So, you just got home the most beautiful parakeet in the world, a budgie? Naturally, as a budgie parent, you might be having so many questions in your mind and the most intriguing one is, how do budgies sleep?
In the wild, you’ll find budgies asleep with their legs perched – it means, they grab the highest branch of a tree with one foot, nestle the other foot close to their chest to stay warm, and bend their teeny-tiny heads backward, resting them on their backs.
The perched position is the favorite sleeping position for a budgie in a cage too. But, since cages aren’t exactly the same as a tree is, there are other sleeping positions for a pet budgie.
Every sleeping position including the perched one has a different meaning. You can tell a lot about the health of a budgie with the position in which the bird is sleeping.
The sleeping position of a budgie also says a lot about whether or not your bird is happy. Fascinating, isn’t it?
This article is for every budgie parent who wants to understand their smart pet parakeet better. So, dive right in!
Top 5 Ways in which budgies sleep: What does it say about the health of your pet?
#1. Sleeping on one leg
When your budgie sleeps on the perch of the cage with one leg holding the perch and the other one snuggled closer to the chest, your budgie is sleeping very peacefully.
It’s the favorite sleeping position of a budgie that feels safe and comfortable in your presence.
Here’s what this sleeping position means:
• Your budgie is very happy.
• The bird is rested and comfortable.
• Your budgie trusts you a lot.
Bottom line: If your budgie is sleeping on one leg with its head turned and rested against its back, you’ve succeeded as a budgie parent to win the confidence of your parakeet.
#2. Sleeping on the cage’s floor
If you find your budgie sleeping on the floor of the cage on its belly or back, the news isn’t good: either the budgie is sick, tired, or unhappy.
Here are the different meanings when a budgie is sleeping on the floor:
• The cage is either extremely small or you’ve put too many budgies in the same cage and that’s resulted in space shortage.
• If the budgie has been sleeping in the same belly-down position on the floor for days now, it means it’s time to take your bird to a doctor. When a budgie doesn’t get off the floor, it means the bird is feeling too weak.
Bottom line: Budgies aren’t fans of sleeping on the floor since it can make them cold. Once in a while is still ok. But, if this sleeping habit continues, it means that the budgie is sick and stressed.
#3. Sleeping while lying down on the perch
If you think that just because the budgie is on the perch, it’s happy, then you need to rethink. A happy budgie on the perch will sleep on one leg. If the bird is lying flat on the perch, it’s a sign of tiredness.
Nevertheless, it’s not always a matter of concern because the budgie might be just resting on its chest while still being on one leg. Only when this habit continues does it become a matter of concern.
The many meanings of this sleeping position are as follows:
• The budgie is feeling slightly cold and just trying the warmth to not escape.
• The bird is technically just tired. It will start sleeping normally once it has regained its energy.
• If the same sleeping pattern continues – whether the bird is lying on its back or belly – it means your budgie is sick.
Bottom line: Although not always a matter of concern, when the budgie won’t get back to its normal sleeping position, it means that the bird needs medical attention.
#4. Sleeping while hanging upside down
As a bird lover, you might be aware that bats sleep hanging upside down. Naturally, seeing your beautiful budgie following the footsteps of bats might raise alarms.
But, surprisingly, it’s not a matter of medical concern. Some budgies in the wild do find the highest branches on the trees and hang upside down.
So, if your budgie has nowadays started sleeping while hanging upside down, don’t panic.
Here are some reasons why your budgie might be hanging upside down while sleeping:
• It’s just the natural instinct of the budgie to find a safe spot.
• The cage is so full of birds that your budgie has no place to sleep other than hanging upside down.
Fun fact: Did you know that budgies have little couple’s things like humans? Though they do not need a bed to cuddle – that is, when you have a male and a female budgie in the same cage – they hang upside down when they’re engaging in their own sort of PDA.
Bottom line: No matter how awkward this position looks, it doesn’t indicate a medical emergency in any way. It’s not even a position that a budgie chooses when lonely or sad.
#5. Sleeping with their heads bent down
The most carefree sleeping position, as we’ve already said, is when the budgie is perched up. You’ve got to focus on the head of the bird though. A happy budgie will have its head rested against the back.
If in the same perched position, the budgie has its head down, it can have many meanings.
The different meanings of these variations are as follows:
• The budgie is comfy and trusting of you, but it might just be trying to conserve warmth.
• The budgie is feeling cold, that’s why it’s nestling its head against the chest instead of resting it on the back.
The only time that this position means medical alert is when the feathers of the budgie are scattered.
Please, note: If the bird is taking enough pains to conserve warmth by tucking its head close to its chest but the feathers are scattered, it means that the bird doesn’t have the energy to gather its wings closer. That’s when you should take your budgie to a doctor.
Bottom line: 90 times out of 100, this position is natural. Only when the budgie stops grooming itself to the extent that the feathers are scattered that you should be worried.
How to make sure your budgie sleeps peacefully: 5 effective tips
One of the biggest myths is that budgies sleep with their eyes open. In reality, a budgie bird has its eyes closed while sleeping.
