Clingy Cockatoo

[danelvr]

I've only had Ziva since April so I am still pretty new to all this and was hoping that I could get some advice/input from others who are more experienced than I. Ziva wants to be with me CONSTANTLY. I cannot put her in/on her cage uncovered and leave the room for more than a few minutes before the screaming starts. She is the sweetest most well behaved bird otherwise and if I cover her she quiets down for as long as she's covered. I've tried covering her for a few minutes as a consequence for screaming and then taking her out as a reward for her being quiet but the very next time I put her on her cage and leave the room the screaming starts again. I guess my question is, will she become less clingy with age? I was told she was about 2 1/2. Thanks, any help is greatly appreciated.

 

[Kim444]

What I have been told is that you give them a maximum 5 minutes of playtime, then put them back on their play stand...after a while play with them another 5 mintues and but them back etc... if they scream in between ignore it and when they stop, quickly reward them for being quiet. But playing with your cockatoo for endless amounts of time makes them want it all the time and this is why she's screaming....ignore the screaming, try to get into a routine of short playtimes....

 

[Mare Miller]

I have an 8yr. old male cockatoo that a friend owned, was moving and needed a home for him, this was three years ago. I have to say, he was a challenge for our household at first. We had no idea how loud these birds were! Patience is definitely a virtue!, (ear plugs help at times,too). They are very social, love being around you. We bought an outdoor cage for him to enjoy the sunshine, which he loved, and eventually, allowed his clipped feathers to grow back. Our youngest son, was 16 at the time, would take him out of his cage to sit with him on the deck in the morning. The first time our Amigo took off, was really SCARY!
Amigo did not know he could fly! I think it scared him more than us, landings in the trees were very tricky for him...lots of crash landings! We now free flight him. I don't recommend this for all parrots, but our Amigo is now a pro flyer! He comes in at evening-time for cuddles and bed.

I have to tell you that we live on a lot of acreage in the foothills of the Sierras. Not in the city. The hawks don't know what to make of him, they fly by, he screams, they keep going. Mostly, though, love your bird...their voice is the way they communicate and cockatoos happen to have the loudest voice of all parrots!

 

[Molcan2]

I'm having the same problem with Romi, she came to me way over spoiled. Its going to take a lot of patience. The playing with them for short intervals and putting the back does help. Another thing you can do is get some foraging toys, take whatever the bird likes (cashews, peanuts, pine nuts) right before you leave the room put a treat in the toy. Once she starts playing and is a little distracted try leaving the room for just a second or two and come back before the screaming starts. The key is to come back before she screams. Eventually start to lengthen your time away. Try one second, then if she tolerates that the next time a few seconds, then maybe a 1/2 minute, then progress to a full minute. Not all in one day either, spread this out over weeks. This is going to take a lot of patience and time. Each bird moves at a different pace. I've got Romi where she will tolerate me gone for about five minutes, and this has taken months. Cockatoos are notorious for being too dependent on their owners, she needs to learn that you will come back without her having to call you back, and that while you are gone that she is capable of entertaining herself.

 

[Featheredsamurai]

I remember hearing about someone who would leave the room when there bird started to scream, and when it stopped(For several minutes, not right away) they would whistle one note to the bird while still out of the room, then return to it. Eventually the bird would whistle instead of scream.

 

[ShreddedOakAviary]

All of the abovementioned methods do work. I am a bit more abrupt in training toos to stop screaming when alone (I do this with all birds actually). I leave a radio or tv on, since birds find silence during the day unerving. I wear headphones when doing chores, and as painful as it sounds, I ignore screaming completely. I put birds in a room that I don't have to go in to, and I'll go in and sit and play, and when I leave if they scream, then they are on their own.... I always make sure they have fun stuff to do while I'm gone, but I never give in to screaming. If I have to close the door, I will. It sounds harsh, but if it isn't stopped now, it will just become a deeply ingrained behavoir. As far as playtime goes.... The old school belief (what we breeders use to tell people), was short intervals of playtime to avoid a bird becoming too clingy.... what we've learned (and most avian behavoirists will tell you) is that a well balance bird that knows it's limits and is ignored when screaming can be played with for long periods as long as negative behavoirs are not acknowledged.

 

[Pedro]

I have to agree with ShreadedOak on this one as well. I do pretty much the same & i don't find that any of by babies or aviary bird are excessive with their calling.

I must admit our SC Too is a little naughty at times because we made a habit of getting him out in the afternoon for him to forage around the garden & then he comes inside to have dinner with us. Watch out if we are busy & don't have time he doesn't actually scream but makes this annoying repetative noise that drives me nuts.

I do find if our Too is able to be with us all day even if he is on the play stand he is as quite as a mouse, other than his constant chatter, you wouldn't even know he is around as long as we are always in sight of him. And when he is ready for bed he lets us know, he has this high pitched whistle. All in all i would have to say with a bit of understanding & tough love anyone can have a not so noisy parrot.