# Diamond Doves as pets for children?



## neonneoen (Jan 17, 2017)

Hi All

My nephew who is nearly 10 wants a pet bird to have sit on his finger and semi tame etc.

None of the parrot family suit as he is scared of getting bitten and they can be destructive and noisy Including Budgies.

Finches and Canaries are really look from a distance birds.

So, do Diamond Doves make good pet birds or at least become tame enough to have sit on your hand etc?

Are they okay kept in a large cage and is it better to keep a male and female or same sexes?


Is there any alternative small doves that can be kept in a cage? I'm in the UK.

Appreciate the advice so much


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## Woodnative (Jul 4, 2010)

I don't have personal first hand experience with diamond doves but I believe they are generally a little less tame then other birdsand delicate and probably best kept in pairs and also more watched than held much like canaries or finches. That said a single ring-necked dove, especially one that was handled often as a chick, would probably work well. This is larger than a diamond, obviously, but probably more readily available and still a nice size. Pigeons/doves etc. don't have the biting power of the parrot family, as their beaks are meant for picking up seed (or nesting material) and not gripping things and opening seed like in the parrot family. However, they generally live in pairs, and a single bird will pair to your nephew and best if the bird gets some one on one attention each day. Also 10 is a good age to get a bird but make sure somebody oversees your nephew so that the bird is getting proper care, food, good diet, cage cleanings, attention.... Also know that a dove can live well into its teens or even early 20s, so this is a pet you may have around longer than most dogs and cats!


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## neonneoen (Jan 17, 2017)

Woodnative said:


> I don't have personal first hand experience with diamond doves but I believe they are generally a little less tame then other birdsand delicate and probably best kept in pairs and also more watched than held much like canaries or finches. That said a single ring-necked dove, especially one that was handled often as a chick, would probably work well. This is larger than a diamond, obviously, but probably more readily available and still a nice size. Pigeons/doves etc. don't have the biting power of the parrot family, as their beaks are meant for picking up seed (or nesting material) and not gripping things and opening seed like in the parrot family. However, they generally live in pairs, and a single bird will pair to your nephew and best if the bird gets some one on one attention each day. Also 10 is a good age to get a bird but make sure somebody oversees your nephew so that the bird is getting proper care, food, good diet, cage cleanings, attention.... Also know that a dove can live well into its teens or even early 20s, so this is a pet you may have around longer than most dogs and cats!


Thank you Woodnative. I appreciate your advice. YES, i would always overlook caring for a pet with a non adult. I will wait and see what others also say about doves as pets for children etc. I'd love a pair of Gouldian's for him, but i don't think finches tame very well atall


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

As was mentioned, doves do better when paired. They are flock birds and not as happy alone. Diamond doves aren't so easily tamed. More to look at.


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

Article about Diamond Doves online:

Personality & Behavior

Diamond doves will not necessarily want to interact with you, unless you purchase a hand-fed bird, or you hand-feed your pair’s babies yourself. These birds are content to be together and breed. They are gentle, and will not bite you when handled. Diamond doves are not ideal pets for children, who may want a bird that they can hold and pet. These birds do well in a garden aviary setting where they can fly and interact with nature and one another. Beware of adding larger or more aggressive birds, however, because your doves do not have the ability to defend themselves against them. These birds are social and if they are not bonded to people, they will need a dove companion.
https://lafeber.com/pet-birds/species/diamond-dove/


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## cwebster (Dec 11, 2010)

I always hadparakeets as a kid, who became very tame and cuddly.


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

Yes, I too like parakeets. They're cute and funny. Really a better pet. The poster said they were destructive, but I don't see how. They would be out of cage when you are there to watch them.


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## neonneoen (Jan 17, 2017)

*thanks*



Jay3 said:


> Yes, I too like parakeets. They're cute and funny. Really a better pet. The poster said they were destructive, but I don't see how. They would be out of cage when you are there to watch them.


Thanks for the replies. Yes, i do love parrots and parakeets etc too.

Just personal experience, I've had cockateils and budgies before and they chewed the sides of our draw and door. They can get noisy too. 

Not sure if Lovebirds and parrotlets would do the same but i suspect they would.

I'm still pondering about the doves. They sound more like an aviary bird to me, the more I've researched on them.


