Am I getting the right signal here?

[elaine]

I have always covered my Smokey at night. About the last week when I get the cover and approach the cage he starts to freak (flapping and pacing up and down the perch but not verbal). Last night I started to put the cover over his cage and he started pacing and literally yelling at me. Is he testing just to get his own way and should I continue to cover him or should I let him have his own way and not cover. I have to admit I caved in last night cos he seemed soooooooo upset by it. Who should have the final say here as I have read on here (although no one seems to know why) that ringnecks shouldn't be covered. I am a softy and don't like to see him upset.

[berrynice]

that was me that wrote about not covering. I read somewhere that IRNs are more susceptible to night fright. can't remember the source. does he act if not covered? if not, i wouldn't worry.

[elaine]

When I put the cover down and put it away he just went to his sleeping corner and stopped yelling. I didn't know they were frightened at night. This morning he was just his usual self. Last night was the first time I have never covered him but his reaction to the covering has increased over the last week.

[Dani03]

Night frights are something that is very common in cockatiels. For some unknown reason they freak out and start to flap around the cage and act like something is attacking them. A few minutes later they'll settle down and act like nothing happened. Scary to watch and they can hurt themselves...I don't cover for that reason

Dani and Prinny

[elaine]

Thanks for the response. He has never had a reaction until this last week as I have said. Maybe cos he's that bit older now. He is now about 5 months old (i've had him since he was about 8 weeks old). I thought he might just be trying to test me but obviously there is something wrong. I think I will stop covering him

[Mikaela]

IRN's generally do not like being covered. He is making that very obvious.

Owners sometimes do it to quiet them but only half the cage should be covered. NEVER the whole cage.

I dont and wouldnt even cover my IRN's cage. They simply dont like it or need it.

[jen5239]

I cover both my babies at night and have NEVER had a minutes problem. And I cover the ENTIRE cage. No problems here. So I guess it depends on the birds.

Jen

[winkybear]

Hi -

I cover Nikki with a small cloth that doesn't cover the entire cage. She doesn't like it at all, but she has reluctantly gotten used to it.

It does seem to keep her quiet(er) in the morning before I get up. If I don't cover her she will start in screaming at first light.

In the summer here, first light is around 4:30 am.

Do NOT want to be awakened by a Screaming Mimi at that hour!!

So I cover her. For my own protection.

I might add that the cloth is quite thin, and we have a lot of ambient light from the city in our apartment so she is never really in the dark-dark.

Speaking of night-fright, when I was a teenager I bred English Budgies. Kept them in the basement. They'd wake the whole house in the middle of the night acting like they were under attack. They were in a large flight cage that was not covered, but the basement got pretty dark.

Have a great day!!

[elaine]

Thanks all so much for your input. I haven't covered the cage since the other night and when I say 'nighty night' he goes to his sleeping corner, I turn out the light and he is fine. Whether he has got his own way now ( ) or whether there is a problem, I am not going to cover him again. - It just seemed strange that all of a sudden he started acting up.