cage covers

[Guest jodie]

hi there

i was wanting to buy a cage cover for sparky and i was wondering if everyone has just made theirs coz the only websites i can find them on is american websites and they seem expensive.

i cover him with a cot blanket at the moment and i think its too light.

thanks xx

[Guest budgie_chick]

i would just cover the cage with a thin black sheet of material

[Guest tequilabudge]

i went to a fabric store and bought a sheet of pink velvet-like stuff and i use that to cover tequila at night, make sure you don't use something really textured like a towel because if your budgie is hanging on the side of the cage while the cover is on it's nails might get caught on it!

[Guest liverpoolfc]

i just use fleece blankets!! 1s blue with moons on and 1s green with aliens on!!

[Guest tequilabudge]

jack and dianne's cover is fleece too, it has a tiger print on it. i like it because it is thick enough to keep the cage really dark so they don't start chirping in the morning until i take it off and they don't get stuck on it

[Guest liverpoolfc]

yeh i think they are the best things to have i reckon so

[Guest Sky]

i use an old cotton bed sheet, its only thin but sky knows when its on he has got to be quiet becase he chirps and flaps quietly but as soon as i remove it he goes wild.

i use the cotton sheet so it does not get to hot and stuffy for him

ATD

[Guest oscarchik101]

i use a heavier one cos my room is always cold.

 

its dark purple.

[Guest Tabbi&Me]

For Tabbi I use a old bed sheet. It's thin,but folded. Should I use a thicker one now that winter is here?Tabbi's used this sheet since I've had her. If I used a different one would she get upset?She knows when the blankets on it's time to be quiet,would that change?

[Guest oscarchik101]

i would only use a thicker one if your room is colder. mine is usually cold, and when i wake up, they're all puffy... even after a few minutes of stretching.

[Guest Julie]

I use on old 'blackout liner' that I had on some curtains to keep our bedroom dark.

 

Julie

[Guest graemesmith]

I've read so much about night covers. But there is no big blanket dropped over them at night in the wild. So why DO we do it in captivity?

 

I've heard said - warmth. Well it gets pretty cold at night in Oz and they survive. Even a cool room in the house can't be that cold.

 

I've heard said to stop them panicing - Really? Never had it happen.

 

I don't use a cover. And for those with aviaries - it is well nigh impossible.

 

I suspect it is to keep them quiet so we can sleep - I think that constitutes a cruel and unusual punishement.

 

They are not SO bred or genetically modified from their state in the wild that we have to treat them THAT differently.

 

So why DO people cover budgies at night?

[Guest Julie]

I fully appreciate what you're saying graemesmith, personally I cover mine because I like them to follow their natural way of life in the wild i.e. up at dawn,bed at dusk and that isn't always possible when they live indoors.

I quite agree that it would be impossible to cover an aviary but that wouldn't be necessary because they could be ruled by sunrise/sunset oe artificial lighting.

Good topic.

Julie

[chirpy 0]

Hi guys! I use one of those cotton (not fleecy) throws to cover my birds at night, its navy blue.

Graham, hi. In the wild, the birds can take shelter amongst the leaves and branches of the trees, so really, the cover over the cage is just mimicing this. Also, birds do need their sleep and that isnt easy for them to achieve if they are in an artificially lit room till say, 11 or 12 o clock at night or even later. Covering them helps them to have the hours of darkness and peace that they would get in the wild, and also gives them the feeling of a protective shelter, again like the leaves on the trees.

At night, my birds are moved into a quiet room where they will not be disturbed, as well as being covered.

Anne

[Guest pixie25]

i agree julie and chirpy :wine also my little boy is on his own at the moment and so doesnt have the comfort of a flock/companion at night, so i feel it is good to give him a sense of security. i also move him to a quiet room at night, where there will be less noise and light to disturb him. his cage cover is a spare bed sheet and i double it over for him. it is a lemony colour.

