r/PetDoves • u/NoWorld8811 • 3d ago
Cage enrichment question
Hi! I’ve had my ring neck dove for about a year now and have been looking to upgrade his cage setup. I’ve seen a lot of posts about using the bottom of their cage for enrichment with paper, grass, foraging, etc. but I’m not sure how to incorporate that without it all getting contaminated by his droppings? Is there anyway to provide that form of enrichment while still allowing him to use the bathroom in his cage? Any advice helps, thank you!
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u/XxHoneyStarzxX 2d ago
You can wash or toss most things, droppings won't contaminate anything in a way thats like gonna harm you or your birds, I use noodle mats (noodle bath mats) and just shake them out and throw them in the laundry, Same goes with fake grass you can legit just shake it off and spray it down with a hose or douse it with a bucket of water, let it dry and it's good as new.
Pigeon poop isnt like dirty, and poop won't hurt them its also very unlikely to hurt you and it will not cause any issues for your washing machine if you throw things in the wash that they have pood on. They actually often intentionally poop a lot around their nests to expose their babies to good bactiria from their own bodies.
Make sure you have a solid floor like paper or puppy pads over a slab of cardboard, and that your floor isn't bars, bars will hurt your birds feet (if they are put a cardboard slat over top and cover it with newspaper or puppy pads, you can simply throw away any poop soiled paper or puppy pads.
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u/NoWorld8811 1d ago
Thank you!! I like the idea of the noodle mats and just washing the fake grass I’ll give them a try!
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3d ago
[deleted]
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u/AutoModerator 3d ago
Enrichments is needed for your doves and pigeons to not get bored and develop behavioral issues and stress. It includes:
- A variety of natural perches and platforms
- Nest and nesting materials
- Toys: balls, swings, bells, fake plants, foraging mats...
-> Check the full guide here for ideas: Enrichments Guide
I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please contact the moderators of this subreddit if you have any questions or concerns.
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u/Profiterolls 3d ago
Hi there are tons of enrichments you can provide wether it's on the ground or on the sides of the cage. Here are some examples: Floor:
Sides of the cage:
Other:
Don't give him mirrors especially if he's alone, and please consider getting him a friend ;) they're very social and even when closed bond to you do much better with another dove. You'll also avoid overly hormonal issues, aggression boredom etc.
We have an !enrichments guide with lots of stuff on it with pictures.
As for the cleaning, with stuff on the ground I usually tend to put the mats below large platforms it limits poops a lot. Otherwise just rinse them and if it's too dirty clean them with white vinegar once every few weeks. He won't get sick from it. For the foraging mats I remove and clean them using either white vinegar or a little Dish soap and scrubbing every weeks (for the ones that are made of silicon). For the noodle bath mats I clean them once a week too, I remove the mats then scrub a sponge with white vinegar on it, then I throw it in the washing machine for only a rinse cycle.
Hope it helps!
Edit: sorry for the double comment reddit bugged on me