Sun Downers Syndrome

[Aubrey]

Is this actually something that happens to parrots? My maxi Pi, Leto, kind of looses his mind in the evenings before bed! He splays his tail and cheeks get puffy and the feathers on top of his head turn into a mohawk

When I close him up in cage at night, and this happens every night, he's kind of dozing on his perch, but when I shut the door he lunges and strikes at my fingers! I now use a metal tablespoon to close the latch.

In the morning he's happy and playful and gabbing away. No hard feelings

Question: is there something I'm doing wrong? Should I do something different? Or is this typical and we should just carry on

 

[Princessbella]

I don't know but I am sure that someone will have an answer.

 

[macawpower58]

Sounds like he's half asleep, and a grump when disturbed. My Too is like that. DO NOT DISTURB SLEEPING BIRDS!

Try and give him a moment to awake and settle down before closing the door. See if that makes a difference.

I know some birds just don't like our fingers near their cages, could that be an issue?

 

[jeme3]

If I don't tuck Pepper and Morton in by 7:00 PM they get cranky. If I try to take them out of their cage after about 6:30 they complain (hiss and squawk, maybe even take a jab at my fingers), so it's part of our routine that they are in their cage by 6:15 or so and covered promptly at 7:00.

 

[lexalayne]

LOL I used “Sun Downers Syndrome" in another thread because the Spring rush of hormones in our birds reminds me when 2 of my co workers described their experiences working in a nursing home and some of the residents' actions at sun down. It sounded like some older people in nursing homes have a very hard time at sundown, complete with barking at the moon (rare) to becoming very agitated and requiring sedation. And I don’t mean it in a bad way and have no idea if this is even true but their descriptions made me think of my flock in the Spring and their irrational behavior compared to their ususal sweet behavior.

 

[Ankou]

Just grumpy birds being grumpy.
There's nothing wrong with him, if that's your concern. I don't like to be watched or poked while I'm trying to sleep either (though I've never bitten anyone or fashioned my hair into a mohawk... )

Sundowner's is usually associated with dementia or brain damage (from a stroke or head injury.) Keep in mind, I'm not in the medical field. Just my understanding of it comes from my mother being an occupational therapist for most of my life and some really wild stories, usually passed on by the nurses who work nights. In addition to being irrational or confused, affected people are generally unusually active and this can go on all night if they aren't given some kind of treatment.

My older dog Shadow has sundowner's with his dementia (or rather had, before going on medication) and it was a whole different issue than just wanting to be left alone. Fortunately no aggression but he was unable to settle down, pacing from room to room as if lost or unable to get comfortable. Nothing could calm him down, you could talk to him and pet him but he wouldn't even look at you. It was like he had just shut down mentally... it was horrible to watch.
But like I said, at least right now the worst of his symptoms are controlled by medication and he is almost normal right now. Nights are so much better, he just sleeps now.

 

[greys4u]

One of my greyshounds had dementia and had Sundowners, at night we would find her walking around the island and she would sleep during the day.

 

[Aubrey]

LOL I used “Sun Downers Syndrome" in another thread because the Spring rush of hormones in our birds reminds me when 2 of my co workers described their experiences working in a nursing home and some of the residents' actions at sun down. It sounded like some older people in nursing homes have a very hard time at sundown, complete with barking at the moon (rare) to becoming very agitated and requiring sedation. And I don’t mean it in a bad way and have no idea if this is even true but their descriptions made me think of my flock in the Spring and their irrational behavior compared to their ususal sweet behavior.

Yes! When I saw it on the other thread, I was like hmmm, is this a thing with birds

 

[Aubrey]

Thanks so much everyone!

I think I've learned that I'm not putting Leto to bed before he puts himself to bed. And interrupting a sleeping bird is asking for trouble

I'm glad he's nothing is wrong with him

 

[Irishj9]

I thought that Sundowners Syndrome was a parrot owners affliction?

Ie JP and friends down on the beach having a good time when someone says ' Look at that sky, sunset will be beautiful'

WTF!..... RED ALERT!. Im still at the beach and its nearly birdie bedtime!

That Fingers and Cha Cha will steal into Soentjies nest box again and be all quiet until 3am when there will be a huge screaming fit over nothing.
And have the lovebirds had enough to eat before sleeping?
And if I dont wash out the aviary now ill need a shovel tomorrow morning

Gotta get home before sundown....

 

[Macaw Lover]

Try an earlier bed time and see if Leto likes that better.

 

[Lady Jane]

Sometimes birds get this way if they are not getting a good nights quality sleep. They need at least 10 to 12 hours with no human noises such as TV, Music and conversations. Think about using a sleep cage in a quiet room.

 

[cassiesdad]

Milton lets us know it's bedtime. He gets very antsy-running back and forth on his long perch and squaking. If you don't cover him up at that time, he'll begin to cough like an old man with breathing problems (learned from his previous owner).

 

[Aubrey]

Milton lets us know it's bedtime. He gets very antsy-running back and forth on his long perch and squaking. If you don't cover him up at that time, he'll begin to cough like an old man with breathing problems (learned from his previous owner).

I love your bird! He cracks me up!

 

[Aubrey]

Sometimes birds get this way if they are not getting a good nights quality sleep. They need at least 10 to 12 hours with no human noises such as TV, Music and conversations. Think about using a sleep cage in a quiet room.

Ok. I'm thinking the tv may be a problem. His cage is about 20 feet from the main television in our house and my husband watches it until midnight or 1am most nights. His cage is covered, but this may be causing sleep problems, right?

 

[Aubrey]

Try an earlier bed time and see if Leto likes that better.

This will be an easy fix. I'm on it! Thanks!

 

[scoobdoo63]

Now I know why stormy is so quiet after a certain time at night til about 7 a.m. it's bed time..I swear he tweets in his sleep!

 

[alcmene]

Ok. I'm thinking the tv may be a problem. His cage is about 20 feet from the main television in our house and my husband watches it until midnight or 1am most nights. His cage is covered, but this may be causing sleep problems, right?

Yep. That's definitely it. He's tired. I wouldn't be able to sleep with the TV blaring until 1am right next to my bed!

Move his cage or the tv. Or get him a second small cage just for sleeping and put it in a quiet room

 

[scoobdoo63]

I have noticed stormy likes to eat at 6-6:30 then go in his cage and do a little squawking tweeting preening then it's all silent! I have my t.v. on low lights are on low and his cage is half covered. I have a huge 55 gallon fish tank w hermit crabs that has a light on all the time, so he has a night light and I.don't hear anything from him til about 6 ish the next day