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"Laps" around the cage probably habit
Our two-year-old blue-and-gold macaw sometimes crawls rapidly around his cage as we are darkening his room at bedtime. A year ago, when we first took him in, we believed he was unhappy with his "macaw-size" cage. After three months, we supplied a much larger custom cage (4'x9'x6' tall). He settled in well, but still will do "laps" crawling up the sides, across the top and along a perch. He'll do it up to 20 to 30 times before settling in for sleep. He seems to do it less since I added a nightlight, (he sleeps in his own room where he has about 11-12 hours of uninterrupted sleep). Do you think this is anything to be concerned about? Thanks!
-- Dona Mansell, Rockford, Ill., divedj@aol.com
DONA, YOU DON'T have anything to be concerned about. It could be just a ritual he's developed and that has now become part of his bedtime routine, similar to routines we humans have. However, even if this is just a habit, it most likely has roots in some past event.
You said the behavior has decreased with the addition of a night light. When the lights go out, there could be something in the room upsetting your bird. You might check for signs of rodents in the house. These crafty little critters enjoy parrot food and are great jumpers, able to access cages that seem well out of a rodent's reach. Cockroaches also have been known to feast on parrot food right out of the cup. A night light might be helping your bird see these intruders more clearly, allowing it to deal with their presence better.
Nocturnal animals your bird may be seeing pass by a window during the night - an owl, hawk, bat, cat, snake, or other critter - may be spooking him, even though they are not a direct threat to his safety. If your parrot's cage is by a window, you might consider drawing the shades, covering his cage at night, or even moving the cage away from the window.
Flashlights can also cause distress or anxiety in companion parrots, so avoid using one to check on your bird at night unless absolutely necessary.
If none of these things are causing your bird's pacing, you can chalk it up to just a quirk in his behavioral repertoire.
-- Cassie Malina, trainer
ParrotChronicles.com
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