New U2 Non Stop Screaming HELP

[adellelauren]

Hello. My husband and I just inquired a 9 year old, said to be male but we are going to do a DNA, Umbrella Cockatoo. Very healthy and beautiful bird. The bird is perfect in every single way except for the screaming. I understand that they are loud birds and that they usually have a morning and night flock call. But the screaming is constant. If we leave the room or when in the cage are the main areas. We ignore the behavior but it can go on for an hour. We will have Sunshine for 3 weeks on Saturday. We are also already very attached and committed to what needs to be done to hopefully help out with the issue.

 

[Mare Miller]

I remember when my male U2 came into our lives and I know what you are going through. It will get better, don't give up and realize he is adjusting, too. I would be beside myself with worry that there was more that I should be doing but wasn't sure what that might be!
They like attention, this is a fact but you have to let them have their own time, also. Does he have a cage in another place besides the main living area? This would be the space that I will have my birds when we are not doing family bird time, normally for a few hours in the afternoon. I hope it gets better for you, hang in there !

 

[lotosha]

Congratulations on a new feathered friend, I also think that screaming is a part of adjustment to a new home. Good luck with him and you other birds.

 

[MikeyTN]

Like it's been mentioned above, if you have cage in a spare room, might be wise for you to place him in a separate room when your not socializing. Otherwise the scream will get to you eventually causing unbalance within your household. When I did that Java the U2 did not scream like he was and did soooo much better.

 

[fishstick600]

Mine screams like crazy when my nieces and nephews are around.. They were gone for a week and the house was so much quieter lol. They are extremely loud and can get under your skin but you have to learn to ignore it. I give sydney time outs but it's hard to stay mad when he peaks under the cover and goes "hi baby" haha

 

[U2gal]

First you need to understand why he is screaming.

Then work with it. A cage in a seperate room alone and isolated is not the answer!

How many hours a day does he get out of cage?

How does he exercise?

Does he have toys? Wood toys he chews up (not some rock hard baked plywood toy that is ignore and forgotten because its so boring)? Foraging toys?

Now how big is his cage?

Playstands?

What does he do when out of the cage? Is it only spent on you?

 

[adellelauren]

First you need to understand why he is screaming.

Then work with it. A cage in a seperate room alone and isolated is not the answer!

How many hours a day does he get out of cage?

How does he exercise?

Does he have toys? Wood toys he chews up (not some rock hard baked plywood toy that is ignore and forgotten because its so boring)? Foraging toys?

Now how big is his cage?

Playstands?

What does he do when out of the cage? Is it only spent on you?

He/she is out when we are home unless we can't supervise. Then it's cage time. We do all kinds of flips and such for exercise. Toys and such are not an issue. I just spent $200 on perches and toys which do include shredding and foraging toys. We are getting a new cage. I'm not to thrilled with the one Sunshine came with. We also have a playstand with toys on it. After the cage I will be getting a Java Playstand.

 

[MikeyTN]

To me most of that don't apply towards a U2 after owning one to know one. They become clingy and that's the main problem!

 

[adellelauren]

The previous owner swears Sunshine was not a screamer. My one friend who rescues parrots said she doesn't believe that for one second. Half of today was screaming. After that quiet.

 

[U2gal]

What does He do when he screams?

 

[adellelauren]

Just screams. Nothing else.

