Expert: Chrys Meatyard - 4/3/2006

Question
I have two parakeets; the male is older than the female.  They get along extremely well during the day and evening hours.  But when it's time for bed, the male becomes hostil toward the female.  He fluffs up, looks angry, opens his beak and makes a "sqeeky" sound to inform his mate to "stay away from me" (hard to explain exactly how he sounds.  As she gets closer each time, he makes the same sound.  The night before they slept on top of their cage like two peas in a pod.  But when it's time for sleep, I lower the lights and shut the soft music off, the male gets stressed.  I've tried a cover, but they're afraid and hang onto the side of the cage.  I do keep a soft nightlight on for them.  They fly around all day and are very happy,but he becomes a "vampire at night".  Any suggestions?

Answer
Hi, Jessica.  Thanks for posting.

Sounds to me like your male keet doesn't like being closed up in a cage during the night, and he also doesn't like the female close to him at night when he's inside his cage.  He may be taking this out on the female because she's the closest thing to take his feelings out on.  I can't really explain this behavior...some parrots just have quirks as a result of something that has happened in their lives.  Could also be the fact that he has freedom all day, which I'm sure he enjoys thoroughly.  However, nighttime is stressful for him because it includes being locked up in a cage.  A lot of parrots who have a lot of freedom dislike being caged.  A cage restricts them, i.e., they no longer have the ability to get away from something if they had to (an instinctive characteristic...fight or flight...they'd rather fly away from something versus fighting).  

You might want to consider allowing both to sleep on top of their cage every night and/or give him the option as to where he wants to sleep.  The female may choose to sleep inside the cage and he outside.  Try it and see how it goes.  He may decide later he wants to be with the female and go inside to be with her.

Come back if you need to.  Thanks.

Chrys