Sleep problems

reeisconfused

New member
Aug 11, 2018
137
0
Parrots
rescued IRN Max and Cockatiel Honey
Hello!
Max got upgraded to a new cage two weeks ago and heā€™s LOVING it. Iā€™ve added lots of new toys and perches. Max still doesnā€™t understand toys yet but he LOVES shredding stuff down.
I had sort of made him a sort of pot big enough for him to sleep in because he freaks out if I cover his cage. Plus he has some happy huts (DIYed, safe fabric used - I donā€™t buy them, I made them myself) to sleep in. He slept great in his old cage but ever since weā€™ve transfered him to his new cage, heā€™s took to sleeping on different perches. And that would be okay....if he let him cover his cage up.
I cover one side of the cage and leave the other side open so that he can see us, because again, if he doesnā€™t, he starts freaking out.
His sleep schedule was great at first but has down downhill the past week. He used to sleep solid 12 hours before (9.30am) but he wakes up now as soon my mom does (around 6am).
Heā€™s started taking lots of naps these days due to lack of sleep. Heā€™s even sleeping now at 2pm! If anyone could help me, Iā€™d be grateful.

I covered his cage once when I first got him and he freaked out and never did it again. Should I be strict and start covering? I fear he may die of fright since heā€™s not used to it.

Help appreciated.
 

EllenD

New member
Aug 20, 2016
3,979
65
State College, PA
Parrots
Senegal Parrot named "Kane"; Yellow-Sided Green Cheek Conure named "Bowie"; Blue Quaker Parrot named "Lita Ford"; Cockatiel named "Duff"; 8 American/English Budgie Hybrids; Ringneck Dove named "Dylan"
He's not going to "die of fright", and yes, I'd much rather cover his cage than provide him with any "huts", "pots", etc., because those are only going to serve to kick his hormones into high-speed and this will create an entirely new set of problems that are much worse than this one...I'd absolutely try covering his cage, but all the way around because if he is able to see you and you're awake, then he may not want to go to sleep at all anyway.

You have to just cover his cage, make sure the room is dark and quiet where he sleeps, and then walk away. Max may be a bird who will benefit from having a separate "sleeping cage", perhaps the smaller once you were using for him before, that would be perfect. Put it in a dark, quiet room where he won't be bothered, where you aren't going to be and he can't see you, with no toys, nothing inside the sleeping cage except for a perch and a water dish, that's it. And then just walk away and let him sleep. When you first get a bird or when they are young, they may very well cry and scream when you put them to bed/cover them...However, after they are settled-in to their home and are older, they tend to appreciate being covered at night, and usually will just fall asleep, as long as you don't go running to them the second you hear them begging/crying/screaming...He won't "die" from being covered up at night, I promise you that. Some birds do have "night frights", but that happens after they fall asleep and then suddenly wake-up and are scared...but even night-frights won'g "kill" the bird...

Solid sleep is very important for your bird, so I'd give it a shot for a week. Be strong, don't give in, and I bet in a few days he just goes to sleep as soon as you cover him up...
 

noodles123

Well-known member
Jul 11, 2018
8,145
472
Parrots
Umbrella Cockatoo- 15? years old..I think?
Have you thought about a sleep cage? He could stay in there until you are ready to get him out and then he wouldn't be woken up by your mom (in theory).
 

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