[Guest budgeover]

I've read so much about night covers.  But there is no big blanket dropped over them at night in the wild.  So why DO we do it in captivity?

 

I've heard said - warmth.  Well it gets pretty cold at night in Oz and they survive.  Even a cool room in the house can't be that cold.

 

I've heard said to stop them panicing - Really?  Never had it happen.

 

I don't use a cover.  And for those with aviaries - it is well nigh impossible.

 

I suspect it is to keep them quiet so we can sleep - I think that constitutes a cruel and unusual punishement.

 

They are not SO bred or genetically modified from their state in the wild that we have to treat them THAT differently.

 

So why DO people cover budgies at night?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Didn't you understand the topic title Graeme? 'WHAT DO PEOPLE USE TO COVER THEIR BIRDS AT NIGHT?' not 'WHY DO PEOPLE COVER THEIR BIRDS AT NIGHT?'

[Guest graemesmith]

Didn't you understand the topic title Graeme? 'WHAT DO PEOPLE USE TO COVER THEIR BIRDS AT NIGHT?' not 'WHY DO PEOPLE COVER THEIR BIRDS AT NIGHT?'

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

:yelling:

 

I understood just fine and my answer was.......

 

Nothing

 

.......along with my reasons

 

Peace :angel1:

[Guest pixie25]

Didn't you understand the topic title Graeme? 'WHAT DO PEOPLE USE TO COVER THEIR BIRDS AT NIGHT?' not 'WHY DO PEOPLE COVER THEIR BIRDS AT NIGHT?'

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

hey budgeover chill out. i think that comment came across as rather rude, why is it not appropriate to post a question about why people cover their cages in a thread about cage covers? makes pefect sense really. no need to SHOUT EITHER.

 

:wine

[Rainbow 0]

I cover mine for several reasons. One is as a measure of security. They live near a window, and even with the blinds drawn, when cars go down the street at night the lights sometimes startle them. The cover seems to help keep that disturbance to a minimum. There have been a few times where I did not cover them, and they seemed restless and more prone to night frights. But they could also just be used to it now and that is what makes them feel secure. They are creatures of habit and like routine. I also do it to keep them on a regular sleep/wake schedule. They really do require a good 10-12 hours of sleep at night to keep them getting along nicely. :wine

 

On a more selfish note, it also allows me to sleep an extra hour on Saturdays......

[Guest mikeakabigman]

As has already been said , Birds like the routine and security provide by covering their cage at night.

But also, irregular lighting routines can cause your birds to go into a soft moult, far better to cover them at same time each evening than risk this.

 

 

To have a long day then short day created by irregular lighting hours, ie not covering at same time each evening......can mess up their body clocks and cause the soft moult.

This is something to be avoided because moulting at the wrong time causes stress to the birds.

[Guest oscarchik101]

i agree with rainbow (selfishly!!)

 

i cover because i may be up late and i dont want them to have thei schedule off. and also they tend to have 'night frights' and someone else put it without it.

 

and chiisai will ring the bell in PITCH BLACK darkness with out the !@#$%^& cover on.

[Guest tweety and bruno]

hey my one is really sweet its yellow with loads of winnie the poohs on and its quite thick i only had to pay 4 quid. for it at the local fabric store and its very big aswell.

x x x

good luck searchin x

[Guest graemesmith]

I love this thread - it kind of goes on and on and on

 

But I had to add......

 

"Winnie the Pooh" - what DO the birds think?

[Guest tweety and bruno]

(Laughing out loud) i thought that at first but it doesnt bother her she kind of snuggles up with them

[Bea 0]

I don't use a cover.  And for those with aviaries - it is well nigh impossible.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

I recently brought some heshen to cover the open sides of my aviary at night or in really bad weather. It helps keep the wind chill factor down and also provides some shelter from the rain!!!

 

I cover Blinkie with a light sheet. It just lets him get a bit of darkness when he decides he wants to go to bed!!