# Can I put 2 males with 2 females I already have ?



## Miles wood (Sep 9, 2015)

Greetings all!! 
My question is this . 
I have two female ring necks. They're enclosure is approx 4x4x4 ft.
I would like to introduce 2 males to them . I intend to keep them all .
In time ... I would like to breed them . 
Would it be too stressful on any of them if I was to simply allow the males into their enclosure? I feel there is adequate room , perches , bathing facility & food
I would like to introduce them this evening.
I do have two enclosures , so my thought otherwise would be keep the males separate or try splitting up the females to introduce to the males separately , on that note though, how do I best pair them to each other . ....... Last question is...... Once paired can they re-join each other in one enclosure ... 

Thanks in advance . Miles , British Columbia Canada .


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

You don't just put new birds into an enclosure with birds you have. The new birds should be quarantined for a month first, to be sure they are healthy. Many have added new birds, just to spread something to the birds they already have.

Then introduce them slowly. If you just put them in together, they could fight.


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## Miles wood (Sep 9, 2015)

Thanks for answering my question jay. Much appreciated


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

If you go slow with them it will work out better usually.


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## RamseyRingnecks (Jun 18, 2013)

I hope you have separate space for both pairs once the cocks are safely through quarantine.

Ringnecks do not flock like pigeons. They form pair bonds only and are viciously territorial once they pair up.


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

RamseyRingnecks said:


> I hope you have separate space for both pairs once the cocks are safely through quarantine.
> 
> Ringnecks do not flock like pigeons. They form pair bonds only and are viciously territorial once they pair up.


I didn't know that about them. How large of an area would you need to be able to keep them together?


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## RamseyRingnecks (Jun 18, 2013)

Jay3 said:


> I didn't know that about them. How large of an area would you need to be able to keep them together?


You really shouldn't.

Hens will starve themselves fighting over one nest no matter how many you give them in a large space, and if the two cocks can physically reach eachother, they will fight.

Please just give both pairs their own space and don't try to make pigeons of them.


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

Wow! That's very interesting. Didn't know they were so much different. Thank you.


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## Miles wood (Sep 9, 2015)

thanks for taking time to reply.


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## RamseyRingnecks (Jun 18, 2013)

Jay3 said:


> Wow! That's very interesting. Didn't know they were so much different. Thank you.


Unpaired young birds can live in a group, but they'll still scuffle once they hit sexual maturity.

My weaned babies all live in one room, but most of them are purchased long before turning six months old.


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## hamza syed (Jun 22, 2012)

wow didn't knew that they were so different even though having the similar features dayum.


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## kiddy (Feb 5, 2015)

Agree with RamseyRingnecks, I notice them in pairs always and never in flocks. Even if two pairs come to feed, one member of the pair(may be cock) would chase another pair. We have dove nests in our ancestral place for years and the behavior is same as RamseyRingnecks said, though I never thought about them this much and so couldn't diffentiate much from pigeons. 
Thanks for the enlightenment. 

Also read in an ongoing thread that the poster feeds them on meal worms? Felt strange!! Is it really so? I would think they may get tapeworms from those meal worms?


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## RamseyRingnecks (Jun 18, 2013)

kiddy said:


> Agree with RamseyRingnecks, I notice them in pairs always and never in flocks. Even if two pairs come to feed, one member of the pair(may be cock) would chase another pair. We have dove nests in our ancestral place for years and the behavior is same as RamseyRingnecks said, though I never thought about them this much and so couldn't diffentiate much from pigeons.
> Thanks for the enlightenment.
> 
> Also read in an ongoing thread that the poster feeds them on meal worms? Felt strange!! Is it really so? I would think they may get tapeworms from those meal worms?


Ringnecks are primarily seed eaters. I personally don't feed insects to mine, but they are a great treat.

There is a huge industry in the US built around captive raising prey insects like mealworms, crickets, fruit flies and roaches primarily for the reptile trade.

You can buy them live or dried, and if captive raised, you don't need to worry about a gutload of parasites.


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## kiddy (Feb 5, 2015)

RamseyRingnecks said:


> Ringnecks are primarily seed eaters. I personally don't feed insects to mine, but they are a great treat.
> 
> There is a huge industry in the US built around captive raising prey insects like mealworms, crickets, fruit flies and roaches primarily for the reptile trade.
> 
> You can buy them live or dried, and if captive raised, you don't need to worry about a gutload of parasites.


That makes sense, they won't get tapeworms in that way if the worms are bred in captivity but never knew they like meal worms  pigeons won't eat them ever. 
Thanks for the information.


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## Whytpigeon (Sep 14, 2015)

I had three hens and a cock bird together in a large cage about that size and the hens sat on the nest together and all was well. (Prior history magicians birds)I have seen doves get along fine in a aviary situation if they have been introduced in it together when they were still young and not sexual yet, then mature and still get along as long as they had enough space. But pairs that don't know each other they could fight, two males introduced to two hens will get them fighting over who is gonna get who and each one will want both hens. I would pair them up separately and keep them that way.


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## Lefty07 (Dec 30, 2009)

I would absolutely NOT recommend adding 2 male doves to 2 females in such a small enclosure. 4 X 4 X 4 is really too small for 4 doves, in my opinion - and especially since your 2 females have had it to themselves for a while. Also, if the males and females pair up and try to breed, there will be fighting in such a small space. Breeding Ringneck are more territorial than Pigeons. Even in a room-sized aviary, 2 breeding pairs of doves in one enclosure often does not work out 100% peacefully. 

You also need to consider: where will you put the babies? You cannot keep 4 adult doves and their offspring in such a small enclosure, even if they got along, for very long. It's just too small and will be extremely dirty in no time.

If you want to breed Ringnecks, try 1 pair per 4 X 4 X 4 foot enclosure and have an extra enclosure ready for the young when they grow up. And be aware, once you start them breeding, it may be hard to stop them. Make sure you have homes for the baby doves as you will end up with a lot of them, if you breed 2 pairs.

To answer your question: "Once paired can they re-join each other in one enclosure?". I'd say no. 2 pairs, especially once they breed, will not get along in a 4 X 4 X 4 foot space. But you could put the young from both pairs together for a while - just don't encourage breeding.


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