# Housing and Behaviour questions!



## coralane (Jan 2, 2011)

Hey there! 

I got a pair of doves this summer from the humane society, both male and both very sweet! There names are Merry and Pippin! 
I've been keeping them in a huge guinea pig cage, but I really want to get them something bigger, but it's so hard to find a bird cage that's wide enough for doves and not REALLY expensive...so what are my alternatives? I used to have bunnies and used NIC panels but I'm not sure if that would work. Any suggestions would be AMAZING!

My other question is this...Since I've gotten them, Merry has picked on Pippin alot, and now it's almost nonstop. I'm not sure what to do, I know they have been together at least 4 years and are clearly bonded. I tried seperating them for an hour and obseved them, and they both went insane trying to get at each other. What can I do to stop Merry from being so mean? It's just so awful watching Pippin get soo picked on. Maybe a bigger cage?

Thanks in advance!

Here are some pictures The white one is Merry and Brown-ish one is Pip! Sorry they are so huge and blurry!


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## spirit wings (Mar 29, 2008)

merry may be wondering why pippin is not laying eggs.. perhaps if you tie a basket for a nest in the cage ..so it does not flip over and give them a fake egg he will calm down and they will sit it.. worth a try.. 

as far as the cage.. it is hard to find just the right one for doves.. they all seem to be geared to the hookbill that do well in tall or upright cages.. here is the one I use for my doves.. and it works well.. mine is white and this is not my sunroom even though I wish it was..lol...


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## spirit wings (Mar 29, 2008)

oh and the fawn one needs a beak trim from the vet from the pic I can see....


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## MaryOfExeter (Sep 30, 2007)

It probably is the eggs. Try giving them a nest bowl (like a cat or dog food/water bowl - works pretty well and cheap ) and some nesting material (hay, straw, pine needles, etc). The males usually do peck the hens when they are driving them to lay.


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## coralane (Jan 2, 2011)

Oh so it's the eggs even though they are both male?


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## spirit wings (Mar 29, 2008)

coralane said:


> Oh so it's the eggs even though they are both male?


yeah, that is a huge part of what doves do ..so this male is wondering why his mate is not nesting and laying.. and we know why be he does not.. but merry does not..


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## MaryOfExeter (Sep 30, 2007)

Yep! Same sex pairs will act just like normal ones. They will court, mate (usually they'll take turns ), build a nest, and pretend to sit on eggs. Two hens will lay 4 eggs and incubate them, and the male pairs I've had will just sit in the nest. I've put some quail eggs and tiny lightbulbs under them, and they happily incubated them, LOL. Of course the lightbulbs didn't hatch


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## Cyreen (Jun 6, 2010)

MaryOfExeter said:


> ...and tiny lightbulbs under them, and they happily incubated them, LOL. Of course the lightbulbs didn't hatch


Okay, that made me laugh! Like the bigger Christmas tree lights? How very festive!

P.S. to Spirit Wings - I LOVE your sun room!


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## spirit wings (Mar 29, 2008)

Cyreen said:


> Okay, that made me laugh! Like the bigger Christmas tree lights? How very festive!
> 
> P.S. to Spirit Wings - I LOVE your sun room!


lol.. no not my sunroom.. sorry.. I should of let you know that.. it is the same cage I have.. I have this one in white.. and a double. which is the same as that one shown but just double..two side by side with a divider one can put in the middle and it is white.. I got a single with the doves.. but the three hens needed more room I thought.. so I bought a double and gave the single they came in to my sister for her sun conure.. anyway.. for two birds the single in this style works great.. I really love it.. wish I could find a link for you to look at it.. but not sure where to find it now...


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## Cyreen (Jun 6, 2010)

That's probably for the best - otherwise you may have had a lot of unexpected visitors (or at least just me... and Darby, Chase, Max, Ollie, Joule and a few fish).

It just so happens I was snoping at Overstock the other day and checking out their Prevue cages and noticed they had flight cages...

http://www.overstock.com/Gifts-Flowers/Prevue-F040-Small-Bird-Cage/4125658/product.html

http://www.overstock.com/Gifts-Flowers/Prevue-F030-Bird-Cage-for-Small-Birds/4125657/product.html?sec_iid=38648

very much like those (and at a good price).


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## Libis (Oct 8, 2010)

I was looking at that exact cage for my ringneck, but wound up finding a used one in the same size (slightly lower quality, but still decent) for $35 and had to go for it instead. 
It's a good size for one or two doves.


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## sport14692 (Jan 3, 2011)

Those Doves are so cute


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## ValencianFigs (Jul 10, 2010)

Hello,

I myself don't know where to get the cages, but this lady has them http://sissysbirdcolony.com/Affordable-Cage.html 

You can e-mail her and ask her where she ordered it from.


Good Luck!


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## Libis (Oct 8, 2010)

Sometimes bird stores have cheap used ones for sale. Craigslist is another good place to look.


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