Bedtime - to cover or not to cover?

[IanJ]

Hi!

Thoughts on covering bird cages at night?

I’ve a new conure, Gizmo.

He’s 9 months old, tame, but not trained (yet, though hoping to work on that!)

I’ve brought a cover for his cage, but he seems to get really stressed when I put it on.

He gets hyper and today he seemed to fall off his perch and was flapping and trying to fly in the cage. It all seemed very stressful for him.

Is there a view on the importance of the blanket. He seems capable to doze in the afternoon, so I’m not entirely sure the night cover is necessary.

Any thoughts? Do I need to persist even if it’s stressful for him?

 

[Shezbug]

I do not use a night cover for any of my birds. I would guess there are as many people who use them as there are people who don't use them.

 

[IanJ]

That’s really helpful. I was worried that it was a ‘must do’ thing.

 

[Zara]

When I just had one bird I didn't cover him. He slept in a little wooden box (not recommended), and was happy with that arrangement for years.

As more birds joined us, I had to cover everyone for bedtime as they were in our living area.

Now we have moved and the birds are in a separate room, I don't cover them.

You definitely do not have to cover your bird at night.
Just be sure he is sleeping through the night, and watch as he matures for any hormonal behaviour that could be lessened by a more controlled bedtime and go from there

 

[Beebleburb]

I determine it based on how each bird reacts. My red belly freaks if I put anything on her cage, so she doesn't get one. But my green cheek rages if the slightest thing disturbs his sleep, so he gets one. If you're not sure try putting it on only half the cage for a while, with equal Hight perches on either side that your bird could sleep on, and see which side he picks. But birds take a while to get used to things in one day as well, he might be scared of the cover itself and not being covered.

 

[Emma&pico]

I don’t use a cover too many things on outside of their cages perches toys etc and pico was never covered by his old owner so I just didn’t try it
They just have natural light from window unless it’s winter and I turn light on as it can get dark at 6 during summer when it’s super light late I close blackout curtains about 8 as indie can get hormonal and open them about 8 but at min it’s natural light/darkness as it kind off matches pattern I want her in

 

[Xoetix]

I only cover my cockatoo, because she's a psychopath and will scream at the break of dawn otherwise. Literally the very second light touches the sky, she's up and at em. The cockatiel and budgies do OK uncovered.

 

[April]

I've had 5 birds now and in roughly 17 years I never cover any of them unless it was during the winter and either we had lost power or even with the heat going I still felt it was too cold but with that being said that still only equaled maybe 5 times with 2 different birds. All of mine were able to settle down and sleep after i turned the lights off even with sharing a bedroom and me having the TV on low.
Some birds do benefit with being covered but it's all down to the individual bird and what works best for them and the owners life.

 

[Olliebirb]

I cover both my birds for a few reasons. They live in my room and I don’t want to disturb their sleep and also they both have night frights on occasion. When i just had Oliver and I didn’t cover he would stay up calling me to let him out. Being covered he knows it’s time to sleep.

 

[Clueless]

I don't cover.

I figured if I'm out of town, how would the bird get covered at the same time?

Besides, birds outside aren't covered with blankets!

At a seminar I attended in Texas a speaker told of cockatoo's that actually ate during the night because bugs were moving on the ground near them.

 

[FeatheredM]

Just depends on your specific situation. I cover my birds because I don't have a set time that I turn off my lights, and I work on my computer which I think could distract them...or maybe not? Covering is definitely not a must do.

 

[Cosmo305]

I bought a cover for Cosmo my GCC when he was a baby and found that covering him led to him making much more noise. We do turn the lights off in the living room area where he is when it is bedtime, but it seemed he just wanted to be in the loop as to what was happening outside the cage, rather than be able to hear but not see!