How Do Budgies Sleep? (Explained)

Budgie sleeping on a branch inside the cage

Budgies sleep comfortably in some ridiculous-looking positions. 

Most budgies will fly to the highest perch in the cage to get a good night’s rest. They will grasp tightly with one leg and bring the other close up to their tummies, tucking their heads beneath their wings or laying them across their backs. 

This article will tell you how to make sure your budgie gets a good night’s sleep.

It will also explain the health implications of sleep deprivation and what to do if your bird isn’t getting enough rest. I hope I can answer all of your questions!

How Budgies Sleep

It seems unbelievable that budgies can sleep comfortably on one leg but it’s totally normal for them to do this on their perches.

They don’t fall off because their claws close under the weight of their bodies. Balancing doesn’t take any effort for them!. 

Even when they are fast asleep, budgies can grasp nice and tightly onto their perches and stick their heads under their feathers. 

Do Budgies Sleep at Night? 

Budgies do most of their sleeping at night but it’s standard for them to have some power naps throughout the day. 

If you walk over to your budgie’s cage at night and notice that they are awake, it’s probably because you disturbed them on your way over. 

Try to keep out of your budgie’s way when they are sleeping because they need plenty of rest to be healthy.  

Do Budgies Need Quiet to Sleep? 

Budgies do need quiet to sleep comfortably. During the day, silence can freak out your birds. They get scared because, in the wild, daytime silence means that a predator is close by. 

At night, it’s normal for their native grasslands to be quiet. 

If you stay up late watching TV or playing music, try to minimize the disturbance this will have on your birds.

They need a calm and quiet atmosphere to sleep peacefully, preferably a place where you won’t be coming and going late into the night. 

Do Budgies Sleep With Their Eyes Open?

Budgies do not typically sleep with their eyes open. They can rest with one eye open and one eye closed but it’s more likely that this bird is keeping watch for the others. 

When budgies sleep together, one of them usually stays awake so they can warn the others if any predators come in the night.

This instinct can make it difficult for solo birds to get enough sleep because they prefer to not fall asleep alone. 

Do Budgies Need Darkness to Sleep? 

Ideally, budgies should have around 12 hours of light and 12 hours of darkness in each 24-hour period. This doesn’t have to be exact but it’s a good aim. 

If possible, let the dark fall slowly by turning off the main light and using a lamp in the evening. If the light immediately jumps from on to off or vice versa, this can mess up your bird’s sleep pattern and doesn’t give them enough time to adjust to the light. 

Sometimes budgies will get frightened by the shadows. They might even scream or fly into the sides of the cage in a panic.

If this happens, you should stay calm and speak softly to your birds. Don’t shout, move too quickly, or stick your hand into the cage. 

They should calm down by themselves when you turn the light back on. But if they have any injuries, it’s best to see the vet. 

The solution to night terrors isn’t to keep the light on all the time because budgies do need darkness to get quality sleep.

In some cases, it might be appropriate to leave a soft light on in the hall. (Kind of like with kids who are scared of the dark!)

Budgie Sleeping Positions Meaning

Budgies can look pretty strange when they are sleeping. They frequently stand on one leg and tuck their heads into their feathers.

Sometimes, you might notice that they’ve twisted their heads right around to lay them on their backs. 

They sleep in these funky positions to help them stay warm throughout the night. It might not look comfortable to us but sleeping in such a vulnerable position shows that they feel safe and relaxed.

It’s nothing to worry about!

How Much Sleep Do Budgies Need?

Budgies usually sleep for 10-12 hours a day. Most of that happens in the evening but they will also have a snooze in the daytime if not much is going on around them.

Having said that, it’s a good idea to keep your budgie in a room where things are going on during the day, especially if your bird doesn’t have a mate. 

It’s better to keep your birds in a family room where everyone can chat to them as they go about their daily business, rather than shutting them away in a spare bedroom where they won’t get much interaction. 

At night, budgies do need peace and quiet. 

One solution is to move the cage from the day room to the evening room. Some people have separate cages for day and night but that will depend a bit on how tame your birds are and whether you can afford two cage setups.

