Early Bird?

[Wheeliegirl]

This post is kind of related to Panda's, however, my Peachie has taken to screaming at 4 in the morning, and she doesn't stop until I finally get up and take her out of her cage.

During the week my alarm goes off at 4:30, and I get Peachie out of her cage about 6 after I've showered and brushed my teeth, etc. This weekend screaming is rather new, and doesn't happen every weekend, but this time my husband was about to KILL her! :evil: He does not have the patience for her that I have. He would never hurt her, but I'm afraid that he will tell me that I have to get rid of her. :( Her calls didn't bother me much because I wear earplugs to drown out his snoring.

At 4 in the morning it's dark and quiet in my apartment. It doesn't matter if she is covered or not.

I live in a 1 bedroom apartment, so I cannot move her to a different location. I'm also fearful that she is bothering my upstairs neighbors, though so far they have not complained.

Could outside activities be causing her to behave this way? Maybe she is startled by the sprinklers outside turning on? Or the sound of a newspaper delivery person (though I don't believe they deliver that early)? Or even the sounds that my neighbors upstairs make? We can hear their cats running through their apartment, them walking, making other sounds, etc.

It's driving me and my husband crazy. Any ideas on what may be causing it and maybe how to prevent it?

Oh...also, the cover that I use for her is an old sheet, that is light colored. I was wondering if maybe it wasn't heavy or dark enough?

Please help. Even though Peachie can be difficult to get along with sometimes, I love her and would miss her terribly if I had to find another home for her.

[sdgilley]

Hi Holly,
My birds get started in the wee hours of the morning sometimes. Usually it's a noise or something subtle they hear. My birds will usually settle down if I reassure them by quietly kissing at them. They're used to this, and my hen will answer back with kisses.

If they don't settle down, I say gently to them "enough, go to sleep". Then I stay quiet and they usually settle down if it's taken them that long.

I understand your frustration. I'd not get your bird out earlier than usual. Like a baby, if you just tough it out a few days, she'll probably settle back into your routine.

[Georganne]

Hi Holly,

Since you get up on weekdays around the same time the screaming begins on weekends, it seems to me that she is telling you it is time to get up. She listens for your movements so that she can countdown to when you will come and get her.

I'm not sure how you can get across that it is the weekend, but maybe if you talk to her softly through the cover and tell her to go back to sleep, that will become a new part-time routine she can count on.

Oh- and I would definitely cover her with a darker cover so she can't see the bathroom light go on, etc.

Good luck!
Georganne

[Anjamau79]

It's driving me and my husband crazy. Any ideas on what may be causing it and maybe how to prevent it?

Oh...also, the cover that I use for her is an old sheet, that is light colored. I was wondering if maybe it wasn't heavy or dark enough?


Hi Holly,

I can imagine how crazy it drives you to have Peachie waking you up in the middle of the night :) I think it would be a good idea to buy or sew a new cagecover which is much darker/keeps more light out. I bought some fabric frome the homedecoration section. I was able to choose a color I like and because deco fabric is thicker, you can also choose lighter colors... no need to take a dark color. It was easy to sew and my birds sleep every day 10 - 12hr and I have to wake them up :)

Hope this helps you and you and your hubby get a well deserved longer sleep... Good luck!!! ;)

[mewant1]

my birds don't have locked cages but they stay in there until the light is on....sorry no advice other than trying the cage cover. one of my birds was stressed when I got him and the cover helped him tremendously! I still keep it on there so he has a "safe" place to go just in case! good luck!

[Buy A Paper Doll]

My birds are very light sleepers! The sound of the dog's tonails on the wood laminate on the other side of the house is enough to get them calling. Even if I roll over in bed, they hear that, too.

So yes, it could be that they hear something and are calling. My solution has been a combination of using a dark, thick cage cover and calling back to them or saying something like, "Shhhhh, it's still bedtime. Night night."

[Cathy]

Get your husband a matching pair of earplugs!

[graushill]

I (and my hubby :) ) sleep in the same room with the birds. I've noticed that they sleep much more soundly and quietly now that I have cozy huts for them than before when they slept on their perches. One of my lovies, Elmo, is prone to what I can only describe as sleepflying (it could be nightmares too, but he never seems to freak out) and would very often wake all of us up in the middle of night by the sound of little wings flapping followed by either a thud at the bottom of the cage or a thump at the bars, but now he that he sleeps in a cozy hut it doesn't happen quite as often. I too use thick, dark cage covers to keep out as much light as possible, and like Jennifer, I've noticed that when one of my two light sleeper wakes up and calls out, sometimes hearing a soft "shh, baby, go back to sleep" will calm him/her down.

Hope this helps a little!

Gloria

[Wheeliegirl]

What is too thick? I have a brown blanket, the kind that were very popular years ago, with the pictures on them (mine is of a tiger). I considered using it once, but didn't because I thought it would make her cage too hot and/or stuffy from lack of air flow.

[Sweetpeaches]

hi,

my lovie "peaches" goes to sleep everynite around 7 pm. i do cover her with a dark green tablecloth. she sits in our family room. and though the tv is on until we go to bed we never hear a peep from her. she also has a tent (funny thing is though, she doesn't sleep in it, but on top of it)!! she only goes inside during the day when she plays peek-a-boo with us. i uncover her every morning around 7 am. then she gives us her morning chirps and squawks!

[salderm1]

My dog gets me up at 1,3or4 in the morning, so tell your husband he is lucky not to have a dog!!!! As for the birds, they seem to wake up at the sound of the wild birds outside! One single peep wakes my one bird up and then the rest of them follow...If you can fiure out away to quiet them since they sleep in my bedroom too, let me know!!!