Screaming quaker

Laurasea

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ok , its bad, it's all day long, and i want more ideas, maybe just to vent to so I don't pull my hair out.

Orbit, 4.5 month old quaker from pet store, screaming reinforced at pet store and screamed all day long at pet store, and i knew he was a screamer.

I've made some progress, but not enough to make life pleasant.

Right now he is out of his cage, playing with stuff, and im sitting right next to him with chair touches the cage, and he is still screeching, and loud ,constant vocalization.

I do not react to screaming, neither leaving tge room or coming into the room whichever. He doesn't need attention fir tge noise. It's become a habit, or a self soothing thing, as he also over preen and is trying to pluck shoulders. The feathers stiff has improved
a lot, tho, with activities, chew stuff, baths, and foraging. Based on hatch date, and arrival at petstore he was likely force weaned......

But he csn be busy and happy, and still be making non stop noise........which is wild quaker default mode......but i need a liveable level of noise

Ok the answers to common questions
Diet: pellets, fresh veggies, leafy greens, millit spray as treat, 1 tablespoon mix seeds.

Age/length if time I've had him. 4.5 months old, ive had him 2 weeks?

Cage: large cage, many toys, chewable stiff, different perches, foot toys, foraging stuff.

Sleep, about 12 hours, in bed around 6, up around 6

Out if cage time : about 7 hours.. direct interaction time is several shirt sessions throughout the day. Contact kiss head, occasionally head scratches. We are still working on trust and bonding.

Just now quiet after 3.5 hours non stop ....
Since we woke up...
 
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Laurasea

Laurasea

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I'm used to dealing with rescue or un happy screamers. You fix all that and you've made huge success with the screaming.

But Orbit is a happy screamer. He has given himself the job lead vocalist......

So I am struggling
 

fiddlejen

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So I hesitate to suggest as I feel sure you are already trying this.

Clearly not yelling for attention so just giving / withholding attention will not help.

But i THINK you mentioned elsewhere you are doing the Treat-Drop when you are nearby for good-associations, right?

Suggest also keep small treats handy when you are right nearby him and listen for Pauses in the screaming. Add Treat-Drop as reward for silence -- even if you have to start by rewarding the briefest moments of silence, or, even IF there are no pauses at first then start by rewarding decreases in volume. When silences are longer, of course, then you reward after longer periods of silence. IF IF this works then you will eventually be able to draw out the silence-periods longer. maybe?
 
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Laurasea

Laurasea

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Thanks!
Yes i give treats by hand.
Will try your idea, thanks.
Any ideas st all are worth their weight in gold right now! Even if its something I might have already heard or tried, someone might hsve slightly different tweaks or different ways of thinking about it...
 

wrench13

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When Salty goes on a screaming jag, which usually happens when Geri is preparing dinner in the kitchen, I whisper to him. Yes whisper and it frequently stops him in his tracks. I will whisper "quiet Salty quiet. If that doesn't work, I will try a whistle or 2, and if that doesn't work, I try one of his songs ( Little Brown Jug is a favorite) or some opera from the Magic Flute.
And sometimes he just gotta SCREAM for a bit.
 

T00tsyd

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This might seem crazy but when Syd screams I look at him and start counting marking it off on my fingers. I tell him that he can have the treat if he is silent for 10 counts. He does it. I don't know how then he gets the treat which he has been eying while I count. I haven't gone above 10 because that seems to break it and by the time he has eaten he has moved on to something else. Get some ear plugs or headphones to protect your ears and sanity until he sorts himself out.
 
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Laurasea

Laurasea

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When Salty goes on a screaming jag, which usually happens when Geri is preparing dinner in the kitchen, I whisper to him. Yes whisper and it frequently stops him in his tracks. I will whisper "quiet Salty quiet. If that doesn't work, I will try a whistle or 2, and if that doesn't work, I try one of his songs ( Little Brown Jug is a favorite) or some opera from the Magic Flute.
And sometimes he just gotta SCREAM for a bit.

Thanks Wrench,
Will try it!
And laughed at just gotta scream for a bit .

Pretty sure I'm going have some of that
 
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Laurasea

Laurasea

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This might seem crazy but when Syd screams I look at him and start counting marking it off on my fingers. I tell him that he can have the treat if he is silent for 10 counts. He does it. I don't know how then he gets the treat which he has been eying while I count. I haven't gone above 10 because that seems to break it and by the time he has eaten he has moved on to something else. Get some ear plugs or headphones to protect your ears and sanity until he sorts himself out.

Will try anything! Its great you have a system like that im jealous!
 

Squeekmouse

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We've had problems with Trigger screaming also... sometimes (like if we're watching a movie and he wants attention) there's just no solution except to stop watching the movie and/or pay attention to him and not the movie.

