How to Buy A Bird - Dove

Interested in buying gentle doves for business, breeding, or companionship? Keep these few tip in mind for your next purchase.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Local pet shop or breeder
• Travel cage to take bird home
• Time to observe the doves

1. Have a travel cage or box to take your bird home.

2. Determine the purpose of wanting a pet bird or bird for business.

3. Determine if you want a male, female, or pair of bird(s).

4. Visit your local pet store or breeder. Expect to observe the birds for about 10 minutes while they are not eating.

5. Observe the birds to determine health and disposition. Does the bird peck at you? Does the bird continue performing its routine despite your presence (this is a good sign).

6. If you are selecting a female, observe a male cooing, dancing, and bowing to a particular bird. The male will likely have chosen a healthy female. (There may be two females in the area; one will be a sympathetic bird, the other bird will receive the male's attention).

7. Select the female that runs from the male if you want a female bird.

8. If you want a male bird, select the male most persistent in the cooing, dancing, and bowing ritual. If he has that much energy while you're there watching, he'll do fine if you bring him home to mate with other females.

9. Finally, if you want a pair, take the strongest pair you observe (the persistent dancing male and the running female).

10. Ask for a warranty on the purchase of your bird.

Tips & Warnings

• This article will help you select ringneck and white doves.
• Be sure to get a nesting bowl if you purchase a pair of doves that were in "courtship." If you do not, they will lay eggs in the bottom of the cage anyway.
• If purchasing a single bird, ensure you provide companionship to the sole bird.
• The above methods are not fool-proof for selecting a male and female.
• The only way to ensure you purchase a male and a female is to the birds surgically sexed (and this may not be cost-effective).
• Doves are gentle, unless the male is protecting the nest during nesting time.
• If a dove pecks at you during selection, leave it with the pet store or breeder.
• Do not use non-stick pots, pans, or other similar products around your bird. It could kill it instantly.

[taskeinc]

on 9/27/2009 came across your article while doing a chacha search for info about a male and female dove .. thanks ..