Night fright three times last night...

[chirpy]

Thank you everyone!!!
@EyesofFreedom YES! I told EVERYONE if there is anything going on in the house there will be no AC or HEAT going on in the house the windows will be open and vents must be closed.. They are getting really annoyed with me LOL... but I Dont Really Care. PLUS it all must be done right now before it gets Chicago Cold. haha... tick tick!

@Angela&Shalamar I was going to get one today but decided on waiting a little longer to see if I will get another idea... I think if I put a nest in there I will have 3 trillion eggs in a week lol.. I dont mind tossing the eggs but I also don't want to encourage it thought it might hurt them!


@cindy THIS I LOVE... what kind of meshing is that? and what are those cardboard looking ones? I MUST make these.. this way they wont use the darn food bowl for roosting and it wont get poopy!

[EyesofFreedom]

chirpy oh I just realized your location... you are quickly running out of time...

fyi I was born at Great Lakes Naval Air Station ;)

[cindy]

The tubes the circles that are about 3" long are from a roll of butcher paper at Sam's, We used a band saw to cut them, smooth the edges, punch two holes in the top and thread a zip tie through and attach it to the top of the cage.

The black mesh is a 1/4 black plastic mesh I got at either Home Depot or Lowe's....think it was Home Depot.

[chirpy]

cindy COOL!!!! I love the idea!!! do they all go ni there at night? they look so cute in there too... I really must get some of this meshy stuff or empty rolls!

[cindy]

At light out in the room the owls go to their spots to roost, some of the older pairs sit in there during the afternoon, my oldest hen is an '07...she has her spot. I used the nest as roosting spots for young to fledge to and sleep in, it helped especially if there were still younger siblings still to fledge yet. Found there was less chasing young away from the nest if the young had somewhere to roost while weaning especially if the mom double clutched.

[dcompt]

That's a great idea. Even the open mesh, since it's over and around them might increase their sense of security. Maybe with some plants nearby or around the sides?

Mine have never had night frights. There's dim light in the room from the apartment courtyard, enough for them to maneuver by if they did bolt, but they never have, even through crashing thunderstorms (that make me jump sometimes), fireworks, my coming in at night after work in the dark. I've wondered if some of it was being able to roost in nests. They build them up leaving a small doorway and snuggle lower in the back. It must feel like a safe and hidden place for them.

Chirpy, not to hijack your thread to another subject, but you asked some time ago if with my trio one bird felt a bit left out. I said Ziggy, who wanted to join in, and Hermit, an original of the pair, both seemed individually linked to Gaffer, who is apparently Mr. Personality. Hermit finally allowed Ziggy in and seemed to be tolerating him, but without enthusiasm. Lately though, I have seen those two perching together when Gaffer was off amusing himself somewhere else, and several times have seen Hermit preening Ziggy, so it seems the bonds are tightening up all around. Good news, since poor Ziggy was breaking his heart to throw in his lot with them and Hermit had been nixing the deal for weeks before Gaffer finally put his foot down and said it was ok to share the nest.

[danaday]

Cindy
That is a really cool idea for roosting. I might have to use your idea at some point.

[debbie276]

Those circle perches are a cool idea, reminds me of the stress perch idea. Do you have to change them out often from poop build up?

[chirpy]

dcompt Aww good to hear that things are working out on their own I wish I could have a nest... then their personality volume will heighten lol
I just adore my little George she is SO a daddys little girl! she would watch him from afar.. and STILL try and kidn of get fed by him.. well i guess not really fed but if hes eating she will go there and try and get what hes eating from his mouth and he never ever is mean like Roseanne! he just sits their wide eyed and lets her do anything.

Going to home depot tomorrow for this meshy stuff and some zip ties i can't wait.. though I know they will go insane crazy when hooking it up and have a heart attack over the fact its a new THING.

[chirpy]

dcompt I also.. PMed you about crocheting LOL not sure if you saw it but i need your expertise advice!

[beachbird]

Cindy I love the roosting ring idea. How ingenious. I have been very worried about night fright living in a resort town and havind fireworks go off a block a way once a week. My birds are also outside. I guess they have gotten use to that noise. Amazing. Knocking on wood, never had an incident so far.

[dcompt]

chirpy, I didn't see the PM Sunday and I've been off. I sent you one.

[oomiedog]

My Gouldian has been having "night frights" , or either getting overactive at bedtime for several nights. I have to take him out of his cage and sit with him awhile~since he's imprinted to humans, this seems to calm him down.
There's nothing different going on, but he does seem to have started molting. (I was afraid there was a hole in his feathers, until someone told me those were his ears showing up!)

He's about 1.5 yrs old, so I guess this is his first adult molt? Are they more stressed when they are molting? Do they do this every year?

Should I have more light in the bedroom? Cover his cage? Get him a little nest basket?
Any ideas would be appreciated!
Thanks!
Mary Jane

[StodOne]

chirpy Maybe it is because of the light ?
I am not sure no night frights happened to my birds , from time to time the male and female would start rustling inside the nest and one of them would just jump out and stand on the nest opening , but not frightened or anything , I usually cover my birds cages during the night with some kind of curtain, try covering them and observe them that night to see if they will get frightened so that you can turn on the light again if they do.
I've heard that when you cover them they feel more secure for some reason .

[Barbara]

Cindy
I love those tube station you made for them what a cute idea and they look like they love them,I wonder if society parents would try to nest in them?

Chirpy
I wouldn'the put the nest back because they will nest and more babies will come,The first night my baby society couldn't get back in the nest they had a fright I use Christmas lights around the closet door and they haven'the had any more.Also I know they huddle so close and even on top of one another at night (4 babies,parents) I can see where one could push one off and cause a fright but could be anything or nothing that sets them off as long as room isn't real dark they should be able to get there bearings,and hopefully none hurt it is a scary thing to hear and when you first walk in to them too.Glad there ok