Doves as Pets

Doves are long-tailed, small birds belonging to the family of passerine birds and are found all over the world. They are mostly recognized as symbols of peace, love and purity. Most of us are curious to know about doves and if they can be kept as pets. Well, they make great pets and display exceptional affection and devotion towards their owners. They are easy to care for and maintain and they can also be trained easily. There are different types of doves that can be kept as pets and each of them differ in their behavior as pets. Before you decide to raise these beautiful birds as pets, you should gather all the required information about their behavior, care and maintenance. Here's some information on the different types of doves and all that is required to raise them as pets.

White Doves
These are the types of doves that are most commonly seen at weddings and other occasions. They are strong fliers and possess the ability to return home once they are set free at wedding releases. They are expensive versions of the ring-necked doves, but have the same gentle behavior of them. To keep white doves as pets, you will need a well ventilated aviary or a large cage. Place a few perches and nesting boxes inside the cage. You will also have to provide them with food and water. Their diet should consists of seeds and weeds, and clean water should be made available for them to bathe with.

Diamond Doves
Diamond doves are small Australian doves that have a gray body and blue gray feathers. Adult diamond doves have orange colored irises. Diamond doves make affectionate pets and need a lot of room to move around. A pair of diamond doves will require a cage which permits indoor flight and has a few perches around. Unlike white doves, they should not be allowed to fly outside their cage as they lack the ability to return home. They can be fed seeds like wheat and millets and need plenty of water. They are ground feeders, so their all of their food and water should be placed on the ground.

Ringneck Doves
Ringneck doves are the types of doves that are most commonly kept as pets. They are found in various colors like beige, pure white, and pink. The wild ring-necked doves are brownish gray in color. They do not require much space and can be kept in small cages as well. They should be allowed out of the cage at least once in a day, but should not be allowed to fly out of the house. Ringneck doves need not be kept in pairs and some amount of patience will be needed to tame them. They are ground feeders and can be fed seeds like millets, black sunflower, safflower, peanuts and corn. Calcium can be provided in the form of cracked oyster shells or egg shells.

Turtle Doves
Turtle doves or ringed turtle doves are available in pied colors like apricot, gray and white. These doves will require a lot of space to move about, so to keep them as pets, you will need a large cage of about 2 cubic feet. Make sure that you place perches and two to three nest boxes in it as well. They are ground feeders and their diet should include grit, seeds, water and oyster shells for calcium. They should be tamed slowly, handled gently, and should not be allowed to wander out of home.

While raising doves, remember to keep their cage clean and sanitized in order to keep them safe from infections and illnesses. Though they manage on their own, they should not be ignored. Their love and affection should be appreciated and returned.