hammock

rita1 · Jun 11, 2019

hi i have two caiques and i was wondering if anyone else uses a hammock for their birds.
i made thiers out of fleece, i used the same material to make fleece cage liners for my guinea pigs and chinchilla.
my two birds sleep in there every night snuggled up together.
but why i am asking, is because some people say that hammocks can cause behaviour issues.

noodles123 · Jun 11, 2019

It is sweet that you made them something. Sadly, this is true. That having been said, it is going to be your call ultimately--I don't know your birds.

Hammocks, tents, huts etc absolutely can cause behavioral issues (and health issues)! They are hormonal triggers 99% of the time and they have the potential to create broody little monsters without people connecting the dots between new behavior and hammocks etc. You don't want your bird to have access to any shadowy spaces (inside or outside of the cage). A hormonal bird can engage in heightened aggression, territorial behaviors, screaming, feather destruction, jealously, egg laying and egg-binding.

In the wild, birds are in hollows when they are laying eggs, seeking a mate or tending to babies. Hammocks simulate a hollow or a nest and that increases their hormone production.

Just because you don't think it is impacting your birds hormones doesn't mean it isn't. A member recently posted about her egg-bound bird who showed no signs of being hormonal other than enjoying sleeping in her hammock in the evenings.

wrench13 · Jun 11, 2019

Hi Rita. Everything Noodles mentioned is fact based. In addition to being hormone triggers, parrots can ingest fibers, man made or natural, and wind up with blockage of their digestive systems, an often fatal condition. As has been stated elsewhere, healthy adult parrots are capable of perching all night, without the use of huts, hammocks, beds, bungalows, sofas or shacks. Ditch the hammock, make sure you have the correct diameter perches for your caiques and they will be fine sleeping on them.

rita1 · Jun 12, 2019

oh dear, i might have to remove the fleece. what a shame they snuggle up and sleep on thier sides they look so sweet, they often take afternoon naps as well.

Ezekiell · Jun 12, 2019

You could try switching to a seagrass hammock? I’m collecting toys and foragers in preparation for our future new baby and Ive seen some online and physical shops near me carrying an open seagrass mat ‘hammock’ that would allow the bird to play/hang/nap on if it wanted to. Im keeping something like this in mind as a possibility as a stimulatory toy (not a sleeping place) because its open and made from safe materials.

noodles123 · Jun 12, 2019

Ezekiell said:
You could try switching to a seagrass hammock? I’m collecting toys and foragers in preparation for our future new baby and Ive seen some online and physical shops near me carrying an open seagrass mat ‘hammock’ that would allow the bird to play/hang/nap on if it wanted to. Im keeping something like this in mind as a possibility as a stimulatory toy (not a sleeping place) because its open and made from safe materials.

It's only partly about the material-- ANY SHADOWY space puts them in nesting mode....You don't want hammocks of any kind (even when made of "bird safe" materials).

Are you talking about the foraging walls?
Those are generally okay, as long as they are flush with a flat surface---I had one hanging over my too's cage (away from any walls) and she started putting her head under it and getting broody, so I had to move it to a different location in full sun where it casts less of a shadow and she can't get under it.

rita1 · Jun 13, 2019

well i took down their fleece while they were out in the aviary. they did not like it, they kept shouting and would not settle on the perches to sleep, i covered the cage over with the blanket as normal to settle them down, but they would not sleep they just kept on shouting, so i gave in and put the fleece back in, they climbed up and went straight to sleep. what can i do.

noodles123 · Jun 13, 2019

Take it out in the morning and then ignore them if they scream...They may take a day to adjust, but there's a reason they are so mad it's gone..

Ezekiell · Jun 13, 2019

noodles123 said:
Ezekiell said:

You could try switching to a seagrass hammock? I’m collecting toys and foragers in preparation for our future new baby and Ive seen some online and physical shops near me carrying an open seagrass mat ‘hammock’ that would allow the bird to play/hang/nap on if it wanted to. Im keeping something like this in mind as a possibility as a stimulatory toy (not a sleeping place) because its open and made from safe materials.

Click to expand...

It's only partly about the material-- ANY SHADOWY space puts them in nesting mode....You don't want hammocks of any kind (even when made of "bird safe" materials).

Are you talking about the foraging walls?
Those are generally okay, as long as they are flush with a flat surface---I had one hanging over my too's cage (away from any walls) and she started putting her head under it and getting broody, so I had to move it to a different location in full sun where it casts less of a shadow and she can't get under it.

No, not the foraging walls. Its actually more like a swing, like this https://www.parrotbox.com.au/collec...rbird-mini-flying-trapeze?variant=36782467857
I totally get you don’t want any shadowy place but I thought something like this if hung in a well lit open area of the cage would be ok as it could hold foot toys, or be a swing, or just be a resting/transition space across the cage?

noodles123 · Jun 13, 2019

Ezekiell said:
noodles123 said:

Ezekiell said:

You could try switching to a seagrass hammock? I’m collecting toys and foragers in preparation for our future new baby and Ive seen some online and physical shops near me carrying an open seagrass mat ‘hammock’ that would allow the bird to play/hang/nap on if it wanted to. Im keeping something like this in mind as a possibility as a stimulatory toy (not a sleeping place) because its open and made from safe materials.

