BCC screams in the morning

[Owmypatience]

Hi y'all, not my first bird, not my only bird.

I have a BCC I took in this past summer, one of the issues we are still working on is the incessant screaming in the morning for about an hour. I've tried ignoring him, this isn't working as well. I have not done anything to reward the behavior- I don't approach until he quiets down, I don't react, and I don't give him a treat or anything until he's quiet for a couple minutes (maybe I'm waiting too long to reward?). The method I have not tried often is leaving the room when he screams, but this does stop the behavior. One of my concerns is that the past owner treated him horribly when he screamed/made noise- I can guess because of the condition his cage was in, how few toys he had, how his body looked (plucked with some bare skin), and the food he was on. She did joke about how her dogs tried to eat him repeatedly and so he was shut in. His door is always open now.

I am not looking to really stop the behavior as he is a parrot and parrots make noise, but hopefully shorten the time and maybe direct his energy to something else.

He has improved on his plucking & is on a vet approved diet. His beak is in better shape and overall he's a very happy bird. I have figured out his favorite toy items and have been working on introducing more to him.

 

[SailBoat]

Most Parrots believe in welcoming the morning sunlight and as a result, noise in the morning is a reality!

We use morning contact calls as our first contact with our Amazon. By our actively contacting him it 'tends' to reduce the length of time.

We have long worked with much older Amazons and see their full voice as a statement of their health and appreciate when they have begun welcoming the morning's sunlight!

 

[Owmypatience]

Yep! As I said I know this is normal, but I'm wondering if I can divert his attention as it's an hour straight of "AAAA AAAA" and shorten that time.

 

[Laurasea]

It is hormonal time.....could be thats part of it.

 

[SailBoat]

Yep! As I said I know this is normal, but I'm wondering if I can divert his attention as it's an hour straight of "AAAA AAAA" and shorten that time.

See my second sentence.

 

[Laurasea]

I would greet him in the morning. And get him busy. Untill you create a new pattern.

I've had to deal with screamers. Always for me it has taken out of cage time increased, increased interaction, increases foraging, increased things to destroy that are easy to destroy, a great diet will lots of veggies, 12 hours of sleep. Thst takes it down by 80-90% tge rest is rewards, redirection, patterning, routines. Can take a couple of months to reach success. When you know there are screaming times, set them up with treat stick, foraging, a bath. To prevent screaming from starting. Also get them to white, or talk back thst helps to.

Like Sailboat, mine want to know I survived tge night, contact call.

 

[Owmypatience]

I would greet him in the morning. And get him busy. Untill you create a new pattern.

I've had to deal with screamers. Always for me it has taken out of cage time increased, increased interaction, increases foraging, increased things to destroy that are easy to destroy, a great diet will lots of veggies, 12 hours of sleep. Thst takes it down by 80-90% tge rest is rewards, redirection, patterning, routines. Can take a couple of months to reach success. When you know there are screaming times, set them up with treat stick, foraging, a bath. To prevent screaming from starting. Also get them to white, or talk back thst helps to.

Like Sailboat, mine want to know I survived tge night, contact call.

Thank you for the suggestions! I'll start looking for foraging things. We are still working on the veggie part- but my dog now has an increased amount of veggies in his life courtesy of Emmett.:60:

 

[Laurasea]

I would greet him in the morning. And get him busy. Untill you create a new pattern.

I've had to deal with screamers. Always for me it has taken out of cage time increased, increased interaction, increases foraging, increased things to destroy that are easy to destroy, a great diet will lots of veggies, 12 hours of sleep. Thst takes it down by 80-90% tge rest is rewards, redirection, patterning, routines. Can take a couple of months to reach success. When you know there are screaming times, set them up with treat stick, foraging, a bath. To prevent screaming from starting. Also get them to white, or talk back thst helps to.

Like Sailboat, mine want to know I survived tge night, contact call.

Thank you for the suggestions! I'll start looking for foraging things. We are still working on the veggie part- but my dog now has an increased amount of veggies in his life courtesy of Emmett.:60:

I took on two burds that were already screamers, one that spent at least 8 hours a day non stop screaming! So I know you can do this. And I know how frayed your nerves can get lol.

I share this link a lot because I really like it, talks patterning, and even comfort feeding, ect you might find good ideas
https://lafeber.com/pet-birds/stress-reduction-for-parrot-companions/

 

[smwboxer]

Only in the morning? Count yourself lucky! This past week my yellow head has decided to do nothing but scream. No amount of new toys or foraging have deterred her.