Do you cover your birds at night?

[Mygala]

I used to cover my birds, actually my bird (singular), but a couple of things happened.

My cockatoo learned that all she had to do was chew a hole in the sheet, and she could see out fine. Also, as I got more birds it became just too much of a hassle for no real benefit ...that I could see.

What's more, I've since seen small birds panic under a cover for apparently no reason.

I do know people that cover the bird as an attempt to stop screaming, or to put the bird in "time out". I don't particularly like this idea for several reasons, ...the main one being that I don't think it is effective in the long run.

I've pretty much ditched the whole idea. My birds are in the living room with us, where we spend the most time (although I do seem to spend more time on the computer in the library lately..).

The Amazons and the Cockatoo are out pretty much anytime we are home, even at night, ...except for Sidney who is only out of his cage when he can be supervised, ...he has a fascinatiion with all the cords and wires behind the TV.

I have several night lights, especially near the small birds so that they are never in complete darkness. There is also some light from outside coming in the windows. Both ends of the "great room" have big, high windows that aren't covered by blinds or shades.

I don't want to say covering is wrong, not at all, ..it just doesn't work well with my set up and the birds I have. If I had only one or two, or a different living arrangement, it might be different.

So what do you all do?

[Linda Lee]

I really agree, it just depends on circumstance. I use to leave my birds un covered when everyone had normal hours in my house, but now my son and husband come home in the middle of night so I cover my birds so they can hopefully not be too disturbed by lights going on and off. Also cockatiels get night frights and I don't want them in compleat darkness so I have a little night light below them so they can see if they do get scared.

[Jamys_mom_1990]

I cover Peter every night before I go to bed. but he is in my room and he wakes up at the crack of dawn otherwise. if he has his tablecloth (thats what I use) on his cage, no matter how light it is he wont sing until I take it off. one day I forgot to take it off before school (I was running late) and he stayed in the same exact spot and quiet all day!

[Chrisanne]

We cover Carmen at night, and if we don't she lets us know. She has holes chewed all in the sheet, but still wants it covered at night. She's a nut job though.

[indychinchick]

I cover my roommates birds when I know I'll want to sleep in the next morning. I work 3 jobs and the mornings I can actually sleep in are very few and far between. Otherwise, they have natural lighting all the time.

[Gypsy]

I cover our parakeet sky- He usually gets quite vocal if we don't.

[Laurie]

I don't cover my cockatiel Floyd or he will start singing! Actually when he is ready to go to bed (I think) he'll chirp goodnight. He has a nightlight below his cage and never makes a peep until morning, then it's "good morning".

[Jodi]

Toby usually puts himself to bed but we do cover him.

I agree that different situations call for different solutions. Whatever is in the best interest of the bird(s) is most important.

Good topic!

[CTChin]

My african grey will not go to sleep unless his cage is covered halfway on one side.

[buggirl19]

I cover my African Grey b/c I get up before my husband to work out in the living room and if Storm's not covered she starts calling for breakfast. My hubby uncovers her when he gets up about 15-20 minutes later. I even turn on the light in the kitchen instead of the living room (which shines in at a certain angle away from her cage) to keep her thinking it's still night time.

[Jodi]

Quote: Originally Posted by buggirl19 and if Storm's not covered she starts calling for breakfast.

That's how Toby wakes me if I sleep in too long!!

[buggirl19]

My dogs start whining to be let out before Storm starts hollaring normally. Ignore them too long and you will have both dogs whining and lightly barking, Storm wolf whistling and doing little screeches, the cat in bed licking you awake, and the ferrets scratching in their food bowl.

[HedgieSpirit]

When Pierre gets tired he will go into his cage and wait on his sleeping perch until we go up to bed. We cover him up because he has always been covered up at night and actually prefers it. We just use old beech towels and although they already have some holes in them, he does not chew them up at all.

[Janeczka]

I cover Kiki's cage every night. It's a routine schedule, and I stick to it. She sleeps in my bedroom, so I carry her cage there, then I say to her "Goodnight Kiki" and she'll go onto her sleeping perch, then I say "Kiss Goodnight" and she kisses me a lovely kiss! That's so sweet, but anyway, the point is, she won't go to sleep unless I cover her cage. She even demands us to do that to her often. There are many opinions on this, and it probably depends on wether the bird likes it, or not. My baby personally prefers being covered, but Professer our cockatiel doesn't care, and our budgies hate it.

[bjbberkey]

I have a cockatiel that walks back and forth on her outside perch until I cover her up. I ask her if she wants to go night-night and then she gets in her cage. When I let my dog out she wants to go to bed.She also wants to hang out in the dog bed just sitting beside him and that makes her happy. I get alot of joy out of her!