# Hi! New here, w/ ?s re: Diamond Dove pairing and buying in MN, USA



## jinjin (Jun 3, 2011)

'morning! Wondering whether someone might help us? We want to locate a pair of Diamond Doves and are unsure what sex/es to buy, and where to buy them. We live in Minnesota, USA. 

We had a wonderful DD, a 'special needs' boy who had a bent wing and never could fly. We loved him too much to take him back to the pet store because he was "damaged."  He died over a year ago.

Now that the weather's nice, we want to buy a pair of DDs, but have read various thoughts on pairs, most saying male/female best. But we don't want to raise doves. Someone mentioned something about "dummy eggs." Can someone tell us how that works? And thoughts on pairs that aren't m/f? And where we might buy the birds?

Thanks very much for anyone who'd like to share his or her expertise with us!


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## spirit wings (Mar 29, 2008)

I have seen diamond doves in petsmart..or and petco.. at those places they prolly will not know for sure the sexes.. a breeder may.. the fake eggs are used to replace their real ones as a form of hatch control.. they sit those then give up when they do not hatch and the cycle starts again.


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## vivagirl (Jun 24, 2008)

I have six Diamonds forsale. All are Silver with White Tail. I'm in N.C.. Feel free to contact me. 4 were hatched in 2010 & 2 in 2011. Regards Danny Joe Humphrey


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## manu_ku (Apr 28, 2011)

* Sorry for any typos, my DD wants held while I type *

Petsmart does sell Diamond Doves (and ringnecks), and they can order them if they aren't in store, but they come in randomly (no guarantee on sex or color). They won't likely be able to sex them, and without knowing the age (no hatch certificates), a female may be a young male.  

As for dummy eggs, a few places online sell them (same places that sell leg bands), but I've seen marbles and "craft eggs" (wooden or plastic ones for flower arrangements) used...not sure if either of those work for DD. We've used the plastic ones for finches, and they just kick them out when they realize they won't hatch, then lay more. Size seems to matter the most, and it seems to be "My nest.. so these must be MY eggs!". Two females will still likely lay eggs (if they bond on one another)? No babies, of course.


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