# Please help! Why is our Diamond Dove attacking us?



## Calming Tea (Aug 20, 2013)

Our sweet, kind, gentle one year old diamond dove has turned into a monster literally overnight. IN fact, our pastor's wife was here Saturday talking about how sweet he was. Then by Sunday he was beginning to get aggressive. 

He has a big cage, favorite perches, plenty of fortified seed, cuttle bone, (no nest...we tried 4 different kind and so far he likes to sleep on his perch.) We keep his cage very clean with paper towels and water changed daily. We keep his cage lid off almost all day and he flies around whenever he wants. He even takes walks throughout our house and perches by windows and then comes back to his cage. 

His funny behavior started last week when he kept trying to get out, flying toward the windows and then turning around constantly. Also cooing and cooing and cooing incesstantly. We knew he was starting to mature....

But, he started by pecking at us yesterday. He even pecked at my kids when the tried to hold him on their finger. BEfore, he would just fly off if he didn't want to be held.

This morning I bent down to check his water and he flew in my face! He didn't actually bite me but I think he tried. 

Then this morning, here I am in my rocker and he flew FROM his cage TO my rocker at my head! I felt like those people in the scary bird movies! So I had to put his cage lid back on. 

Now we are sad. He doesn't have freedom and happiness. Where is my nice little friend?


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## John_D (Jan 24, 2002)

He needs a mate, I think.


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## Calming Tea (Aug 20, 2013)

But then won't he just be mean to his mate? Unfortunately we are in a rental and only have permission for him. I guess we could try to get permission for another dove, but I don't want to raise baby birds? What if they have eggs? I feel bad because after buying him, we read that they usually live in pairs. But the pet store had no more doves coming in and we could not find a local breeder. 

Also, if he gets a mate- won't he still be aggressive toward us people?


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## Jass SamOplay (May 29, 2012)

His loneliness is killing him. Yes he will show more interest in his mate if u avail him with a mate.

Actually,my lone birds(pigeons) are more close to me than those who are paired or are breeding. 

U should not encourage his behaviour of showing agression towards u,cuz I'm afraid u're doing so


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## Calming Tea (Aug 20, 2013)

Thanks for the input. Can you tell me how I encouraged such behavior and how I can discourage it?


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## spirit wings (Mar 29, 2008)

doves pair up, nest and try to raise a family. That is a huge part of their genetic makeup and natural life. being a lone bird must be frustrating, esp when maturing. there would NOT be many people who chose to be alone and never have sex. so why should a pet be denied it. he needs a mate.


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## Calming Tea (Aug 20, 2013)

*THank you*

Well that definitely seems logical, now that you put it that way. 

I guess we will have to have a family talk about what to do and then see if the pet stores around here have one.

Would we then just take the eggs away before they hatch, if we didn't want baby doves?


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## Jass SamOplay (May 29, 2012)

The key is to spend more time with him. Do some preening movements to him near his especially near his eyes,beak and face. If he bites, don't take ur hand away instantly. Because when again put ur hand near him he will bite and if you do this over and over again u're actually arousing his defensive instincts to take over+ his frustration of being alone.
Let him play with ur hand even if he bites, let him. Doves/pigeons beaks are not meant to rip or do damage so it may pinch/hurt a little but won't harm you. Avail him with water all the time,but don't give him food in the dish all the time. Feed him twice with ur hand. Let him pick the feed from ur hand. He may not pick from ur hand right away but in the end he will have to. Its just like teaching a kid good habits. U can utilise his hunger to tame him. At first all these strategies will look lame to u when putting 'em into practice but ur persistance can help u win ur friend back .Remember u've the power of touch. Its a little psychological thing to keep the friend of urs in him,alive. U can also see videos of Doves/pigeons mating with their keepers hands.
Also like me many fellows on Pigeon Talk have amazing pet stories to share. They will just be around any moment.


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## Jass SamOplay (May 29, 2012)

Have u seen videos of cats and dogs getting all together as pets and they are naturally born enemies. Busting his loneliness doesn't necessarily mean that u need to get him FEMALE diamond dove,if u don't want babies.


My hens actually bend down when I touch them at their backs


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## Calming Tea (Aug 20, 2013)

Thank you Brock. I think this is good advice. My daughter picked him up and fed him and allowed him to peck her without getting upset. She did this calmly abs we took his food away. About 20 minutes later he flew nicely and is sitting on her chair. Maybe it's already working!

He is fitting nicely waiting for her or of us to feed him I guess.


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## Jass SamOplay (May 29, 2012)

Hi Calming Tea,
I'm happy U're guys r getting along. U see feed is a tool which can be used to train/tame him. And pigeons/doves are very intelligent birds.
Males are generally bossy by nature. He just doing what is coming naturally to him. But as long as u keep letting him know that U're his friend and he is dependent on u,U're gonna enjoy a healthy relation. Don't panic away when he tries to dominate,that will reinforce his cocky behaviour. I hope he stays friends with u forever


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## Calming Tea (Aug 20, 2013)

UPdate: Our dove is back to his normal self. When he pecks us and bosses us we just gently push him an inch or so, to make sure he doesn't get too aggressive. It turns out that he wants more attention. We have all been cooing back and he has responded by sitting on our heads! At first I thought he was attacking me, but he was just wanting to perch on my head. He is enjoying the attention and he has also taken to roosting on the warm carpet by my feet when we all are sitting together quietly. He is even visiting us and sitting on our laps here and there. In the afternoon he enjoys quiet time.

He is not only back to his old self, he is much more friendly and is spending much more time with us. I think he will be ok without a mate for now.


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## Lefty07 (Dec 30, 2009)

*Aggression*

Does your Diamond Dove have a mirror or does he fly somewhere where he can see his reflection? I had a single male Diamond Dove years ago who became very aggressive whenever he saw his reflection. I didn't have a mirror in his cage but when he was out of the cage, he would fly over and attack his reflection on the side of my toaster! He thought it was another male dove in his territory. 

So if he gets aggressive again, make sure he doesn't see his reflection - that could be what is making him so crazy. BTW, I got my aggressive male Diamond Dove a mate but he was still pretty aggressive and was rough on his mate. Eventually, after they had 6 babies (3 sets of 2), I sold the mother with the last babies because I was afraid his pecking would kill her. He did OK on his own and lived to be 15 years old. His named was Pecker.


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