When is bed time?

When is bed time?
I put the Professor to bed when I cant take him any more.
He gets you to a place where to avoid beating him, you just need to put him somewhere you cant see him.
But The Skippah?
Debbie wants him to go to bed as soon as it gets dark.
Its quite cold out and Debbie's argument is going out when its dark and it gets colder slowly, so he doesn't notice the cold. As opposed to me putting him out late, when I go to bed,..midnight plus, and him going from the warm of the house, into his cage and cover out side the back door.
The reason I bring it up is that when I went to step him up for bed last night , he bit me hard. Really hard. then tried to avoid a step up and thus avoid going to bed.
Can anyone advise on letting him stay on his open perch all night in the winter months and not in a cage and cover outside?

Re: WHen is bed time?

Is there an opportunity to leave him there with access to something warm, like a hut or covered area? No animal is going to freeze to death if there is somewhere warm to go.

Alternately, rather than stepping him up and bringing him to bed (where he has no desire to go apparently,) teach him a command to go to bed on his own. Inherent in teaching this there would be some sort of reward for completing the command - a seed, grape, whatever motivates him.

I've used this type of method with much success with many dog owners. The dog has no innate desire to go to their kennel for bed. So they are taught a command like 'kennel' or 'house' with lots of added reinforcers. It's worked so well that many of my students have used it in association with the doorbell - the bell rings and the dog runs to the kennel rather than barking or jumping.

I've taught Auggie two commands for going to his cage - one for in the morning when I'm leaving, and one at night for which he climbs into his happy hut.

If you're interested I could provide details on the process if needed.

Re: WHen is bed time?

Sounds like a lot of work.
I will discuss it and get back to you.
I am toying with the idea of Toilet training the Professor.

Re: WHen is bed time?

I mean really, Red how cold does it get there at night? I have no idea ... I bet by comparison it's downright balmy compared to here ... I think AD is right on this one ... Your RB2 are native to Oz and should be ok at night as long as they have a warm spot to cuddle next to each other ...

Re: WHen is bed time?

I bought a happy hut and no one used it. I like the idea of a little hut they can get into if the like.
In the top corner?
A box with nothing in it?
Just a circle to get in and that's it?
Or bedding inside?
Cotton wool floor?
A perch?
leave the bottom out so he can poo thru?
wont that cause a draft?

Re: WHen is bed time?

Betcha' it gets colder here. We're having a heat wave, it got up to the upper fourties (deg F) today and everyone was running around outside in shorts and T-Shirts.

Re: WHen is bed time?

the average winter temp in Australia (Reds area) is 15c = 59f it can go down to 10c = 50c but this is not often.
I personally would love to see him in New England for a winter, The southerner thinks those temps are cold.

Re: WHen is bed time?

I hear you, AD! Today it was 55F and I thought I was in heaven.

Thanks, Lori, for lettiing this newbie know where RedBalloon is...was wondering about him keeping his birds outdoors regularly - thought he was in FL!

Re: WHen is bed time?

My birds go to bed at 8:00pm on the dot. If you're in Australia then i don't think you have to worry about the cold weather.

Re: WHen is bed time?

I feel better now.

Re: WHen is bed time?

You southern boy...
Cold Ill show you cold.

Re: WHen is bed time?

Lori said:

the average winter temp in Australia (Reds area) is 15c = 59f it can go down to 10c = 50c but this is not often.
I personally would love to see him in New England for a winter, The southerner thinks those temps are cold.

Click to expand...

50F in the winter .. I could only wish ... AD has it right ... we hit 50 in April and people break out the shorts ... it's a constant 68F in our apartment and our birds are just fine ... I am sure that with proper time to acclimate the whole "castaway crew" will be more than fine outside!

Re: WHen is bed time?

When it hits 50F I'm looking for a pool. Actually I was out yesterday and it was feeling like beach weather. I don't think it got quite up to 50 though.