Night Frights, lovely.

[Safira]

Unfortunatly I had to change my macaw's sleeping routine when I got two new birds. They went into the office where her 'sleep cage' is, meaning she can no longer go in there (at least for one more week, Quarintine is almost over!)

So I expected the night frights in her big cage in the living room, and she hasn't disappointed me. Once a night she squawks awake from a nightmare or something spooking her. I have a light on in the kitchen so its not pitch black in there, and the street lights come in through the sliding glass door.

I swear its getting worse though.

Last night she had a little night terror at least 4 times. Every 2 hours i'd wake up to her sudden schrech of surprise. I felt bad for her, really I did.. I felt bad for my sleep too though.

Her cage is massive, HUGE, they don't make covers for it. What i'm going to try to do is get a room darkening curtian and some shower hook things and hook it along half of her cage to give her more privacy. I don't want to make it too dark for her, but I think the problem is the living room has all these shadows and windows. Also there are a bunch of outside cats that like to try to play with my roomate (sisters) cat through the sliding glass door (right where her cage is.) Which probably doesn't help when she's trying to sleep.

Eventually she'll be able to go back into her little sleep cage and I might be able to sleep through the night without a CAW CAW at 4am. At least she's home and napping while I'm at work, wishing I was still sleeping.

 

[Mayden]

I would suggest trying to cover with THICK blankets for the most part and reducing as much shadowing as possible. Is it possible to change where the cat stays at night to possibly stop the other cats from 'calling round'?

Hang tight Safira, only one more week!

 

[Safira]

I wish I could, but I live in a one story rancher so the living room/kitchen is the cat's domain at night. I put the dogs downstairs in the basement for them to sleep, I don't think the cat would appreciate joining them (though it'd be funny to watch.) One more week, then we're figuring out a whole new routine! and maybe I can sleep!

 

[roxynoodle]

I have a dim lamp that has a little blue bulb in it for Merlin. It's like the room is bathed in moonlight so it's not annoying and she hasn't had a night fright since I set that up for her.

I know it's only one more week, but if you needed a permanent cage cover maybe you or someone could sew a few blankets together?

 

[Spiritbird]

Did you read this thread: Rescue Remedy for pets??

Hate to tell you this but Lucy has a history of Night Frights also.

 

[triordan]

interesting, I have never heard of birds having night frights...my daughter did a couple of times when she was very young...i need to google this

 

[lene1949]

Are you sure you don't have some night critters in your house????

That would have scared anyone...

 

[roxynoodle]

interesting, I have never heard of birds having night frights...my daughter did a couple of times when she was very young...i need to google this

I've only had one other bird that did; my BCC. It's very frightening to you as well. I don't know if they have nightmares, see or hear something (or think they did). I know IcyWolf posted that one night as she was watching a cockatiel sleeping, it started leaning farther forward and then just fell off the perch in it's sleep. So maybe that is what causes it; they just get in such a deep sleep, they fall and it freaks them out. The BCC had maybe 1-2 a year. I've only had Merlin not even 2 months yet so we shall see. Her previous owners told me did once in awhile, but so far it has only happened on night one. If the night light prevents them, then I will leave it on forever, lol!

 

[Safira]

Spirit bird, I saw that post. I was actually looking at that and thinking of Gracie, I wonder if it would help relax her more.

Well I covered half her cage to block the shadows and light coming in from the sliding glass door (it only has a thin curtian, so it doesn't do much.) She didn't have a night fright, or anything that made her scream. I finally got a good solid nights sleep this week.

 

[Mike]

I provided my suggestions on your other thread: http://www.parrotforums.com/130088-post11.html

 

[BillsBirds]

I came into this too late to add anything useful, but, I've known several birds that had night-frights. Cockatiels are very prone to them. I saw you got a good nights sleep, so, good luck for the rest of the week.

 

[tlfisher]

Sweets my cockatiel had night frights when we first got him. Thanks to everyone in this forum who told me that a night light can help. I just use a clock radio the light is red and I point it at the cage so he has plenty of light but its not too bright. I cover his cage except for the inch or so needed for the light getting in his cage. He's been doing fine with this set up until last night.

Last night we had our first severe thunderstorm since Sweetie/Sweets has been in our home. He had several night frights. Woke up my daughter and myself twice. I finally just brought him into my room and I was laying down watching TV with him. So I've been awake all night because I was afraid to fall asleep and roll over and crush him. I have heard of some people sleeping with their birds but I just can't imagine it between the poop and possibly crushing them.

Any ideas for when we have another severe storm because I don't want to see him suffer and again and I don't think sleeping with him is a good idea. His poor little heart was just a thumping til I held him thru the rest of the storm. Im exhausted but he was happily clicking his beak and fluffing up to sleep while resting on my chest. Then more thunder and his heart his racing again This went in all night.

 

[Safira]

Been awhile Since I've posted in this thread.

What works for Safira is absolute and total darkness, with a sheet covering part of her cage. I have a black-out curtain in the room she sleeps in, and tried just that but it only worked for a little while. So I started throwing a sheet on her cage. It's not large enough to cover even half the cage, but it does the trick. Maybe she just likes her privacy? Who knows.

 

[RavensGryf]

I agree a cover is great to prevent getting spooked by shadows and motion. So glad it's worked out.
I saw the original thread post date and said wow!