Expert: Marie Charon - 11/10/2009

Question
 Me and my girlfriend are crazy about animals and we happened upon 2 baby doves in a field.  We don't know wether to keep them in a small (cubic ft.)cage in the living room or a 3 ft. cage outside.  I'm afraid the cage inside may be too stressful, but it may help to tame them.  Also is it good that there are two or should they be separated.  Thanks for the help you gave me already, I found it very helpfully here. ill be looking for your e-mail thanks again.

Answer
If you are going to hand raise them, then they will be YOUR birds forever. They won't be able to be released to the wild again, so you might as well go ahead and bring them inside so they can get used to you and your family and become a part of it!

You can leave them together so long as they are getting along, if they begin to harm each other you can separate them then.

However, if you'd like them to be bonded with you, then you should separate them so they bond with you vs each other.  Remember that to those little doves you are have eyes in the front of your head, which makes you a predator the size of skyscraper in so far as they are concerned so if left together they will bond with one another (thier nest mate looks far more bird like after all!)

This just depends on what you want from them pet quality wise in the long run though.

This will be stressful on them for a time, but they will settle and move on, and you most likely don't want tame but still wild birds.

I myself, would separate them to encourage them bonding with me, but I very much like having my birds being bonded to me. Whatever works best for you, and is in line with what you want from your new pets is what you should do!

Happy baby dove rearing!!!
Blessings,
-m