Something's Not Right With Captain...

[son of eevil]

It's 11:00pm in Australia right now and Captain (my Alexandrine) is still awake... Normally he has a little fluffy purple cubby he sleeps in and normally as soon as the sun disappears he goes to bed with it.

We had him out for 4-5 hours today fed him snow peas he had a chew on a rubber shoe, some wood his poo look VERY healthy good green colour in the middle strong whites around it.

Put him to bed at around 6:00 but he didn't go to sleep and chirped at my partner so she went and got him at around 6:30-7:00 we kept him with us till around 8:30 he got a few more snow peas then we put him to bed 2 and a half hours later he's still up sitting on his perch, puffed up on one leg sitting quite low but not sleeping this has us quite concerned...

We went out to see him and by all account he seemed quite normal for a bird who's 5-6 hours past his bed time, i had him sit on my finger and gave his tail a little tug to test his reactions and he didn't miss a beat didn't lose balance. He did a nice big poo on my jumper which I took a photo of and as I said above seems like the poo of a very healthy bird.

He's had no accidents/falls/health concerns anytime in the last 4-6 months (previous incident was a fall he had but vet check was fine), doesn't appear to be any cuts/sores/wounds no nasal discharge, he responds normally to being patted/stroked (that is to ward you off with his beak).

Should we look at having an incubator ready?

I've tried to provide as much information as I can if there's anything else you need please let me know. My partner and I are very worried!

Thanks in advance!
- Mitch & Brydie

 

[son of eevil]

20 minutes later he's still up I've got an cardboard box set up lines with towels and a hot water bottle in case he takes a turn. Is there anything I should be reading up on?

 

[TextsFromParrots]

I hope that someone here has an answer. Is there a vet you can call? Or perhaps get him comfy and to bed and get an appointment first thing in the AM just to be safe?

 

[Somebirdie]

Are you in the room with him? Like watching tv or something, even quietly, that may be disturbing him? Also if he's wantin to be out, perhaps the getting him out for comfort then has just taught him how to have you get him out? Even at night my boy sure as anything will avoid his cage and would much rather sleep on his day perch

 

[son of eevil]

Are you in the room with him? Like watching tv or something, even quietly, that may be disturbing him? Also if he's wantin to be out, perhaps the getting him out for comfort then has just taught him how to have you get him out? Even at night my boy sure as anything will avoid his cage and would much rather sleep on his day perch

No, he's in a very different room about 3 rooms away I have all the lights turned off so nothing can bother him. I hope he just wants to come out but he's usually very keen to go to bed.... often falls asleep on his bird stand I keep in my room.

I hope that someone here has an answer. Is there a vet you can call? Or perhaps get him comfy and to bed and get an appointment first thing in the AM just to be safe?

Not tonight no... Saturday night... Everything bad that happens happens on a weekend... Tomorrow is Sunday there won't be anything open then either... Alone till Monday at the earliest.

 

[Somebirdie]

Also my father's Alexandrine is like yours in terms of going to sleep the second the sun goes down slightly (vs my cockatoo who couldn't care less) but the SLIGHTEST bit of light or noise wakes her up and has her doing her calls. And I mean SLIGHT.
So maybe he's just more sensative than first thought?

Also wouldn't he be more inclined to be sleep or agitated if something was wrong?

 

[son of eevil]

Also my father's Alexandrine is like yours in terms of going to sleep the second the sun goes down slightly (vs my cockatoo who couldn't care less) but the SLIGHTEST bit of light or noise wakes her up and has her doing her calls. And I mean SLIGHT.
So maybe he's just more sensative than first thought?

Also wouldn't he be more inclined to be sleep or agitated if something was wrong?

He's not usually like that though... Normally he's straight to bed. This is quite peculiar... I just wonder if he might be sick.

I'm not sure... really not sure...

EDIT: nearly an hour later he's still up...

 

[Mizzely]

I can't be sure, but it really sounds like he is just becoming awake because he hears you before you can see him. I know if I go into the next room where they sleep, I never catch them sleeping. As prey animals if they hear a noise, they're instinct is to be awake and alert to get ready to flee. Koopa will often chirp through the night, but she still sleeps.

 

[son of eevil]

I can't be sure, but it really sounds like he is just becoming awake because he hears you before you can see him. I know if I go into the next room where they sleep, I never catch them sleeping. As prey animals if they hear a noise, they're instinct is to be awake and alert to get ready to flee. Koopa will often chirp through the night, but she still sleeps.

He has a hole that he sleeps in EVERY night... and he's not in it tonight... he's not even tucking his head like he does when he sleeps on his perch...

I'm scared that if I go to sleep he'll pass away...

