She's about 3 years old and we've had her for like 18 months. Recently she's been doing these loud screaming fits around 10 PM every night for like 20-30 minutes. We keep her in the living room with a cover over the cage, but nothing seems to help. Is this a phase or should we be worried?
One thing worth checking - does she get quiet time *before* that 10 PM window? Sometimes birds start screaming right when household activity peaks in the evening, like when people are cooking, watching TV, or moving around more. If your living room gets busier around that time, even just shifting her to a quieter spot an hour or two before bed (like a bedroom or hallway) can make a huge difference. You might also try dimming lights gradually starting around 8-9 PM to signal bedtime, since that natural wind-down really helps with the night screaming 🌙
It's not really a phase - this is usually a sign something's off with her environment or routine rather than something she'll outgrow. Cockatiels need around 10-12 hours of uninterrupted sleep in a quiet, dark space, and screaming at that hour often means she's not getting proper rest or there's a trigger (like household noise, temperature changes, or even hormonal behavior if she's bonded too intensely to one person). Moving her to a quieter bedroom for sleeping, keeping the room temperature stable, and making sure she's getting enough natural daylight earlier in the day (not artificial light at night) usually helps way more than cage covers alone.
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