Did I do the right thing today?
By feralwoman
@feralwoman (2199)
Australia
May 30, 2007 3:35am CST
I have two diamond doves, a male and a female. Today the female dove died. The male looked lost and lonely in his enclosure. I really felt sorry for him.
I went inside and had a cup of tea and watched him outside of my kitchen window. I thought to myself "I'm not going to replace the female bird, so he'll be very lonely for a long time."
After a long hard think, I opened up the enclosure and encouraged him to fly out to freedom.
He flew up into a tree not far away and perched there for a while looking a bit confused at his new found freedom. Then the next time I looked - he was gone.
I shall miss their courtship displays and their cooing to each other - always very relaxing to listen to.
Would you have done the same had you been me, or have I made a terrible mistake I wonder?
13 people like this
33 responses
@samson1967 (7414)
• India
30 May 07
There are chances that he might come back to you with his partner. Caging the bird without partner is sinful. You have done right thing.
3 people like this
@feralwoman (2199)
• Australia
30 May 07
Yes, I thought his life would be miserable without his partner. Thanks very much for responding. ;)
1 person likes this
@maryannemax (12156)
• Sweden
30 May 07
yup. doves do remember where they live. and for sure, they will come back in your yard some days. and with a new partner. that's cute.
1 person likes this
@mimpi1911 (25464)
• India
30 May 07
your post almost brought tears to my eyes feral. i would have done the same thing. he is certainly sad but he can find his love and life in the open, i guess.
3 people like this
@feralwoman (2199)
• Australia
30 May 07
Awww Mimpi, it is a bit sad isn't it. A year or so ago, his first partner flew away accidentally when I had the enclosure door open - I hope they meet up again! Wouldn't that be nice! Thanks so much for responding. lol ;)
1 person likes this
@jwfarrimond (4473)
•
30 May 07
I think that you did the right thing. He might not survive very long in the wild, having been a cage bird, but I think that's better than leaving him caged on his own.
3 people like this
@feralwoman (2199)
• Australia
30 May 07
Yeah, that's why i'm feeling guilty at the moment - wondering if he'll survive in the wild. Best give him some chance of freedom than leaving him all alone I think. Thank you very much for responding. ;)
1 person likes this
@CinderInMySoul (4717)
• United States
30 May 07
as long as you have other doves around, i would say you did the right thing. he's been in the "wild" before right? so he knows how to find food.
he might still consider your backyard his home, and actually come back there to roost at night. try putting seed out for him in the mornings. that will encourage him to stick around, and he might just find another mate and want to move back in lol!
2 people like this
@feralwoman (2199)
• Australia
30 May 07
Oh dear, there are no other doves around, except perhaps another one of mine that flew away accidentally last year. In that case then, perhaps I haven't done the right thing as he hasn't been in the wild before either. Now I feel very guilty and very sad and I will definitely put some seed out for him tomorrow morning. Thanks for responding. lol ;)
1 person likes this
@wildflower520 (14)
• United States
30 May 07
I would leave the seed out for him, but who knows there might be dove around that you don't see or maybe he will meet his first partner again.. you did what was best for the dove.
2 people like this
@tinamwhite (3252)
• United States
30 May 07
I completely understand why you did this....but I am concerned whether or not your dove of freedom will be able to survive in the outside world...having never had to evade predators or forage food for himself....
I have raised doves and love to hear the cooing that they do...I am sorry for your loss, my friend....
2 people like this
@feralwoman (2199)
• Australia
31 May 07
Hi Tina - the sound of doves cooing is wonderful. Now it is so quiet, I really miss the birds.
Yes, I wonder if he will survive too - but I thought better to give him the chance of freedom than have him cooped up alone and miserable. Right choice or not, I really felt I was doing the best I could under the circumstances. Thanks for your kind words Tina ;)
@feralwoman (2199)
• Australia
31 May 07
It was a hard decision, and I did have a long think about it over a cuppa tuposkid. It certainly isn't easy when pets die. This summer we lost all of our guinea pigs due to the extreme heat - that was incredibly sad too. Thanks so much for responding lol ;)
@addysmum (1225)
• Canada
30 May 07
Captive birds don't know how to fly against wind currents. They will just keep going with the wind and a lot of time get swept away by it. As far as finding food he will do that by instinct. The other problem is that captive birds don't understand dangers like wild birds do, what is danger to a captive bird is greatly different then that of the wild. Unfortunately you may not have done him a favor but it is done so all you can do is hope for the best for him. I hope that the next time you have birds you will find another way to help them with that loss. I personally would have befriended him closer and given him my company to bond to.
1 person likes this
@feralwoman (2199)
• Australia
31 May 07
Hello Addysmum. I am not keeping birds until I get a suitable walk in type aviary, and I don't know when that will be. My birds were kept outside and were not hand tame. It would have been difficult to get them to be so with the set up that we had. I felt I had no choice but to let the little chap go. I wish I could have befriended him but having cats and dogs in the house It would have been nigh on impossible. I don't think my company would have compensated for the loss of his mate though! Thanks so much for your great response ;)
@feralwoman (2199)
• Australia
31 May 07
OMG - did I sound offended? I didn't mean to. I think you gave valuable advice and under different circumstances I would have done it. Perhaps I did do the wrong thing, but I sincerely appreciated your comments and was not offended at all. It's great to get differing opinions and not just to have people agree all the time! ;)
@lkbooi (16070)
• Malaysia
19 Jun 08
Hi feral, all creatures have the privilege to live with their own lifestyle. I respect and love them and I like to see everyone could live freely but not to be restricted in a cage or are confined in limited space. I feel very glad to know that you had let go the male dove.
