Neighbour screaming - bird screaming (long story) suggestions plze?

ChristaNL · Feb 5, 2019

Short: I need to find a way for my macaw to stop reacting to sudden outbursts of noise with a scream FAST
Any ideas?

==
(context etc. / you can skip if you want)

For those who do not know my situation with Sunny:

I live in an small apparatmentblock (not sure how to best describe it) one layer of people on the ground floor, one layer on top.
It is a rental (social housing aka council housing ), so rather cheaply build (thin concrete walls, bad insulation).
I am on the top layer, boxed in by neighbours on all sides.

When I took Sunny in (knowing the reputation macaws have...) I had a talk with most of them, explained her situation and told them if there was any noise/ irritation ... plze let me know, because I did not know how she was going to behave.

I have checked regularly with the few I meet outside if they experience any noise or are annoyed by anything I / my birds do (I am not a door-to-door type of person and since we are all more-or-less dutch -> if they have a problem they WILL let me know). They were all remarkably positive and tolerant.
The agency/ the guy that keeps an eye on things also knows about her and her story- so that is all good.
As long as nobody files any complaints / nothing illegal or dangerous is happening/ you are not damaging the property you are more or less free to do as you please.

and of course since all fairytales end...

I recently heard -indirectly- that one of my neighbours is no longer as tolerant as she used to be to the nightly screams.
She is a dear old lady and it wakes her.

Unfortunately.... those happen when her/our other neighbour is noisy and Sunny reacts to it.

(He screams in the middle of the night -> she screams. He loudly slams his cardoor -> she screams. She does not react to anyone else just closing the car btw.; its only the excessive noises, not normal everyday souds.)

A lot of his neighbours have complained (for 3 years, since he moved in) to him and the agency about his nightly screaming and a bunch of other annoying noisy behaviours he has but ... nobody does anything about it.

They will not kick out a human, but it might force me (through complaints) to kick out my parrot, even though she does not start it...

So... I have already soundproofed my house as far as I could.
Covering the cage only encourages her to gnaw textiles at night, not to sleep, my house is too small to give her another bedroom.

Shooting that guy is unfortunately not an option earplugs for a macaw and the greys? (he wakes them as well, but they do not react as loudly) ducttaping the beak?

Since this guy moved in I am running my tv in the evenings so there is less impact of 'a sudden noise out of nowhere' in the silence, but it will not completely mask the 'frights'.
(I am more of a quiet person and love to go to sleep early, but that is no longer an option.)

Should I move my parrots into the bathroom at night?

(Since she then will contactcall to me... not really an improvement-- or we all end up in the bathroom hiding in the dark from my incidentally noisy neighbour! -and we can probably not escape his screaming etc. there.)

I only hope this is one of her phases and she will stop (not bloody likely, since she copied Japie in reacting and I haven't found a way of stopping him either -- the only thing that works on him is to let him out of the cage/ when he should be sleeping!).
Yes I try my best not to react in any way to her yelling (that worked with her yelling for attention), but now there is this extra 'burden' of finding a quick-fix.

So I really could use your help here.
Any thoughts?

(Yes, of course I am considering moving, but those options are almost non-existent)

LaManuka · Feb 5, 2019

Cripes that is a tough one! Have the past 3 years worth of complaints about crazy neighbour yelling in the night been documented by anyone in writing? Not that it might help as the bureaucracy would side with the human (however unlikeable) but it would help prove that it’s Sunny reacting when he starts it. Is your bedroom any more soundproofed, can Sunny sleep there?

I have an issue with a neighbour, or whole household, who live downwind from me and they all smoke, all day and all night virtually without a break and it STINKS but as it’s a totally separate house there’s not much I can do.

You have a very tricky situation on your hands there Christa and I hope you can find a resolution!

noodles123 · Feb 5, 2019

Has she met your bird?
Does she have many friends?
She might enjoy getting to know you two...I am thinking about the rest....
In the meantime, if worst-case-scenario happens and they tell you you need to get rid of him, do you have someplace you can go temporarily?

noodles123 · Feb 5, 2019

Could you increase the white noise in your apartment or get a noise canceling machine so your bird can't hear things as well inside?
Could you wake him up earlier and then move bedtime earlier so neighbor isn't being woken up in the evening?

