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Hayze New user Louisiana 83 Posts |
I've been considering getting a dove or two and learning some dove effects. What do you think are some vital requirements for a dove owner?
I don't want to take on a pet that I can't properly care for. |
magician81 Loyal user singapore 293 Posts |
respect for animals & love for magic.
never try, never know
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DaveWomach Elite user Dave Womach 453 Posts |
Doves are VERY easy to care for, and to put into your show. All you need is a good size cage, bird seed, and fresh water; and you will have a happy bird. It's good to give the dove oyster (sp?) grit for added calcium, especially if it's a female.
Good luck! Dave
Dave Womach
Orlando, FL - USA http://www.MagicMasterSummit.com http://www.David-DaVinci.com http://www.BirdTricks.com http://www.ParakeetMagic.com |
Dave Scribner Assistant Manager Lake Hopatcong, NJ 4849 Posts |
A few more things you'll need in addition to Dave's list is, vitamins (wheat germ on the the seed and nutrimin in the water) and a cage protector for mites and lice.
Now you'll have healthy birds but you need to be sure you have the time to take care of them. They're not just props but your assistants. You must work with them everyday to build their trust and get them used to what you want them to do. I've never minded the sound but some doves seem to coo all the time. It can get quite loud at times so be sure you can handle that. A quick note on care that a lot of magicians forget is that you must trim the nails to keep the sharp points away. I could probably go on for pages but that should give you an idea of what to look for. There are a lot of posts in this forum about the care and handling of doves so you may want to take some time and read through some of them. If I can be of any help, just ask.
Where the magic begins
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Hayze New user Louisiana 83 Posts |
Thanks for the tips guys. A local magician does a lot of Dove magic and I believe I can get one from him, as well as some good tips.
He lives about 2 hours away, hopefully I'll be able to get together with him soon. |
Marcus Taylor New user 70 Posts |
Should your dove cage be kept inside or outside the house?
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Dave Scribner Assistant Manager Lake Hopatcong, NJ 4849 Posts |
Marcus: You can keep doves either indoors or outdoors. If you only have 1 or 2, inside is probably better. Outside cages require protection from the weather and predators. While doves like sunlight, they will need an area to be in the shade as well. In the winter months, you'll have to be sure the water is changed frequently and does not freeze.
Where the magic begins
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MagicalPirate Special user Shamokin, PA 828 Posts |
IMO it is best to have at least two doves. Unless your around them alot they are not going to have any companionship. From my observation they do not tend to enjoy being solitary animals.
You might even get lucky and have one of each and find your stock multiplying. I have a 4 week old tending to his/her pin feathers with 3 males squabbling over who will feed it next. Hope this helps Magical Pirate
Martin Blakley, CSH, DASH, CMSA
http://www.thehypnoguy.com/HYPNORESOURCES http://www.docgrayson.com/ How To Sell Anything Online http://tub.bz/?r=1z Copyright to my own words retained 100%. |
DaveWomach Elite user Dave Womach 453 Posts |
Just on a side note, doves do fine outdoors during the winter. Just be careful because they tend to get bigger during the winter to stay warm, which can really be a problem if you're doing body loads. Also, I don't know if anyone else has had this problem, but I purchased some doves that were missing toe nails. I found out that this is due to poor circulation during the winter months. The doves were perched on a round dowel, instead of a flat bar. Their toes curl under, and don't keep warm. If they are sitting on a flat bar (2x4 works well), then they can puff up and keep even their toes warm.
Hope I explained that ok, I'm terrible at explaining things in writing. Just be careful so you don't have any toe-less doves. Hope this helps. Dave http://www.MagicalBirds.com
Dave Womach
Orlando, FL - USA http://www.MagicMasterSummit.com http://www.David-DaVinci.com http://www.BirdTricks.com http://www.ParakeetMagic.com |
Dave Scribner Assistant Manager Lake Hopatcong, NJ 4849 Posts |
Good point, Dave. I use the flat perches indoors as well. It gives the doves a chance to excercise their toes as they go from round to flat. I also use several different diameters of perches.
Where the magic begins
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