# Rabbit cage for doves?



## hkalcic (Jan 18, 2016)

Hello! Obviously I am new to this forum, and dove ownership all together! Just wondering if a large "rodent" cage would be appropriate for a ringneck dove or two? It is three feet long and two feet wide. Also two feet tall. Most bird cages seem very tall and not particularly long. Any advice for me is welcome. Thank you kindly


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## Skyeking (Jan 17, 2003)

*Wider is better then taller for pigeons and doves. Yes, you can keep a couple of birds in a large rabbit type cage, with a few modifications. You are keeping them inside correct? *


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## hkalcic (Jan 18, 2016)

Yes! They will be indoors and get lots of out of the cage time in the living room


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## wiggles and puddles (Sep 3, 2015)

Make sure you give them lots of play time around the house. I have two indoor pigeons and they are very happy being indoors but they grew up that way. Make sure you show them about the house and make sure it is safe because they are very curious. They love all things shiny so keep that in mind. I have "no fly zones" so I close the doors to the office and laundry room, and try and limit where they go upstairs. I LOVE these "bird diapers" that I ordered from avianfashions.com I have white carpet and I am a complete neat freak so these were a must for me. I recommend them to anyone I know who has birds and lets them fly about the house.


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## John_D (Jan 24, 2002)

I use long & wide rabbit cages and also chinchilla/degu cages with fitted shelves for rescue pigeons who need to be inside. Works well.


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## hkalcic (Jan 18, 2016)

Great! They will definetly be getting some living room flying time each day. I've been looking into those diapers as well, they look simple to use and I don't want bird poop on my carpet either..
We have a sliding glass door and I am wondering if they will get used to it? I understand glass is obviously tricky for birds to understand in the beginning and I can just cover it with the curtain, but I wonder if they will become accustomed to it in time? I used to have a budgie and lovebird and they never flew at glass or mirrors.


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## wiggles and puddles (Sep 3, 2015)

The diapers are very easy to use, they just slip on and velcro on the back to stay in place. Mine were even made to fit a pigeons body. Machine washable with removable liners. My two were easy to show and teach about glass. I would bring them up to the glass windows they would be near, (not just one but each one they might encounter) and tap it a few times. Then I would pull the shade down a bit. After a while I would pull the shade all the way up and we had no real problems. My guys have no interest at all in mirrors. If you are interested in what they look like in the diapers I have pictures of my two in theirs on my page.


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## hkalcic (Jan 18, 2016)

Thank you so much! This is extremely helpful information  I found it frightening how little the petstore knew about doves, and searching google gave me a lot of "doves are hardy birds that can handle a lot of mistakes". I'd like to know my pets are happy and healthy and avoid as many mistakes as possible


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## Clementine (Sep 5, 2015)

Good luck with your dove(s)! Yes, it's unfortunate how little information pet store employees have sometimes :/ Good on you for wanting to educate yourself as much as possible!

Just a heads up about the "flightsuits" - I got one for my ringneck, but she won't let me put it on! She's not scared of the suit itself, she just won't tolerate having her wings and feet handled in that way (plus she has very long flight feathers that barely fit in the wing-holes). 
So for you or anyone else considering them, I'd wait and see if the bird is comfortable being handled before ordering one and potentially wasting money. Or maybe just finding a model that is easier to put on!


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## hkalcic (Jan 18, 2016)

Thank you for the heads up! I haven't purchased them yet as I don't find the poop a huge deal. Its easy to clean up so I don't mind. My doves really don't mind being handled luckily  I can pat them and give them kisses whenever.


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