Happy Hut Question

[shotz71]

Hello All!

A while back, I had asked for bedtime advice for my GCC Sonny who didn't like going to bed everynight.

I had purchased a Happy Hut, and the problem was quickly solved..."he" jumps into it at night and goes right to sleep after a few minutes of grumbling. We only put a Happy Hut in the Sleep Cage...no exposure to the Happy Hut during the day, and Sonny only sleeps in the Sleep cage - no playing...

Well, we had Sonny DNA tested, and "He" is really a She, so now we have Sunny!

My question now, should I be concerned about the Happy Hut (ie. nesting behavior?) Sunny is almost 8 months old. I would hate to take her Happy Hut away...she loves snuggling in it and goes right to sleep....

Thank you in advance!

 

[Kantia]

Thank you for the post!
I was going to buy a happy hut for Tich as he dislikes going to bed also, so this post gives me some hope that the hut will solve my problem too (although you never know with parrots).

All I can advise is that you look out for any nesting / aggressive behaviour. If these do occur remove the happy hut. I've read past posts on this forum and the problem of aggression soon passes once the hut is removed. It might happen, it might not. Just keep a look out.

 

[Pookamama]

That's what we are doing with Pepper who has always slept in her hut and approaching sexual maturity within the next year or so-just watching and waiting. Her hut is a happy sleeping place for her, she only uses it when sleeping. If she starts 'nesting' and becoming Miss Crankypants, I plan on getting a hut with an open back.

 

[WindyRed]

Since conures are snuggle-bunnies, I haven't seen any problems with the happy-huts for them to sleep in. Especially if they are restricted to night-time hours only (i.e. sleeping cages). I've used a "tent" for my conures without any problems and have known others to use tents without problems as well. I have one bird however, who doesn't LIKE the tent. She prefers to sleep perched on a rope perch snuggled into a fabric pom-pom... go figure.

Anyway, I say go for the hut if it works. If you worry about it, change over to the tent. I expect the bird will like it just as well but she wont have as much room for "nesting."

Here's a pic of Allie at bedtime snuggled into her pom-pom so you have an idea what I'm talking about. Not a chance she'll be nesting in this set-up!

 

[shotz71]

Since conures are snuggle-bunnies, I haven't seen any problems with the happy-huts for them to sleep in. Especially if they are restricted to night-time hours only (i.e. sleeping cages). I've used a "tent" for my conures without any problems and have known others to use tents without problems as well. I have one bird however, who doesn't LIKE the tent. She prefers to sleep perched on a rope perch snuggled into a fabric pom-pom... go figure.

Anyway, I say go for the hut if it works. If you worry about it, change over to the tent. I expect the bird will like it just as well but she wont have as much room for "nesting."

Here's a pic of Allie at bedtime snuggled into her pom-pom so you have an idea what I'm talking about. Not a chance she'll be nesting in this set-up!

Thank you! We actually also have a tent and and a "cozy corner" in the sleep cage. (There was a series of trying new things to get her to settle down at night). She ignores everything else and climbs right in her hut. In the morning, she comes out as soon as she wakes up, so no playtime with the happy hut.
I check it everyday for signs that she is chewing, but she's not - if I see any nesting or aggression, I will take it out. For now, I will let her snuggle in and enjoy it. She's so cute when she's in it

 

[WindyRed]

You're very welcome! It's so much fun seeing our cheeky birds when they're being all happy and cute, isn't it? LOL!

Enjoy her!

 

[DebsFlock]

My understanding is that GCC, at least, are full-time cavity dwellers, meaning they sleep in a hollowed-out nest all the time and not just when they are reproducing. So the presence of hut should not, by itself, trigger egg-laying.

If she were to start laying eggs in it, you might want to rethink, but I wouldn't personally worry about that unless it happens. Since we have a flock of all males, that's easy for me to say!

 

[everdusk]

I have a nearly 1 year old female conure. She's been using her hut for over 8 months and she's not been aggressive around it. She only uses it for sleeping or cuddling in after a bath. Just watch for bad behaviours and as long as she does well you shouldn't have to remove it. c:

Oh and Windy, that picture is too cute! What a happy birdy!

