screaming umbrella

[brolie]

I did a quick search of these threads and didn't see quite what i was looking for so im sorry if this was asked in another thread

Got an addition to our family on Saturday. She is a 16 year old umbrella cockatoo and she is the sweetest cuddliest thing. But she has a habit of screaming (ear piercingly, soul wrenching loud) when she's in her cage. We let her out A LOT (to the point where she's even napping in our bed) but still acts neglected if she's in there for a little bit

Her cage is gigantic, she has plenty of toys and I know that responding to the screams is just giving attention for it and won't make it stop, even though it may be negative attention.

We've tried ignoring her and then waiting until a better time to let her out, but she's still doing it. I do understand that umbrellas are noisy. She talks all the time and chatters and what not, but this is obviously attention seeking due to being in her cage.

Any advice?

 

[getwozzy]

http://www.parrotforums.com/training/48649-screaming-behavior-mods.html

Hope this helps!

 

[Allee]

Congrats on your new addition! Cockatoos have earned their reputations both for being super sweet and for being extraordinarily loud. You've only just brought Pooka home, U2's are emotional creatures, she'll need time to process her new home and family. The screaming may be temporary due to the transition, even if that's the case, you don't want to reinforce the behavior by rewarding her with attention. The other possibility may be that someone in her past has already done just that, it's never intentional on the part of past owners but it happens frequently, once the Too has been rewarded with attention, any kind of attention, then the screaming becomes habitual, it's a learned behavior and it will take time and consistency to change it.

Here are a couple of links you may find helpful. The first is an interesting discussion, the second a tutorial on behavior modification written by one of our members, Mark/Birdman. The protocol takes time and dedication and above all, consistency by everyone involved with the bird's care. This method does work and it's well worth the effort, especially for the bird. A habitually screaming parrot is not a happy parrot.

http://www.parrotforums.com/cockato...sant-screaming.html?highlight=Cover+screaming

http://www.parrotforums.com/training/48649-screaming-behavior-mods.html

Best of luck to you and Pooka.

 

[brolie]

Super helpful guys, thank you!!

I'm really glad to see that what I've been doing is right! Couple new things in all that too,so yay!

She's such a sweet wonderful bird, I'm so happy she's joined our home

 

[Siobhan]

You might also want to check to make sure there isn't something in her line of sight or near her cage that's upsetting her. We did a huge major cleaning of Rocky Too's cage a while back and took down the blanket that created his "Too Corner" where he goes when he needs quiet time (his choice) because he'd chewed it to shreds. I got him a new one and hung it up but he hated it and shrieked and shrieked. So I took it down. And he shrieked and shrieked about that. Finally I started hanging his cage cover over the corner after I uncover him in the morning and that seemed to do the trick, but it took days and days of scratching our heads to figure out what he was shrieking about. It was his missing Too Corner! However, Toos shriek a few times a day just to shriek. It's instinctive and it's their way of making sure everybody's safe and accounted for in their world. Some shrieking is just the price of having a Too in your life. This week, Rocky's been shrieking extra because it's hot and he's uncomfortable (so is everybody, but at least we don't scream about it, LOL).

 

[AmyMyBlueFront]

Jonesy shrieks too Usually when I'm on the PHONE lol..so I just go to another room. I am not accustomed to this behavior coz Amy doesn't do it..She'll TALK loudly but not scream,and my Smokey never screamed.



Jim

 

[Siobhan]

Ah, yes, the phone. Parrots seem to have a particular spite against phones. LOL

 

[ToMang07]

Ah, yes, the phone. Parrots seem to have a particular spite against phones. LOL

Willow just goes "Hello?!?!" when she hears the phone ring, lol

 

[brolie]

Haha yes, I have two kids too (7 and 8) -- it's something about putting the phone to your ear that tells kids and birds to start making noise lol

 

[itchyfeet]

Ah, yes, the phone. Parrots seem to have a particular spite against phones. LOL

Willow just goes "Hello?!?!" when she heard the phone ring, lol

That's polite! My inlaws sulfur crested starts with 'bye bye!' at full too volume.