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

If a parakeet is with someone when out, then he won't damage things. Give him those toys they make from wood that are made to chew on.


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## Woodnative (Jul 4, 2010)

If he is set on a dove look at the ringnecks some more. They really can become quite tame and not quite as delicate. Although they will not chew things if left out they can be noisy, not in a screaming parrot sort of way but in a loud nonstop repetitive cooing way, so that may also effect your choice.


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## Speaksbird (Jan 6, 2017)

Hand fed diamond doves can make wonderful pets! They are still more flighty than ring neck doves and pigeons, but I have one who will sit on my finger/shoulder. He loves to fly around the house and land on or next to people or their phones (he loves technology). He sings to everyone and will eat seed from my hand. He is just not fond of being picked up unless it's his idea first, but otherwise, he is very people oriented. I've often thought he'd make a great pet for a child (or another diamond dove like him anyway).


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## neonneoen (Jan 17, 2017)

Speaksbird said:


> Hand fed diamond doves can make wonderful pets! They are still more flighty than ring neck doves and pigeons, but I have one who will sit on my finger/shoulder. He loves to fly around the house and land on or next to people or their phones (he loves technology). He sings to everyone and will eat seed from my hand. He is just not fond of being picked up unless it's his idea first, but otherwise, he is very people oriented. I've often thought he'd make a great pet for a child (or another diamond dove like him anyway).


Thank you. I will have a think about what's best. I have kept fancy pigeons before e.g Lahore's, Modena's etc and they become incredibly tame. Just out of interest, are these larger fancy pigeons more likely to become tame and are they more 'human connected' ?


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

Yes, they are normally friendlier. But event they are happier with a companion pigeon.


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## neonneoen (Jan 17, 2017)

Jay3 said:


> Yes, they are normally friendlier. But event they are happier with a companion pigeon.


I kept them as a flock and they were all very tame. Thanks for all the advice


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## Speaksbird (Jan 6, 2017)

In my experience the "regular sized" pigeons and doves did seem friendlier and more interested in being, for lack of a better word, cuddly.


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## CooCooBird (Dec 1, 2016)

I keep diamonds. Like game birds they can be quite flighty and skittish when startled. They can make good pets when tamed, but personally I would not recommend one for a child because they are so delicate and skittish. 

I would second the recommendation for a ringneck dove, since they're less delicate and skittish, and likely easier to tame. In fact I often see tamed ones up for sale in local ads where I live. 

Fancy pigeon breeds tend to be more tame because they're handled more and many kinds wouldn't survive in the wild, so they rely on human care. I have a pair of pet Indian Fantails. When I got my first one, I was surprised at how intelligent and responsive she is. It took only three days to train her to return to her cage on command at night. She now has the run of my bedroom during the day. Indian Fantails aren't the greatest flyers, so they're easy to catch when you need to. Of course there are other not so fancy breeds which can make fine pets. Some of the trick flying breeds like rollers and tumblers make good pets. I have a Turkish tumbler as well. 

Re parrot species, someone mentioned parrotlets. They're tiny parrots, so a child would have to be careful and gentle. Despite their size, they can bite incredibly hard when they want to, and they have a piercing, repetitive high pitched call. They don't sing. They're intelligent and trainable, but can be stubborn and bratty. 

Another option might be an English or exhibition budgie. They are bred for showing so are about a third larger than a standard budgie. I keep both types. My English are friendly (they jump on millet while it's still in my hand as I put it in their cage) and less noisy than the standards. Plus they come in a wider variety of colours. 

Finally, coturnix quail could be an option. They are quiet, easy to care for and tame, and as a bonus they lay tasty, edible eggs. Once tame they can be handled and kept as pets. Many people also keep them in the bottom of aviaries as a "cleanup crew". They are commonly offered for sale by farmers or aviary keepers. A pair can be kept in a standard rabbit cage.


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## Speaksbird (Jan 6, 2017)

CooCooBird said:


> I keep diamonds. Like game birds they can be quite flighty and skittish when startled. They can make good pets when tamed, but personally I would not recommend one for a child because they are so delicate and skittish.
> 
> I would second the recommendation for a ringneck dove, since they're less delicate and skittish, and likely easier to tame. In fact I often see tamed ones up for sale in local ads where I live.
> 
> ...


Great response! Informative and reasonable.


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