 

[WindyRed]

Hee hee! Thanks Everdusk! She's absolutely as spoiled rotten as rotten can get!

 

[Lovelyloribeth]

I have 2 happy huts in with chichi. He prefers the green one to the yellow one but will use the yellow occasionally. Anywho, he loves it. The cage door is open all day long with access to the play area on top and on the ceiling. He will go in to have a quick nap here and there. But for the most part he just sleeps in it. I can scritch him while he's in there. And as soon as the light goes off at night off he goes. Into his hut. So Im guessing it depends on the bird. Some might get nesty or aggressive but he don't. Trial and error I guess.

Also! Shotz71... I wou
D loooove to know how to m ale the pompom! If you didn't make it can you examine it and maybe walk me thru how it's out together?! I'd love one!

 

[shotz71]

Thank you all! I am going to see what happens and react as needed, and leave my baby her happy hut bed for now...

Also! Shotz71... I wou
D loooove to know how to m ale the pompom! If you didn't make it can you examine it and maybe walk me thru how it's out together?! I'd love one!

that was WindyRed's photo, and I would love to know more about that Pompom too!!

 

[Lovelyloribeth]

Oh. Well as you can tell my typing was awful. I was on my meds half asleep! Lol. But I would def love to make one anyway!

 

[ConureCrazy]

I just PMed him/her about the pom pom.

 

[WindyRed]

Hey all, today is our grocery shopping day, so when I'm home later this afternoon I'll take a look at it and see what I can figure out for you. If not today, certainly tomorrow! I'll get some closer pictures as well.

Sorry I can't do it right now!

 

[ConureCrazy]

That's okay!

 

[PockyMommy]

Lucky You! I bought a happy hut for my gc and he refuses to go into the thing. I've tried to put his favorite snacks in there with no avail. =[ Maybe he's just not into it?

 

[WindyRed]

Pocky - that could be. My youngest, Micky, won't go into a tent to save his life. Oh well!

And finally! I tried to get a good look at Allie's Pom Pom last night. She wasn't happy with me disturbing her bed-time routine, but fortunately she's a forgiving soul.

It actually looks REALLY simple. It appears that it's just strips of fabric that have been tied onto a SS ring which has been hung on a chain.

The fabric seems to be a thin polar-fleece type fabric because it's never frayed despite her going over it several times with her beak. It actually looks as good as the day I got it. The strips are about 1 3/4 - 2 inches wide and hang down about 8-9 inches. That would add up to about 18-22 inches'ish allowing room to tie them off and for some to hang from the top of the ring and end up on the outside of the "poof" and still reach the bottom. I have no idea how many strips there are on there, but there are a lot. They were crammed on the ring pretty tight - maybe even double layered, I'm not sure.

Like I said, the ring was hooked onto a length of SS chain. I'd guess the ring was put on the chain first then the fabric was tied onto the ring - that's how tight the fabric was on the ring. I don't think I'd have been able to get the ring attached to the chain after the fabric was already on it.

Finally, the chain was decorated with a couple of large beads (unnecessary - Allie doesn't even care about them - but they're there) and ended with a pear-link. That's it!

When I got this one for Allie, I saw them in a mini size for budgies and lovebirds and a jumbo size for macaws. I'd guess all that changed was the size of the ring, chain, and width of the strips - so you could make this for any size bird at all.

I hope this helps! If anyone makes one, let me know how it goes.

Good luck everyone!

 

[Lovelyloribeth]

I'm making one today! I'll post pics when I'm done. Hopefully it turns out almost the same. I'd love it to be as full as yours. Maybe you should post a picture and the description of how it's made it he DIY section. Since we hijacked the thread! Lol

 

[ConureCrazy]

Got some fleece, going to make one of those and a snuggly fleece ring. Post pics when done!

 

[ConureCrazy]

I finished! My version is a little different, but... Anyways you can see pics here:
http://www.parrotforums.com/do-yourself/22552-homemade-things.html