Thoughts?

Redballoon

New member
Dec 24, 2006
942
4
Ok
When I leave the room,...He screams.
If I ignore it, he continues screaming for 5 to 10 minutes.
If you take him into the room your in, he screams when he wants to return to his perch.(usually about 5 minutes after you got there). One way to stop him screaming is to put him on a perch in the bathroom and turn the light off. I initially thought of it as a punishment, but he seems so relaxed 10 minutes later when I go to get him out. If I am in the lounge room with the lights off, he screams,...Its a loud scream,...it goes right through you. If he wants a pat and your in the room, he screams. I assume that when he learns to whistle, the scream will be replaced a delightful lilting whistle,.... right?
 

Flyte

New member
Jun 18, 2007
354
3
Pennsylvania
Parrots
Blue & Gold Macaw, Madison;
Yellow Naped Amazon, Rocky;
Timneh African Grey, Tyler
I'm going through something kind of similar with my macaw. If I pick up any other bird or even say their name, she screams about 10 times in a row, insane full blown out screams.
I am ignoring it and it's down to about 5 screams now. If she yells she does NOT get to come out and play for awhile and gets completely ignored. If she doesn't scream she gets praised. Sometimes I will then bring her to play but not always as I don't want to start another pattern that could lead to more screaming.
Sounds like your boy thinks he's the leader of the house and needs to be knocked down a peg.
Can you try to just ignore it? If he starts screaming to get you to do something wait until he stops and is calm and quiet for a bit before doing what he wants so that its on your terms, not his.
Did this stuff start up when you got the budgie? Maybe he's jealous?
I've found that when I try to take my birds somewhere as a punishment, it doesn't usually work. They are just delighted to have some time alone with me away from the other birds, even if it's only on the march back to 'time out' I find that ignoring it really works best since they all crave attention. That means everyone though.. the whole thing gets ruined if Madison is being ignored and then my mom yells 'what the bleep is her problem' in response to the yelling or something.
Good luck Red, hope you get it sorted out before you go deaf.
 

TexDot33

Bird poop and baby poop
Dec 26, 2006
2,576
Media
4
10
New Hampshire USA
Parrots
15 year-old Sun Conure: Hamlet &
14 year-old Green-Cheeked Conure: Mac
Jealousy is a great tool to use as a modification behavior ... the fid that is behaving gets the attention and the fid that is jealous/misbehaving doesn't get the attention ... it's very successful if used properly ..
 

Keupi

New member
Aug 16, 2007
270
0
Connecticut
Parrots
Keupi - a Senegal.
Jealousy is a great tool to use as a modification behavior ... the fid that is behaving gets the attention and the fid that is jealous/misbehaving doesn't get the attention ... it's very successful if used properly ..

I agree. Sometimes it takes earplugs to ignore it, but as long as you have understanding neighbors - it's attention getting and a temper tantrum.

Try, if you can, in the few moments when he's quiet that's when you pay attention. If he starts screaming again, respond a few times with whistles and then walk away.

In the meantime, let us know what type of earplugs and headache medication you need...;)
 
OP
Redballoon

Redballoon

New member
Dec 24, 2006
942
4
  • Thread Starter
  • Thread starter
  • #5
Righto, I have spent real money on a "sleeping'"cage.
It's Small (big enough to flap his wings without touching the sides). I plan on making a black fabric cover that fits snugly over the cage and is in place all the time. Come 7pm at night, its into the sleeping cage. At 5am when deb gets up, she will open the door and he can come out and sit on his perch all day when he is ready. If we have a screaming fit coz I left the room, its into the sleeping cage for 10 minutes.
newcage001.jpg

I am thinking it should be free of all toys so he is prompted to sleep a soon as he is shut in the cage. Am I on the right track? He will now get a solid 12 hours a night in darkness, so he will have more beans though the day when he he is on his perch. We now have a place to put him if he screams for no good reason. What have I missed?
newcage003.jpg


PS: the dog still wants to get get Gilligan the budgie.
Lang008.jpg


I also forgot to mention, He never screams when you are paying him attention. Maybe if you were in the same room but didn't pat him, he may scream out once, but If I leave the room for more than 20 seconds, he screams till I return, or 5 to 10 minutes later (which ever comes 1st).
 
