His Daytime Sleeping Position Is Different
During the day, Maverick occasionally naps on exposed concrete.
He may lie on his side.
His legs extend.
His body looks loose.
Nighttime is different.
When the lights are off, Maverick seems unwilling to sleep that openly.
He makes himself smaller.
He seeks the wall.
He surrounds himself with material.
Only then does he rest.
Darkness May Be More Important Than Sleep Itself
Staff begin watching his daytime naps.
Maverick can fall asleep without rebuilding his bed.
That means tiredness alone does not trigger the behavior.
Something about the nighttime environment appears to change what he needs before sleeping.
Reduced light is an obvious possibility.
So is the transition in shelter activity.
The Lights Are Dimmed Instead of Switched Off Suddenly
One evening, the change happens gradually.
Maverick notices.
He walks toward his bed.
But instead of immediately grabbing it, he stands beside it.
The room continues becoming darker.
Eventually he paws at one corner.
Then another.
He folds part of the bed toward the wall.
That night, the rearrangement is less violent.
He still changes the bed.
But he does not tear at it with the same intensity.
The Observation Is Interesting, Not Conclusive
Perhaps abrupt darkness increases Maverick's arousal.
Perhaps he simply happened to be calmer that evening.
One easier night cannot reveal the cause.
Shelter staff look for repetition rather than forcing an explanation from a single event.
On Another Night, the Old Behavior Returns
The lights go out.
Maverick immediately grips the bed.
He pulls so hard that one edge flips over.
He paws underneath it.
Bites another section.
Drags the entire thing several feet.
The material begins bunching against the rear wall.
Maverick keeps working.
Then suddenly he stops.
He steps into the pile.
Turns.
Curls tightly.
Within minutes, he is asleep.
The Transition From Frantic Movement to Sleep Is Remarkably Fast
That may be the strangest part.
Maverick does not spend another hour pacing after rearranging the bed.
Once the pile is finished, his arousal appears to decrease quickly.
His head lowers.
His muscles loosen.
His eyes close.
The behavior seems to lead toward rest rather than away from it.
Could Maverick Be Seeking Pressure Around His Body?
Possibly.