Why all of a sudden he won't sleep?

[FLmom]

So my WBC has always had a separate sleep cage. It has food water a sleep tent and some other soft type sleep ring thing in it. I cover it too. He has had the same routine every night since we got him as a baby a year and a half ago. For the past week it's been harder and harder to get him to go in his sleep cage. He always has loved it and happily went in whistling and head bobbing. But starting last week or so he has begun climbing back up my arm and refusing to go inside his sleep tent. He acts afraid of it but nothing has changed. No scary incidents or issues. Tonight he acted totally terrified so I tried rearranging a few things and I let him stand on top to check it out but still no way he was going in it. I let him stay out but after 45 mins playing with my daughter after that he was clearly
Tired and he reluctantly went in but 5 mins later I heard him climbing about in there. Any ideas what this could be about or how I go about fixing this before it becomes a permanent problem?

Thx

 

[Mizzely]

Wow, definitely sounds like something happened....it really could have been anything, even a moth or fly that set him off. Perhaps work on a bedtime treat to get him to go in there? I do this with Jingo, I handfeed him a baby spoonful or two of warm organic baby food before bedtime. It's a nice way for us to bond and it gets him settled for bedtime.

 

[heirofslytherin123]

what kind of baby food do you use? is it fruit based or protein? im thinking about doing something like that for my white bellied caique baby. as she is ready for lights out at 9 or 10 i worry she will be starving by the time i feed her her breakfast in the morning. I have pellets and a Tbls of seed overnight but she gets her veggies in the morning. She plays so rough that she flies to her cage for naps can he sleep in his other cage? maybe some time to forget is all that is needed?

 

[Mizzely]

I use sweet potato mostly, but also mango! Those are his favorites and they have good things in them! I Make sure it's only fruit / veggie and water, possibly ascorbic acid (vitamin c)

 

[rockybird]

When Zeek was a baby, he would willingly go to his night cage (he would willingly do anything then!). As he got older, he less and less wanted to go to bed so willingly. Now, we have a routine every night before he goes to bed. The only way I can get him to sleep, is to get him on his back in my hand. He will instantly relax. Then I spend a couple minutes snuggling and cooing to him. Sometimes he will fall asleep in my hand right then. Then I quickly place him in the night cage on his perch.

The other thing is something may have happened in the night cage - maybe someone bumped it while he was asleep. Or perhaps a spider was in there (my fear!) or he just had a bad dream. Zeek had a bad experience with a night cage (bumped hard) but got over it after a week. I still put him in the night cage, but he was very afraid of it until it was covered and dark. Then he would go to sleep and I could hear him grinding his beak.

One last thing - dont get him out if he calls to you. I made this mistake in the past. For nights afterwards, mournful cries would come from the night cage from Zeek hoping I would let him out. In a lot of ways, they are like little kids.

 

[Rmott001]

It does sound like something happened! Probably not even something that you did. Pierre has never had a sleep cage, but he knows that when lights go out, its time to go to sleep. When I turn out the lights he will climb from one side of his cage over to this rope he likes to sleep on. I ususally spend cuddling time with him before bed rather than playing with him and getting him excited! A treat is also a good idea. I hope he gets comfortable with it again!

 

[Monica]

Maybe try putting in some favorite toys and treats into the sleep cage? Moving the cage to another location? Allowing him to play on the cage during the day?

My mitred conure loves hard sided carriers, but freaked out when I brought back a beloved perch of his. It was a simple wreath with fleece, and I took it away because he was being too bratty, possibly even hormonal. Some months later, after not having seen it for a long time, he was afraid of it! Acted like he had never seen it before!

 

[FLmom]

I've been giving him a tiny bit of peanut butter to get him in his night cage and that's been working. He still isn't very thrilled to go in but he is going and seems to be getting more comfortable each night. Thx for the advice.

 

[Monica]

Sounds like an improvement, even if minor! Hope he gets more comfortable with his carrier again!