"During your preparation for your Diamond Doves, one of the more important and complex decisions to make is on providing them a home and habitat. "
In providing a new home and safe environment for your Diamond Doves, you must first look at your own. How exactly do you wish to incorporate your doves and their keeping into your life? This is where most of your thought and planning should take place. The time and effort put in here will greatly reduce bothersome changes in the future. Consider the level of personal, daily interaction you wish to have with your birds. How many Diamond Doves do you wish to keep? How do you wish to observe them and listen to their songs? And, how will you feed and water them as well as clean and maintain their cage or flight? If at all possible, visit other Diamond Dove keepers and see how they house and keep their doves. Listen to what works for them along with what has caused them problems.
Where to locate your Diamond Doves? Do you want your Diamond Doves to be in your house sharing your living space or outdoors in separate aviaries? Know that with either choice, you will be interacting with your birds on a daily basis. Some people want them indoors as pets, bonding with them and building personal relationships with their birds. Smaller cages are often used in this case, but not always. I have seen some fairly large and elaborate indoor aviaries, including some made from an entire room. Others wish to provide as large and natural a habitat as possible for their birds. Outdoor aviaries and flights are best suited for this. Whether indoors or out, plan the location of their housing so that it works well within its surroundings, is functional and easy to manage. Early morning sunlight is very important to your birds so locate the housing in order to take advantage of this. A southern or southeastern exposure is best if possible. However, avoid direct, hot afternoon sun as this can over heat your birds and be unhealthy. Diamond Doves startle easily often taking flight and injuring themselves if scared by sudden noise or motion. Locate the housing away from doors and corners, across the room or yard from traffic patterns so that the doves can see and hear things approaching them.
How many Diamond Doves do you wish to keep? This will help to determine the size or number of cages to have. Know that if you plan on having a pair and providing them with a nest and nesting material, you will probably have many more Diamond Doves in a short period of time. Try to prearrange a method of finding them homes or plan for a way to house them as well. One of the biggest causes of stress and health problems to Diamond Doves is overcrowding. Plan ahead to avoid this if possible. Being fairly small birds, Diamond Doves can be kept in a wide variety of homes, from a small cage to larger aviaries or flights, both indoors or out. Being soft-billed seedeaters, Diamond Doves are generally non-destructive to most materials. Most woods, plastics and metals will work just fine for building materials as long as they are safe and nontoxic. No matter how many Diamond Doves you wish to keep, try to provide as much space as possible for each bird or pair. They spend a good deal of time walking around the cage floor picking at seeds, grit and nesting material. They are also swift fliers and enjoy spreading their wings for exercise. Provide as much room as possible, free of obstacles for both of these activities.
Whether you choose a cage or aviary for your doves, there are a few basic rules to follow. Allow a minimum of 2 feet x 2 feet x 2 feet per pair of Diamond Doves. The more space that can be provided the healthier your doves will be. If space is in shortage, it is always better to give up on height than on length. Be sure the bar or wire spacing in no more than ½ inch. If rigid wire is used, ½ inch x 1 inch works well. Enclosures can be from open wire all around to closed on all sides with a wire front. Diamond Doves are a hardy bird, however, they must have escape from the elements. Drafts must be avoided, especially in colder weather and they do not do well in freezing temperatures. Determine what will work best for you and will fit best in the location you selected for the cage. If a heat source is needed, select one that is safe for you and your doves. Many fumes can be deadly to birds, and flying can stir up dust and feathers that are very flammable. Tape or cover in plastic any sharp edges that may injure your doves. It is best to avoid smooth slippery surfaces for footing. Dirt, concrete, paper, pads, sand and wood chips are all good for the bottom of your housing. Select what will be least expensive and easier for you to clean and maintain. I use dried clean pine needles since I have an abundance of them in my back yard. If supplemental light is required, use a full spectrum plant or aquarium light. Place it in such a way to provide good light but out of the way and protected from flying doves. It is handy to set the lights on timers to ensure routine for your doves. I provide a low-level light, about 4 watts, at all times. I find this reduces nighttime panic and injuries. Place perches at different levels and at opposite ends of the enclosure to encourage flying from one to the other. If possible provide both round and flat perches. I place a rounded dowel lower at one end of the cage and a wide flat perch up higher at the other end. I also place the nest bowl in a back corner at the height of the flat perch and hidden by some pine greens. One of the perches must be low enough from the cage top to allow the male to perch on the females back during mating, about 10 inches should be adequate space for Diamond Doves. Place perches and nests so droppings will not foul other birds, the water, food or grit. It is natural for Diamond Doves to find seeds and water at ground level. This is where I provide all feed, water and supplements, in clean containers protected from droppings and contamination. Doves throw seeds as they search for their favorites. A shallow container with a hole large enough for the dove's head cut in the lid will allow the birds to eat but not throw the seeds. Be sure to keep your enclosures dry at all times. Dry droppings will not smell and will not attract insects. Clean them as often as possible and disinfect everything with a bleach and water solution a few times a year.
With housing being such a large and important topic, I will go into greater detail on individual cages and flights in the next article.
Jeff Downing