How do you settle your bird after a fright at night?

[MomtoPercy]

Percy went to bed at 6pm as usual but I apparently didn't cover his cage securely because his blanket slipped open 4 hours later and I think the sudden lighter condition woke him up with a start. He tumbled from his perch and clung to the cage bars for 10min. Of course I stayed with him the whole time, rubbed his feathers all over through the bars (which he never allows during the day), held his foot & softly rubbed it when he held it out to me (it was the 'high four' foot that he offers for a 'high four' like I've trained him. He uses the right foot to step up to attack or bite and now for the 'high four' and the left foot to step up to be picked up so I knew he didn't want to be picked up, just comforted).
He eventually seemed calmer and I slowly closed him up again, talking softly and reassuring him. It is now 30min later and he's still rustling in his cage but I just whisper that mommy's here and he can sleep now.
I'm wondering now whether I should have taken him from the cage to comfort him? We don't have a cuddly relationship yet so I wasn't sure how that would be received and I also thought it would be good to leave him in his cage but with me close by.
What do you do if your bird suffers a big fright while sleeping?

 

[nyspy]

You did the right thing.. When he feels more comfortable with you and his surroundings, the fright will become way less frequent. My guys don't fright at all, but if they do, I know it's something REAL serious and I come RUNNING.

 

[MomtoPercy]

Thanks nyspy

 

[MarciaLove]

sounds like you did the right thing and you know tonight after my birds were out to bed my foster puppy got into the birdroom when my sis went in and she jumped all over my Macaws cage and he flipped out screaming bloody murder poor guy!!! I put the dog up and opened my Macaws cage and he climbed right on me and pressed himself up in my chest and I stood there petting him and talking softly to him for about 10 mins and he calmed down and I put him back to bed this was my first experience with my birds having a fright at night.

 

[MomtoPercy]

Yes, it was very disconcerting to see him so frightened and confused. But he seems in fine spirits this morning and evidently has recovered enough to bite again! And to think. 6 hours ago I stroked him all over...sigh!

 

[GaryBV]

MomtoPercy - you made me laugh there saying how he felt good enough to bite you this morning lol.

I don't cover my birds, and I'm not sure why people do. If I had them in a drafty place I would cover them, but I havn't had any problems not covering them, and they seem totally fine with it. The lovebirds do sleep cuddled together inside a cuddle hut but the parrotlets sleep just fine pressing against each other on a perch. Am I going to get yelled at? lol

 

[MomtoPercy]

If I don't cover Percy he'll never go to sleep! He is far to curious about what is happening around him, outside, in the bar three towns over...
Also, I put him to bed at 6pm sharp because we wake up at 6am and I've learned the hard way that he is grumpy mc grumpyboss if he doesn't sleep enough. Covering him tells him its night time and to go sleep.
I wish I could leave him open so I can see what happens in that cage at night. I'm very nosy about everything he does

 

[MonicaMc]

If I cover Charlie in a lit room, he'd be awake cause he'd still know what's going on! Well, he'd be able to hear at least and he wouldn't settle down... so having a bird room kind of helps with that.


It could be the wrong reaction to take *IF* he associated his fright with you. Comforting him could potentially make him scared of you right after he was scared of something else....


So you kind of need to judge whether or not he wants comfort from *YOU* - and from the sounds of it, he did.

 

[Mayden]

With my budgies its uncover, lamp on and let them settle again in their own time.

Senegals its uncover, potentially a cuddle and put back to bed, lamp on, partially covered until they're settled again. Similar to a child having nightmares. Ill be there but I dont want them to start getting used to the idea that they'll always come out for a cuddle after a fright. Some low chatter to let them know im there and some time to get their bearings again and then theyre good.

 

[crimson]

momtopercy--sounds like you did the right thing, clearly he understood you were helping him.

I cover all my birds, (with trips to the ladies room in the middle of the night), and a flashlight in one hand, would send my birds into orbit, if they weren't covered.

my cockatiels can and do have night frights, whether they fall off the perch, or the blanket falls off, it can take them up to half an hour to settle.

the one that falls or freaks out, ends up at the bottom of the cage, so I get up to assist helping it back up onto the perch to prevent a fight.