# Introducing ringneck doves



## Perla (Nov 19, 2020)

Hello all, I currently have a single unpaired ringneck dove. She's fairly old now (over 10) and other single adult doves are hard to come by so I'm weighing my options. 

One option that came to mind was to introduce another bonded pair to her cage (which is large) but I suspect that's a bad idea and even if they get along she'd be "third wheel" anyway, so I'm not sure how much better it would be. Thoughts?


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## Colombina (Jan 22, 2017)

Hi, as you said introducing a bonded pair to her cage would be a bad idea. Doves are very territorial, she surely considers the cage like her territory. Any new dove would be seen like an intruder and so a danger. Surely they would start to fight and they could injure each other. 
Doves also have a rank/hierarchy...

It's not easy to introduce new doves to others...
If you could find a single dove you could try to put them together in a "neutral territory" (like a different room), do that little by little (like an hour a day and so on) under supervision. 
You could also put them in two different cages in the same room so they can observe each other. 
Give them time and be really patient!

You could try to post a message in the adoption section of the forum, maybe someone is looking for a family for a dove. 
Have you tried to contact pigeon groups or associations? 










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Maybe somewhere there is a dove in need looking for a family!


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## Colombina (Jan 22, 2017)

I want to add... Here there are some vets who help animals in need to find a home (I adopted three baby pigeons from my vet); if you know one who does the same you could ask him/her to call you in case of doves looking for a family.

You could also try to put a message on the notice board at pet shops, vet clinics and in all other places which have a notice board.


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## Perla (Nov 19, 2020)

I introduced her mate to her as a grown adult and I do remember it was way more awkward than I thought. They're such sweet things until they see another bird lol. I kept the new dove in a different room so they could shout at each other for like a week before introducing them in the other room and they _still _tussled a bit before nesting up with each other. 

I've only really checked sites like petfinder.com so far, but asking my vet is a fantastic idea. I'm actually going to see him today so I'll bring it up while I'm there.


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## Colombina (Jan 22, 2017)

That's true, doves are very sweet, lovely and also very protective of their family (also of their human family 😊) but they could be very aggressive towards other birds!

I hope that your vet could help you! 

Please keep us updated!


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## Perla (Nov 19, 2020)

Will do! I'm on an adoption list with my vet and I also found one bird who might be a good fit up for adoption (11yr old male). The bird I've found already is a 5+ hour drive away so I haven't made any decisions yet on that!

Right now I'm really just watching her closely to see how she responds to being solo with me. She talks to me but doesn't really sit with me, so whether I pick up a companion for her depends on whether she warms up to me or not. I'm honestly surprised at how active she is right now, the first day or two she didn't budge from a single perch except to eat but now she's hopping from perch to perch and nest calling to me occasionally. (And making a HUGE mess bathing in her water bowl!!)


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## Colombina (Jan 22, 2017)

Lol, I know, my birds love bathing and always make a huge mess too... when they finish the bath I always have to wipe the floor and the storage shelf and to replace the paper because they splash water everywhere... Sometimes I put in advance paper towels or a puppy pad trainer under the bowls...
Here I don't have much space so they just have dog bowls. When I'm back to Italy I leave them available a cat litter box: they splash inside it like in a swimming pool! Probably they also have a beach ball.. 🤣

I'm very glad to hear that she is very active! 

Anyway, let us know what will be your decision and how things will go!


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