Last edited:
OP
Redballoon

Redballoon

New member
Dec 24, 2006
942
4
  • Thread Starter
  • Thread starter
  • #6
I have put him to bed for the 1st time ever.
He doesn't like it.
He is not screaming, but I can hear him walking about and fumbling in the dark.
I tempted to look in on him but I don't want to unsettle him anymore than he is.
Could being in the dark like this freak him out?
newcage.jpg

Does he need an air hole?
Edit/update; He has let out a scream from under his cover.
I am temped to let him out, but I holding my reserve.
 
Last edited:

Keupi

New member
Aug 16, 2007
270
0
Connecticut
Parrots
Keupi - a Senegal.
Stop peeking!

But this is a good case where a night light is a good thing.

He's not settling on a perch to sleep and you don't want him fumbling around in the dark, so plug in a night light or put a lamp in the room on low.

Then go to bed!

Set up and use the same words/actions to get him used to settling in for sleep. Think of it as 'in' time - end of the day, time to quiet down. But get a routine.

Above all, don't disturb them. There's a difference between settling and night frights. If any fid is banging/bashing/flapping in their house after (key word after) settling that's when you peek and comfort.

He doesn't like it because it's new. But he will come around to the routine. A night light may be helpful.

However, if this goes on for another week or two without improvement, you need to seek your vets help.
 
OP
Redballoon

Redballoon

New member
Dec 24, 2006
942
4
  • Thread Starter
  • Thread starter
  • #8
Its 7pm and dark outside, So I have put him inand covered him over for the night.
Debbie tried to put him in the cage but he baulked a flew off, so I took control and just put him in with as little fuss as I could. Once he was in, Deb patted and preened him for a while. He is in the now looking for holes in the fabric to look through, but he seems un-stressed at the moment. he has let out just one scream and seems to be settling down. I will let him out at 5am.
 

Keupi

New member
Aug 16, 2007
270
0
Connecticut
Parrots
Keupi - a Senegal.
Its 7pm and dark outside, So I have put him inand covered him over for the night.
Debbie tried to put him in the cage but he baulked a flew off, so I took control and just put him in with as little fuss as I could. Once he was in, Deb patted and preened him for a while. He is in the now looking for holes in the fabric to look through, but he seems un-stressed at the moment. he has let out just one scream and seems to be settling down. I will let him out at 5am.

Cool - don't peek!
 

Chewy

New member
Aug 24, 2007
170
Media
2
0
Washington state
Parrots
1cockatoo Chewy 2 cockatiels Male=eli female-=LittleFoot
No he will always scream at some time. He's a cockatoo. You should have thought about that before you got him. No offense please I 'm not trying to make you mad. But really you should have realized that before you got him.
IT is a good practice in ignoring him. They are like kids. I know kids who scream if they don't get what they want up to 20 min or longer. Don't give up.
Now the covering, if you want to do it fine, just becareful, They arne't covered in the wild. Give it a few nights. IF he keeps fumbling take the cover back off.
I don't personally cover my birds. two reasons
A. Eli has night frights andfreaks only when covered
B. It never did Chewy any good come 6 am.
 
OP
Redballoon

Redballoon

New member
Dec 24, 2006
942
4
  • Thread Starter
  • Thread starter
  • #11
You make a good point.
The screaming doesn't bother me. Seems I don't even hear it most of the time.
It bugs deb coz she considers it bad behaviour. She wants him to be more social and less anti social. She also blames me for pandering to him and making him loud. He was more settled last night. called out once but didn't seem stressed. I cover him so he isnt stressed about being caged. I think 12 hours of darkeness is good for him. I see no ill effects after night 2, except he clearly didn't want to go in, but didn't fret about it.
theboys020-1.jpg

Random cutsee pix here http://s193.photobucket.com/albums/z110/RedBalloonubik/ : post up the ones you like
 
OP
Redballoon

Redballoon

New member
Dec 24, 2006
942
4
  • Thread Starter
  • Thread starter
  • #13
Nah.
I wouldn't ask the question if I didn't want the answer.
People can get a bit over sensitive on the forums,..I'm not one of them.
Last night he let out one call and then went to sleep.
He now calls out more in the morning when he gets let out. I think he needs a big pat 1st thing in the morning to settle him for the day.
 

Most Reactions

Top