Moon's Graden

I have several handfed pets, a budgie, several tiels, 3 lovebirds and an
African Grey. I cover all their cages at night and always have. I have several
reasons for this, the biggest being I don't get up until 8:00 in the morning
and when they are covered they are quiet until I uncover them. If they weren't
covered they would be making noise when the sun comes up. Also my birds are in
the main living areas of my house and I stay up until 1:00 in the moring with
the T.V on and they wouldn't be able to sleep well uncovered. Also I have 3
housecats and I feel the cats won't bother the birds if they are covered. I
have a drafty house in the winter and I don't keep it real hot so they need the
extra warmth in the winter by being covered at night. I also have a large
breeding room in my ba***t with lots of different species and I don't cover
those birds.
 * Origin: Bird Info Network Gateway 303-423-9775 (1:104/234)

I have several handfed pets, a budgie, several tiels, 3 lovebirds and an
African Grey. I cover all their cages at night and always have. I have several
reasons for this, the biggest being I don't get up until 8:00 in the morning
and when they are covered they are quiet until I uncover them. If they weren't
covered they would be making noise when the sun comes up. Also my birds are in
the main living areas of my house and I stay up until 1:00 in the moring with
the T.V on and they wouldn't be able to sleep well uncovered. Also I have 3
housecats and I feel the cats won't bother the birds if they are covered. I
have a drafty house in the winter and I don't keep it real hot so they need the
extra warmth in the winter by being covered at night. I also have a large
breeding room in my ba***t with lots of different species and I don't cover
those birds.
 * Origin: Bird Info Network Gateway 303-423-9775 (1:104/234)

I have several handfed pets, a budgie, several tiels, 3 lovebirds and an
African Grey. I cover all their cages at night and always have. I have several
reasons for this, the biggest being I don't get up until 8:00 in the morning
and when they are covered they are quiet until I uncover them. If they weren't
covered they would be making noise when the sun comes up. Also my birds are in
the main living areas of my house and I stay up until 1:00 in the moring with
the T.V on and they wouldn't be able to sleep well uncovered. Also I have 3
housecats and I feel the cats won't bother the birds if they are covered. I
have a drafty house in the winter and I don't keep it real hot so they need the
extra warmth in the winter by being covered at night. I also have a large
breeding room in my ba***t with lots of different species and I don't cover
those birds.
 * Origin: Bird Info Network Gateway 303-423-9775 (1:104/234)

I have several handfed pets, a budgie, several tiels, 3 lovebirds and an
African Grey. I cover all their cages at night and always have. I have several
reasons for this, the biggest being I don't get up until 8:00 in the morning
and when they are covered they are quiet until I uncover them. If they weren't
covered they would be making noise when the sun comes up. Also my birds are in
the main living areas of my house and I stay up until 1:00 in the moring with
the T.V on and they wouldn't be able to sleep well uncovered. Also I have 3
housecats and I feel the cats won't bother the birds if they are covered. I
have a drafty house in the winter and I don't keep it real hot so they need the
extra warmth in the winter by being covered at night. I also have a large
breeding room in my ba***t with lots of different species and I don't cover
those birds.
 * Origin: Bird Info Network Gateway 303-423-9775 (1:104/234)

I have a 2-year old male***atiel and I have never had to cover his
cage in order to keep him quiet -- for some reason he seems to understand
that when he is carried (along with his cage) to the bedroom, it's time
to be quiet, and when he is carried to the living room he is allowed
to sing and scream. What really surprises me is that this works also
during weekends, when we sleep 1-3 hours later than on weekdays, or
during afternoon naps, or even if I sleep for several hours during the
day after working through the night. Maybe he feels some special
sympathy for tired people?? BTW the bedroom is not extremely dark,
but during the summer we usually needed to keep the curtains closed
if we wanted him to be really quiet (summernights in Finland are really
short!)

This also brings me to another question: I have read everywhere how
important it is for the birds to get always the same amount of sleep
(ca 10 hours?), so that's one of the reasons why it's recommended to
cover the cage (same time every day). But isn't it true that there
are many places where summernights are very short, and thus the birds
don't get very much sleep (not in the dark at least), and still we've
never heard of wild birds dropping dead or getting aggressive just from
the lack of sleep? So my question is, would it be OK to let pet birds
sleep longer in the winter and in the spring / summer assume that
they manage with much less sleep and less time in the dark? Or is
darkness in general not required as long as they are allowed to get
some rest otherwise?

    *    Merja Tornikoski                              *
    *    Metsahovi Radio Research Station, Finland     *
    *    tel +358-0-264423  fax +358-0-264531          *