The parrot sleeps all the time: why?

There are many people for whom napping during the day is not only a luxury, but also a banal necessity.

And you shouldn’t trust others so much when they start claiming that “this is not right,” or “you won’t be able to sleep at night.”

One has only to organize a “quiet hour” for such comrades, and they will immediately happily take a nap for an hour or two.

But, of course, our article is not about people. I just wanted to draw a small analogy between us and parrots.

On the Internet, you can often find questions from novice parrot breeders that sound something like this: “Why is my parrot just singing songs cheerfully, and now he’s sitting on a perch and sleeping, isn’t he sick?”

And these fears are understandable. Due to inexperience, this behavior of parrots can be mistaken for alarming symptoms.

Why does a parrot sleep during the day?
Parrot's daytime sleep and illness

How long do parrots sleep in natural conditions?

The life of birds in natural conditions and in captivity is different in many ways. To understand this difference, first of all, consider the duration of their sleep in freedom.

Parrots are native to mainland Australia. Its territory experiences a very hot climate. Such conditions forced the birds to take a daytime siesta. By noon, the temperature rises so much that being in the sun becomes life-threatening. That's why birds hide in the shadows. This time is a great opportunity for them to sleep and relax.

Feeling their roots, birds today often prefer daytime naps even in apartments. Instincts continue to operate, so feathered pets are awake for exactly the period of time that is equal to the standing of the sun. Approximately 10-14 hours.

Cold.

The respiratory system of a parrot is special. Therefore, drafts and sudden changes in temperature have a negative effect on the body.

loss of activity (the bird practically does not tweet);
increased drowsiness;
ruffled appearance;
rapid breathing, sometimes accompanied by twitching of the tail to the beat;
refusal to drink and eat;
inflammation of the mucous membrane, the appearance of discharge from the sinuses.

Often a cold leads to pneumonia. Wheezing and wheezing appear. To identify signs, you should carefully take the bird in your hand (preferably in a dark place, this will eliminate the appearance of stress and random movement around the cage), using a phonendoscope, listen to the work of the lungs as you inhale and exhale. Diagnosis is carried out for the presence of extraneous sounds. If you don’t have such a medical device, you can put your ear to the surface of your pet’s back.

As a rule, treatment is complex. Physiotherapy procedures are combined with medications. If necessary, the temperature around the cage increases. An infrared lamp or artificial heater is used. Antibiotics, vitamin formulations and drugs that support the functioning of the liver and gastrointestinal tract are taken. Dosages during treatment are individual. Installed by a doctor-ornithologist.

If a parrot sleeps a lot, then this is due to a general malaise in the bird’s body. The immune system of a sick individual mobilizes all capabilities and efforts to counteract the disease, which in turn causes a decline in activity. During such a period, mandatory human intervention will be required to help the pet. A competent approach and timely treatment will help the parrot overcome the disease.

How long should parrots sleep at home?

Living in an apartment is very different from living in your home country. Here the “daylight hours” are regulated by the breeder. For example, today you can turn off the lights and go to bed at 20:00, tomorrow at 23:00. The parrot is not interested in your affairs and concerns. For him, the main thing is to adhere to the regime, and such an erratic duration of “daylight hours” can negatively affect his health.

If the parrot is lethargic and sleeps, perhaps the reason is just a violation of the sleep-wake pattern. The norm for a feathered pet in winter is up to 14 hours, in summer – up to 12 hours.

What are the dangers of violating the regime?

No matter how ridiculous it may sound, among the parrots there are both “owls” and “larks”. Many birds adapt to the regime of the family in which they live: they go to bed after midnight, and then cannot wake up for a long time. The active phase shifts to the afternoon.

The opposite situation is when the feathered pet falls asleep before sunset and is already cheerful and cheerful at 4 - 5 o'clock in the morning. This situation may not suit the owner, because the awakened bird requires food and disturbs the peace of family members.

The parrot's irregular sleeping and waking patterns create difficulties for people. But to a greater extent, disturbed sleep affects the well-being of the bird. Due to lack of sleep, various troubles can arise:

self-plucking and sudden shedding;
loss of appetite;
uncontrolled aggression;
apathy, lethargy.

Sometimes, due to an excessively long day, females begin laying unscheduled eggs. This pathology requires immediate adjustment of the regimen.

What if the parrot sleeps all the time? There are two options:

The bird recently appeared in the house and is not yet accustomed to its new owners. Just watch her for a week. The stress associated with the move will pass, and the feathered pet will adapt.
Drowsiness and depression develop against the background of the disease. The severity of the condition is aggravated by vomiting, diarrhea, and nervousness. You should take your parrot to the vet.

Negative manifestations can be eliminated only if the regime is followed. When getting a bird, you need to be prepared for the fact that you will have to adapt in some way to its needs.

