# Is it necessary to cover my budgies cage?



## parapig23 (Apr 30, 2021)

I currently cover Dove's cage when I go to bed but I don't know if it's necessary? I got mixed results from a google search. Any advice appreciated! Thank you!


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## FaeryBee (May 9, 2011)

*I think it is helpful to cover the budgies cage - top, three sides and 1/3 of the way down the front.
Having a routine getting up time and going to bed time is important for your budgies.
Make sure you have a night light in the room to help prevent night frights.*


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## ChickWas (May 6, 2021)

It depends on the birds and the environment they're in. When you put them to sleep, are they in a brightly lit area, or is there a potential for draughts to affect them during the night, or is it slightly noisy?

I cover mine at night as I sometimes stay awake past their bedtime, so it's good for them to have relative darkness and the cover helps dampen sounds. There's also an AC in my room, and whilst they're not hit by the air, it makes me feel better knowing they're snug and cozy in their cage with the cover acting as a little heat bubble. I only cover them because they don't mind it, and it also helps immensely with their bedtime routine (once I partially cover the cage, they know it's time to wind down and will fly into their cage to eat). I used to leave the front of the cage uncovered but it impacted their sleep. They would keep waking up to check on me and make eye contact, if I moved or stood up, they'd stretch and wake up. Since covering the front a 1/3rd of the way down, they get a full night's rest with barely any disturbances, but enough light leaks in at the bottom of the cage to act as a night light.

There are other birds that become stressed when covered, so I'd say just do what works best for yours. If they don't mind being covered, follow Faery's advice. If they do become agitated and stressed when you cover them, try and make the environment they're in work (so try not to have it brightly lit, keep noise down, don't let draughts affect them). Back before I got a proper cage cover, I used to use old shirts to cover the top of the cage, so when they'd sleep on their highest perch, they'd be in darkness.


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## justmoira (Aug 29, 2014)

I cover mine so I can limit their daylight hours and help prevent them going into condition


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