baby.


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## Marina B (May 5, 2011)

He is a fledeling dove, probably have just left the nest. They usually spend one or 2 days on the ground before learning to fly. If there's no predators around that will catch him, I suggest you rather put him back where you found him. His parents must be around and looking for him. In the long run, his chances of survival is better with the parents that will show him where to find food etc. Put him in a tree if possible.

Otherwise, get some small seeds for him and first check if he will eat. You can gently dip the tip of his beak in water (not over the nostrils) for him to start drinking water. If he does not eat by himself, try to get frozen peas that you defrost in warm water till nice and soft. Split them in half and feed to the bird. If you type "peas" in the search section, there will be plenty of posts on how to do this. But split them in half, a whole pea will be to big. Try to feed him 20 halves.


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## BHargav (Jun 8, 2016)

Okay, thanks but it is not possible to put him back.
Now i want to know that how to learn him to feed it self.
Plz give any suggestions...


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## Marina B (May 5, 2011)

Did you get hold of the peas and small seeds? If he can't eat by himself, you will have to get food into him, he is probably very hungry by now.

Put him on your lap with him facing to the right. Cover him with your left hand and hold his beak with your thumb and finger just next to your thumb. Hold the split pea in your right hand, then gently open his mouth and put the pea in his mouth over the tongue to the back. If he spits it out, you are not putting it in deep enough. Seems complicated and you will struggle, but it will get easier once you get the hang of it. Try to feed him 20 halves (10 peas) 3 times daily, he will quickly learn to eat them by himself.

If you can't get hold of peas, try the above with small seeds. This will be very time consuming, but if you have the patience it will work. You can also put the seeds in a small bowl in front of him and keep on playing with the seeds with your fingers. He will start pecking and hopefully start getting them down by himself.

If you don't get food into him, he will just get weaker and will die.


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## BHargav (Jun 8, 2016)

I gave him wet crushed wheat,corn and millel seeds
He try to eat himself but he can't 
Is he learned faster?
And how much i have to give him?


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## Marina B (May 5, 2011)

I think a teaspoon of this mixture will be fine twice maybe 3 times daily. Hopefully he will soon learn to feed himself. Remember to dip his beak into water to get him to start drinking, but not over the nostrils otherwise he might aspirate. When he is being fed seeds, he will need to get water as well.


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## BHargav (Jun 8, 2016)

As per you said i gave this mixture 3 times a day,
And for water sometimes i use syringe to drink him
I hope he learn soon....


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## Marina B (May 5, 2011)

Be careful when you give water with a syringe, he might breath in the water and then will aspirate and die. Rather dip the tip of his beak into a small bowl of water, but not so deep that the nostrils are covered with water otherwise the same can happen as with the syringe.


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## BHargav (Jun 8, 2016)

Okay,
Now i will try..
Now he is habitat with syringe
Even i have to feed seeds with syringe&#55357;&#56833;


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## putuu13 (6 d ago)

hello...I have a juvenile laughing dove since the end of November 2022. Is my first pet I was given it by my co-worker he is breeding them. He stays indoors inside the house, not in the cage, but I realize he only eats most of the time when I am around and whistling. he seems to enjoy it. is that normal behavior? all though he is scared of me being close to it.


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