Is it abnormal for a bird to sleep on the cage floor?

happycat

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This isn't entirely new behavior. Tonight for about the 3rd time not in a row, I found Kirby sleeping in the bottom of his cage, on foot up. Usually when he does this I shine a light and he goes to bed but tonight he just went back to the floor. I think he may have been hungry! He asked for a pellet berry and when I gave it to him he ate it. (He usually never eats at night) and sat on the perch looking like he wanted more (before going to the floor again) eventually I got him to hop into his hut and sleep there.

He had been SUCH a hungry boy lately!!! I recently changed him back to the diet he had as a young bird (pellet berries) an he is CRAzY for them! When I let him out he literally DIVES into the container and will eat and eat until I take it away. If I don't give it to him he will scavenge for them on the carpet
I can only give him 7 a day however, cause those things are expensive.

He may be so hungry because he Is molting. Hm...what do you think?
 

Kiwibird

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Sleeping on the floor and changes in appetite are both potential signs of illness. The floor thing at least, may also be a sign he is becoming sexually mature (nesting behavior). Has Kirby been DNA sexed as a male, or did you "assume". If 'he' is actually a 'she', the increased appetite may be due to 'his' body gearing up to lay eggs.

In any case, a trip to the vet is probably in order. I know you've been noticing a few odd things with Kirby for a while now (not sure if you have already seen a vet?) and you want to nip any potential illness or problem before it becomes serious.
 
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happycat

happycat

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Sleeping on the floor and changes in appetite are both potential signs of illness. The floor thing at least, may also be a sign he is becoming sexually mature (nesting behavior). Has Kirby been DNA sexed as a male, or did you "assume". If 'he' is actually a 'she', the increased appetite may be due to 'his' body gearing up to lay eggs.

In any case, a trip to the vet is probably in order. I know you've been noticing a few odd things with Kirby for a while now (not sure if you have already seen a vet?) and you want to nip any potential illness or problem before it becomes serious.

I don't think he is sick because kakarikis are ground dwellers. I don't know if that has anything to with SLEEPING on the floor but hes always hung out on the floor. Also he isn't acting abnormal. I'll keep a close eye on him and take him to the vet if anything odd happens, he is sleeping in his hut now. I am fairly sure he is a boy because he has a bigger beak but I am not 100 percent sure.
 
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Kiwibird

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Well if they are ground dwellers by nature, that just might be the most comfortable place for him. Kakarikis are uncommon, and with some of the more uncommon species, the care guidelines and behaviors differ from more common species. Most parrots live in trees and want to be as high up as possible, so when they sleep on the floor, it is a sign of potential illness. However, that might not be the case for a bird that naturally lives on the ground/spends most of it's time on the ground.
 

MonicaMc

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None of my birds sleep on their cage bottoms. All prefer to be at mid-height or higher within the cage when they sleep.


Saying that, I'm currently watching over a bird (hopefully just fostering!) and the morning after the bird came home, I found the bird on the cage floor. The bird was sitting there fluffed up and sleeping. Not laying, but standing on at least one foot. I nearly freaked out! Then the bird woke up, noticed me, and scrambled to the top of the cage! Second morning? The bird is once again sleeping on the cage floor, and once again, the bird wakes up and scrambles to the top of the cage!

When I first saw the bird, the bird did spend a lot of time down in a corner of the cage that the bird was being kept in and contorting it's body, putting the back in the corner or against the cage bars and being splayed legged. (can you tell the bird doesn't have a name yet?!?!?!!? :rolleyes: ) I'm hoping to get the bird in to my a-vet next week, although not because of sleeping on the cage floor.



I've actually heard of a few stories of birds who enjoy sleeping on their backs and their owners, not being aware of this behavior, go to wake Polly up! Imagine the owners shock when they see Polly laying on his/her back, feet up in the air, eyes closed and not moving! And then, due to the noises the human made while rushing over to the cage to see what happened to Polly, Polly wakes up and flips over as if nothing is amiss!

Heard another story about an african grey that decided he enjoyed sleeping with his head in his food dish. Being too large to physically fit in the dish, he just laid his head down inside it instead! That's another horrifying thing to see!




Most parrots do prefer sleeping up higher where they feel safe, but some species and individuals may prefer sleeping down lower. The question is, is whether or not the behavior is abnormal for your bird, and if it's not abnormal, are there other signs besides that that may indicate the bird is sick?
 

TessieB

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The birds I've had who insisted on being on the floor and were not ill were either broody or very, very old, or very, very young and didn't know about perching yet.

The increase in appetite makes me think broody but you said the bird was molting and those two things don't usually happen at the same time. Molting could be the reason he's so hungry-he's needing protein to grow those new feathers!

Now, if he's learned that you feed him his most very favorite food while he's on the floor you might have taught him to do this. However, there are other things to think of. What condition are your perches in? Are they too small? Too large? Too boring? Are other family pets standing over his cage and staring at him? Nothing like the family cat swinging from the cage to make a bird huddle in the corner of the cage. Is his cage located to close to a large window? Some birds are intimidated by the view and this is where a 'wall' of toys comes in handy. He can hide behind the wall. and not huddle on the floor. A fractured leg may cause your bird to stay on the floor, but you would notice a lame bird.

