My little boy keeps eating till past 1am in the morning. I've heard him and checked even though its pitch black.
I think it is because he spends his day out of the cage and notices the food when he goes to sleep so he keeps eating.
I am going to take away the food and only feed him when he comes to me. This might help tame him more too.
Good idea or bad?
Taking away his food!
Moderator: Mods
If he is eating in the dark... its obvious he needs the food... so taking away the food could very well not be in his best interest.
If you wish to curb his eating habits, possible put him away earlier, or keep him in later. It is suprising that he is leaving eating food till such a late time, generally birds wont let themselves get so desperate for food and eat in the dark.
This is the blue ringneck that you caught in your backyard no? I honestly think only feeding him when he comes to you is drastic, and rushed and could very well not work in his best health.
If he isnt eating duuring the day, morning or afternoon, im not sure coming to you during these times works any better at all.
What kind of food are you feeding him? Could possibly be that he isnt getting enough nutrients out of it.
If you want to tame him, you cant strip him from his food, you provide a basic food source, and find a treat he really enjoys, and use that treat as a motive.
If you wish to curb his eating habits, possible put him away earlier, or keep him in later. It is suprising that he is leaving eating food till such a late time, generally birds wont let themselves get so desperate for food and eat in the dark.
This is the blue ringneck that you caught in your backyard no? I honestly think only feeding him when he comes to you is drastic, and rushed and could very well not work in his best health.
If he isnt eating duuring the day, morning or afternoon, im not sure coming to you during these times works any better at all.
What kind of food are you feeding him? Could possibly be that he isnt getting enough nutrients out of it.
If you want to tame him, you cant strip him from his food, you provide a basic food source, and find a treat he really enjoys, and use that treat as a motive.
not getting enough food!??????????? Geeeeez! 
He eats like a horse! He eats fruit, vegetables, sometimes a little bread, occasional nuts or parot seeds now and then. And this is usually gone by the morning. On top of this he has the regular pellets in the dish.
I haven't been controlling when he gets up or goes to bed. The cage is always open. He usually flys out when its around 9am and goes to bed around 9pm.
I've made like a curtain inside the cage -( think of a change tent ) That he goes into and covers him self up if he wants a nap or time out.
Maybe he hasn't figured out the food is a regular thing yet and just wants to eat everything before morning?
He eats like a horse! He eats fruit, vegetables, sometimes a little bread, occasional nuts or parot seeds now and then. And this is usually gone by the morning. On top of this he has the regular pellets in the dish.
I haven't been controlling when he gets up or goes to bed. The cage is always open. He usually flys out when its around 9am and goes to bed around 9pm.
I've made like a curtain inside the cage -( think of a change tent ) That he goes into and covers him self up if he wants a nap or time out.
Maybe he hasn't figured out the food is a regular thing yet and just wants to eat everything before morning?
ah, didnt know he was eating through the day, thought you meant he was probably too excitable to eat while he is out and about.
He sounds highly active, and highly active birds do need crazy amounts of food, eating in the dark is odd for an IRN, however if the bird weighs around 115grams he is not overweight or underweight.
You have to remember, this bird came from one of god knows how many histories and past experiences, doing dractic changes dont always work in the best way thats the only reason i suggest not to take the food.
The behaviour is not normal.. but its not disasterous (as the bird of the bird seems to show a healthy bird). You did get this fella from the wild, so did you take him to the vets to check him out? He could be carrying parasites (soiunds bad.. but most non native birds and crows, which he was hanging out with iirc, in australia carry them in the wild... easily to get infected).
As a precaution, you should get yourself some bird worming stuff anyway, should be done roughly every 6 months, more than this is overkill for any indoor bird... but this guy did come from the wild.
I would not get overly worried about it until you find him constantly sitting at the food bowl. If you can weight him.. (kitchen scales for example, you can put something on there for him to sit on, and weigh that item... and then take that items weight from the total once he is on there... if that makes sence, easy to weigh him that way).
If you cant weigh him, can you easily feel the keel? The chest bones should be covered with tissue thick enough not to be able to feel the main keel bone or the ribs etc easily. If you can... for one reason or another he isnt getting all the food he needs.
He sounds highly active, and highly active birds do need crazy amounts of food, eating in the dark is odd for an IRN, however if the bird weighs around 115grams he is not overweight or underweight.
You have to remember, this bird came from one of god knows how many histories and past experiences, doing dractic changes dont always work in the best way thats the only reason i suggest not to take the food.
The behaviour is not normal.. but its not disasterous (as the bird of the bird seems to show a healthy bird). You did get this fella from the wild, so did you take him to the vets to check him out? He could be carrying parasites (soiunds bad.. but most non native birds and crows, which he was hanging out with iirc, in australia carry them in the wild... easily to get infected).
As a precaution, you should get yourself some bird worming stuff anyway, should be done roughly every 6 months, more than this is overkill for any indoor bird... but this guy did come from the wild.
I would not get overly worried about it until you find him constantly sitting at the food bowl. If you can weight him.. (kitchen scales for example, you can put something on there for him to sit on, and weigh that item... and then take that items weight from the total once he is on there... if that makes sence, easy to weigh him that way).
If you cant weigh him, can you easily feel the keel? The chest bones should be covered with tissue thick enough not to be able to feel the main keel bone or the ribs etc easily. If you can... for one reason or another he isnt getting all the food he needs.
Appart from his odd eating times, I would not worry about it. My boy eats well into the night, as late as 11pm in near dark conditions.
If he wants to eat, let him eat. Its not causing health problems from what it sounds like, and he was far from a chubby boy in the last pic... it could very well just be him getting used to the new situaiton.
Give it time, and work with the fella.
If he wants to eat, let him eat. Its not causing health problems from what it sounds like, and he was far from a chubby boy in the last pic... it could very well just be him getting used to the new situaiton.
Give it time, and work with the fella.