I know I said I wanted another Budgie on my last post, but I recently came across a picture of a beautiful Diamond Dove, and after reading a bit about it's personality and care, I think it might actually be better than getting another Budgie! I know birds should really be kept in pairs, but I was wondering if I only got one Dove and let it play with my other Budgies, would it be okay to just get one? I want a bird that will bond with me, and while Skittles and Nico do enjoy hanging out with me a bit (Skittles enjoys shoulder time), they still just like to hang out by themselves for the rest of the time, and don't like to be bothered. I would be able to take the Dove out of the cage for several hours a day, and I would allow him playtime with my other birds.
My main concern is housing. I read they can't have wire bottoms in the cage. So, I was wondering if it would be okay to maybe lay out fleece on the bottom? If not, what are the other options as to flooring? And as for the cage, I thought a dog crate would be great, but I think the bar spacing is too wide for a little Dove. So what cage would you recommend? And lastly, I read a bunch of different articles on their diet. Some people say that Cockatiel or Finch seed is find, while others suggest other things. What is the BEST thing to feed a Diamond Dove, and how much daily? Thanks!