How to Care for Ringneck Doves

Ringneck doves are the most common doves kept as pets. Ringneck doves can be wonderful companions, but they do require care to keep them happy and healthy. Ringneck doves, like all birds, require food, water, and shelter.

Things You'll Need

  • Bird cage
  • Three small dishes
  • One large dish
  • Fresh water
  • Wild bird seed mix or small hookbill bird seed mix
  • Grit and oyster shell mixture
  • One or two cage perches
  • Clean spray bottle
  • Bird treats such as lettuce, carrots, cottage cheese, and sweet potatoes
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Instructions

    • 1

      Select a cage to house your ringneck dove. This cage should be large enough for the bird to flap its wings without touching the bars with the tips of its wings. Two ringneck doves can be kept comfortably in a 2-by-2-foot cage. The width and length are more important than the height to ensure that the doves have enough room. Be sure to keep the cage clean by wiping it with a bird-safe disinfectant several times a week.

    • 2

      Place one or two bird perches inside the cage. Perches can be purchased at a pet store or specialty bird store. Tell the salesperson you would like perches that are suitable for ringneck doves.

    • 3

      Place three dishes on the bottom of the cage, away from the perches so they will not get droppings in them. One dish should have fresh water put in it daily. Another should be filled with the dove's food. Ringneck doves can be fed a wild birdseed mix or small hookbill bird mix. Talk with a salesperson at a local pet store or specialty bird store to see what seed mix he suggests. The third dish should contain bird grit and oyster shells, also available at pet stores. This will help the bird to chew its food.

    • 4

      Place a large bowl at the bottom of the cage with freshwater in it every one to two weeks. Ringneck doves enjoy bathing themselves and will use this bowl to do so. If the dove does not bathe itself, use a clean spray bottle with fresh water to mist the bird every week or two.

    • 5

      Provide treats for your dove occasionally. You can fasten green vegetables such as lettuce to the bars of the cage using safety pins. The birds will nibble on the greens from their perches. You can also chop up green vegetables and place them in their food dish. Ringneck doves enjoy cottage cheese, cous cous, mashed sweet potatoes, mashed hardboiled eggs, and carrots.

    • 6

      Allow your dove to fly around a closed-off room several times a week. Just like other animals, ringneck doves require exercise to stay healthy and happy.