You could start squawking like a macaw in front of your neighbors and apartment manager....I mean, they won't kick out a loud person...LOL (kidding)

Betrisher · Feb 5, 2019

Might there be any chance you could get hold of some office partitions? You could place four of those around the cage at night with, maybe, a thick blanket over the top? You could also stick (empty) egg cartons or styrofoam sheets to the partitions. Both of those are supposed to absorb sound.

You could get a hula hoop and suspend it from the ceiling over the cage. Get a blanket or old bedspread (something thick and fluffy), put a casing on one edge and hang it from the hula hoop so that it surrounds the cage. That way, birdie can't reach the fibres to chomp on them. Or, you could affix curtain tape to one edge of your blanket and add curtain rings, which you would thread onto your hula hoop.

My birds bellow at various times of the day and early evening and I've got three neighbours with newborns. I use rubber-backed curtain fabric hung in front of my cages to deaden the sound. It appears to work, as all my neighbours are OK with the birds' noises. (NB. My birds live on an enclosed deck outside of the house).

ChristaNL · Feb 5, 2019

Oh you guys jumped in already :07: Thank you!

Thankfully there is no big crisis right now, but I am really not happy the way this is going.

* Covering the cages is really not an easy project (sizewise - the size of a double bunk-bed is not easily/ effectively blocked off).

* None of my friends would be able (or willing, they are still intimidated by the beak and her temper) to take her in.

I am of course going to talk to my (nice, elderly) neighbour again and see how bad it really is.
(Never trust a rumour, no matter how reliable the person telling you is.)

If nothing else- maybe I will have to put up cages in my bedroom (instead of a bed?) and go sleep on the sofa (with earplugs, that guy screams me awake as well) another insane situation, it probably will not make a lot of difference in noise reduction.

* I have tried to get the birds to sleep around 20:00, but since that guy screams/ produces noise (most of the time) between 22:00 and 04:00 it really does not matter, they will be awake...
(we are all taking afternoon-naps now)

I have taken to keeping it quiet here in the house till 9:00 or 10:00 so they get at least *some* uninterrupted sleep.

Maybe some other white noise than television would be good- unfortunately if I have to drown out the screamer the sounds will be audible to other neighbours as well...
but I am going to try some non-stop rainstorm or something like it!
Great idea

(TV annoys the bleep out of me - all those commercials- so it adds to my stress if nothing else).

The only other thing I can think off - and that is probably unwise hormonally speaking- is to give them al a darker places to sleep in/hide away at night, maybe they'll react less strongly if they feel safer?
(like a nestbox, but without a bottom )

=

Sofar I have been either
- ignoring the Sunny-scream (huh, nothing is happening),
that worked with the screaming for attention (I only rewarded/ reacted to the "hello" not the wraaaaaawraaaaawraaaawraaaawraaaa)

- actually naming the event ("yup, another scream from the neighbour" ) and not act bothered about it at all, that eventually stopped her from screaming when the doorbel rings.

- very unwisely (!) shushing :27: Sunny out of annoyance
(yup I am only human and not always wise ... it is why I am reaching out to you guys, my stress and annoyance are clouding my judgement.)

the problem is: all those behaviours took time...

ChristaNL · Feb 5, 2019

noodles123 said:
You could start squawking like a macaw in front of your neighbors and apartment manager....I mean, they won't kick out a loud person...LOL (kidding)

Thanks, you made me laugh, I really needed that! (as well)

ParrotGenie · Feb 5, 2019

ChristaNL said:
Shooting that guy is unfortunately not an option earplugs for a macaw and the greys? (he wakes them as well, but they do not react as loudly) ?

You took the best option out?

You can use sound dampening panels, which would reflex the sound wave to where you want them to go. You have to place them in the area you want to bounce the sound wave and use soundproof blankets to dampen the sound and sure get a DB meter and test. These do actually work when placed correctly. Cover the back wall of the cage with an audio absorption sheet, which is a thick cloth that's also called a soundproof blanket.

The panels will not work by themselves as the reflex and not dampen well by themselves but the soundproof blanket and maybe even on the side of the cage helps quite a bit with panels in trouble areas. Plus one thing people over look is the door. Some doors are hollow, make sure you replace the door with a solid one, it does help as well.

The only other option would be to insulating the bird room's interior walls and that gets expensive, plus you live in a apartment, so out of question. The panels with Blankets are your best option.

