Has anyone had experience with Ringneck doves that they consider untamable?

I'm currently trying to tame 2 doves, but they just won't let me touch them!

I have spend hundreds of hours with them, but they seem timid. Aloof.

They will eat out of my hand in their cage when they are very hungry, but once they are full, they move away again.

I estimate they are 1 year old.

Could they have been terrorised by their previous owner, and now are untamable?

Please help, I am finding this very frustrating!

Doves are like people. They are all different. There are times when a dove just will not be trained. It's unusual to have two of them at the same time. When you try to take them out of the cage, what do they do? Have you tried removing them with both hands and just stroking them? When you feed them in the cage from your hand, do you have music or some kind of noise or is it quiet? Might try turning on a radio while you handle them. They need to feel comfortable and safe.

Dave, again, is totally correct. Doves are different and have different personalities. I have one that I Named "SPAZ". He is just so spastic. He won't settle down. If you even walk near the cage he goes nutz trying to run from you, but when picked up, he is fine. He doesn't mind being handled, but he doesn't like being approached. He is just spastic. If he gets the chance to fly around, he makes a quacking noise the whole time until he lands, and then he jumps at his own shadow. He even runs from the other doves....he is just that spastic. He of course is in a cage on his own because he can't handle company.

To have two doves like that, though, they may have come from the same family line if you got them together, so in turn, it wouldn't be surprising for them to have the same "gene's" to act similar. Just keep working with them, and realize the limits you will have with those particular two doves. As for my Spastic dove, he is a harness dove, and will never be a fly-back. That is the reality of dove work. Certain doves have certain jobs...*smile* Good Luck

Be thankful they don't have fangs!

Stage 1: When I had a nervous dove I removed the dove from the cage, "hypnotized" it and held it for a while. After which, I placed seed into my palm, placed the bird on my wrist and slowly tap the seed with my finger creating a pecking sound. If the bird is still too nervous move down to the floor and let the bird approach your hand. This can be a slow process, but, you must be gentle and patient.
Stage 2: Continue hand feeding until they chill out (sometimes a week or two). Continue stage 1; when the bird is more relaxed pour seed into your palm, after the dove eats a little from your hand place the bird back into the cage and let the bird see you pour the seed into the feeding container.

Good Lick,
Kregg

LOL Alpha I love it - Spaz.

I have the same type of bird.. only this one lives with another, and when I have the other out and it starts to fly... she starts flying in her cage and slamming into the sides. When I take her out she makes the same quacking/ape noise, then, crash - a wall. I ended up naming her Tarzan.

If you have even one flyback bird - consider yourself lucky and cherish it.

And Kregg you sure are right.. if they had fangs a lot of us wouldn't have use of our fingers anymore. Just imagine trying to keep a straight face during a sl**** load.

Yeh, Justin, imagine both our doves in a show...We'd go crazy trying to keep them contained....People would say "WOW, what a trick!! The doves sound like ducks!! " *haha*

LOL. It's things like this that make what we do a blast though isn't it.

Dave, I haven't taken them out of their cage yet.

I am trying to get them to the point where I can touch them and get them to perch on my finger.

OK. The birds are comfortable in their environment. When you put you hand in the cage, you are invading their space. Try removing the birds from the cage, walk away from it while stroking the dove and then perch it on your finger. It may take a few attempts but they should gradually begin to feel safe on your finger. To them, your finger is just another perch and if they are comfortable with it, they'll perch. If they fly off at first, don't reach or grab for them. Let them fly until they land and start over.

I agree with Dave, you've got to start working with these birds out of their cage. Training is all about gentle and consistent repetition, you said you've spent hundreds of hours with the birds already; if that time had been spent out of the cage doing the things that Dave suggested I think you'd be further along.