I'm waiting for Harrison to say this next. She absolutely hates bed time. I don't understand why...I mean, I love my bed and work all day just to go to bed...lol. I look forward to it. But when it's time for Harrison to go to bed, she will do that calling for me noise...or she'll lift a foot as if she wants to step-up...that one gets me...

Do your parrots hate bed time too? What do you do to make it something ok (at the very least)...and why do you think they hate to go to bed...???

Good topic Heather!

Kita is my good one at bedtime. I put her on top of her cage, she fluffs, makes sure her feathers are all looking pristine, puts on her night time moisturizer for a few minutes and then climbs right into her sleep cage!!! You just gotta love that!

Next is my "I don't wanna go to bed!!!!" Kady.

We play, I tell him it's time for Nite Nite, he ducks his head down so I'll pet him. I pet his head, I tell him it's time for Nite Nite, he ducks his head down so I'll pet him. I pet his head, I tell him it's time for Nite Nite, he ducks his head down so I'll pet him. I pet his head, I tell him it's time for Nite Nite, he ducks his head down so I'll pet him. This could go on forever!

They do get an extra special treat that they only get at bedtime. It does seem to help. Kita gets a Nutriberri and Kady gets a peanut in the shell and two pieces of popped corn.

Only 2 birdies here try to avoid bedtime, they need to be bribed with something really tasty to go into the cage. I rather my birds go into the cage themselves than me pack them in. Most of them will pack themselves away at sunset.

Mine must be lazy because they love bed time.

Jack and Cookie don't mind bed time at all. We play and get skritches first and then I tell them it is time for night-night. They step up and go right to their sleep cage perches. One funny thing.....they share the sleep cage......I love to mess with them and purposely put them on the "wrong" perch. They battle it out till they are on the "right" perch and then I don't hear a peep from them till I get them up in the morning.

dawn
Crackerjack and Cookie

If I haven't put Winkie up by 7 - look out! The chirping is non-stop until I put him up. Most days he's in bed by 6 or 6:30. Earlier in winter.

Birds need to be exposed to the twilight of dusk for their pineal gland to start producing melatonin, the hormone that tells the body it's time to go to bed. No dusk = no melatonin = no drowsiness = a parrot who does not want to go to bed = a parrot that will have medical issues in the long term.

Ruby went limp for a while. I mean how do you put a macaw to bed that is dead in your arms? I wouldn't just lay her in the bottom of her cage! Silly girl! Now I give her alot of scritches and 2 pistachio nuts and she is ready. Of course we have to play peek-a-boo,etc. but then she fluffs and gets on her nite perch. She goes to bed around 8:30 to 9:00.

Oh I have posted about this before. Ryan is famous for not wanting to go to bed. Every night it's the same thing. I say, "time for nite-nite!" He steps up, but dives right for my neck, curls up and pretends he's sleeping. He knows this gets me and it gets him extra time as I like the cuddle. I lay with him for a little while, I cover him up with me (he loves being under covers), but eventually he does go in. I just think he likes to hang out as long as possible, since I do work all day.