considering a sleep cage

[Jenny]

I've been thinking pretty seriously about getting Aaron a sleeping cage & putting it in my spare bedroom. Aaron more often than not tells me when he's ready for bed: he goes into his cage, gets low on his favorite perch, & starts his beak grating. So if I get a sleep cage, is it at that time that I should transfer him to the sleep cage? Or should I try to transfer him just before he starts settling down? Is the change in his routine going to cause him problems for a bit? I mean, I know he'll get over it & get used to the new routine - I'm just wondering what I should expect.

[Michael]

I'm not sure I understand the purpose for this?

[Jenny]

well, right now, Aaron's cage is in my living room. As I try to insure that it's lights-out for him at 9pm, I restrict my activities to my bedroom after that time. & sometimes, that's just not all that convenient. I try not to wake him up before 7am, & there are times when I'd like to be able to get out the front door (in the living room) before then. I'm thinking if he has a smaller sleep cage in the spare bedroom, where I can keep it dark & quiet for the required number of hours, that would allow me to have more free access to the rest of my house.

I don't want his sleep cage to be his only cage. During the day, I would think he would prefer to be in the large cage in the living room - whether I'm there or not.

[Michael]

Have you considered just covering the cage?

[Jenny]

Aaron is prone to night frights, so I can't completely cover his cage. That means that even though I do partially cover his cage in the living room at night, if I were to remain active in that room/part of the house, he would still see light from lamps, he would still see light from the TV, he would still be interrupted/startled by my banging around in the kitchen, talking on the phone, opening & closing the front door, etc, etc, etc. I could do most of that (I'd keep the banging to a minimum) to my little heart's delight if Aaron were isolated in the spare bedroom to go nighty-night.

[Michael]

Ah, I see. Well if you are going to use a sleeping cage, I suggest you make going in and out of it just a fun game at first and only later start treating it as a cage. So maybe play with your bird outside the sleeping cage, then put him in and give lots of millet and then back out, etc. Check out this article about how I taught my parrots to go into a travel cage and made it fun for them.It'll be something similar with the sleeping cage for your bird.

[liz]

Have you thought about putting like a nest box on the side of his cage. He could go in it to have the room darker and quieter and still have a door to look out. If you put a perch in it with a snuggly hanging toy he would not feel alone and it may control night fright.

When I took three pair of cockatiels from their cages and put them together in a big flight cage (Rambo's old huge cage) Rambo claimed a small cage. When I asked him what he was doing in there he said "night night". So that is what it has been. The little night cage is on top of his cage and always covered except for the door and has a stuffed toy hanging beside him on the perch. When he takes a nap or is ready to sleep at night he just goes in his "night night" cage

[Jenny]

Have you thought about putting like a nest box on the side of his cage.

hmmm, although that does sound like a good idea, Aaron already gets kinda' nesty & territorial in corners, so I'm real careful to limit his access to places like that. I'm thinking a nest box might trigger those hormones...

Rambo claimed a small cage. When I asked him what he was doing in there he said "night night". So that is what it has been.

absolutely adorable!!

I suggest you make going in and out of it just a fun game at first and only later start treating it as a cage. So maybe play with your bird outside the sleeping cage, then put him in and give lots of millet and then back out, etc.

Great suggestion. Thanks Michael.