Covering cages at night, uncovering in the morning

[Natalie]

I am a new bird mommy with 3 society finches: Tiny Tim (micro-winged bird) and his two trusty companions. They have a large cage at my office.

I have been covering them at night. I don't come in at regular hours on the weekends, and Knoxville has had three snow days in the last week.

Should I cover them at night if I won't be in early the next day? I came in at 8:45 this morning, and they were busy chirping away under the cover (a light-colored, light-weight blanket). I have the thermometer set at 77, but I need to take in a thermometer to measure what it actually is in their cage.

I would appreciate any guidance you veterans can give me.

Thanks so much,

Natalie

[cindy]

Welcome to L.A.C. (Life After Covers) Hi, my name is Cindy and I am a reformed coverer! Thanks to the help and encouragement of my buddies here on the forum I was able to fold up the covers, put them away and let my birds experience life after covers!

They are fine as long as you have a set time the lights go on or off...you can pick up an inexpensive timer at a home improvement store.

Leave a night light or two on for them, you can also set this on a timer.

I find that my birds are on a schedule and if I over sleep a little they start getting up lights on or not and start to sing and chirp.

Since your hours are irregular a time set to go and and off at a regular time would work well. You can cover the back and sides if you feel it will keep them warm. I live in Florida and my house is set for the air to go on at 77, the heat is set for 68 and is to hot in the house if set higher. It goes on if the degree drop a degree in the house and keeps the house toasty.

[Natalie]

Thanks, Cindy. I was hoping that covering might be a bit of a myth, seeing that I am busy (or lazy). There is an east window a few feet from the cage, so they get whatever light Knoxville gets which is not nearly enough this time of year.

My mom always covered her birds, but then she didn't have internet friends to give practical advice. In fact, she didn't have a computer, a cell phone, etc., but the house was heated and had indoor plumbing and a wall phone.

Natalie

[CandoAviary]

Covering also was done to keep the drafts off the birds.
Birds temperatures drop while sleeping much like ours do...we like our blankets
I never cover a cage unless I have a sick or young bird and this is to keep him warm.

[FeatherHarp]

Welcome to L.A.C. (Life After Covers) Hi, my name is Cindy and I am a reformed coverer! Thanks to the help and encouragement of my buddies here on the forum I was able to fold up the covers, put them away and let my birds experience life after covers!

Uh..Oh.....I cover my cages up at night. Being they are all in the dining room and the TV is nearby as well as the bathroom I guess I felt covering them would help keep the TV glare to a minimum and also not have to disturb them during those nightly trips to the bathroom. Maybe this doesn't matter? I need somebody to ease my guilt......

[cindy]

Deborah...we are there for you, breathe and step away from the covers!!!!

[CandoAviary]

Covering cages is fine I did it for years as a child and young adult when I had a pair of budgies, or cockatiels.
The resoan I don't cover them now is that I have too many cages It is more practical to keep the buildings climatically controled...no drafts and lights at proper times. These building have no distractions such as TVs, or people moving at night. If I had a pair in the family room with late night tv watching, I would still probably cover them. The pair of scarlet chested grasskeets that I have been handfeeding are finally weaned though I have not moved them to the birdhouse. Last night I got up from the couch to get a midnight snack and tossed my snuggy blanket over the arm of the couch....It about gave them a heart attack...they flapped all over the place...freaked my 3 almost wean handfed gouldians out.... t upset the new itty bitties...and also the 2 new goldbreast I am handfeeding. I felt bad...if they were covered I would not of spoked them

[cindy]

My familyroom is very large and my flights are in there so we can enjoy them. We have people around all the time, the dogs get on the back of the couch and even go up to sniff the cages. The zebras are very brave and will even go down to see them. My bourkes are very nosey and don't seem bothered much. Every night around the time I turn the cage lights out they all start settling down or have gone to their roosting spots. A night light goes on for them. We can still be up and they will have gone into sleep mode without a sound.

I think it all depends on the birds whether you cover or not...Lucy my lovebird is the only one to get a cover since she would not settle down for the night if we don't, we had her way before finches and we always covered her.

Based on my experience and Candace's input you have to decide what is best for your little birds. Try not covering and see how they do, if the can't settle down or are easily spooked then it might be best to cover part way or completely. If the don't seemed phased without a cover then it is one less thing you need to do for them.

[CandoAviary]

My group of handfeds have sleep uncovered just fine...with heat lights on and the TV.. It was just the sudden movement of me tossing the blanket over the arm of the couch that panicked them....
I forget they are there...I'm not use to them in that part of the house

[L in Ontario]

I used to cover my birds when I only had a couple - until a bird had a nightfright. I have and will never cover my birds again. They are fine (and probably better IMHO) without covers.

[lovemyfinch]

I covered until I joined this forum, and learned that it wasn't necessary. One less thing to worry about Of course with all the fids I have accumulated in a short time, I would have to buy out the department store.

[Natalie]

Thanks, everyone. This discussion has not only had its many moments of humor, it has been very informative.

This newbie appreciates all of you,

Natalie

[franny]

I also have my cage in the living room, with tv on, and when I had cats, they would sit on the back of the chair, with their faces pressed against the cage.

I have a light on the top of the cage and it's set on a timer. When it goes out they head to "bed". I leave the light on the stove on at night, to act as a night light, if I'm not up watching tv.

The birds just go to sleep anyway, and don't seem to care about the TV. If I'm wearing my yellow nightgown, I don't walk near the cage, because that seems to be the only thing that upsets them is the sight of me in my yellow nightgown! (I was starting to feel pretty self conscious until I realized it was the "yellow" that scared them, not the sight of me in a nightgown!

So as long as there is some sort of night light on, when you do turn out all the lights, they will be find. I even get up at 4:30 in the morning each weekday to get ready for work. And I turn on the tv (volumn really low) to check the weather channel before I head out to the bus stop. Even that doesn't seem to bother them. I never hear a peep out of them, though I sometimes see them look at the tv for a moment, then go back to sleep.

[colorin]

I cover my amazon parrot cage. If I haven't covered his cage at about 9 p.m., he will screech until I do!

[atarasi]

Covering cages for hook bills and companion birds is more common than finches. It may have been used to also prevent drafts, but I have a feeling it was to keep them quiet until at least 6am!