I was out with a friend the other day who told me he was thinking of getting a parakeet, but that he often had trouble sleeping and had heard a lot about how parakeets are very noisy at night.
I told him that I wasn’t so sure, as my own parakeets never made any noise during the night.
So, I decided to look further into the question.
Are parakeets loud at night?
The answer is that yes, they can be. However, as long as you take the time to mimic its natural environment as carefully as possible, your parakeets should keep pretty quiet during the night. Various factors can overstimulate your parakeet and cause it to make a lot of noise at night.
So, if your parakeet is making a lot of noise at night, this article should help you solve your problem and keep both you your bird happy.
Are parakeets very loud?
In general, like a lot of parrots, parakeets have a lot to say.
During the day, they will chatter, chirp, sing, whistle and even screech if the mood takes them.
Parrots, and indeed birds in general, are highly social, highly intelligent creatures who communicate primarily through vocal cues.
Parakeets in particular can cry in up to 111 decibels, though this is, obviously, quite extreme.
While they do have a loud presence, more importantly, they will often just chatter the whole day.
They like to sing and warm up their voices in the morning, and so are often very active at early times of the day.
This is during the day, though, and the simple fact is that parrots are not quiet animals.
If you are interested in owning a parrot, be prepared to put up with some noise!
Why is my parakeet being noisy at night?
So, what if your parakeet is making a lot of noise during the night?
Typically, they will make some gentle sound as they settle down for the night.
This could include grinding their beaks or making gentle vocal expressions.
But, sometimes, parakeets can become overstimulated, and start making noise throughout the whole day.
This can be caused by a number of factors.
One of the most important is the amount of daylight it receives.
If your parakeet is exposed to too much sunlight during the day, it will become overactive and likely to start making noise at night.
Make sure your parakeet has a strict bedtime by draping a blanket over their cage to mimic the night, and don’t turn on any artificial light sources after putting it to bed.
If your parakeet is starved of attention, it may also start making noise during the night.
It may simply want to interact with you more during the day.
Carefully and slowly remove it in the morning, to avoid spooking the parakeet.
It may also be unwell, feeling pain somewhere. If it seems to be calling out in distress, it would be advised to take your bird to the vet as soon as possible.
Ultimately, birds are happiest on a schedule.
Use darkness to indicate that it’s time to sleep, and your parakeet should be asleep in no time.
What can I do if my parakeet is being noisy?
Pets with high levels of intelligence need equally high levels of stimulation.
Parakeets are incredibly intelligent birds with complex cognitive functions.
This could be one of the reasons your parakeet is making so much noise at night.
It might simply be bored.
Toys are a great option for this, and there are countless options to swap out for new ones if your parakeet ever gets bored of its toys.
Toys will keep them occupied and stimulate them mentally, which will help tire them out so they sleep better at night.
There are some calming dietary supplements designed for tropical birds which can help in some cases. Always consult a vet before using medication for your bird.
If you have multiple parakeets, and only one of them is making a fuss at night, it may be a behavioral issue.
You may need to put the noisy parakeet in a cage of its own, and reward it for being quiet (if it is) by returning it to the cage.
If you are new to keeping these sorts of pets, this kind of advanced behavioral therapy may seem excessive.
As I said, parakeets are very intelligent, much more so than we would think, and they are able to understand rewards for certain behavior.
Finally, the location of your parakeet’s cage in the house could be causing problems.
Think again about natural light, and how much reaches your parakeet during the day.
Your parakeet’s cage could also be too close to something which is making noise and irritating the bird, such as an air conditioner or a breeze.
This kind of noise our outside stimulation could be confusing and annoying the parrot, making it hard for it to sleep or again overstimulating it.
It’s very important to think about the careful placement of your parakeet’s cage.
In extreme cases, it may be necessary to have a separate cage for your parakeet to sleep in.
Ultimately if nothing seems to be satisfying your parakeet, you should consult an avian vet.
To wrap up, then, the answer is quite clear that, under the right conditions, parakeets are diurnal animals and will not make a lot of noise at night.
Their cycle should be just the same as yours if you aren’t a night owl.
If your parakeet is making too much noise at night, it very likely indicates that it is under some kind of distress.
Parrots in general, being so highly intelligent, are also very likely to have very individual tendencies and temperaments.
When it comes to caring for your parakeet in general, it’s very important to bear this in mind, as one of the consequences of not looking after your parakeet correctly will be it making lots of noise at night.
If you have a little bit of patience and care, soon your parakeet will be happily snoozing away at night along with you.