HOWEVER.... one thing that HAS worked with him is that I've been able to train him to do vocalizations I find easier to live with. He used to like to imitate Yoda's calls for attention (only 10x as loud and 10x as often!). So I made an effort to regularly go to him during the occasional, rare quieter times, and I'd pay direct attention to him while singing or whistling or speaking things that I knew he could mimic (things I believed he was capable of or things I'd heard him do before). I would reward him for any vocalizations I wanted to hear more of (whistling, or some of the cuter words and phrases and noises he does). Rewards could be treats or even just attention, like me turning to him and repeating what he said/did back to him. So now he has learned that the best ways to get attention from us is to say the cute/funny things we like, because those always get a response he likes, and the screaming is rewarded with being ignored or us leaving the room. It has certainly helped. Plus Trigger says some ridiculously funny things now. :)
 

fiddlejen

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This might seem crazy but when Syd screams I look at him and start counting marking it off on my fingers. I tell him that he can have the treat if he is silent for 10 counts. He does it. I don't know how then he gets the treat which he has been eying while I count. I haven't gone above 10 because that seems to break it and by the time he has eaten he has moved on to something else. Get some ear plugs or headphones to protect your ears and sanity until he sorts himself out.

oh yeah the counting thing. I've used that when walking out of her viewfield when she's out-of-cage on-boingswing. At first all I could do was pop around a doorway to grab something, and barely back before she panic-yelled for me. I started counting out loud, first could just barely get a count of three, then up to five with no problem, and eventually I have stopped counting; she hears my footsteps and doesn't yell unless I get too far away or something like that.

As I type this, she is in a window looking at the backyard and I am actually just Out of her vision. I can hear if she moves -- and she Will yell if I do Anything except come back to her, once I move -- but a few months ago this would not have been possible. And, I did not really give thought to it, nor attempt to achieve this, it just occurred from the counting.
 

fiddlejen

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.... and if that doesn't work, I try one of his songs ( Little Brown Jug is a favorite) or some opera from the Magic Flute.
And sometimes he just gotta SCREAM for a bit.

Squeekmouse said:
HOWEVER.... one thing that HAS worked with him is that I've been able to train him to do vocalizations I find easier to live with. He used to like to imitate Yoda's calls for attention (only 10x as loud and 10x as often!). So I made an effort to regularly go to him during the occasional, rare quieter times, and I'd pay direct attention to him while singing or whistling or speaking things that I knew he could mimic (things I believed he was capable of or things I'd heard him do before). I would reward him for any vocalizations I wanted to hear more of (whistling, or some of the cuter words and phrases and noises he does). Rewards could be treats or even just attention, like me turning to him and repeating what he said/did back to him. So now he has learned that the best ways to get attention from us is to say the cute/funny things we like, because those always get a response he likes, and the screaming is rewarded with being ignored or us leaving the room. It has certainly helped. Plus Trigger says some ridiculously funny things now.

Yes - rewarding for more-desired vocalizations!

PLUS this brings to mind something that I do that Might be considered rewarding. She seems to like it anyway.

SO. Breaktime. (appx 10 minutes.) I get her, we go to the bathroom. (BECAUSE hanging from the curtain rod and from an extra extension rod are a jungle-gym of boing-perches, extra-wide drying hangars (her favorite perches), and washcloth and taggie-tab cloth which she loves to play with. So this is her playground.)

So she directs me into bathroom a.k.a. her birdie playground. After a minute or two she will start yelling loudly for no apparent reason. EEEP EEEP. So, I say back "EEEP EEEP EEEP EEEP." And she looks at me and waits till I'm done before trying again EEEEP EEEEP. So, i improvise more: "EEP EEP EEP, EEP EEP EEP, EEP EEP EEPITY, EEP EEP EEP." She's quiet while I do that! When I stop she gives me a new starting line. Maybe along with some wing-flapping. So I improvise somemore Eeep-Singing, along with some shoulder & arm waving. Maybe get some clogging or quebecois-tapping going along with it. Oh and sometimes I think her words sound like "Habibi," which I was once told means "I love you" in arabic. So then I sing back to her "Habibi, habibi, habibi bi bi bi bi."

So that's me, in my small bathroom, singing and dancing crazy imitation-birdie-language songs. AND ... while I do it... she goes quiet and watches me. Just waits till Im done to give me a new starting line.

So... not to necessarily suggest the exact situation :rolleyes: ...and obviously with great care ...since who knows if it would make things better or worse... but perhaps SOME joining-in as a reward to allow/permit/dareisay-even-encourage SOME yelling at some times,, as a contrast with other times at which more-quiet Orbit-choices are encouraged/rewarded,, might Possiblty help as well?? ?? maybe possibly? ?? ((just a thought, attempt at own risk, employ with great caution!))
 

noodles123

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Laurasea

Laurasea

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I've read that thanks.

