Recently adopted 26 year old CAG

[hja67]

Hello,
I adopted a 26 year old CAG 2 weeks ago. He is a great bird but has been attention screaming/screetching A LOT. The woman who had him prior to me had him for about 1 year and kept him with 10+ birds. I taped the noise he is making and she said that it is a new noise which I believe. It is ear piercing and my dog literally hides in the corner when he does it. It started when my son first met him and left the room. He seems to really like men (his owner prior was a man who had him for approx 24 years who died suddenly). Now, when I or anyone leaves the room he screams/screetches. As this is a new behaviour in his new home, what is the best way to get him to stop making this noise? It is brutal.
Thank you

 

[rheashard2]

Your avain is probably suffering emotionally. Parrots adapt to change very slowly. To him he's had another upheaval in home, surrounded and environment. Patience and learning what is normal for him is your priority. He could very well be imitating the other flock. It's normal for birds especially parrots to become loud when their flock members are out of sight. It varies in volume from soft to ear drum rattling. Distraction such as TV, music, toys etc can help. Talking in a normal voice while out of sight, helps too. It doesn't matter what you say, only how you say it. Go through other threads here about this. It's important to pay attention to your response to the screaming. You don't want to inadvertently encourage it. Truthfully there's no one 'cure all'. Time, patience, learning are best.

 

[DonnaBudgie]

And earplugs. Unfortunately, they won't help the dog.

 

[Vampiric_Conure]

I hear you about the screaming! Yvons was screaming like a toddler a few weeks ago, and I bent over to him and whispered, 'Be quiet.' I was fed up with his noise. He looked at me (I swear the gears in his head were smoking!) and stopped. Other than that, I use a contact call with him. I use 'I hear you' with my birds when I leave the room. It helps him know that people in the home are still around. Hopefully you can find a trick that'll work!

 

[wrench13]

Developing a contact call with your parrot is pretty important, especially with those that have separation anxiety.

And I found when Salty goes on a screaming jag, the whisper thing works really well!

 

[rheashard2]

With Nameliss I don't whisper. I talk in a normal voice. I tell her what I am doing. I ask her questions. She seems to understand and answers most questions. Basically I let her know that I am near. Finding a routine, phrase that reassures can take time.

 

[saxguy64]

Family thinks I'm a little nuts, but I make a habit of narrating what I'm doing for the birds. Tucker, my ekkie is the one with the excruciating contact call. So... I talk out loud and make sure I acknowledge him if I walk past his cage and out of sight. "I'm right here", "I'm going in my room", "I'll be right back, don't worry", stuff like that, BEFORE he screams for me. If he does his yoo hooo whistle (my much preferred contact call from him) I whistle back to him, and it becomes like a conversation... or a game of Marco-Polo. Definitely better than the scream.