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Falling Macaw

BrianB

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Once or twice a week I hear a crash in the bird room late at night. It's one of my red-fronted macaws. When they aren't nesting, they sleep hanging on the side of the cage near the top. It seems that one of them falls off at some point during the night. I check the camera that's pointed at their cage and I see one of them climbing back up. There is a little preening and fussing, and then they go back to sleep. Is this something to be concerned about?
 

Zara

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:bump7:
 

fashionfobie

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Do you keep a light on? There are mixed opinions on nightlights. I don't use one in my bird room and I feel that they sleep soundly all night. Maybe the absence of a light would help them sleep more soundly? Only an idea :)
 

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If it's only happening at night it's probably that they are just losing grip or falling deeper asleep for a moment too long lol. If you put a perch up high near where they sleep will they use it? I'd be concerned that they could accidentally injure themselves one of these days!
 

Hankmacaw

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I would be concerned. Can you determine if it is just one of them falling consistently or if both of them are falling..
 

BrianB

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If it's only happening at night it's probably that they are just losing grip or falling deeper asleep for a moment too long lol. If you put a perch up high near where they sleep will they use it? I'd be concerned that they could accidentally injure themselves one of these days!
It only happens at night. Putting a perch where they sleep is a good idea, and maybe a platform just below it. It does seem like one of them is falling deeply asleep and just losing his grip. I'm pretty sure it's the male that does it.
 

BrianB

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Do you keep a light on? There are mixed opinions on nightlights. I don't use one in my bird room and I feel that they sleep soundly all night. Maybe the absence of a light would help them sleep more soundly? Only an idea :)
I don't have a nightlight in there. I have the windows blocked off. It's not like storms are a huge thing here in Arizona, but it happens. I don't want night frights from lightning. The bird room is on the front of the house and I don't want anyone to be able to see them either.
 

BrianB

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I put a new perch in for them. It's just below where they normally hang. I just took a look at them through the camera. One of them appears to be sitting on it, the other is still hanging on the side of the cage. It's a strange view because I can't really see what one bird's feet are grasping, but it has its head tucked under the wing. I presume it's holding onto the perch, or it really is possessed and floating in mid-air. Let's see if this help stop the late night crashing.
 

rocky'smom

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Ok I'm going to add my 2cents here. I don't have macaws,but have worked with them at my former volunteer job. DR Barb had this theory have you been getting to sleep and had your own body twitch or jump just as you heading into deep relaxation. She said that macaws do the same thing when they sleep. They get to deep sleep level and lose their footing and crash. She had the bottom of the cage padded with thick toweling to break their fall .
 

Hahns0hmy

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had the same happen this week at around 1am I heard wings flapping I go in and my hahns and senegal walking around. one must have fell and scared the hell out of the other. i turned on the light and let them get back up on the perches then shut the light. they stayed quiet after. doesnt happen a lot but coincidentally saw this post so i thought id share. happens to them all.

for reference, mine are kept in a bird room separated and no lights are kept on. there is a window in the room but has a blackout shade that is put down at night. I know they cant see good once they fall so if I ever hear it I go to the room to let them go back up
 
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BrianB

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I've been out of town, but I was able to peek at them through the camera a few times. It looks like both of them have started using the perch late at night. I guess they missed us because they both started screaming when we got home last night. The bird room lights were already off, but they heard us and started fussing. I stuck my head in and told them to go to sleep. It only took a few minutes for everyone to settle down. I imagine I'm going to get screamed at when I feed them later this morning. Now I'm just waiting to see if anyone falls off the new perch.
 
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