Before people comment stating that sound panels don't work and waste of money. It is not if used correctly and you have to use soundproof blanket where you have sound re flexed to. I know it works as have a friend that had same issues lives in apartment block and neighbors where complaining as she has 2 macaws. She was about to get evicted. I and a few friend sound dampen the room and took hours as tested with DB meter and then move panels to where they worked the best and blankets to do the damping and neighbors haven't complaint in over a year now and don't even notice the panels as took the time and made them look nice. Yes sound proof blanket can be white as well. I put where cage is at on the wall behind and side and large ones that cover wall and then you can also put on side of cage as well.

Other Option

Put bird in a bird room, if you have them in a living room, or ETC. Then do some sound damping as well.

LordTriggs · Feb 5, 2019

I think others have got things covered in regards to the birds noise,

I suggest getting some sort of audio recorder and place it up against the wall bordering the shouting person. That way you can document noise from them and have the grounds for an official complain against them. Because let's be fair, if he shuts his trap then you, the fids, and the neighbors all get some peace.

Maybe you could try putting the cages against his wall and let them scream him down, would like to see a human attempt a shouting match with an upset Macaw!

ChristaNL · Feb 5, 2019

LOL Oh I love you guys! (m/f) so much!

Almost all my walls have a sheet of cork already, but checking with a DBmeter is proabably a great idea.
(Hmmm, I need to talk to some tech-guys I guess-- they propably can tell me how to get my hands on those blankets / importing directly from the States has turned rather costly the last few years)
Great to read it really works!
(Gives me hope I can do more)

Both the screamer and his sleep-interrupted neighbour are on the ground floor. (they share a wall, I am above the dear old lady)
You are *so* right; I really should have kept a diary instead of just reporting it when it got too crazy.

Once again wise words from the parrot-people with just enough grinn-worthyness to keep me going.

So gratefull you are all here! :01:

Laurasea · Feb 5, 2019

I don't know if you can try habituation? Have a friend come over and slam doors, while you stand by Sunny with treats ready and say hush. Trying to have treat in mouth before screaming. Doing the random loud noises over and over till they have no meaning to her, it positive association...
I've worked with horses making them ( bomb proof, not actual bombs) it's just a method of getting them used to random loud scary stuff, do you can use em as parade or police horses..
Such a tough thing for you....I wish the neighbors would do there part to.

ChristaNL · Feb 5, 2019

One of my friends is helping me find/get a DB-blanket \o/
Now I "only" have to find a way to keep it away from those demolition-beaks ...interesting times.

HEEDLESS · Feb 5, 2019

Oh Dear... This is a tough call you are having..

Maybe ask the agent/company to have you move few doors way from that screaming neighbor?? NE???? Or like others have said.. You and your beloved parrots doing a screaming contest, then that neighbor of yours will give up on the screaming.

**hugs***

Scott · Feb 5, 2019

I think you've been as proactive as possible in dealing with this situation. But I am wondering the motivation of the complaining older woman. She is probably angry with both the yelling neighbor and Sunny. Since nobody is keen to take on the primary source of noise, it becomes easy to blame an innocent companion animal. My hunch is were Sunny to leave, she'd still find reason to complain.

Paying her a visit may help to build a common sympathy, but your best bet is to soundproof as best as possible. I'm guessing a combination of background "white noise" and absorption techniques previously discussed is the best course.

ChristaNL · Feb 6, 2019

Scott - I really agree with your assessment, and I am sooo going to follow up on (almost all of) those tips

(replacing doors is not an option, I am not allowed.)

EllenD · Feb 6, 2019

Have you tried the sound of running water at night time? Not not will this help to mask this guy's screaming and other noises, but it also tends to relax them...There are a ton of great ASMR videos on YouTube and I turn on the ones of "Running Bath Water" for my guys at night, turn the lights off, and they go right to sleep. The ones where someone has recorded the water running in their bathtub (not the shower) are the best, they are very dense and loud, and block out all other sounds.

bigfellasdad · Feb 7, 2019

My last house was a semi detached and I am into my home movies, loud and bass heavy. Unfortunately, not any more since getting Enzo. However, I sound proofed my last house very effectively. Its all about isolating sounds, placing cork on the walls would help a little, but placing cork on batons to the walls would help more, using very heavy plaster boars even more so. Things like putting sealant around skirting boards to make them air tight would also help. Insulating under your floor boards also helps.

All expensive and construction things though

A heavy decorative wall rug would help enormously against you noisy neighbors wall, not against the wall but a cm or two away from the wall would be better, carpets and thick insulation rather than wooden floors etc all help to absorb the air movement/noise.

