Living Room Vs. Private Bird Room?

[Poppy_HK]

Hi all!

I am brand new to the community and thrilled to have found a forum for helpful advice!

A little bit of background: I am about to become a bird owner for the first time. I am visiting with the owner of a local bird rescue this weekend to meet all her adoptable birds and see if "one chooses me" as the process goes. I have explained that I am looking to adopt a "small-medium" bird in the size range of a Sun Conure/Quaker/Meyers. She has a Sun Conure that she is excited for me to meet.

But I digress (Sorry, dysfunctionally excited!). My question for all you wonderful avian experts out there is this: Do you keep your bird cages in the living room (with your TV and in the hub of activity) or in a separate room?
My reason for asking is: I know how much birds need their 10-12 hours a night of quiet, uninterrupted rest to remain healthy BUT how important it is as well for the bird to be involved in family life and the daily hum drum for the same reason.
My partner and I watch the TV in our living room most nights, right next to where I had thought of putting our birds cage.... But my fear of course is that (even with a cover) the sound of the TV will keep my little one awake or not allow for a truly restful sleep. I know the bird will be "put to bed" for the evening long before we go to sleep for the night, so this could be a real issue.
The alternative that I had considered was putting my bird cage in my "sun room" at the back of the house to allow for restful sleep.... But this means that during the day, his/her cage is waaaay out of foot traffic and the rest of the family rarely goes back there. I am worried about rolling the cage in and out of rooms for different parts of the day, as I know this can be very unsettling for a bird.

Can I ask your experience with this conundrum? Do you find that your birds sleep fine with the TV as background noise? Do you separate them from the household for sleepy time?

Any advice is thoroughly appreciated!
-Poppy

 

[TikiMyn]

Welcome! It is so exciting you might be about to meet your first fid! Lots of pictures please when he or she comes home!
You can place a sleep cage in another room for quiet sleep

 

[Poppy_HK]

Thank you for the response TikiMyn!

I don't know why I didn't think of just getting a large "social" cage for the living room and a smaller "for sleep" cage
Is this what you do with your kiddos?

I only ask because I wonder if two cages would stress the little feather out?
Thoughts?

 

[Poppy_HK]

P.S Your little ones are beautiful!

 

[Dona]

We take our bird and cage from the busy family room around 7PM each night. She doesn't mind the trip at all, in fact she runs all around the cage during the ride. We sing "traveling music" to her and she seems entertained. Many on this site have separate sleep cages.

 

[Lodah]

I would keep your fid in the room with most traffic as they need to be part of your flock, as already stated! A small sleep cage is usually the answer to your dilemma, just make it part of your routine and give lots of praise and treats once they are there! They should have no reason not to want to go there!

 

[Poppy_HK]

These answers have been so helpful!

Thank you all so much - I think two separate cages is the answer for me!
I like the idea of one cage that I can make "fun" and another that I can make "cozy"

 

[TikiMyn]

My fids currently have their Own room/we share a room. It is only my bed and closer in there though and the rest is their stuff They are cage free and sleep usually in a high covered spot. If I had the chance though I would have a seperate sleeping cage for them They don’t seem to mind if I quietly do stuff after their bedtime, there response is bigger if it is raining for example. Right now it is pouring and they are moving about, while earlier I accidentally tripped and I didn’t hear them move at all.
I think a lot of birds enjoy having. A secure sleeping cage actually Some people also say it is better because in the wild birds don’t forage/play/eat/etc where they sleep. I think if you show him/her that the sleeping cage is safe and enjoyable she Will be fine

P.S Your little ones are beautiful!

Thank you!

 

[MahaSarah]

Another option is having their cage in a bird room and having a large jungle gym/play gym in your living room.

 

[Poppy_HK]

Another option is having their cage in a bird room and having a large jungle gym/play gym in your living room.

Very true! My only thought is that his/her cage is probably better placed in the living room for when I have to "secure" the little one during the day (maybe when I'm vacuuming for example) but want the beak to still be able to see me?
Thank you for your suggestion!

 

[TikiMyn]

Very true! My only thought is that his/her cage is probably better placed in the living room for when I have to "secure" the little one during the day (maybe when I'm vacuuming for example) but want the beak to still be able to see me?
Thank you for your suggestion!

