# To cover the cage at night or not????



## alana (Dec 6, 2011)

So yesterday was my tiels first day home and when it came time to go to bed I covered up the cage....So in the morning when I went to uncover the cage they went PHYSCO:wacko:!!!Flying all over the cage and everything...They startled the mess out of me.I heard about this night fright or night sight thing...So I was trying to figure out if I should cover them up at night or not?


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## RexiesMuM (Sep 7, 2011)

I always cover mine up , I do it cause mine don't sleep without it . What you can do is leave a little section open to get some light in there also make some noise or say something to them before pulling the cover off that way they might not get startled


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## MeanneyFids (Aug 24, 2010)

i agree with the above post. covering at night is a good idea but leaving the bottom open to allow some light in to prevent night frights. 

however, if they are molting, its best to leave one side open, or else their own dust could irritate them.


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## alana (Dec 6, 2011)

DallyTsuka said:


> i agree with the above post. covering at night is a good idea but leaving the bottom open to allow some light in to prevent night frights.
> 
> however, if they are molting, its best to leave one side open, or else their own dust could irritate them.



Okay how do I know if there molting?Is it to early for mines to molt?There between 3 to 4 months old.


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## DyArianna (Aug 7, 2011)

I have startled my birds when uncovering.. but thinking back on it it was because I was too quiet. I now am quite noisy.. talking to them .. saying Good Morning everyone. I also don't take it off quickly. I talk to them right outside the cage and then put my hand on top and tap a couple of times and then slowly take it off.


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## alana (Dec 6, 2011)

RexiesMuM said:


> I always cover mine up , I do it cause mine don't sleep without it . What you can do is leave a little section open to get some light in there also make some noise or say something to them before pulling the cover off that way they might not get startled



Okay thanks for the advice I'm gonna try that out tonight.


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## MeanneyFids (Aug 24, 2010)

they might start molting soon, within the next few months. they will start dropping feathers. you will find some feathers on the cage bottom and around and they will start getting little pin feathers. dally started her first molt at 3.5 months old. they generally start their first molt between 4-11 months old


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## alana (Dec 6, 2011)

DyArianna said:


> I have startled my birds when uncovering.. but thinking back on it it was because I was too quiet. I now am quite noisy.. talking to them .. saying Good Morning everyone. I also don't take it off quickly. I talk to them right outside the cage and then put my hand on top and tap a couple of times and then slowly take it off.



OHHH,now that I think about it I was really quiet but it seemed as if they felt my presence before I even took the covers off and started flying everywhere.


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## alana (Dec 6, 2011)

DallyTsuka said:


> they might start molting soon, within the next few months. they will start dropping feathers. you will find some feathers on the cage bottom and around and they will start getting little pin feathers. dally started her first molt at 3.5 months old. they generally start their first molt between 4-11 months old




weird I noticed a few feathers at the bottom of the cage today I think from my female.I didnt know if that meant she was molting already.When they preen themselves do little feathers come off?


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## MeanneyFids (Aug 24, 2010)

they will just start falling out. a few at a time, not big patches. if you see them actually pull the feathers out they are plucking, but they are likely to be starting their first molt at this age.


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## alana (Dec 6, 2011)

DallyTsuka said:


> they will just start falling out. a few at a time, not big patches. if you see them actually pull the feathers out they are plucking, but they are likely to be starting their first molt at this age.




Okay got it.I will keep you posted on my babies lol.


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## jeme (Jan 19, 2010)

They could easily have knocked a few feathers loose banging around in there when the startled. You just got them, right? Everything is still new and somewhat alarming for them. They'll settle in to a routine quickly. Talk to them softly so they know you are there before uncovering the cage.

I always cover the cage at night. I cover them at about 7:00, and they settle right down. We don't go to bed until 9 or 10, and my kids (college age) come and go at all hours, but the birds sleep after they are covered. 

In the morning, I usually uncover them about 7 or 7:30 so they are getting 12 hours at least of night.

Three days a week my oldest son leaves the house about 6:15 am, but they sleep through that.


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## sunnysmom (Sep 23, 2011)

My tiel too won't sleep unless he's covered and I also leave a small space open with a night light. Before I uncover him I always talk to him so he knows I'm there. Or if I do not uncover him early enough he calls for me until I come.


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## meaggiedear (Nov 20, 2011)

I cover mine. The cages are so big that the blankets will only cover the top half. But its better that way so they can see and what not.


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## alana (Dec 6, 2011)

meaggiedear said:


> I cover mine. The cages are so big that the blankets will only cover the top half. But its better that way so they can see and what not.


I tried that last night just covering the top half and that worked pretty good this morning.They didn't fly or scream around.


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## alana (Dec 6, 2011)

sunnysmom said:


> My tiel too won't sleep unless he's covered and I also leave a small space open with a night light. Before I uncover him I always talk to him so he knows I'm there. Or if I do not uncover him early enough he calls for me until I come.



Thank you so much for the help.


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