Failing that, send the 'boys' around to your neighbors.

ChristaNL · Mar 21, 2019

I had a few visits from other neighbours the past few days-
- not about the screams from my place, thank goodness! Most people are still very sympathetic to the birds and since we all have things-that-go-bump/scream-in-the-night issues they understand.

Appearently everybody is fed up with that anti-social guy and they are now (finally) also involving the police.

(There is such a thing like the british "asbo" https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anti-social_behaviour_order, but nowhere as drastic or farreaching; but at least the police will open a special file on that guy and keep track of the amount of complaints that reach them- so maybe something will be done about that blight on society and we can all sleep at night. The guy almost ran down a neighbours kid in broad daylight a few weeks ago, his mum was NOT amused, we live behind speedbumps etc. but he came flying in anyway.)

annierose · Mar 21, 2019

ChristaNL said:
Short: I need to find a way for my macaw to stop reacting to sudden outbursts of noise with a scream FAST
Any ideas?

==
(context etc. / you can skip if you want)

For those who do not know my situation with Sunny:

I live in an small apparatmentblock (not sure how to best describe it) one layer of people on the ground floor, one layer on top.
It is a rental (social housing aka council housing ), so rather cheaply build (thin concrete walls, bad insulation).
I am on the top layer, boxed in by neighbours on all sides.

When I took Sunny in (knowing the reputation macaws have...) I had a talk with most of them, explained her situation and told them if there was any noise/ irritation ... plze let me know, because I did not know how she was going to behave.

I have checked regularly with the few I meet outside if they experience any noise or are annoyed by anything I / my birds do (I am not a door-to-door type of person and since we are all more-or-less dutch -> if they have a problem they WILL let me know). They were all remarkably positive and tolerant.
The agency/ the guy that keeps an eye on things also knows about her and her story- so that is all good.
As long as nobody files any complaints / nothing illegal or dangerous is happening/ you are not damaging the property you are more or less free to do as you please.

and of course since all fairytales end...

I recently heard -indirectly- that one of my neighbours is no longer as tolerant as she used to be to the nightly screams.
She is a dear old lady and it wakes her.

Unfortunately.... those happen when her/our other neighbour is noisy and Sunny reacts to it.
(He screams in the middle of the night -> she screams. He loudly slams his cardoor -> she screams. She does not react to anyone else just closing the car btw.; its only the excessive noises, not normal everyday souds.)

A lot of his neighbours have complained (for 3 years, since he moved in) to him and the agency about his nightly screaming and a bunch of other annoying noisy behaviours he has but ... nobody does anything about it.

They will not kick out a human, but it might force me (through complaints) to kick out my parrot, even though she does not start it...

So... I have already soundproofed my house as far as I could.
Covering the cage only encourages her to gnaw textiles at night, not to sleep, my house is too small to give her another bedroom.

Shooting that guy is unfortunately not an option earplugs for a macaw and the greys? (he wakes them as well, but they do not react as loudly) ducttaping the beak?

Since this guy moved in I am running my tv in the evenings so there is less impact of 'a sudden noise out of nowhere' in the silence, but it will not completely mask the 'frights'.
(I am more of a quiet person and love to go to sleep early, but that is no longer an option.)

Should I move my parrots into the bathroom at night?
(Since she then will contactcall to me... not really an improvement-- or we all end up in the bathroom hiding in the dark from my incidentally noisy neighbour! -and we can probably not escape his screaming etc. there.)

I only hope this is one of her phases and she will stop (not bloody likely, since she copied Japie in reacting and I haven't found a way of stopping him either -- the only thing that works on him is to let him out of the cage/ when he should be sleeping!).
Yes I try my best not to react in any way to her yelling (that worked with her yelling for attention), but now there is this extra 'burden' of finding a quick-fix.

So I really could use your help here.
Any thoughts?

(Yes, of course I am considering moving, but those options are almost non-existent)

audimute sound insulation sheets. this guy has some videos on youtube. https://www.audimute.com/sound-proof-bird-cage-cover [ame="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fQaZGleoYXQ"]Audimute Sound Absorption vs. Sound Proofing Explained - YouTube[/ame]

annierose · Mar 21, 2019

https://www.facebook.com/notes/audi...ndproofing-safe-for-your-parrot/192508826797/

Neighbour screaming - bird screaming (long story) suggestions plze?

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