My IRN kiwi who I have had for two weeks now is thriving and loving our home. She is spending lots of time out of her cage and even some time on my shoulder, she is talking a lot and seems really happy with her rehoming. As of a few days ago she started screaming, multiple screams back to back for about thirty seconds and she will do this periodically. I’m wondering, what is your advice on a parrot that is screaming? How do you deal with it and are there any methods you believe in? I do not cover her cage at all unless for sleep and of course do not yell or get mad. I have been reacting by talking nice and sweet and shushing like you would as you rock a crying baby. I worry that this will reinforce her yelling. I don’t know what to do.
Screaming help?
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To provide more info, I do not have kids running around and my house is very quiet and calm. She has a nice large cage with a playpen on top and a spare freestanding playpen. So , there is really nothing hectic around her... no loud music or anything intensely stimulating or overwhelming happening around her. She has lots of toys and food. She just does this randomly or really repeatedly and breaks the silence. Most of the time there is a tv or radio running quietly but I don’t think that is part of the issue.
Yeah, I'll agree with ya about how responding in any way to her noisiness is probably rewarding. Try not to let any bad behavior get attention.
Even so, a lot of screaming (especially for certin species) is SELF-REINFORCING... meaning, it just feels good! The only solution there is punishment (and that's just not okay). I'm just saying, screaming is just... well... parrot-y.
You sound like a wonderfully intuitive and loving parront. Hang in there, and we'll stick with you!
Even so, a lot of screaming (especially for certin species) is SELF-REINFORCING... meaning, it just feels good! The only solution there is punishment (and that's just not okay). I'm just saying, screaming is just... well... parrot-y.
You sound like a wonderfully intuitive and loving parront. Hang in there, and we'll stick with you!
Soyajam
New member
Birds call for a few reasons, and some of them are normal. Like contact calling.
Is she on her own when she does these screams? You've mentioned the house is often quiet - she might just be checking to see where you are?
For this, pick a word or sound that everyone can use as the "contact call". It can be 'hello', or 'are you there' - for me, it's either "yoo-hoo!" or a whistle with the same sound.
If she quietens down after you make this call to her, that'll answer your question.
If my bird calls out, I contact call back once. After that, everything else is ignored, and I only talk back to her once she's quiet.
It can be tricky and I'm curious to hear people's thoughts when they join in the conversation too
Is she on her own when she does these screams? You've mentioned the house is often quiet - she might just be checking to see where you are?
For this, pick a word or sound that everyone can use as the "contact call". It can be 'hello', or 'are you there' - for me, it's either "yoo-hoo!" or a whistle with the same sound.
If she quietens down after you make this call to her, that'll answer your question.
If my bird calls out, I contact call back once. After that, everything else is ignored, and I only talk back to her once she's quiet.
It can be tricky and I'm curious to hear people's thoughts when they join in the conversation too
If Kiwi is not near you when she does this ( like out of sight) Soyajam is dead on correct. Have a answering contact call to let your IRN know your still around. But only once.
If Kiwi is in the same room, she could just enjoy the sound of her voice, I've met a few IRNs who did this, just for the hell of it. Salty gets his loud on soetimes and he kinda stirs himself up , louder and louder. When he does this we will sing one of his favorite songs that he knows the words to, currently Little Brown Jug, and usualy gets him to shift over to singing that, instead of doing the crazy Amazon screaming. You could try that - teach Kiwi a little snippet of a song and sing it to him when starts getting loud.
But parrots are loud sometimes, no denying that.
If Kiwi is in the same room, she could just enjoy the sound of her voice, I've met a few IRNs who did this, just for the hell of it. Salty gets his loud on soetimes and he kinda stirs himself up , louder and louder. When he does this we will sing one of his favorite songs that he knows the words to, currently Little Brown Jug, and usualy gets him to shift over to singing that, instead of doing the crazy Amazon screaming. You could try that - teach Kiwi a little snippet of a song and sing it to him when starts getting loud.
But parrots are loud sometimes, no denying that.
Tetly
New member
My Blu often screams as well. He has toys, he is out of the cage all the time, even sleeps outside but in the morning he screams, does some other sounds and flies like a maniac, sometimes up to two hours, depending on the day.
Lots of people say their parrots scream before bedtime, well he doesn't, he usually chirps in the evenings. That's why he has afternoons, around 2 he gets all wild and screams like an alarm clock, it is ear piercing (doesn't happen every day either). He is also very alert at that time. It's like his hormones suddenly go wild. This usually lasts for maybe 15 minutes.
I've no idea how to prevent this, but at the moment I'm not bothered by it since I live in a house, although what worries me is the possibility of moving into an apartment in the future, I'm sure I'd have problems with the neighbors. But I guess this is just who he is.
Lots of people say their parrots scream before bedtime, well he doesn't, he usually chirps in the evenings. That's why he has afternoons, around 2 he gets all wild and screams like an alarm clock, it is ear piercing (doesn't happen every day either). He is also very alert at that time. It's like his hormones suddenly go wild. This usually lasts for maybe 15 minutes.
I've no idea how to prevent this, but at the moment I'm not bothered by it since I live in a house, although what worries me is the possibility of moving into an apartment in the future, I'm sure I'd have problems with the neighbors. But I guess this is just who he is.
LordTriggs
New member
it isn't hormones that do that, they wont fire up at a certain time of the day. Look around and see if there's something that happens at that time, birds flying past the window for example. My conure would scream when he saw/heard the local crows around often they would come around between 9 and 10AM so I knew that would set him off. Try looking for things like that, there's often a reason for it. The only time there isn't is when they just enjoy doing it
Tetly
New member
Well, there are magpies and some other birds around the house, but they can be seen throughout the whole day, and there is a tree next to the window where they often land, but Blu tends to only observe / ignore them, so I wouldn't say it's that. I really think he enjoys this. After he finishes his afternoon session, only singing and chirping can be heard.
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