Parakeets are fascinating birds with immense talking ability and a wide range of color patterns. They are considered the best pet bird, based on their size, cost, maintenance, and qualities. To keep your pet happy and active during the day, it is important to give them sound sleep at night. Parakeet owners may be intrigued to know how do parakeets sleep? Is there is any particular position? What can they do to give it a good sleep? Do parakeets need a nest or bed to sleep?
Here, we will try to answer some queries regarding parakeets’ sleeping positions and patterns.
How Do Parakeets Sleep?
How do parakeets sleep? Parakeets’ sleep pattern is almost similar to humans. They want regular sleep; if disturbed, they get cranky, and some start biting and chipping aloud.
Parakeets are often found in pairs or a group of 100 birds. They all sleep together in the highest branches of trees, especially trees near water. That will provide them with an easy escape from predators. Unlike other birds, parakeets do not make their nests. Instead, during mating season, pairs of parakeets move to the hollow cavities of trees and start living there until the mating season ends.
Parakeets sleep in different positions at night. To observe these patterns, look at their legs, head, and eyes. There are three most common parakeet sleep patterns observed, as shown in the image below.
| Sleep Pattern | Description |
| One Leg Up | Parakeets’ legs are featherless. They often tuck one leg up under their body to prevent them from cold. They can sleep in this position for a whole night without falling. |
| Head Tuck (Swivel Neck) | Especially when they sleep in the morning, many parakeets tuck their head in their wings or feathers. Sometimes, they tuck their head in between their wings and sometimes along their back. Both positions are comfortable for parakeets. |
| Closed Eyes | Parakeets close their eyes while sitting, when they are napping, sleeping, or are relaxed. They can sleep all night long while sitting on a stem without falling. |
When Do Parakeets Sleep?
Parakeets are diurnal birds; unlike nocturnal birds, they sleep at night and are active during the daytime. Parakeets require 9-12 hours of sleep daily.
They sleep when the dark descends. To give a parakeet sound sleep, cover the cage with a towel or cloth to block noise and extra light.
The best practice to cover the cage is to cover it from the above—as parakeets sleep at the highest position in the cage, this will give them an impression as if they are on the top. Keep the cage open from underneath to allow fresh air.
There are few things that can help a parakeet with a sound sleep. Some of them are listed below.
1) Temperature
Parakeets require 70° – 80°F temperature for sound sleep. Above or below this temperature can cause serious issues for your bird’s rest as well as survival.
2) Optimize Lighting
Parakeets require darkness to have a peaceful sleep. They do not require any dim night lights; they prefer complete darkness, though they may sleep well in the presence of natural light, as they do in the wild. But it is better to cover the cage with a towel to help them have a perfect long nap.
3) Cage
Place the cage at a higher position to let your parakeet feel safe and secure. A proper spot should be provided at the top of the cage for sleeping.
4) Tidy Environment
Parakeets like clean and tidy environment; an untidy environment is one of the reasons for the birds’ stress. Clean the cage before putting your bird to sleep and remove all unnecessary equipment to give your bird a comfortable and stress-free sleep.
Sleep in the Wild vs. Sleep in the Cage
Parakeets use a technique known as perching; it is the technique with which birds grip onto the small twigs or branches of trees or any object (cage) and sleep on them without falling. The sleeping behavior of the wild and pet parakeets is the same, but their patterns differ based on the provided conditions and environment.
Wild Parakeets
In the wild, they are also found in pairs or flocks of more than 100 birds. They occupy the highest branches of the tall trees near a water source to escape the predators.
Other than the mating season, parakeets sleep in groups, nested in the hollow trunks of dead or living trees.
When wild parakeets settle for the night, they lower their body and wings and cover their featherless legs to keep them warm and avoid losing body heat. For extra warmth, they tuck one leg up in their body and sleep on the other for the whole night without falling.
If a parakeet feels safe in a particular environment, they rest their head on their back or tuck it in their wings to give rest to their neck muscles. Otherwise, they will sleep with their head standing.
Pet Parakeets
The sleeping behavior of pet parakeets is similar to that of wild parakeets. If there is more than one bird in the cage, they group together at the highest pole of the cage. It could be a swing or any container. If they don’t find any pole, they can hang upside down from the roof bars of the cage and sleep like this all night without falling.
Pet parakeets often feel safe in their cage; therefore, the most common sleep pattern of birds in the cage is just closing their eyes or putting their head on their back.
Different parakeets have different comfort zones and sleeping habits. But the above are the few ways that are most commonly observed in parakeets.
How Parakeets Sleep Without Falling?
There are the 3 factors that play an important role in parakeets not falling from the branches.
1) Flexible Feet
As explain above, parakeets use the perching technique while sleeping. The flexible feet of parakeets help them to wrap around the skinny wire or branches and hold on to them without falling.
2) Zygodactyl Toes
Parakeets have opposable thumbs thanks to their zygodactyl feet. They have four toes, arranged so that the thumb and 3rd finger attach together and give them a good grasp. The other 2 fingers stretch forward and provide them with extra support to stand while sleeping.
3) Flexor Tendon
The main factor that helps them stay stiff and without falling during sleep is their flexor tendon. This tendon locks itself in a place when parakeets hunker down for sleeping and release itself when they stand up. It is a knee-like joint in the middle of the bird leg. The tendon provides them enough support, and along with flexible and zygodactyl feet, birds can sleep on one leg without falling.
They work similarly when a bird hangs upside down from a cage or branch of the trees.
Do Parakeets Sleep During the Day?
Many parakeet owners are worried because their pets do not sleep during the daytime. However, as mentioned above, parakeets are diurnal birds; they sleep at night and get active in the day.
But it doesn’t mean that they won’t sleep during the daytime at all. Like humans—we are also diurnal—parakeets too sleep during the day. They may sleep during the day because:
- They are bored.
- They are compensating for the lack of sleep during the night.
- If they are tired from all the activities like flying or training sessions.
- If they have any illness.
Signs of Parakeet Not Getting Enough Sleep
These are the few signs that will let the owners know if a parakeet is not having enough sleep.
1) Change in Behavior
Like humans, parakeets also show cranky, aggressive, and grumpy behavior when they don’t get enough sleep. They will start avoiding exercises and remain inactive throughout the day. Some even might start biting.
2) Lash other Birds
Parakeets with not enough sleep often lash other parakeets and may even cause minor injuries.
3) Morning Naps
Taking day naps is normal for a healthy parakeet, but if it starts sleeping all day long and avoids interacting with other birds, this might be a sign that it is not getting enough sleep at night.
4) Sleeping Equipment
A nest is recommended for parakeets to have a sound sleep. They are considered important sleeping equipment because of security, sleeping, comfort, and breeding. Parakeets enjoy sleeping in nests because of their natural instincts.
If a bird is deprived of sleep, it can lead to illness. Therefore, look for these signs and help the bird in getting enough sleep for a healthy life.
‘How do parakeets sleep’ is related to the healthy and happy bird. They sleep in different positions, depending on the environment and sleeping equipment available. To keep your budgie happy, it must take 10-12 hours of undisturbed sleep daily.