Click to expand...

It's only partly about the material-- ANY SHADOWY space puts them in nesting mode....You don't want hammocks of any kind (even when made of "bird safe" materials).

Are you talking about the foraging walls?
Those are generally okay, as long as they are flush with a flat surface---I had one hanging over my too's cage (away from any walls) and she started putting her head under it and getting broody, so I had to move it to a different location in full sun where it casts less of a shadow and she can't get under it.

Click to expand...

No, not the foraging walls. Its actually more like a swing, like this https://www.parrotbox.com.au/collec...rbird-mini-flying-trapeze?variant=36782467857
I totally get you don’t want any shadowy place but I thought something like this if hung in a well lit open area of the cage would be ok as it could hold foot toys, or be a swing, or just be a resting/transition space across the cage?

Oh--- I see! The mat you posted in the link could be fine for some birds and not fine for others. Personally, I have a feeling my bird would get super-broody if she had something like that (I could also see mine getting her foot stuck because she isn't very graceful). That having been said, I don't think all birds would have hormonal problems with a sea-grass mat like that, but some definitely would. The one pictured in your link is open (non-shadowy) and made a safer materials (which makes it way safer than a hut of any sort)....Whether it impacts bird behavior will be bird-specific.

rita1 · Jun 13, 2019

ok i will try again, they just like to sleep in it. maybe i will take the fleece hammock away but let them have a platform for them to lie on, but make sure it’s flat so the light will be around them. it’s so sad to hear them asking for their bed. it’s like not allowing your child a bed. i know they are spoilt. but i love them.

noodles123 · Jun 13, 2019

I know, but instead of thinking of it that way, think about a child who is throwing a fit over not wanting to eat broccoli or the tears you might get from a child with a dairy intolerance begging for a milkshake. It's for their own good lol. They don't need beds and they wouldn't have something like that in nature unless their intention was to mate and produce babies.
The platform would be a better alternative (although the danger there is that they could hang out in the shadow below the ledge and get all broody there).
They will adjust--- you may have an off night, but if you take it out as soon as they are up in the morning, I bet they will be nearly over it by bedtime (and if not, it's just one night).
If you cover the cage at night, they get just as much dark and their home will feel safe and secure once they adjust to not having the hammock. They can still sleep next to each other on a perch and a good cover should prevent them from seeing much inside the cage anyway.

All healthy, adult birds can sleep perfectly comfortably on regular perches (preferably not the smooth dowel kind, as this leads to bumble-foot long-term).

rita1 · Jun 16, 2019

well the hammock is out, it was horrible i had to come to bed, they were so upset about not having the hammock to sleep in, we put in a platform but they did not use it. they are still calling now.

noodles123 · Jun 16, 2019

Did you take it out in the morning and did they see you do it (I would have taken it when they were elsewhere). Putting the platform in right away could have scared them in addition to the hammock removal (you know how birds are with new stuff +changes).

They will get over--try to stay calm though (they do pick up on our anxiety and if you are acting upset, that will fuel whatever angst they are already feeling).
They are upset because they probably thought of it as their nest, but birds don't sleep in nests unless they are making babies or planning to.

Sorry they are upset.
Do you cover the cage at night?

https://birdtricksstore.com/blogs/birdtricks-blog/the-most-dangerous-parrot-cage-accessory <--in case you have doubts.

fiddlejen · Jun 16, 2019

I was in a local store yesterday and saw a SLightly larger, rectangular versof the same one, only, it had two things pieces of wood in an X attached to the bottom, to keep it flat. So, open, airy, ANd won't slump into a hammock shape. MIGHT be the right for some birds?

noodles123 · Jun 16, 2019

I'm having trouble visualizing what you are describing...Does it have a roof or sides?

rita1 · Jun 17, 2019

i took the fleece out in the morning, they were out in the avairy. they went straight on the platform when they came back in, they like to body surf the fleece material. these birds like to sleep on thier sides, sometime they sleep on thier backs it is so sweet. anyway they always have a fly around in the morning and i put them back in the cage when i go to work. but they did not want to go back they were really kicking off, took me ages to get them back. they are not happy.

noodles123 · Jun 17, 2019

Are they doing a bit better now?
I am not saying it won't take some time (heck, my bird gets mad at me if I leave town for 2 days or if we go to the vet)...

Just give it some time. I know it sucks to see them upset.

rita1 · Jun 18, 2019

cheers noodles123 they were a little bit better last night, no screaming, still kicking off but at least the screaming has stopped. they are sleeping on their ladder. they went in a little bit better this morning, i put them into separate cages when i go to work. then they go out into the avairy they do have a fleece in the avairy but they only use that when i give them a shower, they like to dry themselves on the fleece. so far so good.

noodles123 · Jun 18, 2019

I am glad things are improving! Yay!

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