Happy Hut Bonding

[darkling]

I gave Pi a happy hut and at first it seemed awesome but now she's got me worried. She's had it for three days now and for the past two of those days she's only come out of the hut long enough to eat and drink. Otherwise she's inside the hut.

Normally when I open her cage door, she comes right out and climbs onto the top of her cage or flies over to my shoulder. Yesterday I had to coax her out to play with her and today she actually bit me for the first time when I tried to get her to come out.

Should I take the happy hut away from her? Do birds become obsessed with toys or should I just wait and see if the newness wears off? How okay is it for her to just be inside that thing all the time? I know she's not stuck ... She can come out when she wants to. She just doesn't want to.

 

[wibitywab]

She should get some out of the cage time to stay healthy, but the newness should wear off soon, birds get bored of things very quickly!

 

[Abzeez]

Didn't I just read not to long ago that a parrot got hurt or died from using a happy hut? I think it was on here.

 

[wibitywab]

I had to save a parrotlet from a happy hut. He got tangled and almost suffocated!

 

[stephend]

In the research I did on cockatiels before getting Bob it said that small enclosures inside of the cage as I think your happy hut is can encourage nesting behavior in female tiels your conure may be the same.

 

[darkling]

I check it every day to make sure there are no loose threads. They do fray after awhile and that is how someone's bird died. He/she was tangled in the frayed bits. This one is brand new though and Pi does seem to love it more than any of her other toys.

 

[merlinsmom13]

Could your house be too chilly for her? I know its ac time in AL.

 

[darkling]

I didn't think of that, merlinsmom. She's in front of an open window so she gets a little more heat and she's away from the AC vents but it still might feel chilly to her. I'll try turning the AC off and see what happens.

 

[dragonlady2]

In my experience, Happy Huts can make a bird more territorial about their cage.

 

[mellykyitus]

my conure has a happy hut and she used to be in alot when it was new, she only goes in now when it gets dark. when she is in her cage she just sits on top of it!

 

[dna]

My young sun conure loves her happy hut too, and liked to be in hers right away as well. It is a lot like Mellykyitus said...she only plays on top of it when in the cage except at night when sleeping. I hope she gets over it soon for you so you can go back to bonding

 

[Rio Mom]

River does the same with his, sleeping in it at night, and a place to stand during the day