Just wondering what the census is on covering the bird's cage at night.
If you do cover it, why do you?
And if you do not, well, why not?
Thanks!

I cover mine due to the fact I think it settles them down after playing all day long.. I have two that if I didn't cover them they would sit and talk all night and no one would get any sleep...and too kind of helps to keep them warm as well..

I cover Quincy, it keeps him warmer and I think it gives him an extra sense of security.

I do, yes, for a couple of reasons. The first one being, I have a 4 year old and an 83 year old in the house who are often up at night for potty, meds etc etc. Which means I get up, and am prone to sleeping in earlier then usual those days. I don't wish the symphony before my obligatory get out of bed at 9am and FEED EVERYONE. Sheets go on at 9pm and off at 9am for a full 12 hour sleepy time. Second, the older 2 legged resident can sometimes THINK his wife who passed 12 years ago is sleeping in there, go in and flick on the light. I have it in my head that having a black sheet over ones sleeping cage lessens the shock of full spectrum florestents at 3am! When it happens on occasion, I don't here them doing anything. So, I guess it works.

The tiels each have night lights though. I new about it but never did it until I got in one that would startle and flap around blindly (still half sleeping??), I thought she would kill herself so put one in and it stopped happening. So, I just do it for all of them by habit now because you just never know.



J

I cover all three of mine at night, I too feel it signals sleep time. I have an 18 and 20 yr old who visit the kitchen and I don't want that bothering them. I keep a nite lite on mainly for my Tiel, what was described in the post above is called night frights and Tiels are prone to suffer them so it's always a good idea to have a nite lite for them.

I didn't cover Kiwi for the first 4 yrs of his life......had to start covering him and Gidget when we were living in our Motor Home and our daughter's house.......

I have to cover Jesta up otherwise I have no hope in getting a good night sleep... he sleepins in my room with all my other animals... and he is my alarm clock too I think he's learnt now that when he gets covered up its time for birdys to go sleep

I cover mine too its just the top half so if they wake early they can climb down to play ..I think it gives them a sense of security and keeps them from being disturbed ..mine sleep in their jolly ball up high so are nice and snug..

Thank you EVERYONE for your input! I hadn't been covering my fids, but started the other day just to help
them get all of their sleep. It didn't seam like they were getting their full 10-12 hrs. sleep. They were
a little skiddish at first, but this morning when I took of the sheet, they looked very compfy and snugg in
there.... ))

I just really appreciate all of you! I love these little guys and want to do the best by them. You have
all had a really big part in me learning what is the best for them.


Thank you!

Have a good day , night from me bed time down under...

I have a whole gym complex set up on top of the cages, so I can't cover them!

LOL I am lucky my Play top come off so I just remove the top each night...
Maybe you could just wrap around the sides a old blanket especially in winer would make the cages snug..do yours sleep in a hut of some sort..

I seem to be a bit late with a reply to you but thought I would reply anyway, maybe it will help someone else as well. Most of my birds are fortunate to have their own bedroom! When it is bedtime for them I give them their night-night treat, let them eat it and they squawk to let me know they are finished eating their treat & ready for bed! They have me well trained! lol I do not cover my birds especially those with their own bedroom. The reason I do not cover my birds is that I tried many times and they either "ate" the sheet covering or continually pulled it off of their cage. My first Quaker would allow me to cover him but no one will now. I have 5 birds, two macaws, two cockatoos & my "baby" Quaker!

It is important for them to have a cage either in a room where it will be dark enough & quiet enough for them to get a good night's sleep or a cover to make it dark enough to sleep. Also, depending on the location of the cage a sheet or other covering may be a good idea. My first Quaker I kept the cage covered on three sides to help avoid drafts and to give him a bit more security.

Jess

They have birdie beds, although they sleep next to them, not in them. The room stays pretty warm and I just turn off the light when it's their bedtime.

Susan.. I have playgyms on all my cages too! I use large bedsheets (black) and a rubbermaid step stool... and cover the whole thing. Works great, and actually the gyms keep the sheets away from the side of the cage so I haven't to date had chewing problems! I don't know if that might work for you? Or, perhaps you could use clothespins? I don't know if you want to cover or not.. but if you do, those ideas might help you?



J

It scares mine half to death to cover them completely, so I cover the back half of the cage and leave a night light on in the room in case they have "night frights". They like to see what is going on in the room if they hear a noise, yet be shielded so they think nothing can see them.
Both of mine sleep in their happy huts, but BO, my sun conure chews a hole in each side of her to make a window so she can peek out. She is pretty paranoid about knowing what is going on in the room.

I have a quilted cover, for one cage, I could use it on either... BUT I can't use it.. BOTH birds hate it and my Conure Billie freaks out if he doesn't have his night light! You don't want to be around if the bulb burns out!!! Billie did sleep in a box for a while and Adrian would LIKE to sleep on top of his cage. He didn't like the night light at first, but he screams for it now if you don't have it turned on. If Adrian has been busy during the day he always takes a nap in the afternoon. After I fly him, he is one tired Quaker...

