Moon's Graden

by **Tom Li** » Thu, 22 Oct 1992 00:40:23

Hi...

Our new baby blue-fronted amazon, Maggie, is a little over 4 months old and
she is doing very well with us over the last week. The one question we now
have is about covering her cage. Both our 8 yr old***atiel and our 16 mo
old red-shouldered macaw have no problem and actually demand their cage
covers around 9:30-10:00 in the evening. However, when we tried to cover
the amazon, she climbs up the side of the cage and holds on with claws and
beak. We tried covering the top and sides and she climbed up the front and
stayed there (we think) all night. Last evening, I removed the cover and
placed her back onto a lower perch and she stayed there without any
problems. This morning she was on an upper perch and seemed more rested
and less stressed. Until she comes out of our self-imposed quarantine this
coming Saturday, she is in a separate room where we can turn out the lights
and close the door. She is comfortable with that. My questions are these
- Do you think she is confused by the cage cover because she is to young?
Since she is so quiet in the evening and the morning, will we ever need to
cover her? Will she take to a covered cage when she is older and sees the
other birds being covered? Thanks for any responses.

Tom...

Electrooptical Devices Group | thing you know, close a deal
MIT Lincoln Lab | with a handshake, and HAVE FUN.

by **Orin D** » Fri, 23 Oct 1992 00:00:47

Quote:

> Hi...

> Our new baby blue-fronted amazon, Maggie, is a little over 4 months old and
> she is doing very well with us over the last week. The one question we now
> have is about covering her cage. However, when we tried to cover
> the amazon, she climbs up the side of the cage and holds on with claws and
> beak. We tried covering the top and sides and she climbed up the front and
> stayed there (we think) all night. Last evening, I removed the cover and
> placed her back onto a lower perch and she stayed there without any
> problems. My questions are these:
> - Do you think she is confused by the cage cover because she is to young?
> Since she is so quiet in the evening and the morning, will we ever need to
> cover her? Will she take to a covered cage when she is older and sees the
> other birds being covered?

Well, the way my quaker was, and is, he will stay upside down in
his cage when it is a strange situation, like riding in the car,
or the first few times he was covered up. He's used to it now,
and I think he's happier to get enough undisturbed rest despite
any weird hours I'm awake and have the lights on.

--
**** Curtis, how many screwdrivers do you HAVE in your car??? ****

Hughes STX/NASA GSFC Laboratory for High Energy Astrophysics
*******"Think that this is NASA's opinion? NO, NO, NO!!!" ******

by **Peter Klimcz** » Fri, 23 Oct 1992 08:42:45

I never saw any reason to cover the bird cage. The only strong
argument for them I ever read was in an ad which said that
birds require 12 hours of pitch dark and silence for proper rest.
It being an ad I don't take it seriously. Where in the wild
do birds get 12 hours of moonless silence? I would think that
leaving a nightlight on makes more sense. For example,***atiels
are known for thrashing in the night; little indirect light helps
to remedy the problem. Can any one tell me (from first and experiance)
the benefits of covering the cage?

Peter.

by **Lauren Skinn** » Fri, 23 Oct 1992 11:57:24

Quote:

>I never saw any reason to cover the bird cage. The only strong
>argument for them ... Can any one tell me (from first and experiance)
>the benefits of covering the cage?

I still cover my budgies' cage every night, more out of habit than anything.
We always did it for our pet birds when I was little, and I think the rationale
then was to protect them from cold drafts in an old house with windows and
doors not so well sealed as those of today.

On the other hand, one book I read once discussed birds' liking for a
little bit of privacy, and I certainly see this in my own little family from
time to time. It will sometimes happen when I wander over to their
cage to watch something cute they are doing, then they'll stop until I go
away and leave them alone again. They get this sheepish, self-conscious,
you're-interrupting-me look on their little faces. I think it's fun to
observe how often birds' body language parallels that of humans. Ever see an
embarassed and chagrinned budgie? I have and it's a funny sight.

