Hey, I am thinking about starting to use doves or a kind of bird but first, I have a couple questions...where do you keep your birds, doesn't that get quite expensive buying all the food and housing? What is a good trick routine I should look in to if I decide to add dove magic to what I'm doing? What are some other things I should know?

Adding birds to your show is a big committment since it involves a lot of work and care even when you're not performing or practicing. It's not too expensive, but it requires a lot of time. Probably the best thing to do would be to get Marian Chavez's book, "The Encyclopedia of Dove Magic," and you can really learn a lot from a dove video or two (such as Tony Clark's & Andy Amyx's). Doves are loud and messy, so I ended up keeping my doves in an outdoor house. And when I started, I did the dove pan and one "steal." This was after 3 months of working with them everyday to ensure I was comfortable with them and they with me. Check out other topics on the Café. Good luck.

Matt,

Keeping doves outdoors is better for everyone. Where you live, you will have to find away to keep their water from freezing. Game Bird feed is available there and good for doves. Cagewise, you'll have more problems with things getting in than the doves getting out. They have to be protected from other animals. (House cats love them!)

The world is loaded with good tapes and books for dove workers. However, I would really recommend a lot of box magic at first. Productions are always easier to find and do than vanishes.

You will also find that the search function on The Magic Café is excellent. Make some popcorn and sit at the computer a while. There is more here than you can find to do.

Enjoy!

Bob
Magic By Sander

If you follow the advice of both Bob and Dave. The two most knowledgable dove magicians I have heard of. You can't go wrong. Keep us updated on how the work goes.

Bye
Nick

p.s. keep up with the great advice Bob- mucho appreciated.

Let us not forget, guys, that these are living animals not props. IF you don't have a good feeling for working with animals and have a genuine care for them than you shouldn't even go there! I was raised with doves and have worked and trained doves for over 20 years. I have had a bond with everyone of them. But I do not perform with doves myself, My father and former husband did (still do). This is a serious commitment and yes, they are messy and noisy and require lots care and proper housing and it takes a long time to train a good set of doves. I won't do it, it's very stressful on the birds and there are more accidents and fatalities than you hear about. The list goes on! Take the suggestions and do a lot of research before you even buy any doves.

Luna

Matt,

Luna points out an easy obligation to miss in animal magic. If you change your mind, they are still a living, breathing animals requiring your support. For many years (about 15-20) I also supplied doves to perhaps half the dove workers in the USA. They were always sold with the understanding that I would rather they be returned than abandoned. Frankly, many came back home. People learn that it is a commitment they can't honor. It is not like buying a zombie that can be put away if you change your mind. They will need regular attention for life. Life can be up to about 20 years!

Dove magic is not an impulse decision.

It is entertaining to learn that Luna is like my kids too. "My daddy did dove magic. I don't want to live with them anymore." (One of my kids does at least live with horses still.) They understand the work required. It’s no joke.

Luna, I wonder if dove magicians’ families all share that observation. Have you ever talked with others about it?

Bob
Magic By Sander

Hi Bob,
I agree with your kids! I don't have doves myself, not since I lived with my dad. I don't like the mess and the NOISE and the smell. But most importantly, I never had the desire to do dove magic. It was just too stressful on the birds and on me trying to get my dad and my ex husband loaded on time was nerve recking when the birds were restless and not loading properly, you see, Matt, you have to load the 3-5 minutes before you walk out on stage, doesn't leave much time for error and when you get nervous, the birds feel it and get nervous too. Or here's a familiar scenario, You're doing a show and the act in front of you is a comedy talking act and he decides he's going to do an extra routine or two because the crowd is so hot and then you're there all loaded up and ready to go and the act just goes on and on and then you realize you have reached a critical point, almost 15 minutes have elapsed since you loaded and you're getting nervous and beginning to sweat and now the birds are wriggling and making noises because your bodies heating up and they're getting hot....so you go back to your dressing room and take them all out, just as you remove the last bird from you coat, someone runs in says you're on now in 2 minutes! Panic attack! Got the picture? NO THANKS, not for me. I like parasols, they're BIG and pretty and they don't mind if I load them early. I do have a couple of parakeets though that I use in my lemon, orange, egg etc... routine and they are very sweet and entertaining and no problem at all, not like looking after 10 doves! Oh yes, I have many memories of getting kicked out of hotels in Paris in the middle of the night no less because of the noisey birds. We use to put them in the bathroom with the light out at night to keep them quiet and sometimes that didn't work . A cold shower usually did though, for a while anyway.
Luna

I have been thinking about starting stage magic in general and especially dove magic for a long time now and would like some on advice on where to get doves from. I have phoned up my local pet shops and none of them stock them! I live in Surrey, England, if anyone out there in cyber space knows if there are any shops that sell doves, then PLEASE let me know!

Magical Regards,
Chris Dodd

Chris, usually the best source for doves is from another magician. There are quite a few magicians posting in this forum that are from that side of the pond. You might try contacting them for sources in your area.

Luna,

Now the single dove magicians stand no chance of ever getting married. You’ve said it all! Unfortunately it’s true! Doves definitely define your life in too many ways.

At least you didn’t tell about the people who decide to hug you for “Good Luck” just before you go on stage or the times the MC decides to introduce each and every adult in the audience individually after you’re loaded for the act.

My real favorites are the ones who want to know if it would be cheaper if you only produced four birds instead of six. (Sure lady I work for the birds and birdseed! They know all the magic.) These are also the ones that want you to work outdoors on the beach.

Luna, based upon your reply, are you suggesting, that in my will, that I not leave my doves to my children? LOL! I try to keep about a hundred adult birds. Would you suggest that The Magic Café Foundation sell them at a fund raiser?

Thank you for your very candid reply. Dove-magicians-to-be need to know how the family really feels about it. Often the doves are not stars at home. (Of course, at home Dad is still the guy who puts out the trash, gets up the yucky stuff like spilled jelly, and saves the family from funny looking bugs!) No wonder dove magicians love being on stage. It’s really a very safe place. For me that means twenty-two minutes of security!

Take care.

Bob
Magic By Sander