What to do to for my widower dove

[QuackandPuddle]

I am devastated. Jack and Sally were so in love! They were adopted as a mated pair and successfully hatched squabs last Spring. They frequently cuddled and could be heard calling to eachother from rooms away. They had free flight for several hours today and plenty of fresh food and clean water. The two were active and talkative as normal. I put them back into their roomy cage around 1, and went to turn the lights off just moments ago and found gentle Sally inexplicably lifeless in her nest.

Poor Jack! I feel terrible for him. I don't know what to do to help his grief. Does anyone have experience with this kind of loss? I have their offspring in a separate cage in the same room. Everyone is just silent. The sex of the offspring is still unknown, but at least one must be male as Jack began bullying them once they fledged, so I immediately separated them. I just don't know why Sally passed, and how to help Jack now that the is gone. Any advice? Any idea what happened? Any kind words would be appreciated as I am so saddened.

 

[cavemanrich]

So sorry to hear sad occurrence. I suggest go to pet store and get a new mate.
WISHING YOU BEST...

 

[JackBaker]

I'm so sorry for your loss

So all doves and pigeons do usually pair for life, however this does not stop them from finding a new mate if one is taken away. This will take time tho and Jack needs to come to terms with what has happened or at the very least realize that sally is not coming back. This will take a few weeks most probably and a new hen should not be added in this time as Jack will attack her as he will still believe he is paired to his mate.

Although without a post-mortum there is no definite way of finding out, it sounds to me like a heart attack. This is actually quite common for birds of most species that are preferably small. There would have been literally nothing you could have done and it does sound like she had a very good home. When birds have heart attacks they usually appear fine all day and then it just comes over them all of a sudden and is over before it began.

As for babies, they shouldn't be put in with dad as he will not be very happy with an intrusion of new birds into his territory. He will no longer view them as his. Just give him extra attention off you and in about 3 weeks you could then consider getting him a new mate if that is what you wish, just not his daughter.