To cover or not to cover the cage - Sleeping

[Parrotbay]

Sorry if I'm asking a question that's been answered, but I did try to search for it.

Do you cover your Conure's cage for sleeping, or do you just turn off the lights and let the sun wake him or her up?

[asulli]

I like to cover mine up at night. Even though if Dharma hears the tv after we cover her up she keeps on talking!

We do have dogs so coverning them up at night keeps them from seeing to much going around and gives them a good nights rest.

I also leave a night light for them.

[KiwiJo]

I cover Kiwi. He's really loud directly afterwards, but then calms down after a few minutes. It doesn't give him more rest, as much as it gives me more rest. Otherwise, he wakes up with the rising sun! And he makes it known that he's awake...

[NotEnoughTime]

I have never covered any of my parrot's cages. I don't believe that it has any benefit. I find my girl will sometimes take a "nap" during the day - so I cannot see how a cover really benefits the parrot at all.

I have two dogs and a cat as well as Gari and she doesn't seem to be disturbed at all by any of her 'family.'

[Carbon]

I cover Nara's cage as it has a clear advantage to her (and us), seeing that her cage is in the room where most activity takes place. She gets a little cranky and likes to go to bed when she gets sleepy, and since she's in my room, I can't just turn the light off and leave. If the cage is not covered, the TV light and other sounds bother her. When the cage is covered, she sleeps uninterruptedly and doesn't complain if the phone rings or if the TV is turned on etc...

[xafsmom]

I don't cover my cages, because they all have a special room for sleeping. However, if you plan on covering Bella's cage, you'll want to start her off getting used to it. Cover the top, the sides and the back with the cover, but leave the front open. After a few days, cover also HALF the front. Then a few days later, the entire cage.

This will get her used to being covered at night without set backs in your bonding with her - since being there is going to be a new thing too.

[NotEnoughTime]

Originally Posted by Carbon

When the cage is covered, she sleeps uninterruptedly and doesn't complain if the phone rings or if the TV is turned on etc...

I guess my feeling is that a parrot gets used to the home environment can deal with these things - falling asleep when sleepy and so on... I haven't had any experiences to show that this is not the case. When I think about the rainforest environment parrots must be able to deal with night noises and other issues and still sleep...

But then I don't recall ever keeping a parrot in a cage when I'm "watching tv" (or a movie). I've always had the bird out with me at that time...

[Carbon]

Originally Posted by NotEnoughTime

I guess my feeling is that a parrot gets used to the home environment can deal with these things - falling asleep when sleepy and so on... I haven't had any experiences to show that this is not the case. When I think about the rainforest environment parrots must be able to deal with night noises and other issues and still sleep...

But then I don't recall ever keeping a parrot in a cage when I'm "watching tv" (or a movie). I've always had the bird out with me at that time...

Most times I like to fall asleep watching TV, which is well after midnight. Or sometimes I need a little light to find something or to read a document. Nara doesn't need to be bothered by that. When she starts showing signs of sleepiness, she goes to her cage, I cover it, she climbs into her hut and falls asleep. This prevents any nuisance from non-rainforest sounds and electric lights :)

[perchingbird]

The only reason I cover is to give Kit a "routine". I doubt it's really needed. It doesn't keep her from waking up if we are still mucking about. :(

Like most GCC's (from what I've read), Kit has a Vocalization Session when she goes to bed. I talk with her, under the cover, and she makes all the noises she knows, then I leave her be. So, one night my fiancee couldn't sleep, so he got up and went into the livingroom to watch TV some time after midnight. Yay Insomnia! I was asleep and didn't notice at all.

... until Kit started with her vocalizing.

I heard THAT and darted up out of bed (didn't notice fiancee wasn't there). What was wrong with Kit!!! I zoomed into the living room, hair everywhere, and nearly had a heart attack when SOMEBODY WAS THERE! AHHH!

My fiancee looked at me apologetically from the couch. "I found a downside to our parrot."

><

... so I guess the morale of THAT story is cover if YOU want, 'cause it may or may not help your bird. :D

[Parrotbay]

I wasn't planning on covering Bella's cage since the cage is in my family room, and I tend to retreat to my bedroom early enough for there to be a 9 - 10 hour 'quiet' dark period in the family room. Since there are occasions that I have to go to client events at night, I didn't want her to get dependent on me being home to cover the cage at the same time.

It's good to know!

**really hoping the bonding goes well**