Hello everybody!
Some questions from a "newbie"
1) To cover the cage or not to cover the cage? I´m confused regarding this subject because some people say that you should cover the cage to avoid having a bird that panics during the night and flies around the cage in great risk of getting hurt. While others claim that you should not cover the cage because the bird will panic and fly around and get hurt…? They say you should provide the bird with a nightlight instead. What if you cover the cage and keep a nightlight close by to light up the cage slightly? Or is it better to just not cover the cage at all?
The main reason for the confused questions is that I´m a “night owl” and that it´s very important for parrots to get 12 hours of UNDISTURBED sleep (at least that´s my understanding, correct me if I’m wrong) and it seems easier to provide that if you cover the cage…or I´m I wrong? If I keep the lights on (without covering the cage) my guess is that the bird will not sleep…so what´s the best way to provide the parrot with a good night’s sleep? Do you cover or not cover? A part from me being up late at night, I´ve also got other animals that will most likely be awake longer than the parrot likes to be; and my guess is that this can keep the parrot from getting enough undisturbed sleep (unless the parrot´s cages is covered of course?).
2) First day/day’s home – specifically I´m wondering about the first few hours when you bring the parrot home for the first time, and the following day or two. I´m feeling unsecure regarding which approach is the best. I´ve seen Youtubers that´s (very knowledgeable regarding parrots in general and parrot training) claiming their way is the best for very convincing reasons. The problem I have with this, is that their methods are completely clashing; two very different approaches to the same “problem”. Some claim that you should immediately put the parrot in it´s cage and leave it alone (for how long differs) and some claim equally convinced that the best way is to start interacting with the parrot right away, feeding it nice food/treats, letting it be near you and watch you during the day etc.
Thoughts? Since a parrot is so intelligent I would feel bad leaving it in the cage (at least for any length of time) but which approach do you feel is the “correct” one, the least stressful one and the one that provides the best foundation for a good relationship between parrot and owner? Does the method change due to different circumstances; such as the time the parrot arrives (for example if it arrives close to its bedtime), the species of parrot etc.?
Obviously, I wouldn´t want to make a mess of things one way or the other…like making it feel unwelcome, sadder and more abandoned (which it probably already feels, considering it has just left it´s familiar surroundings at its previous home or at the breeder) or stress it out and make it feel extra nervous…none of which feels like the best start of a new relationship? Little help here would be nice. I feel so confused…and scared I might go about it the wrong way and make the parrot scared of me and/or mad at me.
/Animallover_84