How much sleep is the least that birds need?

[Lobby]

With the move of the birds to being right next to the living room I'm worried that they won't get as much sleep as they used to. Last night they went to bed at 9 pm and this morning they wanted up at 7:30. I usually put them to bed at 8 and got them up at 10. This is when they would tell me to put them to bed and I often don't get up until 10 so that is when they get up. Hold over from a decade of working nights. They never made a peep until they hear me up, but their old room is very dark, again a hold over from when both Jenni and I worked nights. The new room allows light into it so they told me to get them up this morning.

The plan now is when they want to go to bed (I'm hoping to get them on a 10 - 10 schedule but I'm not going to hold my breath) I will have to leave the living room and go watch tv in the bedroom. There is only a heavy curtain between the new bird room and the living room so I can't see staying in the living room working.

Is there anything I can do to get the birds on the hours I want or should I just face the fact that I am at their mercy.

 

[waterfaller1]

While 12 hours is ideal, and particularly when hormones kick in, I wouldn't sweat it if they are getting up a bit early. Most birds will take an afternoon siesta or have a quiet time to recharge. Mine settle down with the time it gets dark, which presently is about 7 p.m.. I hear my honeycreepers making sounds at first light, about 6-6:30 a.m.. I go in the room between 7-7:30 a.m.

 

[Brigidt36]

I'm not strict bedtime parront, if I was, I'd rarely get to play with the fids and they'd hardly ever get out of cage time. They tend to doze on their own when the sun goes down and they get up when the sun rises, again on their own, unless I have to get up real early or something.

They also tend to get some naps in during the day. Usually around 11ish and again around 3pmish. All but the one on my shoulder (Pip) now have their heads tucked under a wing catching a few zzzz's.

 

[Sky]

If they're getting up early on their own thats fine. They will take naps during the day. Usually they will sleep for 10 hours through the night and then sleep another 2 hours in naps during the day.

I'm not always real strict on bedtime either. They will catch up on sleep in the afternoon if they didn't sleep long enough.

 

[Chicklette]

Mine settle down around 5pm, I lay in bed and watch movies. I have headsets so it's quiet. They usually settle down. Then around 8 to 9pm we call it a night. Then we are up at 5am. They seem fine with it. So that's about 12 hours resting time. I do think they will get used to your scedule if you stick to it. Birds get used to routine so they should be fine with it.

 

[Lobby]

Thanks for help guys.

 

[teagal]

My little guy goes night night at 7:30 and we say good morning at 7:30 . .
P'lets are suppose to have 12 hours quiet time. His cage is in the living room and he gets covered at bed time.

 

[JLcribber]

They should try to get at least 10 hours of undisturbed sleep. You could add a source of "white noise" like a big noisy Hepa Filter to help them sleep sounder and desensitize them to other noise that may go on

 

[TWR]

Is the question really are the getting enough sleep, or is it can i get their sleep cycle to a pattern to suit my life style?

If it's the 2nd, that's the one I'm answering

I think that if they are in a quiet room that remains dark, you can manipulate them into the sleep schedule that suits your life style. I have done that, with lights on a timer. My birds sleep from 12pm to 12am. I do this so I get to spend my evenings with them. A natural dusk to dawn cycle would leave me with no time with them.

I keep this consistent, even on the weekend when I'm home, no-one goes in their room till midday.

For it to work they need their own room, so it's nice and quiet. There also needs to be no daylight, as they will wake. Can you put up 100% block out curtains?

EDIT: Especially if the only light the have is artificial, be sure to use FSL for them.

 

[clawnz]

My take on this is.
My Fids take theirselves to bed when it gets dark and are up and around when it gets light. At the moment it is getting dark just before 8pm and light around 7am
I never keep them up after dark. I feel this can lead to issues of health and attitude.
But I am biased and try to keep my Fids in as natural environment as possible, even if it means I do not get to socialise with them, as much as I would like.
As for noise Rikki sleeps in a open cage less than 5ft away from me at nights. And she really does sleep. with head tucked in. She seems to like the feeling that someone is around and takes no notice the TV or me moving around.

 

[TWR]

That sounds like a great life for them Clive, but it would not work for me. Even if I decided that it didn't matter if I can't socialise with them, it would also mean little out of cage time for them.

I can't let them out when I'm not home, not the least of the reasons being that my sun conure would love to bite my lorikeets toes off