Check your bird's feet. Are they infected? Can he curl his toes in a normal fashion? Is his grip strong?

This is where an avian vet comes in handy. If your bird has a sudden change of behavior something is going on. Either it's hormonal, physical, psychological or simply a species thing-he's a ground dweller.

Good thing you have a sharp eye. Observe him closely. And like the 'male' cockatiel someone gave me-you might find an egg on the floor of the cage!
 
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happycat

happycat

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Is his cage located to close to a large window? Some birds are intimidated by the view and this is where a 'wall' of toys comes in handy. He can hide behind the wall. and not huddle on the floor.
Check your bird's feet. Are they infected? Can he curl his toes in a normal fashion? Is his grip strong?


Good thing you have a sharp eye. Observe him closely. And like the 'male' cockatiel someone gave me-you might find an egg on the floor of the cage!

Yep. His cage is next to a big window that spans most of his cage. His feet are fine and he gripping perches fine too.

I really hope he is a guy though, eep! I've always been scared of egg binding!
 

Birdman666

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I've seen some pretty strange sleeping stuff over the years from perfectly healthy birds.

My own bonded pair of conures had a strange sleeping arrangement. The male (Demitre) would take the position on their sleeping perch spot. Then the female (Inca) would climb the bars of the cage, and hang upside down by her feet, sleeping on her back, ON TOP OF the male (wings on top of wings) with her head turned sideways and tucked into his neck, and his head turned sideways and tucked into her neck... Watching them settle in for the night was always a hoot!

There was a TAG down at the rescue who used to empty out his food bowl, stick his head in the bowl, and sleep standing on his head... I think that was the oddest one I remember.

So, yeah, sometimes they just do odd things.
 
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happycat

happycat

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I've seen some pretty strange sleeping stuff over the years from perfectly healthy birds.

My own bonded pair of conures had a strange sleeping arrangement. The male (Demitre) would take the position on their sleeping perch spot. Then the female (Inca) would climb the bars of the cage, and hang upside down by her feet, sleeping on her back, ON TOP OF the male (wings on top of wings) with her head turned sideways and tucked into his neck, and his head turned sideways and tucked into her neck... Watching them settle in for the night was always a hoot!

There was a TAG down at the rescue who used to empty out his food bowl, stick his head in the bowl, and sleep standing on his head... I think that was the oddest one I remember.

So, yeah, sometimes they just do odd things.
:09: haha! I love those weird sleeping arrangements!
 
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happycat

happycat

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Just thought I should mention that Kirby is sleeping in his hut tonight. I think because hes down there so often (looking for food) he gets cozy every once in a while and falls asleep.
 

lquan

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Here is how my Lily used to sleep whenever she sneaked into my bedroom.:)
 

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LoriP

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A friend of a friend has a parrot who has a pail-type bucket which he picks up and places over his head when he sleeps
 
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happycat

happycat

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Here is how my Lily used to sleep whenever she sneaked into my bedroom.:)
That would TERRIFY me!! Honestly, I am glad I got a kak and not a conure because if my bird slept like that it would never get any sleep with me poking it awake to see if it was alive.

A friend of a friend has a parrot who has a pail-type bucket which he picks up and places over his head when he sleeps

Oh my gosh I seriously cracked up at that!


Oh, and tonight he did a similar thing. When I came in at 9:20 he came out of his hut and sat at his bowl. I gave him half a pellet berry, he ate it and sat at his bowl again. I refused to give him any more and even with the lights out he sat at the bowl wanting more. I eventually poked him and he went straight to bed again like last night.
 

LostStonerBoy

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Eventually I got him to hop into his hut and sleep there.

I assume it's a Happy hut, or something similar, you REALLY need to take that out of your birds cage.

They are unfortunately poorly made, and birds can easily tear pieces off on the inside, and swallow them, or even get a toe hung in the fabric.

Not to mention it also causes behavioral problems because it encourages nesting behavior, which makes their hormones flare. They say unless your absolutely intent on breeding your bird, you shouldn't encourage nesting behavior, or have any dark coverings, or dimly lit parts of your birds cage except at night while it sleeps.

That's the only time it's ok for it to be dark in their cages.
After I found this information out I vowed to never buy one no matter how cute I think it would look with my bird inside one.

Best of luck with your bird.
 

SailBoat

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Eventually I got him to hop into his hut and sleep there.

I assume it's a Happy hut, or something similar, you REALLY need to take that out of your birds cage.

They are unfortunately poorly made, and birds can easily tear pieces off on the inside, and swallow them, or even get a toe hung in the fabric.

Not to mention it also causes behavioral problems because it encourages nesting behavior, which makes their hormones flare. They say unless your absolutely intent on breeding your bird, you shouldn't encourage nesting behavior, or have any dark coverings, or dimly lit parts of your birds cage except at night while it sleeps.

That's the only time it's ok for it to be dark in their cages.
After I found this information out I vowed to never buy one no matter how cute I think it would look with my bird inside one.

Best of luck with your bird.

Truly great advice, but sadly, the Thread is near seven years old!
Thank you for your timeless Post!
 

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