The Real Truth: Sleep Needs in Parrots

[JLcribber]

The Real Truth: Sleep Needs in Parrots

 

[Shinobi]

Thanks John
It put the 12 hours of quiet and uninterrupted sleep theory where it belongs. In the bin.

 

[camelotshadow]

Rios been ok on my night owl schedule over 3 years. He does to roost/sleep when he wants & I'm usually nearby by in quiet subdued light til least 2 am or more.

Penny is new so I am trying to make sure she gets her rest. I will try to go to my bedroom 11PM to 2pm lol so she can sleep.


I think they get used to the ambient sounds of their environment. Like said the jungle is never quiet & they can never sleep without fear of attack so hopefully she will get used to Momma the night owl & sleep assuredly that I am here to protect her & she is safe!

Right now we sleep & wake in harmony! Today we all slept in til around noon...

 

[HolliDaze]

Yes! I was concerned for months after I mo ved with dex. After the move, we shared a room. I'm a night owl, but dex wakes up on his own around 7 am, whether I'm already awake or not. I often wake up to him, in our pitch black room, talking, foraging, and moving around. So, thinking of the 12 hour room, I put him to bed at 7-8 pm. I don't go to sleep until 11, so I go to bed after him. It's kind of spooky, he always seems to be awake. Even if I sneak in, am as quiet as possible, he's wide awake and watching me. I had my doubts about the 12 hours, as he always seemed well rested,even if I screw up and have to turn the lights on at 11 pm. I'll have to start putting him to bed at a more appropriate time, the last thing I want is for him to pluck! It'll be nice to see him tired for once...

 

[Lady Jane]

My budgies to go their sleep perch between 6 and 6:30 pm and do not deviate from this time. So I do not disturb them I spend the evening in my other room, the bedroom. I don't think they would be happy with shorter sleep patterns. I think sleeping hours for birds vary no matter what part of the world they live in. What do you think a bird roosting is?

 

[iamwhoiam]

Interesting read. Thanks for posting. My birds don't always go to bed at the same time and I don't get up and open the blind at the same time every day so I know they don't get 10-12 hours sleep daily. Thought I was a bad person because I wasn't sticking to the 10-12 hour "rule" so it's good to read this.

 

[kathyth]

Thanks for posting this article, John! This is eye opening and makes sense.

 

[Monica]

I've never followed the 12-12 rule, nor the rule that parrots need absolute quiet. My cockatiel is not prone to night-frights either. Not to say she doesn't have them, but that she doesn't have them as often as some other cockatiels seem to have them.

Although yes, I agree, some parrots don't get enough sleep, I feel that a lot of people worry about not enough. That said, how many hours of sleep my birds *DO* get does vary through the year. They may get 15-ish hours or they may only get around 9-ish. The amount of sleep that they do get varies depending on the time of year.

I feel that this also helps with hormones... i.e. my birds aren't hormonal all year round. I feel like I see more people who have their birds on a 12-12 schedule have more issues with their bird's hormones.

 

[Hjarta5]

I came across this article last week and found it interesting! Since then, I have been experimenting with lengthening how late they stay up. So far, Luna will inevitably start his nighttime beak grinding ritual around the same time every night, 8-8:30pm, whether he climbs to his sleep perch or not -- and will still be on his sleep perch when I go get him in the morning, around 7:30-8am. Wally, on the other hand, just seems to get feistier the later she is up and will start protesting being in her cage at the first sound in the morning -- I am not sure when she sleeps!

 

[aooratrix]

Good share! Pamela Clark is an insightful person. I've seen a scientific study from Brightsmith or someone that revealed that parrots are active during some periods of night. I've never subscribed to the 12-12 idea.

 

[Ribbit21]

I do 12/12 light cycle, but I know they don’t actually sleep all night. With the camera I know they move around a bit. They all start to roost an hour before bedtime. They seem to like the consistency.

Although, to be quite honest the 12/12 cycle is more for my sanity than theirs. I need my quiet time LOL, otherwise I get hormonal and cranky.

 

[HolliDaze]

Dexter never see ms sleepy.. And swakes up at the same time, whether the lights are on or not.

 

[Peachfaced]

I do 12/12 light cycle, but I know they don’t actually sleep all night. With the camera I know they move around a bit. They all start to roost an hour before bedtime. They seem to like the consistency.

Although, to be quite honest the 12/12 cycle is more for my sanity than theirs. I need my quiet time LOL, otherwise I get hormonal and cranky.

Keri, what pellets are you eating currently? I hope you aren't just tossing out your veggies from the bowls instead of eating them.

 

[Ribbit21]

Keri, what pellets are you eating currently? I hope you aren't just tossing out your veggies from the bowls instead of eating them.

I’m a big fan of the Lucky Charms pellet. I did eat a green cupcake today. I think that counts as veggies.

 

[Peachfaced]

I’m a big fan of the Lucky Charms pellet. I did eat a green cupcake today. I think that counts as veggies.

Hmmmm... yeah, ok. I mean, pizza is a vegetable, so why not?

 

[BirdManDan]

Our birds NEVER get 12 hours of Dark and Quiet and they are all fine.

 

[BirdManDan]

Carrot cake, Zucchini Bread, Corn Bread all count as veggies right???

 

[Sylvester]

Thanks John for this interesting article. I was feeling guilty that Fred was not getting 12 hours of uninterrupted sleep. Now, after reading this piece, I can sleep better.

 

[EllaMay]

Appreciate the article John. Majority of the time mine are usually put to bed when I go which is 10:30pm and I am up at 7:00am for work. Weekends they are my unforunate alarm clock.

 

[Princessbella]

The Real Truth: Sleep Needs in Parrots

I can come out of the shadows and admit that my schedule is so unpredictable that Bella's sleep time is the same way. I let Bella tell me when she wants to go to bed and she does roost on her sleep perch for about an hour before actually going to sleep. This is great information. Thanks for posting this.