Use a blanket for sleeping?

[Ducatimom]

Quick question. When they are ready for bed do you put a blanket or cage cover over them or just leave them be? I've been putting a blanket on him, ONLY for bedtime. Then when I take it off in the morning I talk to him in a reassuring voice. I just don't want him to associate the blanket with something negative.

 

[BoomBoom]

I put two black colored blankets on Boomer's cage. One wrapped around the walls, one goes on top. I do this because his cage is in the living room where my computer is and I can be a bit of a night owl at times. I like the idea of giving him some shade from the computer screen. Not related, but I also use a white blanket around me to let him know its cuddle time. He sees me wrapping the blanket around me, he flies to position on my shoulder lol!

 

[Ducatimom]

Awesome! Thanks! His cage is also in the living room. We stay up past when he's obviously ready to go to sleep, right now because we are watching the Stanley Cup Finals. So covering would definitely be best. I just kept hearing horror stories about putting them in the dark for disciplining and I didn't want him to think he was in trouble.

 

[BoomBoom]

I am sure he will not associate this to time outs. Just make his time before bed relaxing, soothing and positive. I baby talk and sing to mine right before I put him in lol! As long as you don't use blankets / closets during the day as discipline (which I am sure you don't), then he will never associate the blanket to anything negative. In time, I am sure he will be used to it and expect it at night time.

 

[Ducatimom]

Alright! I do usually talk to him right before I put the blanket on. He doesn't seem to hate just kind of acts like, hey why are you putting this on my cage.

I don't cover/closet him in the day at all. I even turn the tv on when I leave for work so he has some noise until my husband wakes up.

 

[yorkshiregal]

I have a noisy house with teens and dogs so i covered my bird at night with a throw. She didn't like it at first so i gradually covered the cage and she seems happy with it now. I also tell her its bedtime and kiss her. Kinda like a routine. My son and husband get up early and they leave the cover open a crack and she stays quiet until she hears me get up. I hear her playing and eating. I think it takes the chill out of the Room A/C etc

 

[Allee]

I covered all my parrot's cages in the winter for extra warmth. I stopped covering cages when it got warmer. Two of my more emotional parrots demand to be covered every night no matter what. Neither of them will go to bed without their goodnight songs and covers. It's always been a positive experience for them. My other parrots are find either way, as long as they get their good nights.

 

[Dinosrawr]

I've always covered my birds, but I always leave the cage side that's facing the wall uncovered to make sure there's enough air flow. I live in a basement and cover the cages with old comforters because it gets cold, and because they're not breathable that back wall has to be kept uncovered.

If I don't cover Avery, she won't go to bed unless it's absolutely pitch black in the room, otherwise she's up and awake. I could cover her with all the lights on, my on the computer, on the phone, watching tv, etc, and she'll still go right to bed. Same with Shiko. The only time she stirs is when she hears the bedroom door open after 6 AM. If I had a room just for my birds, I don't think I'd worry about it so long as the room could stay dark enough for the amount of time I wanted my birds to sleep, but as of now they get covered.

I don't think they'll associate it with anything negative so long as you're only covering them at night time for sleep. Sometimes Avery will flip when I cover her (it's dual sided with one side a bright red and the other side black) if she sees the red instead of the black, but once she's covered she goes right to bed. Shiko couldn't care less, haha

 

[mrmightyfine]

The lady who bred my bird always covered him right from an early age so I have a cage cover. I tell him its bedtime and say night night just before I cover him then say good morning as I uncover him (bedtime is 9pm until 7.30am, he has a strict bedtime routine). He's 13 weeks old and isn't worried by being covered up. Like others say, I never cover him as punishment but say naughty boy if he is naughty and ignore him for a while.

 

[Ducatimom]

If I don't cover Avery, she won't go to bed unless it's absolutely pitch black in the room, otherwise she's up and awake. I could cover her with all the lights on, my on the computer, on the phone, watching tv, etc, and she'll still go right to bed. Same with Shiko. The only time she stirs is when she hears the bedroom door open after 6 AM. If I had a room just for my birds, I don't think I'd worry about it so long as the room could stay dark enough for the amount of time I wanted my birds to sleep, but as of now they get covered.

Ducati seems to be the same way. He'll get in his favorite corner and gets all fluffy when he starts to fall asleep. He'll wake up a little bit when he sees his blanket and move to the front of the cage, then he'll go back to his corner and start making little sleepy sounding chirps.

 

[Ducatimom]

The lady who bred my bird always covered him right from an early age so I have a cage cover. I tell him its bedtime and say night night just before I cover him then say good morning as I uncover him (bedtime is 9pm until 7.30am, he has a strict bedtime routine). He's 13 weeks old and isn't worried by being covered up. Like others say, I never cover him as punishment but say naughty boy if he is naughty and ignore him for a while.

The lady I got Ducati from had mentioned a blanket but didn't really go into detail. He starts getting sleepy between 8 and 10. Weekdays he wakes up around 6:30 or 7. Weekends he gets to sleep in a little bit because we usually have friends over and they can get loud.

 

[mrmightyfine]

Charlie sleeps in a furry tube I bought off eBay, they call it a cozzzy hut. It is at the highest point in his cage, he loves snuggling in there. When its bedtime he goes inside it and makes a few noises. I ask him if he wants to go to bed, he chirps and I then cover him up. When I uncover him in the morning this little head pops out and chirps then he gets his breakfast

 

[Ducatimom]

Aw! Ducati gets all fluffy in his corner and gives me a big yawn. Then starts closing his eyes. He makes his little happy noises when I cover him up to go to bed.