With loud Neptune i could redirect to words, songs, whistles. But the new kid Orbit, doesn't talk yet.... he doesn't even contact call...( burd noise contact call)

Its not fear screaming, he has fear screamed before so i know his fear scream....

He really is a happy jolly fellow , abd it makes him happy to be loud :(

O had a couple of chances to give treats when he quiet down. Guess what he was so happy to get seed he started happy vocalization.....

Now that he's in bed and quiet, il read through all your responses again and come up with a plan for tomorrow to try them out..
 

fiddlejen

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O had a couple of chances to give treats when he quiet down. Guess what he was so happy to get seed he started happy vocalization.....

^ that. yes i can picture (hear) it! so just like a birdie-bird! hahaha!
 

Ellie777Australia

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ok , its bad, it's all day long, and i want more ideas, maybe just to vent to so I don't pull my hair out.

Orbit, 4.5 month old quaker from pet store, screaming reinforced at pet store and screamed all day long at pet store, and i knew he was a screamer.

I've made some progress, but not enough to make life pleasant.

Right now he is out of his cage, playing with stuff, and im sitting right next to him with chair touches the cage, and he is still screeching, and loud ,constant vocalization.

I do not react to screaming, neither leaving tge room or coming into the room whichever. He doesn't need attention fir tge noise. It's become a habit, or a self soothing thing, as he also over preen and is trying to pluck shoulders. The feathers stiff has improved
a lot, tho, with activities, chew stuff, baths, and foraging. Based on hatch date, and arrival at petstore he was likely force weaned......

But he csn be busy and happy, and still be making non stop noise........which is wild quaker default mode......but i need a liveable level of noise

Ok the answers to common questions
Diet: pellets, fresh veggies, leafy greens, millit spray as treat, 1 tablespoon mix seeds.

Age/length if time I've had him. 4.5 months old, ive had him 2 weeks?

Cage: large cage, many toys, chewable stiff, different perches, foot toys, foraging stuff.

Sleep, about 12 hours, in bed around 6, up around 6

Out if cage time : about 7 hours.. direct interaction time is several shirt sessions throughout the day. Contact kiss head, occasionally head scratches. We are still working on trust and bonding.

Just now quiet after 3.5 hours non stop ....
Since we woke up...


Firstly Laura, just getting caught up and read about poor Neptune. My heart aches for you.
We've had Bertie just over a year. He's almost 7 years old. We adopted him from a Parrot Rescue Centre. He was there because he was 'aggressive, biting and SCREAMIMG'. His life was the 'cage'.

With respect to managing the screaming, we said 'hush quiet' in a whisper. If he didn't stop (not a happy screamer by the way), we covered his cage until quiet, then off with the cover and verbal praises. We did this often the first two weeks as we moved to more out of cage time (concern with the aggression and protecting Ellie).

Within the 3rd week, if he started to scream the whisper of 'hush quiet' worked and he started to whisper back. He has only screamed in 'fear' since if he is startled by a loud noise. He doesn't like loud noise so we get his attention and say 'noise Bertie' (before starting the blender for example) so he doesn't scream when alerted to 'noise' en route.
 

T00tsyd

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This morning Syd broke the mould and starting screaming as soon as we got up and escaped from his day cage which I was just closing. Why? I watched him carefully to see if there was something causing it and realised that he was focused on the bottom of his cage. The newspaper had one red circle printed on it. I turned it over and the screaming stopped. I have a carrier bag which has red ladybirds on it. He goes demented when he sees it - same thing.
Yesterday my neighbour brought home a new red car and parked it in sight of Syd's window. For a couple of hours it was crazy here. He apparently doesn't like red. I wonder if I asked him if my neighbour would go and change his shiny new car for another colour. He likes to wear a bright red jacket too to match. Syd goes mad and I age 10 years! :)
 

noodles123

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Umbrella Cockatoo- 15? years old..I think?
ok , its bad, it's all day long, and i want more ideas, maybe just to vent to so I don't pull my hair out.

Orbit, 4.5 month old quaker from pet store, screaming reinforced at pet store and screamed all day long at pet store, and i knew he was a screamer.

I've made some progress, but not enough to make life pleasant.

Right now he is out of his cage, playing with stuff, and im sitting right next to him with chair touches the cage, and he is still screeching, and loud ,constant vocalization.

I do not react to screaming, neither leaving tge room or coming into the room whichever. He doesn't need attention fir tge noise. It's become a habit, or a self soothing thing, as he also over preen and is trying to pluck shoulders. The feathers stiff has improved
a lot, tho, with activities, chew stuff, baths, and foraging. Based on hatch date, and arrival at petstore he was likely force weaned......

