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Post by Holly on May 1, 2016 5:04:17 GMT -5
Hi everyone,
With winter coming up here in Queensland Australia, our nights can go down to about 12 degrees so I'm just wondering if I should be covering Norman's cage at night. He sleeps inside so initially I thought I wouldn't have to but I just don't want him to get too cold...
thanks!
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Post by Jasper's minion on May 1, 2016 5:21:10 GMT -5
Hi, I'm from Queensland too. In winter I cover Jasper with just a sheet, however he is given a happy hut at night so he sleeps in that. I take it out in the morning as he chews through the loops that we hang it up with if it's left in his cage.
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Post by Caseysmom on May 1, 2016 8:29:50 GMT -5
I have always covered caseys cage and the finches cage year round. Just with a big sheet She is used to it and will not stop calling night night night if it isn't done. The finches sit and wait in their beds saying their version of night chirps. Every is quiet once they are covered.
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Post by zim on May 1, 2016 12:42:58 GMT -5
I cover Yoshi's cage every night. He actually won't go to bed until I do. He's like a 3 year old child that has to be tucked into bed before he will go to sleep. I also bought him a bird warmer which I leave on in his cage 24/7. I like knowing that if he does get cold for any reason, he has a way of warming up. He uses it fairly often, too. This is the bird warmer: www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?pcatid=26388 |
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Post by julianna on May 1, 2016 15:26:54 GMT -5
I never used to cover Oscar's cage because he had built himself a house in it... and it was very dark in there. The 6th house is not as full as the others so I have started to cover him in the evenings. His cage is in the living room and hubby likes to watch TV until 10:00 p.m. or so... and I want Oscar to feel the darkness ... and to relax. He is up early in the mornings so I cover him by 8:00 pm. each evening.
The cover I use is light weight and dark navy blue... to keep the light out. Our days in Ontario are getting longer and longer and soon the sun will be up until 9:00 pm. My little boy needs his sleep.
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Post by biteybird on May 2, 2016 2:52:55 GMT -5
Hi Holly22, we cover Bonnie's cage with a sheet/curtain (I bought a set of two in the op shop for $1 - yay!) year round. She has her happy hut to sleep in, too.
I find she goes to sleep straight away when her cage is covered and she seems to like it and looks forward to the 'going to bed' routine (which is: say 'goodnight', kissing noises, stretching wings and legs one at a time, then screech raucously as the cage gets covered, then...blessed silence...LOL).
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Post by cnyguy on May 2, 2016 20:09:11 GMT -5
I am able to keep a fairly consistent temparture in the apartment all year long (68 F). Covering cages at night around here is more a matter of what makes each parrot happy than keeping them warm. Ralph likes the back of his cage covered at all times. At night, I pull the cover (an old cotton tablecloth) around so that most of the sides are covered too, then I add a towel that covers the top third of the front, just for the night. That's the way Ralph wants it.  I was told that Scooter the CAG can't stand being covered at all, so I haven't used a cover on her cage. |
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Post by beccilouise on May 4, 2016 3:19:35 GMT -5
Hi Holly, I cover Maya's cage with a designed cage cover that I bought from northernparrots.com, I just leave a corner of it slightly uncovered to keep it ventilated. Maya also has a little corner birdie blanket that ties onto the bars of her cage so she can snuggle up to it if she gets chilly. You can also get birdie warmers and heated perches if you're worried about the temperature drop. the birdie warmer is a heated panel that attaches to the side of the cage. The heated perch is the same, but in perch form. Just a note, you should not use the heated perch as the sleeping perch, but should put it near to the sleeping perch, a little lower. That way, the bird can step onto it if they get cold and step off again if they get too hot, meaning they are more able to regulate their temperature and will not overheat. Remember, though, that feathers are already a really good insulator. That's not to say that temperature for our birds isn't important, but just remind yourself that the cold YOU feel on your bare skin, is not what Norman feels!
Most birds seem to get used to their cage being covered, in the dark, they tend to seek out sheltered places anyway, and sometimes cage covers can help them to feel not so exposed. The only time I've heard of birds hating cage covers is if they have experienced, in the past, the cage being covered for too long and they exist in darkness for days. This is bound to depress a bird, which may lead to fear of the cover. I don't know if this is always true, I don't know every bird, I just know this is what I've heard. But as cnyguy says, every bird is different. It's just about working out what will suit Norman :
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Post by harryholic on May 5, 2016 7:02:54 GMT -5
Chico has always had a cover at night, there is a ritual of saying bed time, then getting 3 kisses blown to you as you put the cover on.
Forget to remove it in the morning, and you get squarking and a head at the slit demanding it be removed
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I was told that Scooter the CAG can't stand being covered at all, so I haven't used a cover on her cage.
