# Diamond Dove Questions/Advice?!?



## manu_ku (Apr 28, 2011)

Hi!

This is my first post, but I've been reading other posts (as well as everything I can get my hands on) for a while now. I have some experience with pigeons (my family used to race/breed them), but very little experience with doves kept indoors. 

To make a long story short, I acquired a very young diamond dove (for free!). Our little one is just under 2 months, but I brought him/her home at 11 days. We are now (mostly) weaned, although, while we're having our first molt, Twitter is eating a mix of hand feeding formula and seed, mostly seed.  I'm just happy that we both survived syringe feeding.  He/she likes cherries (pitted, of course), strawberries, mango, kale, romaine, and anything else I put in the food dish. He LOVES millet (but only a certain brand). Dad is blue/white rump and Mom is blue/white tailed; our little one seems to be blue/white tailed? There is only a touch of color on the end of one tail feather.

From the day we brought the little one home, it has been fascinated by the TV and the fish tanks. He/she loves getting a drink from the faucet, and know that towels on the towel rack were put there just for birds to sit on. 

My Questions: 

Over the last few days, we've noticed this behavior that I'm sure is common, but we aren't able to figure it out. Twitter will sit in my hand, peck at one finger, squawk while fanning out his tail and raising his wings, then move to the next finger, etc. I thought it might be that I had something on my hands, but he/she was pecking at the wicker nest and doing the same? It's not like a bow-coo, it's just one squawk without any indication that he/she is scared or angry. What is this? 

We've thought about getting Twitter a mate, but since he/she gets attention most of the day (my husband works from home, and Twitter sits on his shoulder or desk), we're afraid that he/she might be torn between us and the new bird. We only travel, together, once a year for about a week (sad!). On most days, from sunrise to sunset, Twitter has at least one human at home. Twitter also talks to the cat, and I swear some of his coos sound like little meows (the cage is VERY secure, btw). Any thoughts on a mate?


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## kalel (Oct 14, 2008)

hi it sounds like you have a little boy. My male diamond dove fans his tail when he's courting his wife. your dove might think your his mate.


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## Libis (Oct 8, 2010)

manu_ku said:


> My Questions:
> 
> Over the last few days, we've noticed this behavior that I'm sure is common, but we aren't able to figure it out. Twitter will sit in my hand, peck at one finger, squawk while fanning out his tail and raising his wings, then move to the next finger, etc. I thought it might be that I had something on my hands, but he/she was pecking at the wicker nest and doing the same? It's not like a bow-coo, it's just one squawk without any indication that he/she is scared or angry. What is this?
> 
> We've thought about getting Twitter a mate, but since he/she gets attention most of the day (my husband works from home, and Twitter sits on his shoulder or desk), we're afraid that he/she might be torn between us and the new bird. We only travel, together, once a year for about a week (sad!). On most days, from sunrise to sunset, Twitter has at least one human at home. Twitter also talks to the cat, and I swear some of his coos sound like little meows (the cage is VERY secure, btw). Any thoughts on a mate?


First question: He thinks that you are a very beautiful hen. 

Second question: doves can be ok as singles if you are home all of the time. you might want to give it a few months and see how he does. I know with my ringneck dove, once I got him a mate he was much more preoccupied with her than about hanging out with me. I'm ok with that, though, because I'm gone a lot and I want him to have companionship.


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