Chewy has been acting so strange lately! It started about 2 weeks ago and involves his night time cage (he sleeps in a cage in my bedroom at night, and a cage in the living room during the day). He went to bed fine, but the next morning he would NOT come out of his happy hut - I had Pie on my shoulder (she comes out of her cage first) and Chewy kept peeking but wouldn't come out. So I offered him my hand, still a no go. So I left the room and put Pie out for the day - and checked on Chewy again - STILL in his bed. He was screaming but wouldn't come out for nothing. Eventually I tried pulling his blanket out, thinking he may be stuck on it. But he wasn't, before I could even really pull on it he flew out and then flapped around his cage hysterically. I checked him out, and the inside of the happy hut - and no evidence that he got stuck on anything. Then on our way to the day time cage, he kept flying off my hand and screaming (which is quite abnormal for him). That night I couldn't even walk into my room with him, he kept flying back out. When I finally got him into the room, and into the cage he flew right back out. Finally I got him in, but he sat there screaming again - where he would have normally run right into his bed. After about 30 minutes he did settle and went to sleep.
Then for a few days it was back to the normal routine, as soon as I would uncover him in the morning he would run out to be picked up. And when I put him away at night he would run right to his bed.
But things started going funny in the morning again - he would take about 10minutes of peeking out before he would actually venture out of bed. Then this morning he again would not come out for anything. So I took Pie and put her in her day time cage. Checked on Chewy again, and he was still in bed. I tried talking to him and offering my hand, but he just hid in the middle of his happy hut. So I left the room for about 5 minutes. When I came back he was hanging upside down on one of his perches (which is not something he does) and when I approached his cage, he started flapping hysterically around his cage - to the point I actually grabbed him (gently), because I was afraid he was going to hurt himself before he settled down (one of those down hill things, he flaps because he's upset, then starts panicking and flaps more!)! Then again as soon as we were out of the cage, he started flying.
So any ideas on what is causing this behaviour with his cage? The part i'm most concerned with is that he will not come out of the happy house?
Thanks!
Britt

Question....Are you sure it's a "he"


That almost sounds like a broody hen. Like she thinks she is wanting to maybe nest?

Yep, he is for sure a he (he was DNA sexed by the breeder)

Maybehe's gender confused? *wicked grin* Has anything changed in the room that could be making him nervous? With the change in season is the light falling somewhere and making an odd shadow that it didn't before? Could he have just noticed something in the room that he hadn't paid attention too before?

Hmmm, that's the main reason why I personally would never, ever use a happy hut or a sleepy cage. In some birds they can cause some very negative behaviour. They tend to get way too attached to their happy huts or their sleepy cages and see it as a nesting area.. therefore something to protect. My breeder friend rescued a Grey from a similar situation, the owners put the Grey in a sleepy cage in a dark room so it would get the proper amount of sleep etc. but then in the mornings when they went to get her they would get attacked and there was no way they could handle her as she just wanted to stay in her sleepy cage. The family gave her to my friend and now she is back to being the sweetest, most talkative bird... and she doesn't have a sleeping cage anymore

I'd get rid of the happy hut first and then see what you can do about the sleeping cage if the behaviour stays the same. Good luck!!

I use a sleeping cage with Kiko because we also have cats. Her day cage is on the main floor between my dining room and living room. At night we close the bedroom door so Kiks can sleep without me worrying about a cat sitting underneath (or ontop of) her all night while her door is closed and she can't do anything about it. So far we haven't had any trouble at all as Kiko is getting used to the routine. She also has a happy hut in there but she had never seen one before and isn't using it yet.

So here's an update from today - He was fine all day out in his daytime cage, acting completely normal, and got his normal time out of the cage. Then as soon as we got to my room, he started flapping about - I had to cover his wings to get him into his cage again. Then once in he fluttered about some more.
So i'm not sure that it is his happy hut - seems to be the cage more than anything?

The only change I can think of is that I used to have a night light that was in front of him, but it burnt out and I haven't had a chance to replace it. So I've been leaving the closet light on to keep a little light into the room. However the way he is covered he would have gotten more light from the original night light - maybe that is the issue? He's always had the night light, because I had it for Pie who is an early bird because she gets up and eats before I'm up, so I thought she'd prefer a little light to complete darkness. Thoughts??

I don't use sleep cages or the huts.

Mine all have their regular big cages all the time.

They go to bed at between 8:30 and 9pm and get covered with black covers. They get up at 9am and the cages are opened for them to come and go as they please during the day, unless I have errands to run or work that needs done outside.

They have loads of toys in their cages and don't get upset at all when they are left in because most of the time they are out all day until bedtime and only play with the toys in their cages when I'm not in the house and they have to be locked up for safety sakes.

When you think about it the jungle is not quiet at night unless there is danger present. So, in my opinion complete quiet = danger.

During the day if they go into their cage to nap it's on a different perch than the one they sleep on at night. But, usually they have a certain perch on their trees that they will nap on during the day time. And if they are on this perch you know to not bother them or risk a good nip.

I've had birds since the early '80's and haven't had any problems this way.

Kind of like what Casey's mom said.

I've got a quaker, senegal and cag.