Sleeping arrangements?

[kriskoeh]

I've read repeatedly that these birds need 12 consecutive, uninterrupted hours of sleep.

We chose to put his cage in our computer room which is where we spend the most of our time (no kids or anything).

But we generally go to bed from 10-11 and we're up at 6 during the week, 7-8 on the weekends. I work two days a week, my husband works all five weekdays. The latest we sleep in on a weekend is maybe 9 am. In any case, this is not allowing 12 hours of uninterrupted sleep even though I do cover the cage, we still talk amongst ourselves, etc.

Should I move him? My house is very small as it is, any way you slice it...he's gonna hear us. But I'm covering his cage around 10 pm (tried covering it around 9 pm and he throws a screaming fit until I uncover it) and uncovering it around 7 am. He climbs out and gets on his perch up top and goes to sleep. Right now he's really attached to the perch on top and doesn't want to spend a lot of time being handled...especially once he discovered that Mama is not going to let him build nests in her hair.

I mean is the 12 hours just a ballpark of what they should be getting? Or am I gonna come in and find a dead bird because he's only getting 9 hours of uninterrupted sleep?

 

[brianlinkles]

I am glad you asked this question. I also try and cover Kiwi at about 9pm however She is adjacent to our family room. She can still hear our conversations, tv etc. She is not getting a full 12 hours of sleep. She does nap on and off through out the day and I know I have read that this doesn't make up for the lack of nightime sleep. Are they like babies that sleep through noise they are used to? Or do they need to be in complete silence?

 

[kriskoeh]

I am glad you asked this question. I also try and cover Kiwi at about 9pm however She is adjacent to our family room. She can still hear our conversations, tv etc. She is not getting a full 12 hours of sleep. She does nap on and off through out the day and I know I have read that this doesn't make up for the lack of nightime sleep. Are they like babies that sleep through noise they are used to? Or do they need to be in complete silence?

Hopefully someone will pop in soon and answer us

 

[Remy]

I don't know about other birds, but sometimes Puck wakes up, and sometimes he sleeps through loud things! One time my boyfriend and I had a screaming argument late at night, and when I checked on Puck, he was still sound asleep!

I'm sure it depends on the individual bird though. I know birds nap (and Puck does get his naptime), so I think that helps too.

 

[Molcan2]

8-12 hrs of uninterrupted sleep is recommended. It also depends on your individual bird. If his behavior seems normal then hes probably getting enough sleep. My Princess requires around 10 hrs a night, otherwise the entire neighborhood is aware that she is sleep deprived. How long have you had your bird? If this is his normal routine and he is used to sleeping with background noise then he should be fine. We keep Romeo's sleep cage in our computer room as well, but once she is up for the night we wont go in there. Each bird is different so you'll just have to get a feel for how yours is taking your current schedule. Just look out for signs of stress ( grumpy, screaming more than normal, seems unable to please, completely unhappy...etc) and if your bird seems stressed then revising it's sleeping schedule may solve the problem.

 

[Riio]

Hi guys, probably not much help here but I have read that the sleep seems to mostly affect their attitudes! Just as Molcan2 said, I have read that if they are grumpy or just not their normal selfs then maybe they need more sleep. My lil Rio is in the living room, I do cover her cage when my 3yr old goes to bed and he is the one that un-covers her in the morning, so she gets 10-12hrs of "cover" but we dont usually go to bed for a couple hrs after them and we have the tv on etc and talk. She seems to do fine with this, and Im sure your birds will be just fine also, especially once they get into the routine. I dont think that you will walk in on a dead bird because it didnt get the reccomended amount of sleep, maybe just a grumpy bird! LOL Im sure others will chime in with more info. Good luck!

 

[suebee]

i've read it helps if there hormonal?

but nut sleeps in spare bed room an will no doubt hear the tv and us talkin down stairs, but she is covered and if we make to much noise near her when we go to bed, she will make cute little snore sounds, why cos my partner snores VERY loud when he is asleep.

this isn't a definate answer for why our birds need 10/12hrs per night, but come half 7 each night, when nuts in bed i can relax lol like babies been put to bed and being a good baby nut will sleep in till after 7 unless i am on an ewarly an wake her up, and she does cute little chirps till we take her downstairs an start her routine with her!

 

[Molcan2]

To Suebee: Sleep definitely affects hormonal stuff. If the day is long then this equals breeding season! Toos seem to be so sensitive to such slight changes, 1 extra hour and they are in full out mate mode:11:. Now where I'm at the days are starting to get a little shorter but I have put up very thick curtains in Rome's room, she usually goes to bed around 7 during the summer (even when its still light out until close to 8:30). This helped for me but I have heard of others who have had to put them to bed as early as 5:30-6 ish or they end up with eggs and a cranky bird.

As far as kriskoeh - Just watch him, he probably does just fine with 9 hours (most do) any abnormal behavior think back to how much sleep he had the night before and just adjust his schedule as needed. Think of them like people some function fine at 6 hrs a night and some require 10 hrs and a cup a coffee before you can get near them.

 

[merlinsmom13]

Merlin goes to bed @ 9:30, up @ 8am. We are in the bedroom w/him lights out, tv on low. He seems like he gets enough sleep. He does nap during the day, but I take that as a plus.

 

[Bobioden]

Have you tried a Sleep Tent/Happy Hut? Maxx loves his. He will go in it a couple times a day for a nap, and at 8p climbs in for the night. I then cover him, and he is got until 7a or so when I get up.

 

[JensFlock]

I have wondered this myself. 3 of my birds get covered up when I get home from work around 10pm. I know they've been sleeping, but when I get home, they want their kisses and treats and then the conure says "Get ready for night night" until I cover them up.
Even though i'm in the same room watching tv, they will fall asleep.
The cockatoo doesn't get covered up. He'll doze until I go to bed, then he says 'night night" and I turn off all the lights.
They seem to get enough sleep, even if it's not 12 hours. If they don't, I'll know it, because they'll be cranky

 

[Amber]

Alex sleeps from 10 or 11pm to 8, 9 or 10 am (depends on when my first class is!) every night. When he's tired he lets me know, either by going to his cage and snoozing or by curling up in my jumper and sleeping. If he's in the jumper I leave him there until I go to bed, lol. He's never too happy to be migrated to the cage while half asleep, but he's back out of it in under 5 mins.

If he's not sleepy and I cover him up, he will remain awake and chatter with me. He makes little grunting noises and sqwarks and you can hear him climb around and play. Given, this MAY be because he sleeps in my bedroom with me, and I usually am working at the laptop (In the dark, just for his sleeping benefits!), so some light remains.

 

[Mayden]

Merlin gets anything between 7-12 hours sleep. He does nap throughout the day, usually comes to bed with me for a kip. He gets grumpy if he's tired and we move him or whatever, if he's particularly tired, we let him nap with no disturbances. He's fine wtih his sleep