Hiding under newspaper?

[Gigibirds]

Melanie is acting rather strangely. Today, I walked in to my room to check on her, and she wasn't in her cage! Or at least that's what I thought, but then, when I looked closer, and I noticed that she was hiding under her newspaper!* She didn't move when I came in, and now she's been sitting there for a few hours! (I haven't been with her the whole time, but ever time I check on her or sit in the room with her, she's there) I did take her out of her cage earlier, and she did great! But I'm just really confused by this behavior. I have also noticed that she is shredding some paper, and cutting it into strips like peach-faced lovebird do. She has also chewed some up in random patterns.
So does anyone know why she might be doing this? Is she just scared, or could it be a sign of something else. All of her other behavior is normal, and she appears to be very healthy.
We believe that she's female, but she's not DNA tested.
She's supposed to be 4 months old.
Because she's in quarantine, there are no other birds in the room, but she can hear some occasionally.

*I don't know if I should do this, because I have with some birds and haven't with others, but I usually put newspaper on top of the cage floor bars. (it's easier for cleaning their cages with the fresh food) So that means that the birds can walk on it or go under it since it is in with them. I'm not sure if I should do this, because some people have told me that it's not necessary, and others have said that it is much better. So please let me know what you think about that, even if you can't guess why Melanie is hiding!

 

[Gigibirds]

Just wanted to add that I think it sounds like a very nesty behavior, especially with all the shredding, but she's only 4 months old! (or that's what I was told - she is getting in some of her adult colouring on her head, so that might not actually be true. I'll get pics later)
Should I remove the paper?

 

[macawpower58]

My white (Grey now) cockatoo does this also. Also she's very nesty, so yes it's that kind of behavior.
Mine would find ways no matter what, and I'd rather her shred the paper than her feathers any more than she already does. Not sure if a 4 month old Lovebird would have this behavior, but it might be the start.
Also not sure if my leaving it is the best, so take this with a grain of salt and do what you feel works best.

 

[Zara]

Could just be hiding.

New bird + baby bird = looking for hidey nooks. It can give them security.

If they were hormonal you would see shredding and taking the shreds under the paper to make a nest.

 

[The_Mayor]

Can't answer why your bird is doing this, unless she's training for a big "hide and go seek" competition, but I'm a proponent of the papers on top of the grate. I think for birds that use the bottom of the cage, as your's obviously does, it has to be more comfortable and better for their feet to be supported by the paper rather than on those thin bars. And, I admit, I love hearing the sounds of my birds running up and down on their papered over track.

Also, it's so much easier to clean when you just take out the old paper or the top layer if you put in a bunch of layers at a time. I would not want to have to scrub poop off the grate every cage cleaning.

I have paper on top of my birds' going outside cage and sometimes if the paper shifts I can see them hopping from the sections that are covered with paper to the next part, so, clearly, the bars are lava.

 

[Zara]

@Gigibirds A hidey bird;

 

[Gigibirds]

Thank you so much everyone for the replies!

If they were hormonal you would see shredding and taking the shreds under the paper to make a nest.

Well she is shredding, and the paper looks similar to the paper in your picture. But your picture is of a hidey bird, so what do you think?

Also not sure if my leaving it is the best, so take this with a grain of salt and do what you feel works best.

Thank you, I will!

she's training for a big "hide and go seek" competition

That would be hilarious! I bet she would win, because I couldn't find her for a while! I looked all around the room because I thought she had escaped
I'm glad that many of you also use the newspaper - I was really hoping that I haven't accidentally been doing something wrong for so many years!

I love hearing the sounds of my birds running up and down on their papered over track.

Me, too!

Thank you everyone so much, this was all very helpful! I think that she's just being silly and hiding, but I'll keep on watching her. Also, @Zara, do you know if just the female lovebirds shred newspaper/hide under it, or do males do that, too?

 

[Zara]

Well she is shredding, and the paper looks similar to the paper in your picture. But your picture is of a hidey bird, so what do you think?

They are two separate things. You can see in the pic I posted, she had been shredding paper, but left it where she shredded it. She then went and led down flat under the paper with no shredded pieces.
If the bird is taking shredded pieces under the paper, then it is nesting behaviour (or the start of). So have a look where your bird was sat and see what was under the bird.

do you know if just the female lovebirds shred newspaper/hide under it, or do males do that, too?

Males will shred too. Some males can even make the paper tail.
Never seen my males under paper, but they always had grates so never had the opportunity. So I can´t answer that, but I will say that males do cavity seek and it can become a problem.

 

[Gigibirds]

Thank you so much! Ok, so it doesn't look like she is carrying any paper down with her, so she's (probably) simply shredding it for fun. Thank you so much, Zara!