If you ever see that one eye is closed and the other is open, it means that the bird is very scared and restless. Wild budgies use this technique when they’re trying to stay alert while sleeping.
If your pet budgie is doing the same, you need to make efforts to make the bird feel safe and comfortable.
Here are the five effective ways in which you can make your bird comfortable so that your little birdie sleeps soundly.
1.) The cage should be spacious – A budgie in a cage likes to flutter its wings or walk around. It’s their way of exercising. A small cage will eventually halt these activities and the budgie will feel stressed.
2.) Opt to install more perches inside the cage – This is a better idea when you have more than one budgie in the cage.
Would you be comfortable if many people sleep on your bed? We’re sure, no! Since budgies sleep on perches, they would be comfier and happier to have a perch to themselves.
3.) Optimal darkness helps – Why do we say optimal? Well, that’s because complete darkness can easily freak out a pet budgie. So, make sure despite darkness the budgie can still see.
4.) Make sure it’s not too cold – Budgies don’t like the cold, really! It’s never a good idea to keep their cage directly under a fan. It will disturb their sleep and make them cold. Ultimately, they will fall sick.
5.) Make sure to keep things quiet at night – Budgies can’t sleep when there’s a lot of noise. So, don’t keep their cage at places where you walk around a lot. Though they sleep at night, they do nap during the daytime as well. So, a quiet corner will be better.
Top 6 fascinating facts about a sleeping budgie
Budgies are fascinating birds and there are many interesting things about their sleeping habits that you might be interested in as a pet parent.
Let’s walk you through six such facts:
1.) Budgies require 10-12 hours of night sleep to stay energetic and healthy.
2.) Young and healthy budgies sleep on one leg. But an older budgie or a young one doesn’t have that sort of strength. So, they sleep on the floor since they find it more comfortable.
3.) Budgies usually take an afternoon nap of half an hour.
4.) Despite being pets, they have the genes of their wild peers and ancestors. So, budgies have a natural body clock of waking up at sunrise.
5.) Not all budgies appreciate it if you cover their cages at night. It’s more like a personal choice. As a pet parent, it’s your job to understand what will make your budgie sleep better.
6.) It’s never a good idea to make your budgie sleep with you. It’s better that you let the bird sleep on its perch.
FAQs
1.) How do you know if your budgie is sleeping?
Look at the eyes of your budgie. If they’re closed, the bird is either sleeping or resting. Also, when a budgie sleeps, its face looks very relaxed.
2.) How many hours do budgies sleep?
A healthy happy budgie will easily sleep for 12 hours a day. Sometimes, they might even sleep for 16 hours a day.
3.) Do budgies sleep all night?
Yes. Whether in the wild or a cage, budgies, like all other birds, like to sleep at night and wake up as soon as the sun breaks.
4.) Does a budgie need a bed?
No, not really. Some budgie parents do buy them beds, but that’s recommended only when the budgie is sick and it can’t climb on the perch.
Also, if the budgie is a newborn or an old companion, having a bed is better.
In a nutshell, young and healthy budgies don’t need a bed.
5.) Do budgies sleep lying down?
It depends on many factors.
Healthy and young budgies shouldn’t sleep lying down on the floor. It isn’t a concern immediately as the bird might only be tired. But, if your budgie continues sleeping in this position, it’s a sign that the bird is sick.
Similarly, if your budgie bird is old or very young, it won’t have the same strong grip as a healthy budgie. In such cases, your birdie might be sleeping while lying down. That’s when you buy them a cozy feathery bed that’ll keep them warm!
6.) Do budgies wake up easily?
Yes and no. Yes, if you blast music at home or walk around the area where the budgie is sleeping. No, if it’s a soft occasional knock.
7.) Do budgies like the dark?
Yes, but not absolutely dark. It can make the bird anxious and scared. So, make sure that you don’t cover the cage at night if your bird shows signs of stress when it gets too dark.
8.) Should I cover my budgie’s cage at night?
There’s no hard and fast rule. Not all budgies are the same. So, you have to figure out what your bird likes better and follow it to ensure that the budgie sleeps peacefully.
9.) Can budgies sleep with a fan on?
Not if you place the cage directly under the fan. The air shouldn’t directly blast in your budgie’s direction. Birds in the wild take shelter when it’s windy and there’s a storm.
So, make sure the temperature is right for your bird to stay warm and comfortable.
10.) Do budgies nap during the day?
With somebody sleeping for 12 hours at night, you expect them to stay awake during the day. But buggies are sleepy, lazy buggers! So, yes, budgies take an afternoon nap of about 30 mins to one hour.
Concluding Thoughts
Budgies sleep in many positions. Their ultimate favorite position is sleeping on the perch with their heads resting against their backs and the free leg snuggled to their chests.
However, at times, budgies do sleep lying down on the floor on their bellies or backs and even hanging upside down.
Since you already know the meaning of all these sleeping positions, we hope you will be able to take care of your budgie better.