Something else just occurred to me: some birds will stop singing and chirping
when you cover them up, but none of mine have ever been like this. When I
get up in the morning, they are twittering and tweeting away, even though
they are still covered, but there is enough light to wake them up.

Lauren.

by **Robert Wiega** » Fri, 23 Oct 1992 23:00:05

Quote:

>Hi...
>Our new baby blue-fronted amazon, Maggie, is a little over 4 months old and
>she is doing very well with us over the last week. The one question we now
>have is about covering her cage. Both our 8 yr old***atiel and our 16 mo
>old red-shouldered macaw have no problem and actually demand their cage
>covers around 9:30-10:00 in the evening. However, when we tried to cover
>the amazon, she climbs up the side of the cage and holds on with claws and
>beak. We tried covering the top and sides and she climbed up the front and
>stayed there (we think) all night. Last evening, I removed the cover and
>placed her back onto a lower perch and she stayed there without any
>problems. This morning she was on an upper perch and seemed more rested
>and less stressed. Until she comes out of our self-imposed quarantine this
>coming Saturday, she is in a separate room where we can turn out the lights
>and close the door. She is comfortable with that. My questions are these
>- Do you think she is confused by the cage cover because she is to young?
>Since she is so quiet in the evening and the morning, will we ever need to
>cover her? Will she take to a covered cage when she is older and sees the
>other birds being covered? Thanks for any responses.

Give it some time. I would expect her to get used to it eventually.
I would suggest just covering part of the cage for now until she
gets used to it, and don't turn the lights off right away.

I leave the back side of the cage uncovered with my birds.
I think this allows better air circulation and a little light, while
still blocking their view of the room and most of the light.

--
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Robert Wiegand - Motorola Inc.

Disclamer: I didn't do it - I was somewhere else at the time.

by **Robert Wiega** » Sat, 24 Oct 1992 23:38:13

Quote:

>I never saw any reason to cover the bird cage. The only strong
>argument for them I ever read was in an ad which said that
>birds require 12 hours of pitch dark and silence for proper rest.
>It being an ad I don't take it seriously. Where in the wild
>do birds get 12 hours of moonless silence? I would think that
>leaving a nightlight on makes more sense. For example,***atiels
>are known for thrashing in the night; little indirect light helps
>to remedy the problem. Can any one tell me (from first and experiance)
>the benefits of covering the cage?

I think it depends on the conditions in your house.
If the birds are in their own room where you can turn off the lights
when its time for them to sleep then you don't need to cover the cage.
However, if the birds are in your normal "living space" then you may
need to do it so you don't keep them up too late.

I agree that complete darkness isn't needed, an 12 hours is probably
a bit much.

--
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Robert Wiegand - Motorola Inc.

Disclamer: I didn't do it - I was somewhere else at the time.

by **NANCY RABEL (KC4I** » Tue, 27 Oct 1992 18:19:00

Quote:

>> Can any one tell me (from first and experiance)
>>the benefits of covering the cage?

>I think it depends on the conditions in your house.
>If the birds are in their own room where you can turn off the lights
>when its time for them to sleep then you don't need to cover the cage.
>However, if the birds are in your normal "living space" then you may
>need to do it so you don't keep them up too late.

My tiel's cage is in one corner of the living room. And that's the
main reason I cover her up at night. I still stay up late, especially
on the weekends and my tiel likes her cage covered around 10:00pm and
if I forget, she reminds me :) The noise I make doesn't bother her
once I cover her cage. The only thing that might get her attention
is if the tv is on and someone is whistling. She used to scream and
sqwark when I first used to cover her but now she is used to it.
In fact, if she is playing with one of her toys or is on a lower
perch, she will quickly go to her "sleeping perch" when she sees
I'm about to cover her.

Space Station Freedom --... ...-- -.. . KC4IYD
NASA - Lewis Research Center stamp collector, SF ***

Moon's Graden

Covering Cage at Night

Covering Cage at Night

Covering Cage at Night

Covering Cage at Night

Covering Cage at Night

Covering Cage at Night

Covering Cage at Night

Covering Cage at Night