Ringnecks sitting in the rain

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1st Timer
Posts: 2
Joined: Sat Mar 15, 2014 5:17 am

Ringnecks sitting in the rain

Post by 1st Timer »

Hi
Our flight cages for breeding purposes is 2m long and the width is 1m. The back and right side is totally covered with sheeting and the front and half of the left side is wire. The top of the cage is also partially covered with sheeting in the back and only the front part is wire. During the day the pair will go and sit in the back (also that is where the nesting box is) but at night the prefer sitting in front where it is open on the side and on the top. It is pouring with rain now and still they are sitting there in the rain. Is there something wrong with our cage setup? Please help!
Donovan
Posts: 833
Joined: Tue Oct 08, 2013 4:18 pm
Location: North Carolina

Re: Ringnecks sitting in the rain

Post by Donovan »

it's not good for them to get soaked really. My bird used to enjoy showers. I could set him on a shower perch (he's fully flighted) and two or three times he just sat there in the water and got completely drenched instead of eventually flying out of it. Now he wants nothing to do with the shower.

So my guess is your birds will figure it out eventually but it might not hurt to cover the cage a little more. I'd still give them access to the rain.. maybe they love it.. .. or maybe they'll smarten up eventually and learn to get out of it.
MissK
Posts: 3011
Joined: Sun Jul 22, 2012 3:46 pm
Location: Baltimore, Maryland, U.S.A.

Re: Ringnecks sitting in the rain

Post by MissK »

Hi. I'm no expert, but I'll take a stab at this.

Is there something happening at night that encourages them to leave the protected part of the cage? For instance, does that area shelter or invite a nocturnal predator? Does something else choose to sleep in the same area on the outside of the cage? Depending on the circumstance, two sides and a roof could provide shelter or it could form a trap.

As far as sitting in the rain is concerned, I would expect any (non-aquatic) animal to seek shelter from the rain for sleeping. While I believe that the birds will not be harmed by being stuck (in the daytime) in the rain in their native range at a warm time of year, choosing to get drenched while sleeping seems inappropriate. Also you don't mention what sort of weather, besides rain, you're having. If it's really hot there, maybe they like it.

If you are concerned about them getting shelter at night, you could provide a shelter box on the open end of the cage - just something with a roof and some sides, no bottom, with a perch. That way they could choose shelter in that area of the cage while you work out what's making them go there. Note, if you can't solve the problem before you get some eggs, your birds will have to choose between sleeping where they feel safer or nesting.
-MissK
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