Sleepy tent..yes or no?

[StormyMom]

Ive always read that lovies love their sleepy tents. I bought one for Stormy, who never touched it, until i brought home Lizzy. Lizzy is crazy about this thing..and its one of the biggest things that shes territorial about.

Altho that doesnt bother me, because she is in and out of it, Stormy has now found it fascinating. But unfortunately, Lizzy isnt always willing to share. Sometimes theyll both be sleeping in it perfectly content..next minute Lizzy is attacking the tar out of Stormy. And hes just this shy sweet boy who will sit there and take it while screaming his head off.

So my question is this. Should i remove the tent completely and get them a bird buddy to snuggle with? Or should i just try buying a larger sleepy tent? The one they have right now is pretty tiny..could that be why Lizzy isnt willing to share?

[Angelic vampyre]

I would give them two personally but I have never owned a love bird, with the GC's if they fight over one i just give them two and that settles that

[Enko_chan]

It was recently brought to my attention that happy huts are a no-no for hens under a year old, as it inspires nesting behavior.

[StormyMom]

Hmm maybe ill just remove it for good then and get them bird buddys.

[Flapjack]

My Jack has one, and snuggles into it at night for bed, or during a nap. I only have one lovie, so I don't know how she'd share. She is female.

Chino has one, and lies against the side to sleep most of the time. Sometimes he goes in. I'm not positive of his sex.

My caique doesn't have one, because his previous owner had one in with him, but all he did was shred it. He is a DNA'd male.

Neither of my two that have them are nasty about them, but my female lovie has had eggs- in her coconut and on the grate. She's had a hut all her life (since I took her out of her brooder).

[StormyMom]

My Quaker is BIG on his sleepy tent. He throws fits when i take it to be washed lol. My other birds dont care for it tho. Well i took it out just for now and replaced it with a bird buddy to see how that goes. Maybe ill try putting 2 in later on. I just feel like thats what shes getting so nippy over and if i could avoid it id rather

[Angelic vampyre]

What is a bird buddy?

[Bubblelady]

What is a bird buddy?

It's a plush thing you tie to the side of the cage that the bird can snuggle up to but not actually get "in". Here's a link to a photo:

http://www.birdsupplies.com/Birdie-Buddy-Bird-Sleeping-Quarters-p/mpi6910x.htm

My lovie likes her sleepy teepee or her happy hut, which ever is clean at the moment. My GCC doesn't care for happy hut or birdy buddy. My canary likes his birdie buddy. Each to his own :)

[Angelic vampyre]

thanks for that, will have to look into one. My King Parrot has a happy hut and uses to sleep on his back or he fits himself between the top of the cage and the top of the hut... he is a strange boy!

[brittbritt]

I am not sure where I read this, but I think I read where there is a substance or smell the birdy tents are made out of which makes the birds want to chew into it and it can cause them to get impacted when swallowed. Again, I can't remember where I saw or read that from.

[maya_exquisite]

My boys have Happy Huts, but if they were girls they wouldn't have them (and have the Bird Buddy instead) because I don't want to promote nesty behavior.

[bookworm0550]

all mine have one. my boys love theirs. pan retreats to it whenever he is scared so it's a safety thing for him. evolet just started using hers. i know i read a lot about how that encourages nesty behaviors, but she's never shown anything nesty. maybe she's just not old enough. it's something i am watching though.

[StormyMom]

According to Linda and a few others here Lizzy is only 3-4 months old. She started showing nesty behavior very quickly. I also had a cardboard box on top of her cage to chew and Eric took it away while i was at work tonight saying she was getting nesty with that as well.

[bookworm0550]

well, evolet's 5 months now. she can be nosy, bossy, and dominating, but she's never shown signs of nesty behaviors. not even over her cage. she used to care when pan was in it, but now he can be in there and she could care less. i don't know when she's gonna start becoming a Hen. I just want her to be my little baby girl forever :(

and yeah, i think at 3-4 months, that is early. is that normal though? to start that young? cuz that's really young!!!!

[StormyMom]

I think its very young!! But ive also never had a female lovie. I noticed a change in her attitude right away tho. I took out the tent this morning, she hasnt chased around Stormy at ALL today. Shes been super sweet. And... i can stick my hand in the cage near her and she doesnt try to attack me. Past couple of days she actually drew blood the moment i stuck my hands thru the doors. Just a second ago i was able to put my finger near her and she just nibbled.

Shes not as nice to Eric tho... lol

[bookworm0550]

i wonder if it's just something she's going through? i know they like to test you.

ah, yes, lovebird bites, aren't they just so fun? NOT!!!!!! I get bitten like everyday from joey or pan. doesn't even phase me anymore. and joey's supposed to love me too!!! oh well. what's the point of having a parrot if they can't bite you right? LOL

[StormyMom]

Haha. And she has a nasty bite when she wants too! I swear shell not only bite, shell cling on and like, grind her beak. OW! I have 10 birds, i think shes the most painful of them all!!! I dont recall any of my other ones drawing blood

[bookworm0550]

i know, the whole "don't show a reaction" goes out the window after a while with me. it's not the bite, it's the holding on that is painful.

[LovelySydney]

My Gussy is OBSESSED with his happy hut. I put it in there for bed and take it out in the morning. He loves it and I it's where he sleeps so I am all for it. There CAN be some risks involved with huts as far as the make of them go, loose strings, etc., but we closely inspect Gus's daily so were aware of what he's getting into!!


In conclusion I say YES on a happy hut - I like seeing Gussy all cozy, espcially in our weather!! :cold

[BarbieH]

With two birds in that cage, and one of them for sure a hen (although she's young), I would definitely get that hut out of the cage. She could easily hurt her cage mate if she thinks she's defending her "nest."

Things that look like nests can trigger nesty behavior, even in quite young hens. This can lead to them trying to lay eggs before it's physically healthy for them to do.

Do you know Stormy's gender for sure?

[StormyMom]

Supposable Stormy is a boy and Lizzy is a girl. But it was told to me thru "hip bone spacing" with Lizzys breeder so everyones saying its not 100% accurate. With Lizzys personality, im more than certain shes a girl. With Stormy, hes extremely mellow, laid back, and isnt aggressive at all. So i THINK he did get it right, but im not 100% positive

[Enko_chan]

I am not sure where I read this, but I think I read where there is a substance or smell the birdy tents are made out of which makes the birds want to chew into it and it can cause them to get impacted when swallowed. Again, I can't remember where I saw or read that from.

There's an article in the dangerous toys section of parrotparrot.com to that effect. I'm not sure about the smell part, but birds have chewed it, and got impacted crops or other parts of their digestive systems from the materials.

[MykL]

My Curacao, whom I assume is Male, ADORES his happyhut... He sleeps/naps in it all the time and playes on it during the day... Ive never seen him chewing on it in any way and he keeps it very clean, oddly enough?... I guess it's on a bird to bird basis?