by Ark » Sat Aug 07, 2010 12:08 am
Cockatiels are a species that tend to be prone to night frights. Sometimes it can be from a sound, or from a moving shadow/light (like passing car lights shining into the room), or who knows what the bird senses that we can not preceive. You can try putting a night light by his cage, it may help him get his bearings faster if he does end up panicking. I use LED ones in my house so I don't have to keep turning lights on while I roam at night, they turn on automatically when the room goes dark. I also decided to put some in my bird room. I had never had a problem with night frights before, until last month or so there was an earthquake (or so they say, I didn't feel a thing. /lol). The night before, my birds were very restless and would not go to sleep. My African Grey had two night frights that night (for no reason obvious to me), I had to end up sleeping in their room with them because they just wouldn't settle. The next day it made more sense, they must have sensed the quake coming. That night, he was being wary of going in his cage for the night (maybe because he was feeling aftershocks). I put the night lights in and he seemed more reassured. Since having the night lights on, he hasen't had anymore frights. It may only have to do with that the stressor is gone, but at least if he does freak out again I hope the light will help him get his bearings faster. I do find that they fuss less after being put to bed now that the night lights are there. Where is your Cockatiel's cage located and do you cover him?