Why does a parrot sleep all day: reasons

The question of why the parrot sleeps all the time began to worry when these birds began not only to switch to home keeping, but also to change their continent. But, despite this, the instincts that appeared in their historical homeland remained.

In the natural environment in Australia, such cute birds were constantly cared for. Just imagine how much effort it took to get not only food for yourself, but also for your offspring. Life was further complicated by the constant struggle with enemies who regularly tried to attack. And even this busy schedule did not interfere with making time for proper sleep.

In Australia, it is unbearably hot every day for several hours. At this time, the birds hide in the shade of trees and sleep. The budgerigar behaves in exactly the same way.

These instincts also manifest themselves at home. A feathered pet can take a nap in the middle of the day, and there is nothing wrong with that. The parrot naturally sleeps a lot, thanks to its instincts. Although there are other reasons why a parrot constantly sleeps and crows.

Is it possible to wake me up?

Sometimes, on the contrary, a parrot needs to be woken up rather than put to sleep. For example, the pet settled into its usual half-hour nap during the day, but the owner planned a trip to the veterinarian. As already noted, the bird should feel safe while sleeping, and therefore you should not suddenly wake up the parrot with loud sounds. A pet that is awakened by sudden loud music while sleeping will have a panic attack, which can even cause cardiac arrest. If such a terrible outcome does not follow, then the abruptly awakened bird will become nervous and fearful for a long time; for several days it will not sleep fully and may lose trust in its owner.

Tips on parrots' sleep patterns are in the next video.

Why does the parrot constantly sleep: disease

According to veterinarians, excessive sleepiness may indicate poor nutrition or a cold. Experts associate it with liver disease, poisoning, poor nutrition, and so on.

If your budgie is constantly sleeping, and you attribute this to some kind of disorder, veterinarians suggest the following actions:

Review the status of your pet's litter. Diarrhea indicates a poor diet. In this case, experts advise purchasing an antibiotic for animals. For example, the drug Baytril is suitable for treatment.
As an additional source of calcium, there must always be a mineral stone in the cell. In addition, the pet will grind its beak on it. For a parrot, a cuttlefish shell or a chalk-like stone would be an excellent choice (it does not come with vitamin supplements, salts or dyes).
If the fact that the parrot sleeps all the time is associated with liver disease, veterinarians recommend the drug Hepatofite or Gapetoform. To support the liver, it should be taken for 10 days, ¼ tablet 2 times a day.
You should definitely include greens, vegetables and fruits in your poultry’s diet.

The fact that a budgerigar sleeps all the time does not mean that there are any violations. In addition to drowsiness, there should be other symptoms of disease: frizz, poor appetite, frustration, vomiting, and more. If they are present, you need to seek help from an ornithologist.

Other cases when a parrot sleeps often indicates the health of the pet. All experts say that they need and benefit from a daytime siesta.

Poisoning.

A bird can become poisoned due to poor quality food and water. Poor cell disinfection leads to the appearance of parasites. Toxic fumes in the air from paint or cigarette smoke, detergents or perfumes can poison the bird's body.

Symptoms of poisoning:

the appearance of nausea and vomiting;
liquid droppings with discoloration;
loss of coordination;
convulsions.

Treatment.

Signs of poisoning that appear indicate immediate first aid. Diarrhea causes severe dehydration. Therefore, at the first stage, adsorbent drugs are administered in liquid form using a syringe (without a needle) or a medical pipette.

Treatment should be based on the cause of poisoning. In certain cases, your parrot should be given a laxative to cleanse its digestive system. Replenishment of fluid in the body is performed by oral administration of Ringer's solution and glucose. The presence of acute poisoning requires immediate medical attention.

Why does a budgie sleep all day: incompatibility with the breeder's regime

For a parrot to feel great, it needs to get enough sleep. Therefore, you need to periodically check how much the parrot sleeps and eats.

Another thing is that difficulties may arise here, because the human regime often does not coincide with the bird’s regime. In this case, in order not to harm your pet with insomnia, you can use a blanket. When you cover the cage with it, the parrot begins to doze. He associates darkness with rest and sleep, but the fabric of the bedspread should be thin and breathable.

Desire to breed

Owners of ornamental birds sometimes observe strange behavior in their charges: the parrot sits for a long time at the bottom of the cage in the corner, and then shakes itself off and flies up onto a perch. You can't tell from his appearance that there is any cause for concern. Such actions suggest the idea: the parrot is preparing for procreation.

Pregnant parrot

If a different-sex couple lives in a cage, it is quite possible that this is how the beginning of nesting manifests itself. It is recommended to support the instincts of pets: set up a nest box for them. But if the only inhabitant in your home’s living area is a female parrot, you need to suppress her desire for offspring. You should remove the mirror, twigs, and paper from the cage. There should be no materials inside from which the bird could build a nest. False incubation must be stopped, otherwise the parrot will lose its health in vain.

