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Hi all,

My 3-old male caique, Brady, has developed some odd behavior in his sleeping cage, and I'm wondering if anyone else has seen this in their birds. Brady's sleep cage is in our bedroom. We usually put him to bed at a decent hour, but I'm sure we probably wake him when we come to bed later at night (unfortunately, we have a small 1-bedroom apartment, and this is the best sleeping scenario for him).

Recently, we have heard him making small squeaking noises at night, and when we check on him, we find that he is not on his sleeping perch with his birdy-buddy, but rather all the way in the back corner of his cage, on the floor, standing up tall with his back pressed against the corner of the cage. It almost looks as though he is scared, or in a defense posture, but as soon as we call him, he comes right out to us.

Does anyone have any insight? I'm wondering if he might be going through birdy "teenage" hormones and this could have something to do with it (like a nesting behavior or something along those lines). Brady seems fine in all other aspects of his behavior and he is bright, active, and engaging during the day.

Thanks,
Laurel

Well, it is very hard for them to get the rest they need when they hear even the smallest noise or there is even low light, but you have to work with your living space too.
That indeed sounds strange, but not totally unrealistic for a caique. Perhaps he is dreaming or it's entirely possible that he is asleep until you come in, then he wakes and is frightened. It may be a defensive behavior although it would be more likely he'd be in the corner of his cage, on a higher area.
Unless you observe anything else that seems really strange, I'd say it's just a response to what he's hearing when you come into the room.
A

I will tell you until a few weeks ago, I would have thought it to be strange. See, a couple of weeks ago, my female BH Caique started doing weird stuff like that in her nest box. I think it may have something to do with seeing things at night, or thinking they see something. But I also think, well in my case anyway, it is a hormonal breeding behavior. Sometimes she gets the "crazy eyes" and will flip onto her back and try to regurgitate for me while she in in her next box.

This may be off the mark but this is what happened to me with my 3 year old BH caique Molly, when we were out in our RV. She loves going in her 'camping cage' except this time I forgot her sleeping tent which was fine for the first night, but the second night she decidef to sleep on the floor of her cage, except she did a similar thing as what you described brimonster...she was giving out low purs, and laying on her back, and all sorts of really weird behaviours. She hardly slept at all that night and kept the rest of us awake too. Needless to say I will not be forgetting her 'tent' next time!!
Back to your situation though Laurel, I wonder if it is hormonal? That was what I was thinking with Molly.

Based on Brady's latest behavior last night, I definitely think it is hormonal. When I heard him making the squeaking noises, I went over to his sleeping cage, and found him in the same position that I described before. Then, when I opened his door and reached my hand in to him, he started regurgitating to me, strutting around the cage, rolling over on his back a little, and rubbing his beak on the cage bars. He almost seemed to be "courting" me and showing me around his "nest"! I think he might be in "love" with his mama. Ha! It would make sense... he is definitely at the age for his hormones to start kicking in. Regardless, I think I am going to find a less disturbing sleep spot for him, probably in my large hall closet.

you might try covering his cage

my caique has always slept in his tent. it's cute when i come home when he's sleepong b/c he wakes up and i can hear his little feet pitter-patter across the tent bottom to come out and say hi to me.

Hi,

Both of my caiques need to "body surf" before going to bed. It's as if they are itchy all over, and need to rub each part of their bodies on my clothes or a towel. Body surfing is a very common caique action, and gawd help me if I EVER interfere with their surfing! Have a look at Kate's video clip she put on the forum a while back, and it shows her little one surfing. Does your little one do something similar?

Lorraine