Triton Cockatoo Screaming

Logan · Aug 6, 2010

Hey there, I'm sure many Cockatoo owners have to put up with their obsession of human attention...

Anyways, I usually give atleast 3 hours each day of attention to my Cockatoo, after I am done playing and conversing with him I put him back in his cage; sometimes he starts this horrible screaming to get attention. I started putting a blanket over his cage each time he screams, I think he's learning not to scream. He doesn't do it nearly as often anymore.

My only worry is that he might be plucking, there is a tiny bare spot on his chest and on the base of the cage there are some feathers. Is he plucking and is this a good method to stop screaming? I always give him attention, no reason to pluck.

Logan · Aug 6, 2010

I'd also like to say that he was rescued and not given much attention, so it might have been from where he was plucking before I got him. I got him about two weeks ago.

greycloud · Aug 6, 2010

Hi Logan! Congrats on your new Too!
I also have a rescued umbrella Too. Remember that he is stressed right now. It is hard being in a new home, new surroundings, new sounds, new people. He is frightened too. I do not recommend covering him. This is called negative reinforcement. It does not solve the problem, just prolongs it.
You bird is going to need lots of time to adjust. My Too took over 2 momths. We knew he had a screaming issue when he came. It has taken over a year using positive reinforcement, praise and treat to change the behavior.
Does your bird come out of his cage during the day besides when you spend time with him? It is important that he gets lots of active playtime. Provide foraging toys and chew toys. Ignore the screaming. Believe me I know it is hard. I have been to the point of tears. Leave the room and don't react. As soon as you hear him have just a few seconds of silence, praise and treat him. You have to learn that there are several types of screaming. Morning and evening are normal screaming times and must be allowed. Sometimes if you are not in thier sight and they scream it is a contact call to thier flock. You are the flock. Remember to have patience.

Logan · Aug 6, 2010

greycloud said:
Hi Logan! Congrats on your new Too!
I also have a rescued umbrella Too. Remember that he is stressed right now. It is hard being in a new home, new surroundings, new sounds, new people. He is frightened too. I do not recommend covering him. This is called negative reinforcement. It does not solve the problem, just prolongs it.
You bird is going to need lots of time to adjust. My Too took over 2 momths. We knew he had a screaming issue when he came. It has taken over a year using positive reinforcement, praise and treat to change the behavior.
Does your bird come out of his cage during the day besides when you spend time with him? It is important that he gets lots of active playtime. Provide foraging toys and chew toys. Ignore the screaming. Believe me I know it is hard. I have been to the point of tears. Leave the room and don't react. As soon as you hear him have just a few seconds of silence, praise and treat him. You have to learn that there are several types of screaming. Morning and evening are normal screaming times and must be allowed. Sometimes if you are not in thier sight and they scream it is a contact call to thier flock. You are the flock. Remember to have patience.

I've decided it's best if I don't cover him, like you said; it was somewhat working but after a while he just got pissed and I decided it was best if I didn't. Whenever he screams, like you said you do, I will leave the room and once he stops, I'll get him a grape or something, and go back in and praise him.

He's learning and he's very curious and sweet. I noticed if I turn off the lights when it's night-time he will not scream at all; he knows when to shush, and that's at night because he knows everyone is sleeping, I guess. I'm only worried when I start going back to school... He'll have about 8 or so hours of alone time, so I'll have to take him out a couple hours before and many after school so he gets the attention he demands, :32:

Anything else that may help?

parrotqueen · Aug 6, 2010

Darn it, Greycloud covered it all before I could.

She has given you some fabulous advice. I know from personal experience that this method works, my cockatiel used to be a screamer. I ignored him whenever he screamed, and praised him for the smallest moment of silence. After awhile, it worked wonders. He's a quiet, well-behaved bird. It also helped to move them from a loud room into a quiet, low-traffic room. Birds don't tolerate noise well, but they love peace and quiet. Giving them adequate nap time helps significantly with behavioral issues as well.

I will also echo that patience is important in the training process. If you have to leave the room, plug your ears, cover your head with a pillow, etc... do what you have to do. Just do anything to keep the training consistent.

Logan · Aug 6, 2010

parrotqueen said:
Darn it, Greycloud covered it all before I could.

She has given you some fabulous advice. I know from personal experience that this method works, my cockatiel used to be a screamer. I ignored him whenever he screamed, and praised him for the smallest moment of silence. After awhile, it worked wonders. He's a quiet, well-behaved bird. It also helped to move them from a loud room into a quiet, low-traffic room. Birds don't tolerate noise well, but they love peace and quiet. Giving them adequate nap time helps significantly with behavioral issues as well.

I will also echo that patience is important in the training process. If you have to leave the room, plug your ears, cover your head with a pillow, etc... do what you have to do. Just do anything to keep the training consistent.

Thanks so much! As they say... patience is a virtue!

I actually DID move him from a room with a B&G Macaw, African Grey and 2 Mini Macaws, the living room into my bedroom with my Cockatiel, Zoe (Zoey); I haven't seen much improvement on screaming but I'm not going to be covering him anymore.

My Cockatiel likes to wake me up about 10AM each day with it's cute yet obnoxious and sometimes annoying whistling, chirping, kissing, and screaming! I how much I already love that,

thanks Zoe! :yellow1:

Logan · Aug 6, 2010

I'll keep you all posted!

greycloud · Aug 7, 2010

Cosider yourself lucky that you have a bird that doesn't wake up till 10 am!!! 7 am is generally wake time around here. However in the wild most birds sound off at the slightest hint of daylight.
Also it is best to keep the Too separate from your macaws. They are highly sensitive to the Too dust. I definitely recommend you run an airfilter.

antoinette · Aug 7, 2010

greycloud said:
Cosider yourself lucky that you have a bird that doesn't wake up till 10 am!!! 7 am is generally wake time around here. However in the wild most birds sound off at the slightest hint of daylight.

Sorry

Mishka goes to sleep at 8 pm every night like clock work

The apartment is dead quiet, she sleeps in my bedroom
Then she is wide awake any time from about 5am

IS THAT NORMAL ? for a bird, any bird really

greycloud · Aug 7, 2010

Completely normal! My U2 goes to bed at 7:30 pm and lets me know if I am a minute late. LOL! He is up at &am. So he does get a good 12 hours in.

Logan · Aug 7, 2010

greycloud said:
Cosider yourself lucky that you have a bird that doesn't wake up till 10 am!!! 7 am is generally wake time around here. However in the wild most birds sound off at the slightest hint of daylight.
Also it is best to keep the Too separate from your macaws. They are highly sensitive to the Too dust. I definitely recommend you run an airfilter.

Okay, will do... Well, they are definitely seperated now! I don't know, my 'tiel and 'too might wake up earlier then 10 or so but that's when they start making noises...atleast the 'tiel.

It seems like when I did have them all in the same general area my 'too would start screaming and it'd make my B&G Macaw very upset so it'd start screaming too! How noisy! But all is fine now.

Mel · Aug 7, 2010

Logan said:
It seems like when I did have them all in the same general area my 'too would start screaming and it'd make my B&G Macaw very upset so it'd start screaming too! How noisy! But all is fine now.

I have a rescue sulfur crested. I had to seperate her and my ecky for a while because they both used to have scream-off's... the too won.

Chicka was cage-bound before I got her, once she got used to a bit of freedom if anyone was home and she wasn't let out she'd start screaming. She's very content just sitting on top of her cage.

Triton Cockatoo Screaming

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