 

[Empath]

never actually seen a U2 in real life, but any parrot that screams didnt just "suddenly" start screaming.

my suspicion is that it's either an attention thing or an adjusting to new surrounding things. 6 months ago i adopted a cockatoo which was found and taken to the local avian vet. screams like a nazgul -no really he does. 6 months on he's better but still carries on. the hardest thing is to figure out whats upsetting him. with Freddy, it's either an attention thing or he has a different idea to his routine to what i do.

for example he'd scream non-stop in the evenings in his cage (he cant come out because he attacks my missus, and early on i didnt let him have free reign because he used to attack me). So i eventually had to put him into a night cage in another room. this calmed him down. my suspicion is he was used to going to bed at a certain time and liked to be somewhere quiet. So now i know at a certain time BEFORE he starts carrying on I move him and it's usually a lot quieter.

if you had sunshine in a cage near you would he keep screaming? I tried putting freddy in a cage and having him near me at night but he kept screaming. just thinking whilst he settles in he could be in a smaller cage but still be around you to know he's safe.

other idea i keep hearing is to make the cage enjoyable so they're happy being in the cage. I've spent literally thousands on toys for my birds but i still find they enjoy the non-parrot toys best lol

i've spent heaps on indiivdual toys *I* think thye'll enjoy but then find they like chewing on the cardboard box i gave them

my red tail black used to whine incessantly as well, but i eventually figured out she only did it when i was around and she could see me. when she couldnt see me she was fine and would just forage and do whatever, but if she knew i was nearby she'd carry on.

i know theoretically we shouldnt be isolating birds for noise, but i've found with these 2 it actually settles them, something to consider trying

 

[adellelauren]

As of right now we have the one cage that came with. Sunshine will say night night and likes to be in bed between 7 and 9. We always cover the cage at night. There will be some screaming for about 10 minutes and quite till morning. The screaming is during the day if we can't supervise and let Sunshine out or if we have to go out of sight.

 

[fishstick600]

I have an almost one year old U2 and let me tell you something.. They aren't called velcro birds for nothing. They are extremely flock oriented and want to know where you are and what u are doing if u are in the house. He is prob confused about what's going on right now with a new family so he should calm down. They need one on one time every day. Minimum of 4 hours out of cage daily. Don't have his cage piled up with perches I have 3... The main one in the center a small comfort perch by his veggie bowl and a sleeper up top. He has 3 toys in his cage a foraging toy a large chew toy with wood blocks on it and a triangle swing. Umbrellas need to be on a strict schedule. Syndey knows he gets out of his cage at noon and if I'm late waking up he let's me know. When I was on noon to midnight he was a nightmare for my family because he wasn't getting his out of cage time. Make sure you spend time preening him every day to strengthen your bond. I had a rough time the first few months but once you get to know how to deal with your devil he won't be so bad.

Main thing... If he screams walk away and don't come back until he stops for about 5 mins. If it goes on for hours quietly walk up to the cage.. Say that's enough or whatever and cover him then leave the room. Sydney will go one for another 5 or so and then surrender and start calling us with "hi baby"

Hope this helps.

 

[adellelauren]

Thank you. That helps immensely.

 

[U2gal]

I can respond later but please do not cover him. That is not the correct answer and will not have you understanding the behavior. Punishment does not work. Its a quick fix and makes the issue bigger and creates more issues as the original issue was never understood and nothing was truly fixed or corrected.

 

[adellelauren]

I only cover Sunshine when he/she goes to bed at night.

 

[crimson]

Oh I sympathize with you!....I just re-homed my Ninja, my gold cap conure. He screamed a good part of the day, and I was at my wits end. I know conures are not as loud as yours, but never the less, screaming is screaming, and nerves get frayed.
I'm sorry I can't offer any advice, but I sure hope you find out why, and things quiet down for you shortly

 

[adellelauren]

We just aren't reacting to it. It's hard. I think it's because Sunshine was overly spoiled and not given the independence they do need from the last owner possibly owner before that also and because it's a new environment.

 

[MikeyTN]

crimson,

So you did rehome Ninja. It's not a easy process....But you'll start feeling the emptiness the very night when it's all quiet....And I tell you that Conure's scream is up there with a Cockatoo.

adellelauren,

You should look into getting him in his own room seriously! That helped me tremendously when I had Java. Still have his moments but he was better. Plus it's a lot easier keep dust contained with air purifier...lol....They have dust galore, tons and tons of it.....