Ah, bedtime. It’s something we all look forward to at the end of every day, especially after a long and exhausting day at work. After all, there’s nothing quite like a relaxing sleep to recharge for the next day. But can you say the same for your pet lovebird? And are they getting good sleep at night?
And speaking of sleep, how do lovebirds sleep anyway? Well, like most birds, lovebirds prefer to sleep by either hanging on the side of the cage or standing on the highest perch they can find. When out in the wild, lovebirds find rest among the top of tall trees, a behavior that remains even when living in a cage. Undisturbed, lovebirds usually sleep between 10-12 hours every night, although they also take naps during the day.
But a simple paragraph isn’t enough to cover all the bases of this part of avian care, so to help you understand more, this article will go over everything you need to know about lovebirds and their sleeping patterns/behavior.
What Does a Lovebird Need to Sleep?
Like many animals, lovebirds need their beauty sleep, and they need it every night. After all, you don’t want your pet bird to be a sleep-deprived animal that will hit things while flying. No, you want your lovebird happy and healthy all the time, which means that, like you, they also need sleep.
But what do they need to sleep? Luckily, lovebirds aren’t picky animals that need warm milk, cookies, and a bedtime story to sleep soundly at night. To ensure your bird gets the best possible sleep at night, the optimal thing to do is provide them with places to perch and rest at night. Lovebirds sleep atop tall trees in the wild, so giving them somewhere high (particularly if you have a large cage for them) to perch on or hang at night should be good.
Of course, covering the cage with a cloth for some more privacy should also help, as do making sure that everything in the house is already peaceful by the time you and your pet tuck in for the night.
Now, you may be tempted to provide them with something “soft” to sleep on, like a nest or a birdhouse. However, do note that lovebirds only use nests to lay eggs in and not to sleep on.
Anything that is enclosed or partially enclosed will never be seen as anything more than a breeding place. It’s not recommended to put a lot of these, as your lovebird may just become hormonal and resort to unhealthy chronic egg-laying.
So instead of nests, a high perch where they won’t be disturbed should do.
How Much Sleep Does Your Pet Bird Need?
As I mentioned above, birds need at least 10-12 hours of sleep on a nightly basis, which is a couple more hours of recommended sleep for us adults. This is because lovebirds are tropical or subtropical and naturally live in places where there are 12 hours of darkness every night.
That being said, it’s not recommended to let your lovebird get uninterrupted sleep all the time, as it may mess up their sleeping schedule. Rather than startle your bird, the best thing to do is to let them wake up naturally by turning on the lights.
There will also be times when you want to modify the light/dark cycles, and it all depends on encouraging or discouraging the “breeding mode” in your lovebird. Additionally, make sure your lovebird gets natural sunlight.
What Are The Reasons Behind Sleep Deprivation in Lovebirds?
If you’re wondering if lovebirds can also suffer from sleep deprivation like us humans, then the answer is yes. Like most children, lovebirds tend to be light sleepers, which is also one of the reasons behind bird night frights. Luckily, keeping a generally peaceful environment should save your bird from experiencing this.
Here are some of the most common reasons behind sleep disruption in birds:
- Staying up late with the family (and watching loud TV)
- Cage near the window where light comes in
- LED Lights
- Night Fright (or getting startled by other pets)
Ideally, none of these should be present during the night to ensure your pet gets the best possible sleep they can have. However, this doesn’t mean that you have to tiptoe around your bird’s cage at night. Instead, make sure you’re not making any sudden, excessive noise that can wake up a person.
Related Questions
How do lovebirds sleep at night? Just like they do in the wild, lovebirds often find the highest perch they can stand or hang on to sleep. In some cases, they may even hang on the side of the cage and rock back and forth.
Do lovebirds sleep standing up? Generally, yes. In fact, their anatomy evolved so that they have unique muscles and ligaments that “lock” in place and keep them falling over while they are asleep. In general, sleeping upright is normal for most birds, especially at this size.
Do lovebirds sleep with their eyes open? Often, birds sleep with their eyes closed or even tuck their head over their shoulder and pull one leg closer to them. However, as they are mostly prey, lovebirds can have one of their eyes consistently open to check the environment for danger. However, if your lovebird doesn’t do this, then it most likely feels safe and secure to relax in your home.
Do lovebirds need a nest to sleep in? No, as nests are only used for breeding and laying eggs. It’s not recommended to put these inside their cage if you don’t want them to mate, as it will make the female hormonal.
How do baby lovebirds sleep? Often, baby lovebirds sleep and live in the nest they are born in for the first couple of weeks. However, once they grow feathers and can fly around, they will start to move out and eventually begin sleeping like their parents atop perches and/or high places.
Can lovebirds sleep with lights on? While they can, it’s not recommended in the same way that most humans can’t sleep with lights on. Instead, turn off the lights or cover their cage with a cloth to make it dark and encourage sleep for them.
Do lovebirds sleep a lot? While they may take naps during the day, lovebirds get most of their sleep at night, when they can doze anywhere between 10-12 hours. If you notice your lovebird sleeping a lot during the day, then it’s likely that they’re not getting proper sleep at night due to several reasons.
Conclusion
As you can see, sleep is an essential part of a lovebird’s sleep, just like with us humans. So if you’re a pet owner and you want to make sure your lovebird is living its healthiest life, we suggest giving it proper, peaceful, and uninterrupted sleep at night alongside you. So with that, time for lights out!