# Proper Nesting materials for Ringneck doves



## Larka (Aug 3, 2008)

Hello!  

My Doves Kumar and Samara are attempting to have chicks again. Sadly their last pair turned out infertile. But Samara didn't give up on them until a few weeks ago. and she laid them a long time ago. I would say she sat on them for a month. Poor thing. I felt so sorry for her, she was so devoted to them as well, same with Kumar. Eventually Samara and Kumar stopped sitting on them all together and I removed them. A few days later they began to do there little "romance dances" and calls. Kumar just loves Samara, Trust me..They keep me up at night. Haha! Its like a couple on an eternal honeymoon! 

The last two days Samara has been looking for nesting materials, I often place feathers in the nest box for cushioning But it seems she wants more twig like objects. She often uses her mullet seed twigs as the base. But I honestly want her to have a bit more materials, and I was wondering what could I find in my back yard that would be safe for the eggs and the birds. Since they are my first Doves I have ever had, I'm somewhat new to the whole thing, though like most, I research almost daily. But I have yet to find a way to let my feathered friends make a natural nest as opposed to just buying a fake one from a Pet market that they might not use. Or what would be my best option? Because They are quite fond of their nest box. So to the veterans of the community, What could I give Samara to use that won't harm her nor the babies? 
(granted if they are fertile)


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## TAWhatley (Mar 6, 2001)

Find some long, dried, pine needles, small thin dried twigs, longish dried grass, or order some tobacco stems from one of the pigeon supply companies. If you look at this nest, it is one that a pair of "my" feral pigeons made from small twigs that they found in the yard: 










Doves usually build very poor nests, but they will have a wonderful time sorting through the material you provide them and then choosing what suits their fancy .. don't be too surprised at what they pick 

Terry


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## philodice (Sep 30, 2007)

My doves fight the rabbits for grasses and twigs, and steal stuff that the rabbits are trying to eat so they can line the nest. They love palo verde twigs, pine needles, grass, and other materials.


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## kippermom (Jan 11, 2006)

I use a bit of timothy hay...we have plenty from the horses but you can buy it by the bag at pet stores because it is used for chinchillas..I throw a handful in and the birds pick through it and use it in their nests. My pigeons prefer tobacco stalks and it helps keep bugs away, but the doves seem to prefer the timothy hay...it is softer and smaller.


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## Arryndel (Sep 12, 2008)

Where can I get a small amount of these items? I have just one White Wing Dove who is trying to route around the house for nesting materials, she has tried chop sticks and small kabob scewers, but I guess she didn't like them much lol. 

I live in desert area so there isn't much to chose from outside and sadly the tree she was born in got chopped down, which is how she came to be with us in the first place. I want to find her some clean safe items she will be happy with but I don't want to buy a large amount if she will only need a little. Last night she tried using a currently not being used ashtray as a temorary nest, and she looked so sad in it.

Any ideas?

Oh and Pudgy isn't allowed outside since there are hawks and cats in the area, and she stayed mad at me for hours the few times I did take her out. So letting her pick her own isn't really and option. I do have some weeds that grow in my back yard, which get very tall and thick if not kept in check and beleive it or not I actually have bamboo back there (my sister in law grew it there for some reason lol). If these are things she might like then I can go pick some and let them dry for her after I make sure they are clean.


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## Arryndel (Sep 12, 2008)

I brought in what twigs I could find and spread them on the floor her so she could pickthe ones she wants and build her nest where she willbe most confortable. No such luck so far. She plays with them and throws them around on the floor (as much as she can, I got her as many differnt sizes as I could) but nothing seems to fancy her. Either that or she just simply wants to play with them and not actually do anything with them.

Any ideas?


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## spirit wings (Mar 29, 2008)

Arryndel said:


> Where can I get a small amount of these items? I have just one White Wing Dove who is trying to route around the house for nesting materials, she has tried chop sticks and small kabob scewers, but I guess she didn't like them much lol.
> 
> I live in desert area so there isn't much to chose from outside and sadly the tree she was born in got chopped down, which is how she came to be with us in the first place. I want to find her some clean safe items she will be happy with but I don't want to buy a large amount if she will only need a little. Last night she tried using a currently not being used ashtray as a temorary nest, and she looked so sad in it.
> 
> ...


the pet store should have the hay...look in the small animal section..


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## Arryndel (Sep 12, 2008)

Would I get her the same type of bedding that I would get for a ferret or hamster? And if so what should I put it in for her? What about a "ready made nest"? Do you think she would use one? Right now she seems to be leaning towards adopting that ashtray, which is rather funny because it's actually much too small for her. She doesn't seem to want any of the twigs I found  She just sat on my arm watching me pretend to try and make a nest out of them LOL

I'm not even sure why she wants a nest, she refuses to sleep any where except in the bed with us, in fact she insists on sleeping ON us!! Usually on our leg, thigh or arm while we are sleeping. The problem with it is that every time one of us moves it wakes her up, so I'm not sure she's getting the quality sleep she needs. During the day she is always near one of us, either on our head, shoulder or arm, or she is somewhere near by such as on the keyboard or sitting next to us on the sofa. She is in fact on my shoulder right now as I type this (she just had her bath). She is extremely spoiled! The only time she will sit some where else is if she's mad at one of us. Like earlier I fould a string wrapped around her foot and she got mad at me for holding her to take it off (she's very touchy about how she's held) and spent an hour on the ashtray, seems to be her "I'm mad at you so I'll sit over here for a while" spot LOL

I guess thats what she would want a nest for. As her "I'm mad at you" place.


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