Bird won't stop screaming

[AmazonLady]

Hi everyone!

I am a yellow headed amazon owner (bird is about 30 years old). The bird came to us about 5 years ago, unexpectedly. A man entered our store with a bird in the cage, expressing how he was going to have his bird put down. As an animal lover, I instantly said I will take him. At first, he hung out all day in our shop, and I would take him home at night. Until one day, I found employees blasting loud music trying to get the bird to learn the words, which I found was cruel so I brought the bird home full time.

Fast forward about 4 years. The bird has been living with us in our home. We keep him on an open stand, not encaged at all. The bird loves to sing songs, and loves to be around people. The bird will only climb on to me, not to anyone else. He also jumps at people as they walk by his stand, daring them not to get close. The bird sleeps next to our bed every night. If the bird is in the bedroom and we walk out to the kitchen, we must drag the stand for the bird to sit with us in the kitchen, or he will not stop screaming. If we walk into the living room, the screaming begins again until we drag him into the living room with us too.

Long story short, the bird constantly screams. I don't think he does it on purpose, he is just seeking attention. We give him A LOT of attention, but every waking second is difficult, given that we have 2 dogs, a daughter, and a new born baby. Even so, we always drag his stand to be next to us no matter what we do, but it is difficult. We have yet to go out of town for fear that he may have anxiety.

The bird is well-fed, visits groomers and is bathed, and is perfectly happy and healthy, however the screaming never stops. I am worried that this may be harsh on the baby's ears after a whie, as well.

I have done research and there are no answers to be found. Does anyone have any advice?

Thanks,
Tired Amazon Lady

 

[BeatriceC]

The only way I've had luck with this sort of thing is pavlovian conditioning. When he starts to scream, walk away. You can say something like "shhh" or "quiet", just whatever you pick, do it every time. The second he quiets down, come running back in and give him attention. Reward him for being quiet and/or asking for attention at a normal volume. Goofy says "come here" at an appropriate volume level. He rarely screams anymore, though that's one of the reasons his first human gave him up 18 years ago. I wasn't around back then, but that's exactly how MrC broke him of that habit.

He'l probably get louder for a few days, but it's worth the headaches if in the long term he learns what is and isn't appropriate volume.

In the interest of full disclosure, we don't mind "happy screams" in this house. All our birds are allowed to sing the songs of their people, but it's the attention-seeking screams we don't like. The excited screams are a-ok. They have all learned which are okay and which are not, even Charlotte, who's only been her for a month.

 

[GaleriaGila]

That's perfectly good advice from Beatrice. It takes iron will and complete adherence, though...

I have an alterative plan, which may sound like a joke, but... you could do what I did, which is to get 5 perches for around the house. When the birds is out, he can fly from one to another. I'm guessing your bird is not flighted... understandable in a busy house with lots of open doors. You could transfer him from one to another, of course.

Most I'mportant of all, THANK YOU for doing such a kind and good deed! You must be a wonderful person who brings a lot of happiness to others, and to animals!

 

[plumsmum2005]

Hi everyone!

I am a yellow headed amazon owner (bird is about 30 years old). The bird came to us about 5 years ago, unexpectedly. A man entered our store with a bird in the cage, expressing how he was going to have his bird put down. As an animal lover, I instantly said I will take him. At first, he hung out all day in our shop, and I would take him home at night. Until one day, I found employees blasting loud music trying to get the bird to learn the words, which I found was cruel so I brought the bird home full time.

Fast forward about 4 years. The bird has been living with us in our home. We keep him on an open stand, not encaged at all. The bird loves to sing songs, and loves to be around people. The bird will only climb on to me, not to anyone else. He also jumps at people as they walk by his stand, daring them not to get close. The bird sleeps next to our bed every night. If the bird is in the bedroom and we walk out to the kitchen, we must drag the stand for the bird to sit with us in the kitchen, or he will not stop screaming. If we walk into the living room, the screaming begins again until we drag him into the living room with us too.

Long story short, the bird constantly screams. I don't think he does it on purpose, he is just seeking attention. We give him A LOT of attention, but every waking second is difficult, given that we have 2 dogs, a daughter, and a new born baby. Even so, we always drag his stand to be next to us no matter what we do, but it is difficult. We have yet to go out of town for fear that he may have anxiety.

The bird is well-fed, visits groomers and is bathed, and is perfectly happy and healthy, however the screaming never stops. I am worried that this may be harsh on the baby's ears after a whie, as well.