A parrot sleeps all day: how to organize a normal sleep schedule

To normalize your feathered pet's sleep patterns, take into account the summer and winter seasons. In the warm season, the sun stays at its zenith for a long time. And if you usually wake up at 7 o'clock in the morning, you need to cover the cage with a blanket at 21 o'clock in the evening. Then the parrot will sleep for the required 10 hours.

In winter, a parrot can sleep longer. Since it gets dark outside the window earlier, the cage can be covered as early as 5 pm. If you wake up at 7 am, he will sleep for 14 hours. This time is enough for the bird to be cheerful and cheerful throughout the day.

Remember that if your budgie sleeps a lot, this does not always indicate illness. Perhaps his regime should simply be adjusted.

What are the benefits of getting a good night's sleep?

If you can't get enough sleep at night, the parrot will make up for the lack of sleep during the day. In addition to the normal duration of at least 10 hours, sleep should be sound and restful. Why is proper rest so important for birds?

During sleep, expended energy is replenished;
the body is restored;
the state of the nervous system is stabilized;
immunity is strengthened.

Brief breaks during the daytime promote muscle relaxation, a kind of relaxation. Having had a hearty snack, the parrot dozes off, and metabolic processes go on as usual.

Wavy trembles, crows, sleeps and eats a lot

Ioanna, buckwheat porridge is given, but only 2 times a week. Eggs are given to birds during nesting. Take it away. Buy Rio food, for example, and feed it. I also don’t see the point in giving soft food to Rio; without it, you can diversify the bird’s diet with approved food. You are in Moscow, here are the coordinates of specialists in your city: bolezni-volnistye-popugai/kliniki-i-veterinarnie-lechebnici-vashego-goroda-t23.html#p8144 bolezni-volnistye-popugai/kliniki-i-veterinarnie-lechebnici-vashego -goroda-t23-30.html#p113752

Litovchenko Anastasia Evgenievna. Works at the Center clinic on Tsvetnoy Boulevard. Here is her phone number + +79162664447. You need to urgently contact a specialist. Be sure to write us your appointments.

Wavy trembles, crows, sleeps and eats a lot

Thank you very much for your advice! I will definitely unsubscribe.

Sent after 1 minute 3 seconds: How can I take him to the doctor? He’s undergoing adaptation, I’m afraid to take him in my hands again.

Wavy trembles, crows, sleeps and eats a lot

Dinara, thank you very much! I called a specialist to the house. I read about the food that it’s bad (VAKA), but in jars it seems to be good. He doesn’t eat fruits and vegetables. I put it in his food, he only ate a little cucumber. I gave him one egg. times. I’ll read about feeding, thanks for the help! I'm waiting for a specialist, I'll write later.

Sent after 3 minutes 27 seconds: fenix, this is RIO for germination. I give it when the sprouts are 1-2 mm.

Wavy trembles, crows, sleeps and eats a lot

We saw a specialist. The diagnosis was a cold. I didn’t like the beak - it was flaky, the metabolism was disturbed. Prescriptions: - amoxicillin - gamavit fosprinil 1 injection per day, three days - active carbon - 4 days, 1/2 t. - multivitamins “Doctor Zoo” and told about care, nutrition, maintenance, etc. By the way, you can have an egg

I can’t imagine how I’ll cope with nine injections.

Sent after 50 seconds: Yes, and the claws said long. But there are no ticks and feather eaters)))

Wavy trembles, crows, sleeps and eats a lot

Reaction to a stressful situation

Sometimes a bird’s deep experiences significantly affect its appetite. A stressful situation in a parrot can arise due to:

Moving. You still need to get used to the new apartment where the owners have moved. Gluttony is the easiest way to get used to change.
New cell, or different hosts. Also a reason to worry.
There are many dogs and/or cats in the house. If the parrot was purchased recently, predatory animals can cause panic and an excessive appetite.

Sometimes the reasons for a bird’s long meal are as follows:

He just likes to feast on goodies;
The presence of parasites in the body. It is determined simply: the bird does not gain weight, it loses weight and the feathers become dull;
Breeding period. Before preparing for nesting, and during it, birds feed heavily. Energy reserves are necessary to transfer them to the chicks in the form of care and maintenance;
Prostration. If a bird accidentally flew outside and was caught after some time, or was forgotten to feed, it will strive to replenish lost energy.

Food in reserve

The bird strives to eat for future use when food is given to it in small portions. Instinct kicks in: it seems to him that food will one day disappear, and he needs to stock up on as much of it as possible.

It’s easy to get rid of your pet’s “hoarding”: you just need to completely fill the feeder with the grain mixture. The bird will calm down and eat less.

If the proposed method does not help, it is better to show the parrot to an ornithologist veterinarian. A specialist will help determine the cause of the problem, and at the same time select the right diet for the bird. If the reason is in the conditions of detention, they should be changed, or the pet’s behavior should be adjusted (for example, remove or reduce irritants: frequent, loud music, dog barking during sleep, etc.).