That is what I thought as well Having a large play area is great and a play stand is a must I think for when they are out, but when other people are over/people are cooking/doing dangerous stuff having a little bird offering help is not the best

 

[Poppy_HK]

That is what I thought as well Having a large play area is great and a play stand is a must I think for when they are out, but when other people are over/people are cooking/doing dangerous stuff having a little bird offering help is not the best[/QUOTE

"Having a little bird offering help is not the best" just conjured up the cutest image of my bird-to-be sitting on the vacuum handle, or flying off with my kale as I'm trying to cut it up
I am so excited for the journey to come!

 

[TikiMyn]

Those are things that Will likely happen! Although you would be lucky if he tried to steal something healthy, Fëanor does that but Henkie only steals unhealthy stuff and so did Tiki my cockatiel @Mizzely quaker Jingo manages to fly off with a piece of pizza
My lovebirds also love to fly down when I have just swiped all their mess up, so I can start over again Ah, they have to keep their mom busy so they can cause mischief
I am very excited for you as well!

 

[Poppy_HK]

My bird (though they are never as we "imagine" they will be) would absolutely fly off with a piece of pizza given the chance (it is a weekend staple in my household!) and I can't say I'd blame him/her.
Pizza = Carb heaven, be you winged or upright on two legs

 

[Mizzely]

Oh yes they never steal the healthy stuff lol.

So I have done all of these situations lol.

- Living Room Cage
- Bird Room Cage
- Living Room Cage with Separate Sleep Cage

They all have their pros and cons. I think however, in terms of balancing bird time with the rest of the household duties, cage in the living room is the easiest. I have not found any significant differences in behavior with a sleep cage.

There was a thread /article recently about the sleeping for 10 to 12 hours thing The Real Truth: Sleep Needs in Parrots | Avian Avenue Parrot Forum

The bird room is nice when you have a screamer also makes it easy to let birds out without worrying about kids, open doors, or other pets. I just found it more of a challenge to integrate them into my life that way.

 

[Poppy_HK]

What an absolutely fabulous article! Thank you for sharing!

I am still reading it, but it certainly addresses one of the questions I had when I read on (literally every) forum, that they needed this much sleep: In the wild, how can a bird "shut down" and sleep for 10-12 consecutive hours as a prey animal? It seemed counter intuitive to its survival.
Thank you so much for the insight as well.

 

[finchly]

I think they sleep with one eye open!

We had always had ours in the living room. By the TV, and they slept through it. They seem to have an internal clock and they go by that. However the cockatiels started trying to scream over the TV.

Then we moved to Florida and though having them inside the pool cage would be nice, but we got snakes. So in the course of one day we converted a bedroom to a bird room with a screen door. They have a play area/jungle gym up high, and cages lined around the room. Every birdy gets out time, and we spend all our spare moments in there. Their lights go out by 7 and TV time is blessedly quiet.

It is very nice to have but sometimes I feel a little separated (not too much, someone is almost always with each of us). Also we got a dog 2 years ago with high prey instinct so I can control them better when it is my choic to bring one or more out. Or keep them in their room and she waits outside the door.

Also if someone were to open the front door (children, visitors, repairmen, remodelers) and the birds are in the bird room they are still safe.

All just food for thought.

 

[Sylvester]

Welcome to the site! I keep my bird's cages in the rooms that have the most traffic. I have my M2 in my T.V. room and my BE2 in my dinning room. My one remaining budgie travels from room to room with me. This is so I can communicate with them throughout the day.

 

[Doctress]

I've never used multiple cages for the fids, but I've rolled the cages to different rooms. Currently, they live in my "living room"- without furniture, it's all their area. They have a view of the dining room, kitchen, and den, with windows looking outside. We cross the bird area all day to get to various bedrooms, laundry, garage. They're more secure knowing who comes in and out.

Previously, I've had them in dining rooms adjacent to the kitchen. Have to be careful not to use non-stick cookware if doing that. Birds like to be part of the flock, including the human flock! I would also be careful leaving birds in the sunroom if it is not a secure and safe area. Birds can be stolen! It depends on where you live.

 

[PrinceMonroe]

I have a small apartment so I couldn't have a bird room even if I wanted, but Cora's cage is in my bedroom. Originally it was for space reasons, but I think it's beneficial for her to be able to be close to me if she wakes up before I do because she knows I'm there and is less likely to call out for me. My rat's cage is across from hers so she can watch them while I'm away at work. She has a small stand in my living room as well, and can pretty much see me wherever I am in the room. I'd like to get her a bigger cage/stand sometime in the future when I have a bigger place and more room.