I have done research and there are no answers to be found. Does anyone have any advice?

Thanks,
Tired Amazon Lady

Hi, Tired Amazon Lady . I think this bird is getting too much attention and the more he gets the more he wants and on we go. He should have some time to do his thing, does he have plenty of appropriate toys and a roomy cage? If you can given your responsibilities try and make a routine ie some time with you in the morning and again later in the day and a short period before putting him to bed. Birds need somewhere in the region of 12 hours rest/sleep time. I would change so that he has a bedtime at a regular time each day and stays in his cage probably covered over. He is probably on guard being in such close proximity to you all night long and just implementing a proper bedtime may reduce the screaming. Change things in small segments to assess what is working.

 

[BeatriceC]

That's perfectly good advice from Beatrice. It takes iron will and complete adherence, though...

After being a single mother of boys for years and a middle school teacher in one of the roughest, most violent neighborhoods in the US for a decade, I'm pretty much unflappable. Plus I have this amazing ability to just not hear annoying, repeated noises (or music I hate, which is a good skill if one has teenagers), so I'm good at that sort of thing. I can see where the noise of a screaming bird would get under the skin of most people. Thankfully my next-door neighbors are also bird people, so don't mind the noise either, even during the time when I've been teaching a bird when and when not to sing the songs of their people.

 

[wrench13]

Right - contact calls ( what flock members do to let everyone know they are OK ... are you?) are acceptable - short , loud squawks usually, and not a lot of them. Excited hi how are you squawks are OK, too. And the usual morning and or late afternoon/evening Amazon sun worship singing should be OK too.

Other then that I suggest you follow beatrice's advice. Its HARD to do this, because you have to do it like a religion.. every time! If you get a contact call, you should return the call from the other room ( signifying .. I am OK too), but no more then that.
A cage and a cover seem indicated here too. 12 hrs sleep is a real need in parrots.

 

[Flboy]

Throwing a pile of stuff at you:
FYI, the screaming is a LEARNED behavior!

http://www.parrotforums.com/training/48649-screaming-behavior-mods.html
http://www.parrotforums.com/amazons/54250-amazon-body-language.html

 

[Kiwibird]

You have already been given good advice here. 2 things I wanted to add:

I grew up in a home with parrots who were around long before I was. The cockatoo in particular is a bad screamer (we're talking can be heard blocks down the road and will go for an hour straight sometimes bad). I did fine with the screaming as a baby and learned to tune it out as I grew up. Kids are pretty adaptable And my mom swears up and down having all those noisy birds making a racket all day long is why I was sleeping through the night by 8 weeks old and going to sleep when the birds did lol. Noise and excitement and activity all day, quiet and peace and calm all night. Kind of a win-win there for my parents, I'm sure.

Second thing is, does you amazon play? Amazons are notorious perch potatoes is why I ask and some must be taught how to play with toys or else they remain wholly uninterested in toys. Self rewarding activities, like foraging puzzles filled with highly desirable treats are a good way to keep a bird occupied and quiet as are lots of chewing materials to destroy. If your bird doesn't play, teach him. As you have a baby, keep in mind parrots like baby toys too (use good judgement which are safe or not, no teething toys or stuffed toys). My bird can spend 20 minutes playing with a rattle or nosing around one of those plastic blocks with little things inside.

 

[AmazonLady]

Right - contact calls ( what flock members do to let everyone know they are OK ... are you?) are acceptable - short , loud squawks usually, and not a lot of them. Excited hi how are you squawks are OK, too. And the usual morning and or late afternoon/evening Amazon sun worship singing should be OK too.

Other then that I suggest you follow beatrice's advice. Its HARD to do this, because you have to do it like a religion.. every time! If you get a contact call, you should return the call from the other room ( signifying .. I am OK too), but no more then that.
A cage and a cover seem indicated here too. 12 hrs sleep is a real need in parrots.

Thank you for your advice. We do not ever keep him in a cage. He is always in open, free space on a stand. Are you suggesting to cage him at night? I am worried he will feel too enclosed.

 

[AmazonLady]

Thank you for your reply. I have never owned birds before this point, plus the bird had 30 years of learned behavior from previous owners before coming to us.