If your cage is big and heavy, it would be better if it had some wheels so you could move it in the evening. 

Winding Down Your Budgie for Sleep 

Try to move your budgie into the evening room before it’s completely dark. Budgies don’t have very good eyesight, and strange-looking shadows can terrify them if they don’t get enough time to settle down in their environment. 

It’d be great to move the cage into the evening room and leave on a small lamp, so your birds can get used to the room and start winding down before sleep. 

You can then turn off the lamp after a couple of hours. Some people cover the cage to stop shadows from getting in.

The best choice for you will depend on your bird. Try a few different things and see how they react. 

Signs of a Tired Budgie That Isn’t Getting Enough Sleep

Behavior 

If your budgie is exhausted, they can start displaying some problematic behaviors. These include irritability and aggression (I can relate!).

You also might notice stress-related behaviors like feather plucking or self-mutilation if the problem isn’t sorted out. 

Sleep deprivation can also weaken your budgie’s immune system, so they are more susceptible to disease. 

Daytime Exhaustion

If your budgie is sleeping a lot during the day, it could mean they aren’t getting enough sleep at night.

It’s worth considering whether something—like noisy heating pipes—might be keeping them awake. 

Illness 

If you think your budgie is sleeping during the night and they are still super tired all the time, there’s a good chance they might be unwell.

For example, budgies are prone to liver illnesses that can make them very tired. 

If you have any doubts, you should be talking to your vet!

What to Do if My Budgie Isn’t Sleeping Enough

If your budgie doesn’t seem to be sleeping much in front of you, it might just be because they sleep when you are in bed or at work.

But if they seem overly tired during the day, please be sure to rule out any health problems. 

It could be that they aren’t getting proper nutrition, so make sure you’re feeding your bird a healthy, balanced diet. 

If the problem is that your bird is struggling to sleep, here are a few tips to help you:

  • Find out if something near your budgie’s cage—such as furniture or noises from the street—is scaring them.
  • If necessary, cover your budgie’s cage to help prevent distractions.
  • Consider putting sound-insulating curtains over windows or doors as a cheap fix for outside noise.
  • Keep other pets, like dogs and cats, away from budgies at night, ensuring they are in a different room. 
  • Make sure the room is at an appropriate temperature for your bird. Budgies like to be at 70-80 degrees Fahrenheit.
  • If your budgie lives alone, consider getting them a friend so they feel safer (you’ll have to introduce them slowly!).
  • Make sure the cage has plenty of high perches.
  • Keep your budgies in a calm and dark place at night, not in a family room where people will be talking or watching TV late into the evening. 

If you can’t get to the bottom of the problem, you’ll have to ask for professional advice from a vet or budgie breeder. 

FAQs 

Do budgies puff up when sleeping? 

Budgies can puff up their feathers to get warm and comfy at night. They don’t have to puff up their feathers to sleep, though. If your bird puffs up its feathers a lot during the day and seems quite sluggish, it might be cold or unwell. 

Can budgies sleep with the TV on? 

Budgies might be able to sleep with the TV on if it isn’t too loud. But they should be in a quiet room at night so that they can get a good quality sleep.

During the day, you might want to keep the TV or radio on at low volume while you are out of the house but at night, try to keep the noise to a minimum. 

Why doesn’t my budgie sleep in their nest box?

Budgies won’t usually use a nest box unless they are raising young. If you do put a nesting box inside their cage, it will trigger your birds to start breeding.

I don’t recommend that you try breeding budgies unless you are very experienced with birds and are 100% sure you can find a loving home for all the chicks.

If your female budgie has too many chicks, she can become exhausted and sick. 

Final Thoughts

Budgies need peace and quiet to get a decent night’s sleep. If they don’t get enough rest, you might notice some changes in behavior. Lack of rest will also weaken their immune system, so they are more likely to get sick. 

Don’t forget that lethargy can be a sign of health issues. If your bird seems to be tired 24/7, this is definitely something you want to check out with your vet. 

I hope you found this article helpful, and I wish you all the best with your pet birds!

Lasso Brag

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