My Quaker has a night fright episode at least once a week. I have both of their cages in corners of the room and I typically allow both of my parrots to be out of their cage. My Quaker likes to sleep on top of the cage opposite of the corner of the wall which leaves him prone to falling off the cage onto the ground. Usually he is fine and never has a problem. I am able to pick him up and calm him down and I usually place him in the cage. Turning the lights on helps calm him down and stop him from panicking. I am wondering how you all deal with night fright in your birds?
Night Fright
- Thread starter seph2004
- Start date
Cage tops are not the best for parrots to sleep on. Cage bars are totally wrong for him to grasp all night long, it does not allow the natural joints and ligaments of the foot to lock on, as they would on a properly sized natural perch. And my bird climbs down when he wants to, so you're leaving your guy free reign all nite long. Me i would get a natural perch, at least 1-1/2" in diameter in spots, and let him sleep in cage, with a partial cover. We leave a small lamp lit all night, like a nite light. His feet will thank you.
GivemeSeedsorgivemeFlesh
Active member
I was leaving the cage door open at night but then Ollie McBudgie got spooked at 1 AM and flew all the way to the other end of the room in the dark and could have hit the wall. I close him up now and cover three sides of his cage.
- Thread starter
- #4
I think I am going to have to resort to putting him in his cage at night like you suggested. He has a natural perch inside his cage, he just prefers to be out and I like to keep him outside his cage as much as I can. He tends to get testy when he's in his cage which is pretty typical. We do let our birds fly and roam the house periodically. I appreciate the feedback and will let you know how he does being in his cage each night and I do like the night light idea.
I think folks overestimate how dark and how quiet jungle can be at night. If anything its noisier by night! Personally I think darkening the cage rather then total black out is closer to night conditions for most parrot species. Hey look at the Quakers in New York City - its never dark or quiet there at night!
What Wrenchie said!
The Rb sleeps in a partially-covered cage in his own room, with a tv tuned in to CNN on lowwwwww volume and doesn't have night flaps. Decades ago, I babysat some cockatiels who had awful night flaps at first but settled down in the Rb's room. [I know, I was stupid for housing them, unquarantined, but I was stupid back then] and the 'tiels really got better. They returned to their owner who kept them in a dark room, covered, and night flaps resumed. Not sure about exact causes/effects, but that's my two cents.
The Rb sleeps in a partially-covered cage in his own room, with a tv tuned in to CNN on lowwwwww volume and doesn't have night flaps. Decades ago, I babysat some cockatiels who had awful night flaps at first but settled down in the Rb's room. [I know, I was stupid for housing them, unquarantined, but I was stupid back then] and the 'tiels really got better. They returned to their owner who kept them in a dark room, covered, and night flaps resumed. Not sure about exact causes/effects, but that's my two cents.
Most Reactions
-
402 -
293 -
246 -
226 -
179 -
146 -
135 -
120 -
120 -
89 -
76 -
56 -
48 -
33 -
29
