Cage covers?

[Cheryl's Fids R Gr8]

I have always covered my bird cages, sheets in the warmer months and heavier fabrics in the colder months, of course that is all relative, since I live in Southern Cali, but...It does get pretty cold here at nightduring Fall and Winter.

So I was wondering how many of you cover your cages in the frst place, what you cover them with, (if not sheets, then what?) and how much of the cage actually IS covered?

Thanks guys!

[Jinx n Noodle]

I don't cover the cages. I have a cockatiel that has night frights and having a covered cage freaks her out more. This of course then freaks out the other birds since they don't know what's going on, but must be bad because she's freaking out.

[michiganlet]

I don't cover my parrotlet. I have tried covering him and he just keeps jumping around and not sleeping. I tried covering just half the cage and he will sleep where ever the cage is not covered. He goes to sleep around 8 at night and sleeps until 8 in the morning.

[Pauliesmom]

Paulie has a navy blue sheet cover for his cage for summer and I add a fleece cover over that in the winter...it get cold here! And he sleep better in the dark.

[jodeg]

I cover all 3 HQ cages on 3 sides with double bed size dark brown sheets. They all have FeatherBrite full spectrum lights on top of their cages too. I'm only 5'3", so the best I can do is gather the sheet up and FLING it over the top as best I can. The back side is uncovered and there's a nightlight in the room (one of those ones that "glow" rather than light). The "flinging" doesn't scare them at all -- guess they're used to it!

After that, it's lights out. The peep softly to each other for a minute or so and then are quiet until I uncover them about 8 a.m. Sometimes Kermit (my male) will talk and peep quietly to himself before he's uncovered, but the other two stay quiet.

Once they're uncovered, the chirping begins -- FEED US MOMMY!!! :rolleyes:

[StephGee]

I have the infamous HQ cage and I bought the matching cover that goes over it. It fits the cage perfect.

[missie]

My little P'let doesn't mind being covered at all....I don't think. :rolleyes:

Summer a lighter fabric; winter a heavier fabric. I tell him it's Nighty-nite time and he knows. He comes down for his midnight snack and then settles himself for the night.

The cover goes over the entire cage, leaving only a small area of the front open a few inches. I make sure he's settled and then it's lights out. He seems comfy and I don't hear a peep until morning when I uncover him. It could be noon for all he noons. Never a peep until the cover comes off. :)

[Samijo]

The HQ cages are so big to try to cover so I have a smaller sleep cage.
In the evenings - After his birdie bread, I bring Sami
to his nighty night cage, he jumps off my shoulder and quickly goes into his snuggle ring. I cover him with a small 5.00 throw I bought at Walmart. He gives me a good night chirp and I don't hear a peep the rest of the night. When I hear him stiring the next morning, I uncover him...and the day begins :-)

[Riley]

I cover Riley at night. He knows that when the lights go out and the sheet goes over it is time to go nite nite.

I covered him from the time i bought him. He just goes to sleep. lol

good luck

[Riley]

I got a bird protector last night and put it on Riley's cage. It is to help keep the lice and mites away!!! Hey i didn't even know that birds got that in a house.:confused:. Just wondered if anyone else has that on your cage. It says to change when the order has gone. You put it on the outside of the cage.

Just wondered. How in the word do the birds get mites and lice anyway?
:rolleyes:

Thanks for any info

[StephGee]

Riley, please, please take that off your cage now! They are bad for birds!

http://birds.about.com/od/birdcages/qt/miteprotectors.htm

If you think your bird has mites, take him to an avian vet. If he's a single bird and you don't have other pets, the chance of him getting mites is very, very, very small.

[Pauliesmom]

Yes, they can do much more harm than good.

[graceful]

I used one of those bird protectors many years ago when I first got a parakeet and didn't know any better. Then someone experienced with birds told me they weren't necessary and possibly harmful. So I stopped using them. I haven't used one since and none of the bird's I've had ever had any mites or lice. I think it's just an item they sell to make money. I'm very careful now of all sprays and chemical things that I have around my bird.

[Daystorm]

No offense Riley, but please start your own thread with new questions. I know the people here don't mind, but by hijacking a thread someone could be missing out on important information. Thanks!

[missie]

Riley, I personally am not a fan of the bird protectors. I had a canary that had mites, turns out he must have gotten them from the vets...so the avian vet told me, as mites are specific to the spieces, thus it's not like dust mites or anything in your house.

I had the bird protector on his cage when I brought him to the vet and the vet told me that it wasn't necessarily a good idea to hang that on there because the bird is then continuoulsy breathing in toxins :eek: Especially coving him at night! It makes sense. It didn't seem to do much anyway.

My canary has since died :( during that phase and I will NEVER use those things again.

[missie]

CORRECTION: So sorry, when will I learn to proofread!

He didn't get the mites at the vet's; rather he got it at the pet store...a privately owned one.

[ParrotletsRock]

I recently had to take my budgie to the vet for scaly face mites...she also got them at either the place she was bred...or the pet store... I want to get a second but no way am I buying it there!! I also would not use those mite protectors...Just another product to ease your mind and empty your wallet while doing nothing good.

[Vegasmom]

Back to the subject, lol- I cover some of our birds, and some not. The 'tiels not, just like Jinx said, they seem to freak more with them. Our jenday has a purse hanging in the cage she sleeps in so she doesn't really need it. But Pandora, our U2 lets us know when she wants to be covered and loudly too at about 8:30 pm! Max, I cover just because he always gets this huddled little look when he's trying to sleep. If they made birdy pj's he'd be the one to wear them. :D

[Kumiko]

Both of my birdies go ballistic when it comes to the cover. They bite cage bars and mouths wide open try to attack the blanket like its a game. What's funny is right when I put my hand in Kiwi's cage... you think he's going to bite off fingers, but he scurries up ballistically, then gentlely lowers his head for a scritch. Little oaf bird. Musetti use to not do it, but once he saw Kiwi, he got into it, but he flutters off rather than want a scritch... or nips me. What ever convienent for him I assume.

I don't cover the birds now. They seem a lot happier when the lights are shut off and they wake up when the light enters the room from the window. They are right by a window so they mostly go to sleep when the sun goes down.... then wake up when the sun comes up in the morning.

My conure jumps at the front of the door when the blanket comes out like saying "Dont do it BECCA!!" Once U cover, he scurries off to his fluffy tent to go asleep. And looking under his cage cover, you get sleepy bird growls like saying "get out of here, can't you see i'm sleeping."

[mom2threekidz]

I cover Zazu at night with a lightweight blanket. He doesn't seem to mind. Since his cage is in our living room, we don't always have the room dark early, we tend to stay up til 9 or 10.