The only thing I worry about is that I wonder whether the free dove could still adapt itself to the wild natural environment which it had left for quite some time. Anyway I hope it could find a new partner and star a new life with freedom and live together with the big group of doves happily.
The funny and charming dove in the image attached is really adorable. Thanks for sharing and happy posting.
1 person likes this
@feralwoman (2199)
• Australia
30 May 07
Nope, I certainly can't undo it now. But I think better to give him the choice than to cage him up all alone. Thanks for responding. lol ;)
1 person likes this
@copperkitten (3473)
• United States
8 Jun 07
Dont doves mate for life?? If so then even if you got a new female he would still be miserable. I would have done the same thing!!!!
@dragontester (570)
• Switzerland
30 May 07
You have done a really good thing. The new found freedom will help the bird to explore its freedom and not think much about the other one.
@feralwoman (2199)
• Australia
31 May 07
I really hope so dragontester. Thanks very much for responding lol ;)
@liranlgo (5752)
• Israel
30 May 07
I think you did the right thing. You should not have to worry about it. If he would not get along in the nature, then he is going to come back with a few friends. Lol.
Believe me i know that. Because i have a few doves here myself.
So don't worry about that, you did the best thing for him, he should not have been caged without a partner.
If you did not do what you did he probably would have as a result of being alone. Now he has his own choice.
@feralwoman (2199)
• Australia
30 May 07
That'd be funny if he came back with a few friends! I think it was good to give him a choice. Thank you so much for responding. lol ;)
1 person likes this
@raydene (9871)
• United States
31 May 07
I would not have let him go for a while because when captive creatures enter the world they often don't understand the dangers. They are often not afraid of things the way the wild ones are.I raised doves and pigeons , ckicken,ducks,geese,and turkeys.I had many different breeds . We used to show them at the fancy feather shows.
I hope you will put out fresh food in the cage and leave the door open so he can come back to eat and feel safe.That way he can enter the outside world a little at a time.My bet is he will be back to his home to at visit.
Good luck to him and I hope you don't miss him too much
Hugs.
@feralwoman (2199)
• Australia
31 May 07
Hello Raydene! I have put food and water out for him in our birdhouse up a tree. I can't put it in the enclosure as the cats would jump in and the little man would be no more than a light snack.
I do miss their cooing and courtship displays - it's very quiet without them now. Thanks for responding. lol ;)
1 person likes this
@banta78 (4326)
• India
1 Jun 07
Well i feel you did the right thing as male dove would have been very lonely in his cage without the female dove. And he mightr enjoy his new found freedom. And who knows might find his female partner and land back at your home to be with you or to meet you. good luck. :)
1 person likes this
@feralwoman (2199)
• Australia
16 Jun 07
Thank you very much for your comments banta78. It would be nice to see him again. ;)
@ozangel82 (753)
• Australia
31 May 07
well i just hope that he hasnt been hand reared since a baby or he wont be able to survive on his own, most animals if kept in captivity for too long forget how to fend for themselves out in the wild, but i suppose it can't be too hard for birds, they can find a lot of food from anywhere.
@feralwoman (2199)
• Australia
31 May 07
No, fortunately he wasn't hand reared since he was a baby. He was fairly mature when I got him many years ago and he's become like a good friend to me - and also very tuneful. He was used to eating seeds directly off grass stalks and I also gave him greenery. Hopefully he'll remember this when he's on his travels and won't go hungry. Thanks so much for responding. lol ;)
@Gwapako_28 (2140)
• Philippines
31 May 07
I guess, you made the right decision. I feel sorry about the bird too. It tear my heart. Because i truly understand how the bird feel losing his partner.Though he is only a bird but as you have said the bird look sad. I guess, and sure they have a feelings too.
I hope that he will feel okay and fine. I know, in his journey he will meet a lot of friends and companionship. Im sure, time will heal the sadness he feel of losing that female bird he had for a long time.
I salute you because you are sensitive enough to set him free.He must be thankful you are the one who take own them or else, he will feel sad until his last breath.
@feralwoman (2199)
• Australia
31 May 07
Thank you very much for your kind words Gwapako. I believe all animals have feelings - even birds! Thanks so much for responding. lol ;)
@recycledgoth (9894)
•
31 May 07
That is so sad hun, but I feel that you did the right thing. Who knows, maybe he will return to you with another mate.
@hyacinth17 (14)
• China
31 May 07
The dove,so lucky,has a so kindhearted master.
1 person likes this
@feralwoman (2199)
• Australia
31 May 07
Thanks hyacinth. I'm still not sure I did the right thing though! Thank you so much for responding. ;)
@JYOTHICHOWDARY (232)
• India
31 May 07
hi
im really sorry for u
wat you did is really meaning full aand correct but if dont u miss them a lot
i hope i would have been better if u would have bought a pair for it bcoz it also dont know where 2 go and i hope it might come back also if i come back get a pair for it and i hope am correct im sorry if am wrong
bye have a g8 day
@feralwoman (2199)
• Australia
31 May 07
Yes, I miss the sound of my birds very much. But the enclosure I am keeping them in at the moment is not really suitable. I really didn't expect the female to die as she is younger than the male. I didn't want to replace the female as I felt that I shouldn't keep birds until I got a more suitable aviary. I felt it incredibly unfair to leave the male bird on his own - and perhaps I did the wrong thing in letting him go, but what's done is done now. You are not wrong at all - you've expressed your opinion which is absolutely fantastic. Thank you for your honesty and you have a gr8 day too! lol ;)