If I didn't cover Jade, she'd never go to sleep. She's afraid she'll miss something. Clyde doesn't *need* a cover, but it's his signal that it's bedtime, and even if I don't cover him, when he gets tired, he crawls in his happy hut and off he goes. The budgies have had night frights, so I cover the front of their cage and just the top half of the back, which lets the night-light from the bathroom shine in just a bit. They have their own night-light, but if they're having a quiet night I don't turn it on for fear it will keep the Quakers awake.

Clyde used to object mightily to being covered so we didn't do it for months, but when we got Bonnie and he saw us covering her, he didn't like that, either. So I started covering him, too, and now he expects it. Of course, I obey!

Racal sleeps in the living room he's nosey since the day I got jim he has been covered so now he knows it's nite nite and no more squaks or con=mplaints once i wrangle him into the cage

i cover my cages not only so that they get their sleep but also for warmth and security reasons. and the fids know that when the cover goes on at 830 sharp its time to sleep and sometimes my xerxey wil even go to bed before i cover him.

I was kind of wondering about this myself. I dont have my QP yet, but I had planned to cover the cage at night. Yesterday however, I read in a book that if its dark at night they might get spooked if they hear a noise, they cant see so fall and injure themselves. The book also recommended a night light, so Im not really sure what im going to do yet.

Thats why I only cover 3/4 of the cage top anback front and sides ..then if they wake before me they can move down and still see out...

I just like that it gives me control over the amount of sleep they get. I want them to get 10-12 hours each night. They go right to sleep in their own room, covered, and don't get disturbed.

Yep, Casey gets covered too! If we didn't cover her she'd be yelling "Night Night Night!!!" until someone put the cover on, lol. I think it keeps out the drafts, gives her a sense of security and provides her with adequate amount of sleep

Rainfire- Cockatiels are more prone to night frights, haven't really heard Quakers having them, but I guess every birdie is very individual! Usually if there is noise, like someone walking past her cage at night, you'll hear her ruffle her feathers but she's never been spooked

I cover Kio's cage up so that he knows it's bed time. Sometimes we (my roommate and I, we're in college) stay up later, but we're sure that we're quiet so he can get some sleep. But that way the light doesn't bother him and he can get some real sleep!

I very seldom ever cover any of my birds cages, reason being they are rescue birds, most of these birds have been shoved away, ignored, and not part of a family for so long, unless there is a good reason, we do not cover their cage.

I take in unwanted birds or birds that the owners surrender to me just because they can no longer care for, for whatever reason. I do not care if they are plucked or cannot talk, believe it or not, those are two of the top reasons owners get rid of them, plus they make too much noise. I know the noise can be loud, but I try not to make them feel unwanted.

I have never had one surrendered to me that wants human companion, working on getting the two I have to except the attention, but I hope one day if someone surrenders a parrot to me it is because they love the bird instead of want to get rid of it and the bird can become my buddy.

Everyone who buys a parrot needs to know, they are noisey, they are messy, they cannot be turned off by a switch when you want to hold them, they deserve better than than to be another piece of furniture.

I love my birds, the two I have are making progress, but I feel I may set them back if I cover them up.

I should say that when I cover my birds, the front always has about a foot that isn't covered. They can see out if they get up early. They both have a lamp by their cage with a low wattage bulb, kind of like a night light. The room is not completely dark, but yet it isn't bright. They have their own bedroom......

I hope you get this message. I am still learnng how to maneuver through the forum.

My husband and I are living a great deal of the time in our motorhome at our daughters farm. I just bought a little blue quaker. I worry about him at night because my husband keeps the TV so loud until 11:00pm every night. I have the little one covered, and he seems to be fine. He makes no noise at night nor in the morning until I uncover him. I could move him to the back of the motorhome in the bedroom, but I am afraid then we would disturb him during the night.

Did you have any problems with the QP in your motorhome? I have only had him for 3 days and he is already on four meds. So I want to make him as comfortable as possible.

Thanks for your help.

Suzette

Just an update, not too long ago I answered to the question of how many people cover their bird cages and why they do or don't. I metioned that I take in surrendered birds and that all the birds ever surrendered to me have been mistreated or not given as much attention as they should and do not like human interaction and that I wish I had one that did. Well, about five days ago a lady did. She has been trying for six months to find a home for her Congo African Grey, she posted him for $1000 but the bird did not take to of the two people who responded to the ad. She told me to come out and introduce myself to her (the bird) and lets see how it goes. She was so loving and wanted to be with me all the time while I was there. She surrendered her to me, and we just love her, she is a man's bird and eventhough she likes my hubby the most, I love her. I don't cover her cage either because her owner never did and she is not used to that. We are up late sometimes, but we don't keep the tv really loud and turn the lights off so the birds can get some rest. She seems to be adjusting just fine to all of this.

Thanks for listening.

Bird

both marla and sunny sleep in a spare room which is nice and dark all night, however I too cover both for sleep. I think it gives a sense of security and also a signal that it is time for sleep, just like children.

t, marla and sunny

I agree...I have raised cockatiels and they MUST have a nightlight because of the night frights they have. I cover the quakers to keep them quieter in the morning...but it doesnt always work...because the teil wakes up first begging to get out.