 

[BeatriceC]

Right - contact calls ( what flock members do to let everyone know they are OK ... are you?) are acceptable - short , loud squawks usually, and not a lot of them. Excited hi how are you squawks are OK, too. And the usual morning and or late afternoon/evening Amazon sun worship singing should be OK too.

Other then that I suggest you follow beatrice's advice. Its HARD to do this, because you have to do it like a religion.. every time! If you get a contact call, you should return the call from the other room ( signifying .. I am OK too), but no more then that.
A cage and a cover seem indicated here too. 12 hrs sleep is a real need in parrots.

Thank you for your advice. We do not ever keep him in a cage. He is always in open, free space on a stand. Are you suggesting to cage him at night? I am worried he will feel too enclosed.

Granted my experience with amazons is limited, and birds are individuals just like humans, but Goofy likes his cage and considers it a safe space. Whenever he's upset, we put him back in his cage and it calms him down. It's almost as if the cage bars are part of his defenses when he's feeling threatened by the world. He also likes the consistency of the space, and the schedule. He sleeps well because he knows he doesn't have to fear attack at night (I think).

 

[Kiwibird]

[
Granted my experience with amazons is limited, and birds are individuals just like humans, but Goofy likes his cage and considers it a safe space. Whenever he's upset, we put him back in his cage and it calms him down. It's almost as if the cage bars are part of his defenses when he's feeling threatened by the world. He also likes the consistency of the space, and the schedule. He sleeps well because he knows he doesn't have to fear attack at night (I think).

This is a good point!

Kiwi (my amazon) is never locked in his cage during the day and is free to come and go as he pleases, but he also seems to enjoy having that safe/secure space. He chooses to spend about as much time in his cage as out. He naps in there too because it probably feels safe to him. Plus, at night I can close the door and know he will be safe and not potentially fall on the floor and/or go wandering in the dark. Cage door is open after he eats his breakfast until he goes to bed. How much time he spends in his cage during the day is up to him. My moms amazons are also free-roaming during the day, but do go in their cages to nap and eat.

Offering a cage (you can keep the door open, as we do) may not be a bad idea. Fill it with fun toys, place it next to his stand so he can go back and forth during the day and see if your zon likes that/calms down a bit. Amazons do tend to do well not being locked in a cage, but I've never heard of one who didn't enjoy having the option of being in a cage at times.

 

[henpecked]

Well, welcome to the forum. I have a suggestion, this works for me and I have used it many times. If the bird has a least favorite person than that person needs to help you out for a couple of days. You need a "bad guy" to go stand beside the cage when ever it starts to scream. Just stand there and not interact at all. Stand there until the bird stops and then walk away. You need to reward him when he does good. Keep checking in on him when he is quiet or calling you in an acceptable manner. The bird will soon learn that screaming does not bring the desired results. You as the favorite person need to do your part and not Co done screaming behavior . This usually works over the weekend but needs constant, consistent responses on both your part and the "bad guy". Give it a try, it works.
BTW we do have a am and pm yell,scream and get crazy time at my house with a whole flock of amazons, they need it and it's a good enrichment.
.

 

[AmyMyBlueFront]

Just a question here...do you know why the previous owner wanted to "put the bird down"? was it because of his screaming??? And THANK YOU for taking this creature in! I am sure he is in much better hands now!

Amy has a large house...it seems she prefers it too lol. When I am home,her door is always open.She either climbs out to her play area,or climbs down and waddles over to BB's house and sits on HIS roof top lol.

As far as screaming goes,she doesn't do "Amazon" screams. Yes,she can be LOUD at times,in the morning usually,but its in "talk" lol.. "HELLO!! HOW ARE YOU!!???" its funny to me, I can handle loud talking by her lol.

I'd suggest you get a cage for him/her. What is his/her name?
Put the house in a different room and use it for nite-nite.
I think your 'zon will eventually like it,knowing he/she has a "safe" place to rest/sleep.

Jim

 

[jaxx16]

Thats really sad that the previous owner was going to put the bird down. My YFA is a rescue and she's usually only loud when my kids are playing loud. Originally she was very loud at times and it was contributed to "attention" We have had some other issues with her, however, thanks to the advice from great people on this forum, she has really come along way. Although she is out quite a bit, we still put her in her cage at night. And when she's out, her door is left open for her to go in and out at will. I believe she enjoys having a place she feels is "safe" and is hers!
And thank you for rescuing him/her!

 

[henpecked]

Wish the OP would respond back to this thread.