 

[TextsFromParrots]

He may have switched where he sleeps. Piper recently did that and now sleeps on a perch instead of her little tent. And I NEVER come upon her sleeping. She might be in a relaxed position, but her head is UP! I think you may be stressing him out even more with all the attention and fuss. If he's being very normal aside from you seeing him in another place, perhaps you should let him relax in the cage and try and sleep.

 

[son of eevil]

You might be right but to clarify he doesn't sleep in a cage.

He has an entire room to himself about 2x4M tiled floor windows on all sides it's a sun room next to our veranda attached to the house. He has a cage in it, the cage sits on the ground and he eats ontop if where his bowls are, there are perches in it and some days we catch him having a snooze in there but rarely.

He has a tree in there, native bottle brush that died, cut it down potted it and that's where he spends 90% of his time. This is what he sleeps in, it hangs off one of the branches, he has easy access to it and until tonight it was where he slept every night.

 

[roxynoodle]

My Blue Crown conure got to a certain age and didn't want to sleep in her little tent anymore. That might be what's happening here as well. Baby is growing up.

I agree he probably is sleeping and is waking every time you come to check on him.

So unless you see other signs of illness, I wouldn't worry about it. I think he just doesn't want to sleep in his little box anymore.

 

[son of eevil]

It's quite cold though which concerns me... I guess every other bird in Australia sleeps outside without feeling the effects of the cold so he should be fine indoors right?

 

[Birdiemarie]

You know Captain's routine better than anyone so something is going on but it may not be anything serious or health related but I would keep an eye on him and see how he is tomorrow. I know with me and Ruby if I am worried over her she feels it and reacts to my tenseness which if this was my scenario would make her stay up longer because I was changing the routine by taking her out, fussing over her, etc. I've learned to make my fussing invisible as much as possible. It's always prudent to give the vet a call and let them know you may be bringing Captain in. Birds do change their routines sometimes. It could be something simple such as if he took a long nap today he won't be sleepy now. That may make tomorrow a sleepy day as well. you know the signs of illness so keep watching for those and if you still feel uncomfortable then take him in for a checkup. Your parront instincts are working so listen to them.

 

[TextsFromParrots]

You can always turn up the heat a little bit. But he should be fine. He'll fluff up, tuck up a leg and make himself comfy to go to bed. Unless your house is the same temp as outside I wouldn't be that worried. He's used to your house's temperature after all.

 

[son of eevil]

It's close enough to being an outside room, as I said it's tiled windows on all sides, aluminium roof it's a sun room it's quite close maybe a few degrees warmer then whatever the outside temp is being the middle of winter it's 12°C outside so maybe 12-15°C in that room.

I'll check up on him once more then go to sleep I think, get up nice and early and check on him.

Fingers crossed for me guys...

 

[Birdiemarie]

It's quite cold though which concerns me... I guess every other bird in Australia sleeps outside without feeling the effects of the cold so he should be fine indoors right?

Ok, this is something to think about. If it's usually warmer when he goes to sleep and that has changed, he may be reacting to that. Can you warm up the room? I had to cover Ruby's cage one winter because it was exceptionally cold and she was not used to that. When I do, I leave one side uncovered so she doesn't get scared. You may want to try that if you have a warm blanket if you feel it would not scare him. Some birds don't fluff up their feathers to keep warm (Ruby doesn't). She just stays awake. Can you maybe bring his cage into a different room during this cold spell? If a bird isn't acclimated to a temperature (whether hot or cold) it will effect him.

 

[Karen]

maybe 12-15°C in that room.

That seems very cold. Is it possible to bring him to a heated room for the winter?

Edited to add: I lowest I keep my birds room is 21 C.

 

[son of eevil]

Ok, this is something to think about. If it's usually warmer when he goes to sleep and that has changed, he may be reacting to that. Can you warm up the room? I had to cover Ruby's cage one winter because it was exceptionally cold and she was not used to that. When I do, I leave one side uncovered so she doesn't get scared. You may want to try that if you have a warm blanket if you feel it would not scare him. Some birds don't fluff up their feathers to keep warm (Ruby doesn't). She just stays awake. Can you maybe bring his cage into a different room during this cold spell?

It's usually colder but you've just made me think... normally it gets to around ˜5-8 degrees maybe it's too warm for him to sleep in there...

That seems very cold. Is it possible to bring him to a heated room for the winter?

Again, usually it's colder, and we've never had a problem. All the wild birds deal with it and they don't have sheltered rooms from the wind/rain... It's also the 3rd (and last) month of winter here so the worst is over.

Btw it's also raining maybe the sound of the rain on the roof is keeping him up?

 

[Didomum]

Have you checked his bed out? Could there be some thing in it that's up setting him a small bug or has he pooped in it and done want to sleep in it. Or could be just like us sometimes bird just can't sleep. Is the any weather changes coming your way. I know my birds can tell if a storm is coming miles away long before we know it. Or there could be a new noise out side. But it don't sound like he sick. Could also be worried about you they pick up on everything we feel.