Birdy Bedtime

[KimberlyAnn]

I think I'm creating a monster.

It's bedtime. Being a preschool teacher means putting the kids to sleep at nap time. Patting or rubbing backs and singing. So naturally, I do this for Emmi.

I stay by her cage and talk or hum her a song. If I leave early, she cries. If I leave when I hear beak grinding, she's good. All in all, the time I spend with her is getting shorter. We are down to five mins now with no screaming.

How do you guys put your birds to bed? Am I creating a bird who won't be independent? Lol

[marie83]

I just say ni'night to them and pull the cover over Ollies cage. Harlie doesn't get covered so I stand by the lightswitch and she climbs up to her perch. I switch light off and leave room.
Ok so its still a routine but its a simple one, I dont think it will cause and stress if it ever gets changed if I can't look after them anymore.

[pennyandrocky]

penny goes right to sleep. but mya wants about a dozen kisses then i have to sit by her cage talking to her until i hear her beak grinding. sometimes after about a half hour of quiet i'll think she's asleep and out of no where i hear a quiet "what are you doin?". as long as it's a routine you can keep up with i don't see anything wrong with a little extra attention before bed.

[Strawfrawg]

I make sure to spend some lovey time with Marvin before bedtime...he sits with me on the couch and snuggles under a blanket till he starts to doze off. When he does, I carry him to his cage telling him it's time to go "night-night birdie". He hops in with no problem and goes to his sleep spot. I never hear a peep after that.

I don't see a problem with having a more elaborate routine as long as you know your bird can settle in without it. I think it's nice to have a special little ritual for bedtime. It's healthy for both of you, I think.

[KimberlyAnn]

Marie, does Ollie call for you after you cover him? The trouble I'm having is Emmi makes contact calls for ten or 15 mins so I just started doing it this way, but you make a valid point about not being there to care for them and how will they go to sleep on their own and feel secure. We are going out of town for the weekend for our anniversary. My step daughter will care for Emmi and spend time with her. I can have her do our bedtime routine, but will it go ok? Lol

But I do love our routine. It's the time of the day that I get to hear her practising her English phrases! I am glad to hear others do this and it's not just me! LOL

[Dasphatness]

Bedtime for Melody is pretty routine. She goes to bed when we do; usually around 11-12 at night. A bit late I know, but she wont have it any other way. Its usually around 10 or so when she starts to not be running around the floor as much, and is usually climbing up on me to get comfy and begin her nightly shut down.

She is either on my shoulder or sitting on my stomach while im watching the idiot box, or playing games. She just get to chill out on daddy's gut for a bit, as its rare for me to need to get up and move about this late at night. She begins her yawning and beak grinding but is still awake and trying to steal stratchies. When its time for me to crash out for the night, il give her a little nudge to get her eyes to pop open. She knows whats about the happen and climbs into my cupped hands and we walk to her cage together. I place her inside and say "Goodnight Mel-Mel, it be sleepin time!" This is usually responded with a bit of mild panic and perch pacing. Shes in her room and now doesnt want to go to sleep (kind of like our four-year-old). I'll switch off the lights and repeat my goodnights to her. She does not like her cage covered at all, as she does have night frights, though they are very rare. She's got her own fish tank near her cage as a night light. I procede to close the house down and lock up and make my way to the bedroom.

Right before bed I do my last rounds for the night, checking the locks, making sure all lights are turned off and of course, checking the kids. Fish tanks are all shut down, lights off, and she is totally conked out on her favorite perch. At least until what tomorrow brings us, just another night.

[marie83]

Ollie doesn't call unless we are making excess noise and he thinks he is missing out on something, he hates not being able to see if he thinks somethings happening. We tend to go straight out the room at their bedtime anyway or I will work quietly on my laptop with the lights dimmed. He did call the first 3 days or so after we started covering him up as he wasn't used to it but other than that he is fine now.

I'm not against having a night time routine but I like to keep all my routines variable so my birds will be adjustable to anything that crops up (apart from the fact I work random hours so its impossible to be too stuck in a routine), the time they get up and go to bed is not something we can vary by that much, besides that I want them to know its bedtime and not have the whole calling issue so thats why I choose a simple bedtime, they get tons of attention before bed so I don't feel the need to have an extended settle them down period as they go back in their cages and get fed about 30-60 minutes before bed so they ae pretty settled by lights out anyway.

[GreenWing]

Tiki knows that once I start vacuuming, bed time is nigh. I also tell her "time to go to bed" and she'll usually try to get away from me, because she don't wanna!

Once the lights are out she goes right to sleep. 'Never a peep afterwards. I usually am the one to wake her up when I get up -- rarely does she squawk to wake me up.

[pennyandrocky]

i don't think your step daughter will have to do your routine. when my boyfriend has the night off from work he puts mya to bed without anything special she goes in her cage and he shuts the door. the kisses and talking is only somthing i do with her.

[KimberlyAnn]

He did call the first 3 days or so after we started covering him up

I didn't stick it out past the second day! Lol I'm such a wuss! I think maybe I will try tonight. Just spend time outside the cage with her, singing and talking...instead of extending it to when she's inside the cage too. Then put her in her sleep cage and walk away. But I think penny may be right too. Maybe the bird has me pegged for the sucker. Lol