# Do doves like a 'bird house'



## DebbyM (Oct 27, 2010)

Well, I have had the little dove for about three weeks and he will probably never fly again (so sad). Right now he is in an enclosure that allows him to see me coming and he's not quite as frantic when he sees me approach and today, after a few minutes of me sitting a couple feet away from it,he/she relaxed enough to investigate something in the sawdust . So as it looks like this isn't going to be a temporary thing (him living with me that is) I've begun making a larger temporary hospital cage. This way I can keep him in my guest bedroom for the winter (no one comes to Nova Scotia for holidays in the winter). But here's my question: would he be happier if there was a little 'house' in there that he could hide in when he's nervous? Or do they really prefer to be in the open where they can see what's coming? 

Any advice you can give me is much appreciated. Thanks in advance.


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## Pip Logan (Oct 6, 2009)

I don't no much about doves but I'm sure someone who knows more will be along soon!


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## spirit wings (Mar 29, 2008)

DebbyM said:


> Well, I have had the little dove for about three weeks and he will probably never fly again (so sad). Right now he is in an enclosure that allows him to see me coming and he's not quite as frantic when he sees me approach and today, after a few minutes of me sitting a couple feet away from it,he/she relaxed enough to investigate something in the sawdust . So as it looks like this isn't going to be a temporary thing (him living with me that is) I've begun making a larger temporary hospital cage. This way I can keep him in my guest bedroom for the winter (no one comes to Nova Scotia for holidays in the winter). But here's my question: would he be happier if there was a little 'house' in there that he could hide in when he's nervous? Or do they really prefer to be in the open where they can see what's coming?
> 
> Any advice you can give me is much appreciated. Thanks in advance.


what kind of dove is this? natural perches of differing sizes is all they need, away from drafts and in a quiet spot with plenty of room to stretch his wings.. they tend to like longer cages rather than ones that are narrow and high.. they like to walk on the bottom and peck also so alot of floor space is good.


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## DebbyM (Oct 27, 2010)

This little dove is a wild mourning dove. I found him in a ditch and he will never fly again. So I am building a temporary cage for him. Because he probably won't fly again, I don't know if he'll need more than a low perch he can hop up onto. That's why I was wondering if a box to hide in might be appreciated. Poor little guy, but he's beginning to calm down a bit when I go to feed him. I wasn't planning on getting a bird, but he kind of found me.

So what do you think? Do mourning doves like nest boxes to hide in?


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## A_Smith (Aug 8, 2006)

If you want something for the bird to hop onto, try placing a brick in it's enclosure. This will also help keep the toenails trimmed naturaly too. As fora place to hide like a box, put one in the enclosure and wait to see if the bird likes it. Enjoy your new friend.


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## DebbyM (Oct 27, 2010)

Thanks for the suggestion about the brick. I'd never have thought of that. Next time I'm at the hardware store, or maybe I might even have a couple in the garden. Have to look. Anyway as for the nest box, you might be right, I might have to just put one in to see. But I think maybe I'll wait a bit. I think reaching towards him, with this box in my hands would do his little dovey heart in altogether. But the brick idea was a good one.


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## spirit wings (Mar 29, 2008)

DebbyM said:


> This little dove is a wild mourning dove. I found him in a ditch and he will never fly again. So I am building a temporary cage for him. Because he probably won't fly again, I don't know if he'll need more than a low perch he can hop up onto. That's why I was wondering if a box to hide in might be appreciated. Poor little guy, but he's beginning to calm down a bit when I go to feed him. I wasn't planning on getting a bird, but he kind of found me.
> 
> So what do you think? Do mourning doves like nest boxes to hide in?


 they do not hide in holes in the wild so do not think they would like a box..


keeping a wild bird can get you a fine without a license so becareful.. hopefully someone who keeps injured wild birds can chime in and let you know how to keep this bird happiest.. he may not do well as a lone bird..or he may need a flight aviary.. or someone who has other wildlife that is set up and has a license to keep them.


