Parakeets are one of the world’s instantly recognizable bird kinds. They are loved for their stunning appearance, cheery nature, and endless curiosity. But being quiet and flaccid isn’t really a parakeet’s cup of tea.
So, Do Parakeets Make A Lot of Noise at Night?
Not really.
Parakeets are diurnal creatures, which means they’re active during the daytime and sleep throughout the night. All parrot species known to man are diurnal, with two exceptions. One is Kakapo, a flightless parrot breed from New Zealand. These birds are nocturnal — they sleep during the day and remain active in the dark.
We’ve established that parakeets won’t make noises at night in most cases. But then, one never really has an idea of what’s going on inside their brains, and when the siren will go off.
The answer to do parakeets make a lot of noise at night isn’t as straightforward as we might think. Here’s what you should know!
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Parakeets Get Uni-Hemispheric Slow-Wave Sleep
Although parakeets are diurnal, their sleeping pattern is different than ours. It is called uni-hemispheric slow-wave sleep.
It’s the kind of sleep where one half of the body slumbers while the other half is still aware.
What’s even more impressive is that this allows parakeets to modify how much of the brain will get sleep and what percentage will remain alert by closing or opening its eyes to a specific width.
Now you may be wondering why.
That’s because parakeets’ sleeping patterns have evolved over the course of time to protect them from predators in the night.
If parakeets are kept in a safe environment, they can actually sleep more peacefully with both hemispheres resting together.
Thus, if your Parakeet’s making noise at night, there must be something bugging it. What could it be?
Why Does My Parakeet Make Noise at Night?
Excess Daylight
The amount of daylight your Parakeet receives within 24 hours also plays an important role when determining do parakeets make a lot of noise at night.
Parakeets can be easily over-stimulated if they’re exposed to 12-14 hours or more of daylight. As a result, it will trigger hormonal activity levels in parakeets, causing them to be awake and noisy at night.
In the wild, parakeets wake up at the crack of dawn and sleep after sunset. Try to create a somewhat similar routine and setting for your Parakeet.
Unbalanced Nighttime Environment
As much as parakeets love making noise, they want a peaceful and dim environment for slumber. Once night falls, make sure there’s no loud noise or bright artificial light in the same room as your Parakeet.
Your Parakeet can confuse a source of light at night with sunlight and start squawking before you know it!
Your Parakeet Wants Attention
Parakeets will make a noise whenever they seek attention, and nighttime is no exception.
Now there could be different reasons why your Parakeet wants you to pay attention to it. If you hear a sharp screech, it’s a cry for help. Your Parakeet may have felt danger from potential or perceived prey.
Another common ground for it is jealousy. Yes, jealousy — if you’re particularly paying attention to another pet or individual.
Your Parakeet is not feeling well
If your pet parakeet is experiencing any internal or external pain, it will likely make some noise in the night to express the discomfort and receive your attention.
Likewise, nutritional issues resulting from a poor diet can also trigger it to change its behavior, including the extent of vocalization. If the squawking and screeching at night persist, a trip to the vets is crucial.
Now that we’ve answered do parakeets make a lot of noise at night and the potential reasons, let’s jump on to what you can do about it!
How to Stop My Parakeet from Making Noise at Night?
Toys
Parakeets are highly intelligible birds with advanced cognitive abilities. That’s why they demand more than just a cage and food. If your Parakeet is making a racket at night, providing some toys will keep them entertained during the sleepless nights.
Toys, explicitly designed for birds like the Rypet chew toy rope, will give ample mental stimulation, which in turn will tire their brains and put them to sleep effectively.
You might have to replace or modify the toys once in a while, as these smart creatures will get bored with them quickly.
AviCalm
If you’re looking for a quick yet safe solution to stop the midnight outcry, you can consider using the help of calming supplements like Avicalm made with soothing ingredients. Not everything you buy at the over-the-counter store or online is safe for your Parakeet – that’s why we have a recommendation for you – AviCalm.
AviCalm is very popular among parrot owners, and you can easily find honest reviews on it on different forums. The active ingredient in it, L-Theanine; this promotes the feeling of well-being and relaxation with no signs of drowsiness.
Approved by FDA, AviCalm can be an effective solution for your Parakeet’s noisy sessions and sleepless nights. It is available in powder format, and you have to mix the recommended amount with food before serving.
A Timeout
If the shrieking and squealing are coming from a behavioral issue, introducing a timeout session may help. Especially, if you have multiple parakeets, you can put the noisy one in a separate cage for some time alone.
Don’t forget to put some toys, food, and water in the cage before transferring it to another room. You can try partially covering the cage and even play soothing music to calm its nerves.
If your Parakeet remains quiet for some time, an hour or so, you can give it a reward and bring it back to its original station. This method will test your patience, but it’ll definitely make life easier for you and your pet bird quickly.
A Companion
Parakeets are social by nature and thrive on interaction. So, if they don’t get enough attention or socialization, they’ll get lonely very soon. Consequently, your Parakeet may start making a noise at nighttime, too, as a way to grab your attention.
If you can’t give as much time as you’d like to, bringing in a new pet parakeet can be a viable solution for you. Remember, they don’t necessarily have to mate – they can even be kept in different cages.
However, don’t make this decision in haste as it will double your responsibilities. If you are not too sure about a new addition, try making some extra time for your Parakeet, exercise it, introduce some new toys, and so on.
Suitable Cage
We always recommend purchasing the biggest and best cage possible. If you buy the right type of cage from day one it will cost a few hundred dollars but it’s an investment into your bird’s health and well-being.
Purchasing the best cage possible like the Prevue Parrot Cage will be money well spent. This will last you for years. Parekeets are know for their abbility to chew through plastic and will make short work of most cages.
The Prevue Parrot cage is built from wrought Iron and build to withstand any parrot no matter how destructive.
If your cage is too small, you parrot or parakeet will become distressed and make more noise.
Cage Cover
Something that may go unnoticed but is a gamechanger is altering the cage’s environment. In fact, it could be the right answer to your query do parakeets make a lot of noise at night.
We can’t stress enough how important it is to create a safe and comfortable environment for your Parakeet to sleep at night. There are quite a few things you can do to make the ambiance cozy:
- Change the location of the cage
- Turn off the fan or air conditioner so that the breeze isn’t swinging its cage
- Turn on a dim nightlight
- Use a separate cage only for sleeping, if you deem it’s necessary
- Cover the cage to create a secure, opaque environment for the sense of safety
To cover the cage, use a dark-colored pet blanket or purpose-made parrot cage cover and carefully drape it around. If your Parakeet is not fond of the dark, leave a small space uncovered, so that dim light enters the cage.
In the morning, don’t abruptly yank off the blanket. The sudden change in lighting will only startle and confuse your Parakeet.
Final Thoughts
So, do parakeets make a lot of noise at night? No. Parakeets are diurnal creatures that’ll remain active during the daytime and sleep throughout the night. It’s rare that they will create a noise at night. However, they’re light sleepers.
Sometimes, external factors like brightness and loudness can trigger them to make noises at night. Likewise, internal factors such as loneliness, jealousy, physical pain, and a surge in hormonal activity can stimulate unsolicited shrilling and shrieking.
Let’s not forget that the noise isn’t the actual problem. You will have to dive a little deeper and practice a bit more patience if your Parakeet is making a noise at night. If all the tried-and-tested methods still don’t work for you, you can consult an avian behaviorist.
