Zebra Doves

[jak2002003]

Can anyone tell me anything about these birds? I have just purchased my first one yesterday and am so excited. How can I tell if its a he or a she?

I bought it as I love the sound they make. So far it has been silent.......guess its getting used to its new home. Do only males make that nice cooing?

It is in a cage next to my ringneck doves for company. I think I want to buy a mate for it, but have no idea how to sex them!!!! If I end up with 2 of the same sex will they fight?

Also what do they like to eat apart from the dove mix and millet? I give crushed oyster shell and small grit, with cuttlebone scraped over it. Also vitamins in the water 2 or 3 times a week. The cages are outside and the dove can sunbath in natural sunlight....but also has lots of shade.

Thanks for any advise! I can not find much on the internet about them.

 

[balderman2002]

Can you post a picture?

 

[aldren90]

I used to have zebras!!! They are great little birds! I had a pair and they do best with multiples. To sex them the boys will be slightly larger than the girls and will coo more often and will flirt with the girls by courting with them also they have a bit of a richer darker color than the girls. I had mine in a mixed aviary of quail, diamond doves, pheasants, and ringneck doves and they all did great but mainly stuck together. They love their mates and i believe mate for life. Also males and females coo. They will do fine with your other birds as long as they arnt mean to the zebra. Also the same sex will not fight unless it is uneven number like 2 boys and a girl, possibly not 100% sure on that. Dove mix and millet is perfect along with some greens. Also i wouldnt mix the oyster, grit, and vitamins in their food constantly because that can cause issues i would offer it seperately or just do it a couple times a week or month. They love to sun, dirt and water bathe constantly and are very happy if that is supplied. Also give them some natural materials that maybe they can nest with or by a little parakeet nest and offer it some limbs or sticks to climb and perch on. The more variety the better. Sometimes offer them little treats and things just for fun. What ever you do dont try to handle it because they can escape easily from you or can have a heart attack just out of fear. They also love to be able to hide in things like old christmas trees or smaller things with a ton of foliage attached. Mine even made a nest in my old christmas tree i put in there for them. They are definately fun to have, but now your gonna want all sorts of cool doves just like i did haha. They are like gateway drugs of the wild dove species!!! But anyway hope i helped just ask if there is anything else!!!

 

[usschicago1]

How is there cold hardiness? I live in MASS, do they need supplemental heat?

 

[aldren90]

Yes when it snows but they do fine in the twentys!!!!!!

 

[jak2002003]

Well he is doing great. Cooing really loudly and has gotten used to me and no longer freaks out if I go to change his food and water!

I live in Thailand and these birds are used for singing competitions and the best ones are really expensive! My male is quite a good quality singer and is from a well know zebra dove farm with closed leg ring to prove it.

look at this link.......

I bought another pair of lower quality singing ones - half the price of my original male. They have the 'wild type song'. I actually like both types. I am going to try to breed them soon. At the moment they are in large cages, but I am in the process of building a large flight cage. I will add all my small birds to it.....my gouldian finches, button quail, diamond doves, and my one male zebra dove. The other pair of zebra doves will have their own large cage to encourage them to breed.

I really love Doves and Pigeons! I have diamond doves, ringneck doves, zebra doves, and 2 rescued street pigeon chicks (that I am hand rearing).

Once the chicks are feeding on their own I want to buy a pair of white racing homers like I used to keep in the UK.

 

[David323]

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