Bottom of the cage at night?

[Ladyeclectic]

My little Mishka (GCC) has been spending a fair amount of time on the bottom of her cage, especially at night. It's been like this for a while - I think she doesn't like climbing her cage in the dark - but I used to be able to coax her topside by sitting with her. Well this morning I took the cover off and found her at the bottom corner - scared me when she didn't move when I talked to her but she started moving again when I turned on the light.
(a little background: I live alone and have to be at work by 4:30am six days a week, so I keep the place dark while I uncover them and put their food in. I'm usually home by 1pm)

Is there any reason I should worry about her seeming to prefer the floor? I haven't done any bloodwork but her feces came back clean according to the vet and I won't have money to take her to another vet checkup until next week. I've also noticed she'll chew feces at the bottom of her cage (gets caught on the grate - I try to keep it clean but can't get to it multiple times a day) and lately her feet get flushed if she's excited (is this normal? I'd never noticed it before).

Otherwise she's great. She seems particularly enamored of Calypso and even though I try to keep them separated she always strains to get to her if she sees the little yellow fluffball. I worry, as she was raised with birds, that she prefers them and would like to (perhaps selfishly) keep her my baby as long as I can. Her diet consists of Harrison's pellets which are always available in her cage (and she does eat them), a cooked mix of beans, peas, lentils etc (it comes prepackaged, just soak and cook), Just Veggies (freeze-dried peas, corn, peppers and carrots but she usually ignores the last two) and lately I've added spinach in which I've seen her eat but don't know how much. She ignores her cuttle bone (whereas Calypso demolished hers in no time flat) so I worry about calcium and minerals.

Should I worry? It near about gave me a heart attack when she (for a moment) didn't move at the bottom of her cage this morning. I know I need to do a blood test for deficiencies etc but with the holidays here money is tight and I keep making excuses (bad Sarah, yes I know). Rambling aside, any advice?

 

[greycloud]

I understand your money issue. She may, like you said, not feel comfortable climbing in the dark. Could you put a small plugin night light for her?
The other issue, birds hide their illnesses till they reach the point where they no longer can. A change in behavior, such as staying on the floor bottom could be the onset of her not feeling well. If she behaves very normal the rest of the day, it may just be a new behavior for her. Eating feces is not normal, though some birds do this. Some say it is due to something lacking in the diet Also, keep spinach to 1-2 times a week. It contains oxalic acid. This can cause kidney stones in birds. If you are looking for calcium rich foods kale would be better or ground up cuttle bone over her fresh foods. Flushing of the feet could be due to excitement, or a temperature change to her body. If this continues, or gets any worse, I highly recommend you take her to an avian vet for a check. Please keep us updated.

 

[Ladyeclectic]

Will do on the spinach. I wanted to try kale but the store didn't have any, would that be better on a daily basis?

I googled "bird on bottom of cage" and of course now I'm worried. She tends to walk the bottom of her cage when she wants attention during the day, but it wasn't until this morning that I really noticed (got shocked into noticing) it could be an issue.

I'm going to call the vet later today and see what she has to say. I can take her in to see the vet but it'd put me in the red until I get paid next week. But now I'm worried, especially seeing as I have another bird to worry about now too. *sigh*

 

[greycloud]

I would not give any veggie or fruit every day. I rotate and offer each about 3-4 times a week.
I think maybe a vet check is best, especially with another bird in the home. Let me know what your vet says.

 

[Von1983]

I can only agree with GC....good luck with a vet visit.

Another suggestion I might throw in is perhaps she is like Cal and not a perch fan? Cal sits on her natural branches occasionally but not normal wood or plastic ones.

I think conures like to cuddle up at night so maybe this is what Mishka is trying to do? After much "trying to get there before she realises" lol I discovered Cal DOES indeed sleep in her cozzzzy hut over night. If the vet check comes back clean then perhaps that is worth a shot?

Thinking of you!

 

[Ladyeclectic]

I've been toying with the idea of getting her a cozy hut to sleep in, especially since my Sun has been overjoyed with hers (stays in it as much as she can, even uses the top as a table to leisurely eat her food ). I think she would enjoy it, especially since she's always had problems with being alone (especially at night) since we got her.

I haven't been noticing anything else different though, and the floor thing just scared me this morning. I'm still going to call the vet when they open - I've noticed too many little things for me to be comfortable leaving her be (and risking possibly finding her lying on her cage bottom for real). She's due to get her nails clipped anyway, and our own Calypso still needs to go to the vet herself.

 

[birdiemomma]

Bella absolutely loves her tent I got for her to sleep in. It took her a good two-three weeks to get used to it but now she loves it. Her bed time is normally 7:00 pm and at 6:55 Bella is backing herself into her tent and crying for me to cover her cage. Here is the tent I got Bella.... it's the Fleece tent a little ways down the page Bird Tents, Peekaboo Perch Tents, Parrot Snuggle Sleepers, Soft Fleece Tent for Birds