Keeping Birds Together?

[PotatoesForDinner]

Hello,

I was just interested about keeping Diamond Doves and Budgies together. Since they’re the same size, I don’t think there would really be a dangerous fight. I’m just mainly interested in what cage size might be needed, and whether or not this would be an extremely stupid idea.
Don’t worry. I’m not going to impulse buy the dove and shove it in with a parakeet!

Thanks!

[Casper's 2nd best friend]

Hello and welcome to PP :)
I can't answer your question other than to say that the collared doves in our garden do a great job of clearing up the lawn under the bird feeder, sometimes the smaller birds come and help them and they seem to get on OK. Would inter-breeding be a possibility in a confined area?
Cage sizes: Budgerigars (Budgies, Parakeets) - 18" x 18" x 24" minimum cage size with 1/2" bar spacing. Presumably that is for a single bird. How big is your house?

[PlaxMacaws]

Would inter-breeding be a possibility in a confined area?There would never be offspring since the species are too dissimilar. Doves are not psittacines.

While it's possible the two species may be able to coexist in the same cage space, I probably wouldn't choose that option. It could be attempted on a test basis. If you do so, be sure to quarantine the birds from one another for at least a few weeks.

If anyone thinks it's an absolutely bad idea, please share your basis here.

[Dragonlady2]

I have had diamond doves and budgies. Just my opinion....budgies can be really feisty at times, d doves are calmer and they could be at risk of getting bullied by the budgies. To be on the safe side, I wouldn’t cage them together. Their diets are different as well. Do you have room for two cages...doves in one and budgies in another. As well, diamond doves can potentially breed every 4-5 weeks and will lay their eggs anywhere.

[PotatoesForDinner]

Thanks for answering my questions. I was wondering since my parakeet isn’t aggressive, and thought I might try a diamond dove. My cage size for my current budgie is 25” X 19” X 14”, and he gets a lot of time outside of it. I know if I get another bird that I would need to upgrade the cage. :)

[Casper's 2nd best friend]

I think they would be a little crowded in that cage. Rather than getting one big cage I would suggest you leave the budgie where he is a get a new cage for your incoming dove. They would need to be kept apart for a quarantine period anyhow. Helena (DragonLady) or Tony will be able to give advice on quarantine should you need it. I've just re-read Tony's post and realised he has already mentioned it.
Once they are settled they can always meet one another outside the cages.

[PotatoesForDinner]

Thanks for all the help! This might be the most info on Diamond dove and Budgie cohabitation on the internet. :)
I will aim to quarantine the Diamond dove when I get it, but I have a question for Dragonlady2, or anybody that can answer. How are the diets of the two different? Is this in reference to a dove's need for grit, or just in what types of seeds they eat? And for two budgie sized birds, what cage size is needed (regardless of whether or not they are same species).

[Dragonlady2]

Their diets are different with regard to doves requiring grit to eat their seeds. Budgies should really be eating pellets and fresh fruit with small amounts of seed. Doves can eat seed, but they also require fresh food in their diet.
Diamond doves and budgies do really well in pairs of their own species. Why don't you get your budgie a budgie friend? The diamond dove and the budgie won't really have the same relationship as they would with a same species buddy.
Cage size is usually the largest you can get with the 1/2 inch spacing.

[PotatoesForDinner]

Ok. My budgie (who we call Duppy), had a budgie friend, but she passed away.:(
I was planning on having a diamond dove because in the last relationship, the two parakeets tended to fight, with the dead one always being the aggressor. It wasn't anything serious, I don't believe that any blood was ever drawn, and they would always cuddle back together at the end of the day.
But I was planning on the diamond dove since I was hoping its calm demeanor wouldn't start any fights, and that it would be of a large enough size to keep my parakeet from becoming a bully. It also is alone in the local pet store, so I thought I could get it a friend.

Thanks for all the help and info!

[slide95]

All of my birds' cages are in the same room (and they all have their own cage).

That room is our spare bedroom and the reason they are in there, is that at night, it can be nice and dark for them I can close the door and that will help drown whatever noise is going on in the living room (generally TV). As well, during the day I can keep the door closed and the cat will have free range of the rest of the apartment.

While my birds aren't the biggest "friends", I do think they like having each other's company, specially while their cages.

When they come out, it's generally the 6 smaller ones in the one room and Léa will come out on her own either in another room or at a different time.

[Dragonlady2]

I have two connecting bird rooms. Once they are settled for the night, I close the door and they have peace and quiet for the night and so do I. It’s like putting kids to bed...lol

[slide95]

All of my birds' cages are in the same room (and they all have their own cage).

That room is our spare bedroom and the reason they are in there, is that at night, it can be nice and dark for them I can close the door and that will help drown whatever noise is going on in the living room (generally TV). As well, during the day I can keep the door closed and the cat will have free range of the rest of the apartment.

While my birds aren't the biggest "friends", I do think they like having each other's company, specially while their cages.

When they come out, it's generally the 6 smaller ones in the one room and Léa will come out on her own either in another room or at a different time.
While my birds aren't the biggest "friends", I do think they like having each other's company, specially while their cages.

When they come out, it's generally the 6 smaller ones in the one room and Léa will come out on her own either in another room or at a different time.

[Lisa Savage]

I think you should create 2 separate spaces for your 2 birds. Because it's really very easy to make war with each other. And these two birds have different eating patterns will cause inconvenience. I think you should keep them separate for a few weeks. It can then be more friendly and meet outside the cage. This is my opinion after having consulted through some readings

[Emily Winters]

You should search and keep these two birds in 2 different cages. If you want to put it together, you have to have a big cage and a divider.
The diet of these two birds is different. Sometimes you put it together will cause chaos and its fighting.
Or you can separate the two birds for a while so they can get to know each other, then I think it will be better then. And you will no longer need to worry about this fight anymore.