# How Quiet Do You Need To Be



## Scribbles (Jun 28, 2012)

Our kitchen, dining room and lounge room are one very big rectangle that goes the length of our house. Monte is stationed between the lounge room and the dining room and his cage is opposite and just to the side of the tv. His bed time is usually from about 8 till 8:30. He's covered with 2 queen sized sheets that don't fully cover his Mansion (so I peg the gaps together), so I've orderd a couple of king sized flat sheets in dark colors.

When we first put Monte to bed he might chirp a little, or do 2-4 flock calls, but within about 10-15 minutes he's quiet. We don't hear a peep all night till I take the cover off. Now.....we are trying to be very quiet when the bird goes to bed and before he gets up in the morning. But I'm finding I'm putting off doing anything till he gets up. Just how quiet do you need to be so your bird has undisturbed sleep? I find myself tippy-toeing around and trying to make a cup of tea as quietly as possible. I'm feeling the impact of this bird in our lives. Am I being too quiet? What's an ok noise level to be operating on in the mornings (more so than the evening as we are often in bed by 9:30)?


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## Loopy Lou (Jul 26, 2012)

I just act as normal around Smokey when he's tucked in for the night. Maybe he's used to the noise, just like a baby would have to get used to noise. The only time he makes a sound is if a police siren goes by or a car alarm goes off outside, then he joins in and and then quietens down again.

Mind you there's only me in my flat so i don't know how different it would be if there was a whole family about.

My kitchen joins onto my living room too and making a cup of tea/some toast etc doesn't seem to bother him or my budgie.


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## roxy culver (May 27, 2010)

I was never quiet around mine when they were in the living room in our old apartment. I would uncover them when it was time to uncover them. He's not necessarily sleeping under there, he just knows that its dark so its not time to get up. Its the simulation of darkness that they need, doesn't really mean they're asleep. He'll get used to the noise, especially if its something you do regularly.


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## tielfan (Aug 31, 2008)

Birds are very light sleepers - they have to be, so they can wake up and fly off frantically into the night if a predator comes after them. So it's impossible to avoid waking them up if you're doing anything in their vicinity, and trying to sneak around quietly is likely to set off a night fright since all that stealth makes you seem like a predator. 

If you have a room that's more peaceful and quiet, you could get a small cage to use as a sleep cage and let him sleep in that room. The cage size can be quite tiny, as long as he has space to sit in it without any part of his body rubbing up against something. If you have to go into the room while he's sleeping, just say something when you go in ("it's me") so he knows he isn't about to turn into something's midnight snack.


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## alli (Jun 17, 2012)

My bird used to be in the lounge room with us and the tv didn't seem to bother him as once he was covered he knew that was it. But once he heard our voices that was it.. 'LEt me out let me out'. Anyway so we moved him to a room which is just off the lounge (still same distance from us and the tv) but it has a door which we shut about half way and i have to say he is sleeping and behaving so much better. He can still hear the tv loud and clear in there but it's harder for him to hear us talking which seemed to be the problem we had. He actually co-operates about bed/cage time now. Usually by 6:30-7 he is ready to go in. 
Also as others have mentioned, if you go near the cage don't tip toe. Always announce yourself  I always say good morning or something when approaching the cage so he knows its me and not a predator.


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## Scribbles (Jun 28, 2012)

Yep that's what I do....before I go anywhere near the cage I call out "Good Morning" and "Hello". I learned that, along with so many other things off this forum. Great forum. And then start taking the covers off.


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## delawaregirl (Dec 2, 2011)

We kept our Tweety in our great room that also opens to the kitchen. We would watch TV etc. We also kept on a lamp all night so that she could see. We never covered her cage and when she was put in the cage for the night she would be still. She was still young when we lost her so we had never gone through a period where we needed the long night treatment. This is what we are doing with our new little ones also. It seems that they adjust.


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## vampiric_conure (Jul 8, 2012)

Most of the birds are okay when they hear me and they settle down to sleep. The problem bird is Alpha, who will sing if he knows I'm in the room. It could be 3 am and only the night light on, cage covered and he'll start singing away. Brat.

But most of the birds like it if I give a flock call whistle so they know it's me in the room


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## bubbleslove (May 27, 2012)

My tiel often sleeps on me during the day and we have a very noisy house with people comimg in and out, phone rings non stop and doors close and bang. When he is disturbed by a sudden noise, he just lifts his head, has a quick look around then pops off to sleep again

I also have a lounge next to kitchen (he sleeps in the lounge) separated by glass doors. Once he has sung himself to sleep he is quiet and the noise from the Kitchen doesn't seem to bother him. When I lock up for the night I announce myself. He makes a poop and goes back to sleep

I've put a tea tray in my room so I can make early tea and then about 7 in the morning I whistle 'our tune'. He answers me back and so starts another day.


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## hanna (Apr 14, 2012)

Joes cage is in the kitchen - dining area (open plan) after we cover him, we just continue normally with things we do. He knows the "routine" sure Monte will be familiar with your normal routine very soon too. As already mentioned in above posts by others he will be more relaxed hearing the normal voices and noises, than whispering and tiptoeing not knowing what it is / thinking it is a predator. 
You're an excellent mummy, Sharon


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