yvette Posted April 7, 2008 Share Posted April 7, 2008 Ok, this has been the scariest morning ever. Instead of waking up to the buzz of an alarm clock, I woke up startled as my Grey was flapping loudly in his cage. My husband and I jumped out of bed at the same time and pulled back his "night sheet" to see my baby flapping on the floor of his cage. After we turnd on the light he slowly climbed up the side of the cage, but he seemed frozen. I know they say that this is normal when a grey is fearful. It just seemed odd because we were touching his legs and head and he NEVER lest us do that! everynow and then he would turn and face us and at one point he got mad at my husband and bite his finger hard (not enough to draw blood, but still hurts!) I kept talking to him and he climbed on to a perch. I thought maybe a snack would help calm him down. So I gave him a piece of orange. He took it from me but continues the "frozen" stand. He eventually dropped the orange (didnt eben take a bite) and just stood there. It is way too early for him to be up, he usually wakes up around 8:30 am. I call him by name, but its scary to just see him standing there, eyes fixed and then after a few min, he will glance at you. Its been 30 minutes already, could he have had a nightmare? Did he just fall off his stick? Its happened one before, but it was daylight and he just got back up, never acted like this . (loss of balance) Has this ever happened to you? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GusandGloria Posted April 7, 2008 Share Posted April 7, 2008 Sounds like a classic "night fright" episode. Something, a strange noise, an odd shadow, a big nasty bug crawling across the floor, a bad dream, whatever.... can jolt a bird out of its sense of safety in the cage and throw them into absolute blind panic. You did everything right. Treat them like a child and try to calm them and alleviate whatever fears might be causing it. If the bird is flapping wildly in the cage *do not* open the door immediately for it could bolt out of its cage into a door, out a window, into a wall, etc. in a blind panic. Best thing to do is turn on the lights. Go to him immediately and let him see you, hear your voice, assure him he will be fine. Open the cage door slowly and carefully and don't let him bolt. Leave the lights on and stay with him until he calms again. So much like little kids..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lovemyGreys Posted April 7, 2008 Share Posted April 7, 2008 I agree with GusandGloria, it sounds like a night fright.monitor his balance over a few days just to determine that he is acting ok & not showing any evident signs of loss of balance on a daily basis..Keep us updated. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BMustee Posted April 7, 2008 Share Posted April 7, 2008 Yeah, sounds like a night fright...you mights want to try putting a night light buy his cage. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yvette Posted April 7, 2008 Author Share Posted April 7, 2008 A night light is such a cute idea! I just hope it doesnt keep him up. After about 45min, he finally snapped out of it! I went and sat n ext to him and kept talking and talking to him until he slowly got out of his "trance". He is all chirpy now! Thank GOD, I was so scared! I am sure it was just a bad dream, he has never has an issue with balance. Thank you all for the info. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lovemyGreys Posted April 7, 2008 Share Posted April 7, 2008 yvette i use nightlights that you can putchase for babies,the ones that plug in to a socket,they give off a warm soft glow Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BMustee Posted April 7, 2008 Share Posted April 7, 2008 I started using a night light for my finches...baby finches get night frights very easily after the fledge because they are not used to what is around them...and if one baby goes into a fright, they all do. Imagine getting woken up by 17 finches going into histarics!!! Not Cool!!! Sense the night light I have no had any night frights. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
judygram Posted April 7, 2008 Share Posted April 7, 2008 Yeah that would not be a good nights sleep to wake up to all those finches thrashing around in their cage. If a night light helps then by all means use it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Talon Posted April 7, 2008 Share Posted April 7, 2008 yvette, I have had the very same thing happen at night when I was sound asleep twice. I immediately took Talon out of her cage, and comforted her. But after each episode, it took about 3-4 nights of her not wanting to go back in her cage to sleep. I now leave her sheet open on the ends so she can have some light in there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
danmcq Posted April 7, 2008 Share Posted April 7, 2008 Definitely sounds like a night fright or something your Grey detected, that you didn't. LOL Bmustee - I had as high as 37 Finches at once and I know what you mean. It is an awe inspiring sound to hear all those wings flap at once. :-) Although we do cover Dayo wit a custom fit black cover, we do leave a nigh light on also. I am not certain if that small amount of light penetrates the cover though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BMustee Posted April 7, 2008 Share Posted April 7, 2008 I don't cover Elmo and he has always had a light light near him and has never had a night fright even with the cats walking around the cages and any critters outside. I think if they are able to see what is going on and are used to it they don't get scared. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dblhelix Posted April 7, 2008 Share Posted April 7, 2008 Does sound like a night fright episode. I aslo choose not to cover for the reason BMustee indicated plus then there is no need to have them covered by sitter etc if you go away on vacation. Kip has done this type of thing a few times at night but it has ALWAYS been when there was a small earthquake. That scares the crap out of her, waking/shaking her up in the dark...dangers of living in California. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Talon Posted April 7, 2008 Share Posted April 7, 2008 OMG! I can't imagine how scary that must be for them Mark. I never ever thought about the experience that must have when that happens. It's bad enough we humans have to endure it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted April 8, 2008 Share Posted April 8, 2008 You have many earthquakes there, dbhelix? Isn't that scaring you? (besides that it scares the bird of course) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yvette Posted April 8, 2008 Author Share Posted April 8, 2008 You guys are not going to believe this,but it was reported on the news that there was a tiny earthquake her, in Texas yesterday at around 4:50-5:00am! That is the exact time my Bently went crazy! I truly believe he felt or at least sensed the tremor even though we didn't. Tremors don't happen here in texas and only do so about once every 10 years! Isn't that crazy???:woohoo: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
danmcq Posted April 8, 2008 Share Posted April 8, 2008 Well, that explains the birdy freak-out :-) They are VERY sensitive to natures indicators that something bad is happening. :-) It's good to hear you found the cause of it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
judygram Posted April 8, 2008 Share Posted April 8, 2008 Dan is right, darn it:whistle: birds like other animals are very sensitive to things we do not notice so that probably explains what happened to Bently and no you are not crazy Yvette. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lovemyGreys Posted April 8, 2008 Share Posted April 8, 2008 Yvette i think you will find this previous thread a few weeks back intresting .... http://www.greyforums.net/forums/african-grey/62964-help-with-charlie.html#63435 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
judygram Posted April 8, 2008 Share Posted April 8, 2008 Thanks Tracy for digging that thread out of the vault for Yvette, you are such a dear. B) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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