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## DebbyM (Oct 27, 2010)

Hi Spirit Wings, the legallity is something that I never thought of. I have looked for a rehab place, but so far no luck, at least not close enough that I can get to it. The only one that I can find in our province is hours away from us, but maybe I can figure out some way to get there. I will look into it further. Thanks.


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## DebbyM (Oct 27, 2010)

I finally located a wildlife rehab place and took the dove there and I feel really bad about it. Great place, I dropped him/her off at a vets office which serves as their intake place and the woman took him into the back and came out a few minutes later and said "it doesn't look good for him", and when I asked why, she said it looked like his tail was broken and they don't usually do anything about that. That sounds to me like if it was the case, they'll euthenize it. 

The little birdie was walking around and eating and was calming down so he didn't go crazy flapping and thrashing and I'm sure that over time it would have gotten quite comfortable with being a house bird and his tail would have healed, although probably useless as well as his wing and he'd just be a little crippled bird, but alive. And then there is another part of me that says, for a bird, a life like that is no life.......... I hate this, I hate this!


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## Quazar (Jul 27, 2010)

DebbyM said:


> I finally located a wildlife rehab place and took the dove there and I feel really bad about it. Great place, I dropped him/her off at a vets office which serves as their intake place and the woman took him into the back and came out a few minutes later and said "it doesn't look good for him", and when I asked why, she said it looked like his tail was broken and they don't usually do anything about that. That sounds to me like if it was the case, they'll euthenize it.
> 
> The little birdie was walking around and eating and was calming down so he didn't go crazy flapping and thrashing and I'm sure that over time it would have gotten quite comfortable with being a house bird and his tail would have healed, although probably useless as well as his wing and he'd just be a little crippled bird, but alive. And then there is another part of me that says, for a bird, a life like that is no life.......... I hate this, I hate this!


Debbie, I'm sorry to hear this, but this is the main reason a lot of folk here do their own re-habbing.
Thats the unfortunate thing about a lot of rehab places. There are some good ones, but really few and far between on the side of survival for certain species that cannot be released. As far as some of them go, they neither have the financial resourses or the space to house animals for prolonged periods of time.
I presume the female on reception knows nothing about birds ?
If its "tail" was broken, she must mean the feathers, which would re-grow.
Appart from the caudal vertebrae, which is not very big, theres very little in the way of bones to break after the pelvic girdle as the feathers take up most of this area.
Perhaps it is their policy with birds that cannot be released and this was just an excuse she thought was plausible.


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## DebbyM (Oct 27, 2010)

I should have taken him back. I should have and I didn't and I'm gonna feel lousy forever about it. So stupid....


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## GEMcC5150 (Oct 24, 2010)

Don't beat your self up you did what you thought was right at the time.


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## DebbyM (Oct 27, 2010)

Thanks for the kind words folks. I just feel so bad about this. Poor little guy.


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## spirit wings (Mar 29, 2008)

well, he was lucky in that he did not suffer much and he could of been out there in the wild not doing well and unable to fly with the rest and the stress of knowing he was a target for predation... he had a more civilized end then most hurt wild dove would because of you and caring..


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## Quazar (Jul 27, 2010)

DebbyM said:


> I should have taken him back. I should have and I didn't and I'm gonna feel lousy forever about it. So stupid....


Its sad that this happens a lot. Not your fault, As GEM says, you did what you thought was best at the time, and rehab is usually a little more positive than vet from peoples thinking. Most folk do assume that rehab centres or even vets will do their best, and trust the descisions made by the "professionals". Sadly they dont always make their policies clear beforehand.


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## spirit wings (Mar 29, 2008)

the person who took the bird back came back in a few minutes... sounds like not alot of time for the dove to have a complete exam.. that is strange to me...perhaps she should give them a call to see if the dove is still being observed or in the care of a rehabber..


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