When I uncovered the tiels' cage this morning, I noticed spattered bits of blood on the side bars and bottom of the cage. I was a bit unnerved. I looked closely at both birds and I don't see any active bleeding. Emma's back tow on her right foot either had blood on it or it was scraped and healing. There were four big tail feathers on the bottom of the cage. One of them was Emma's, and it had blood at the root The other three were Silver's. Also, about four smaller nondowny feathers (about 1-1/2" long) that look like Silver's.

Both birds seem fine. Silver was preening Emma's head a little while ago. Silver had a downy feather sticking out of the sided of his head. I tried to scritch him to see if it would come off, but he wouldn't let me. It's gone now.

My birds haven't had a night fright before. Do you think that was what it was? If they have one, is it more likely they will have another one soon? I don't know what would have scared them. I live in the country, away from road noise and such. Maybe my cats got into something and made a lot of noise. I really wouldn't hear them having a night fright if I was asleep. Sorry about that, but my bedroom is kind of far from the living room where their cages are.

That's probably what it was. It's very common for wing and tail feathers to get knocked out during a night fright, and for other small injuries to occur as the birds bang against the bars.

I think that maybe birds get night frights from bad dreams sometimes. There have been times that I was aware when a night fright started and there was absolutely nothing unusual going on that I could detect. Once a bird has had a night fright there's a fairly high chance that they might have another one within about half an hour on that same night, because they're still nervous from the first one. But it doesn't seem to have any effect on what happens on subsequent nights.

Good to know. Thank you, Carolyn.

Last night the tiels didn't seem to want to go into their cage. I have a routine where I gradually dim the lights, turn off the tv, get their cover, and sing them their lullabye. They are often inside eating their evening seeds by that time. If they are not, this normally does gets them in.

Last night I had to raise my arms and coax them into the cage. Once in, I sang to them and put their cover on, but they seemed restless.

I decided to leave part of the cage uncovered and a light on in the room because of the night fright last night. I looked into the cage and neither had gone to their sleeping perch. They were both clinging to the side of the cage. I decided they might be scared. So, I talked to them and told them not to be afraid. Silver looked so cute, listening to me. And, such intelligence in his eyes. Then, both of them got on top of the circular rope swing--one on each side of the hook on top. They looked so cute up there, and seemed calmer.

I think they were still a little scared from last night.

Is there anything different in the room or in the cage that might be making them nervous? Including shadows and other intangible factors that we don't pay much attention to because we know what's going on.

Carolyn, I didn't see your message until this morning.
I can't think of anything. But, it's funny, yesterday afternoon I rearranged the living room so I am sitting closer to the tiel cage.

I don't know why I didn't think of it sooner. Now I am close enough that they can jump over to my chair. They are both coming over now to say "hi," and Emma even came to my arm twice for sunflower seeds. Now Silver can visit me without feeling like he is getting too far away from Emma.

sometimes I have to go to the store after my birds have been put to bed (I mean, cage). They sleep in my bedroom - covered and with no light. I am always concerned what happens if they have a fright and I am not near.

It can be dangerous but sometimes there's nothing we can do about it. Sleeping in a cage is less dangerous than sleeping out of the cage. A bird that has a night fright while it's not in the cage has a lot more potential to get into trouble. An unclipped bird can build up a lot of speed before it slams into the wall, and there's no telling where a clipped bird might end up.

Night frights? My Alex has day frights. He is so freaking skittish! Just a few minutes ago, he panicked and flew when he heard the phone ring (he's heard it many times before, but I guess it surprised him).

In the cage, he kinda has what I call "flap attacks", because it usually starts with him just exercises his wings. He spreads them out, flaps them, then loses control somehow and flies all over the inside of the cage until he's on the floor of the cage. Then he'll run around on the bottom of his cage with his wings still open, and flaps some more. Sometimes he'll end up on a perch, and sometimes he would still be on the bottom.

It's gotten to the point where Lucy is used to it, and she ignores it half the time.

He's getting better at flying though. He's landing in places other than the floor, and he can finally make short distances (for whatever reason, he's had better luck with longer distances than shorter ones).

For a while, I covered them up with a sheet. I eventually stopped. Ironically, neither of them have two uncle at night. Alex usually have the frights early in the morning, or just in the middle of the day. Lucy seems to be the least flighty of all of them.

I would guess that short distances require more judgment and control than long distances. With snort distances the bird never gets up to full speed, and doing something slowly often takes more control than doing it fast.