But he csn be busy and happy, and still be making non stop noise........which is wild quaker default mode......but i need a liveable level of noise

Ok the answers to common questions
Diet: pellets, fresh veggies, leafy greens, millit spray as treat, 1 tablespoon mix seeds.

Age/length if time I've had him. 4.5 months old, ive had him 2 weeks?

Cage: large cage, many toys, chewable stiff, different perches, foot toys, foraging stuff.

Sleep, about 12 hours, in bed around 6, up around 6

Out if cage time : about 7 hours.. direct interaction time is several shirt sessions throughout the day. Contact kiss head, occasionally head scratches. We are still working on trust and bonding.

Just now quiet after 3.5 hours non stop ....
Since we woke up...


Firstly Laura, just getting caught up and read about poor Neptune. My heart aches for you.
We've had Bertie just over a year. He's almost 7 years old. We adopted him from a Parrot Rescue Centre. He was there because he was 'aggressive, biting and SCREAMIMG'. His life was the 'cage'.

With respect to managing the screaming, we said 'hush quiet' in a whisper. If he didn't stop (not a happy screamer by the way), we covered his cage until quiet, then off with the cover and verbal praises. We did this often the first two weeks as we moved to more out of cage time (concern with the aggression and protecting Ellie).

Within the 3rd week, if he started to scream the whisper of 'hush quiet' worked and he started to whisper back. He has only screamed in 'fear' since if he is startled by a loud noise. He doesn't like loud noise so we get his attention and say 'noise Bertie' (before starting the blender for example) so he doesn't scream when alerted to 'noise' en route.

I know it worked for you, but I'd not recommend covering the cage due to screaming (1. because it messes with their light cycles, which regulate hormones and immune health and can actually increase screaming long-term, 2. because it can make covering seem like a punishment if your bird dislikes it and 3. because some birds like being covered (as they seek out dark spaces) so it can sometimes even encourage the screaming behavior in certain instances)...It also relies on distraction/shock vs the bird making a choice to stop screaming out of the realization that screaming isn't working.
I agree with everything else, but not the covering. I suggest walking away and waiting it out instead (yes, it could take a week with 4+ hours of screaming a day, but with the proper motivation and maybe some earplugs, it will eventually stop)...assuming the bird is getting adequate time and attention aside from these planned periods of ignoring.

When Noodles does her happy scream (which happens when I am with her and she is excited) I imitate a quieter version back to her. It's like a game now. I go high pitched, she goes low and vice-versa. She sounds like a weird chicken because what started as "BACK BACK BACK (because that is always here favorite thing to scream, even when I am with her) is now "baaawwwk bawk bawk bawk" LOL We do not play this game for attention screaming.
 
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Laurasea

Laurasea

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Today I have been full of tears from emotions stirred up.

Orbit bless him has picked up on this. He has not screamed once, just playing, carrying toys around,, foraging. Im sure this blessing is just temporary lol but much needed....

He comes running for every kiss. And he told me just now when I kissed him " Orbit Good Boy!" Yes my little one you are!!!

I'm surprised by the little miracles that are parrots all the time.
 

T00tsyd

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Today I have been full of tears from emotions stirred up.

Orbit bless him has picked up on this. He has not screamed once, just playing, carrying toys around,, foraging. Im sure this blessing is just temporary lol but much needed....

He comes running for every kiss. And he told me just now when I kissed him " Orbit Good Boy!" Yes my little one you are!!!

I'm surprised by the little miracles that are parrots all the time.

That's joyous! Syd on the otherhand has turned into a pterodactyl. The clocks change at the end of the month going back 1 hour. I have been slowly changing his bedtime so that he doesn't get too much of a shock but he won't sleep any later in the mornings. As a result he is nippy and slightly off. My own fault I assumed he would understand my plan. Silly me! :)
 
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Laurasea

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This morning Syd broke the mould and starting screaming as soon as we got up and escaped from his day cage which I was just closing. Why? I watched him carefully to see if there was something causing it and realised that he was focused on the bottom of his cage. The newspaper had one red circle printed on it. I turned it over and the screaming stopped. I have a carrier bag which has red ladybirds on it. He goes demented when he sees it - same thing.
Yesterday my neighbour brought home a new red car and parked it in sight of Syd's window. For a couple of hours it was crazy here. He apparently doesn't like red. I wonder if I asked him if my neighbour would go and change his shiny new car for another colour. He likes to wear a bright red jacket too to match. Syd goes mad and I age 10 years! :)

This all makes perfect sense to parrots! Ha ha
 

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