How to Buy a Dove
Doves are beautiful, gentle birds that adapt well to captivity. They enjoy being stroked and held, and can even be trained to sit on your finger. The soft cooing noise doves make has a calming effect, and they do not bite. If you buy a dove for a pet or for breeding purposes, it is a serious decision since these birds can live up to 20 to 25 years.
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Instructions
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Decide what type of dove you wish to buy. The three most common types are ringneck, white and diamond, but there are dozens of exotic species available, such as the vibrant golden-heart dove and the unusual Australian crested.
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Find a breeder that specializes in the type of dove you're looking to buy or contact a local pet store to check for availability. There are many resources on the Internet to find quality breeders and many websites with photos and additional information about the doves they have for sale. Another option is to check the classifieds section of your local newspaper or your local humane shelter to see if they have any doves up for adoption.
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Check to see if the dove is healthy. Look for clear, bright eyes and clean, smooth feathers. Avoid a dove that looks lethargic or has fluffed feathers, or any discharge from its mouth or eyes. If the breeder/owner lives far away, ask to see pictures of the dove and its housing.
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Arrange for transport of the dove to your home. If you are able to pick it up in person, the pet store or breeder should provide you with a suitable box. Make sure there are air holes and that the dove has enough room to stand comfortably.
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Consider shipping if you are too far away to pick it up. The United States Postal Service considers doves poultry and may be shipped via overnight Express Mail quite economically. Most breeders will ship them at an additional cost.
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Negotiate a price for the dove. Most common species of doves can be purchased for about $20 to $30, but more exotic or hard-to-find species will obviously be more pricey. Expect to pay an additional $22 to ship the dove USPS.
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Settle your dove in its new home. Expect the bird to take a day or more to become accustomed to its new environment before attempting to handle it.
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Tips & Warnings
Purchase a dove from a breeder, not a pet store. A breeder can provide you with detailed information, such as health care, feeding and housing tips. Breeders also a wide variety of colors and types of doves, including exotic species, whereas pet stores typically only have one or two varieties. Some breeders may also provide the bird's genetic information and a record of previous illnesses.
If you have other birds, be sure to keep the new bird quarantined for a couple of days in case it shows any signs of illness. Contact your breeder or the pet store where it was sold if the dove looks sick or injured.
Do not release doves into the wild. If you wish to purchase a dove to release for a ceremony, such as a memorial or wedding, contact a professional company designed for this purpose. White ring-necked doves are cage-raised and often unable to survive in the wild, quickly succumbing to predators or starvation.
