Squaking until my ears ring

[Max.zilla]

Hello everyone. I adopted my Green Cheek just a few days ago, and am a new bird owner. Ive already gotten some great advice to help Max adjust to his new home and human companions, and Ive noticed he is already starting to warm up to me!

However Max likes to squak, a lot, and loud. To the point it hurts our ears. (My husband has ear problems, and it drives him nuts.) Currently whenever he starts his sonic-squaking fits I go up to him, tell him no/quiet in a stern but soft voice (so I dont scare him) and walk away, and if he stays quiet I give him a treat.
Is this right? Is there a better way to teach him to 'be quiet'? I know in the morning and evening hes gonna be more vocal, and personally I dont mind quieter squaking during the day, but when he gets noisy he takes it to the next level.
I also try to get him to communicate in other ways; when he squaks Ill whistle or chirp and sometimes he will copy me and stop squaking. Is this helping or causing damage, or doing nothing?

 

[LoveMyParrots]

The best way is to ignore him if he is screaming, if he wants you to go up to him so he is squawking, and then you go to him and tell him to be quite, it's likely gonna makes things worse.

I know parrots can be loud, and sometimes it's hard to ignore, but you just have to pretend that something happened. If you need to, walk out of the room so your parrot can't see you. When he is quite, walk back in and give him a treat.

But remember parrots will always make noise early in the morning and in the late afternoon, that's the way they are. Ozzie will scream at 7am and 6-8pm, every single day! Luckily this didn't make my neighbors go nuts!

Good luck

 

[Max.zilla]

Thank you! I didnt even think he might be squaking because he wants me to come up to him, I figured he wouldnt like me enough for that yet.

 

[LoveMyParrots]

Thank you! I didnt even think he might be squaking because he wants me to come up to him, I figured he wouldnt like me enough for that yet.

You're welcome

Most parrot screams for attention. You will know that when they are screaming/squawking, they will also bob up and down, flap their wings, looking at you, and try to get your attention.

A good way to stop random screaming is to excise your parrot. This can be flying outside with a harness, playing fetch (yes, parrot can play fetch, and most will like it), rolling around and playing with toys, or simply grab their feet, and move your hand up and down so they will flap their wings. This way they are probably very tied, and don't really have the energy to do extra squawking

Also put a few extra foraging toys in and around his cage to keep them busy

 

[Max.zilla]

Ill start the toys first thing tomorrow!

Id love to take him out and play, but as soon as I move my hand near him (even very slowly) he runs awayor tries to bite me (I say try because I pull back, if I dont he will chomp my finger off.) Hes not aggressive or anything, just very new and unsure of me; Im letting him get used to me being around before handling him too much. Though I know hes getting to like me, he used to run off as soon as I got near him, let alone try to handle him, now he will scoot over to me and 'talk' to me

He also doesnt fly well, his previous owners clipped his wings when they first got him because he was skittish like he is now. Its been 8-9 months since then, Im planning on just letting them grow out; I love the idea of him flying around and maybeone day even freeflight. Hopefully by then he will be used to me (previous owners said it took about a month for him to warm up.)

Thanks again!

 

[LoveMyParrots]

Ill start the toys first thing tomorrow!

Id love to take him out and play, but as soon as I move my hand near him (even very slowly) he runs awayor tries to bite me (I say try because I pull back, if I dont he will chomp my finger off.) Hes not aggressive or anything, just very new and unsure of me; Im letting him get used to me being around before handling him too much. Though I know hes getting to like me, he used to run off as soon as I got near him, let alone try to handle him, now he will scoot over to me and 'talk' to me

He also doesnt fly well, his previous owners clipped his wings when they first got him because he was skittish like he is now. Its been 8-9 months since then, Im planning on just letting them grow out; I love the idea of him flying around and maybeone day even freeflight. Hopefully by then he will be used to me (previous owners said it took about a month for him to warm up.)

Thanks again!

Don't pull your hand away if he tries to bite, it will make him even more aggressive! I know it's very hard but let him bite! If you pull away, then he will think that if he bites, it will make your hand go away. And next time if he doesn't want you to be near him, he will just bite without any warming, because he knows your hand will go away. But of cause, the best thing to do is to avoid to get bitten.

I would recommend clicker/target training him. It's kind of hard to tell you what to do through the forum, but there's lots of good videos on YouTube to teach you how to do it. Website like goodbirdinc and birdtricks are great to look at! They are professional parrot trainers!

Hope this helped

 

[julya]

I walk out of the room when my Green Cheek starts squawking too loudly for me, and he usually stops as soon as the door shuts. Then I go back in and pick him up. I also try to respond to his cute sounds whenever I can, to encourage him to make those more.

 

[Max.zilla]

Ill try that LoveMyParrots. Its hard not to pull away, he doesnt just bite once he likes to knaw! (Though it still doesnt hurt as much as my hedgehog biting..)
Do you think I should try wrapping my hand in a shirt, or wearing a glove for his biting? So Im less likely to pull away?
Also, what are some good treats for training? Ive gone into the store several times looking at treats, but am never sure what to get. He doesnt seem to be a picky eater, but I dont want to get treats that may be bad for him.

Thanks julya! I also try to get him to make his cute/pretty sounds over the squaks, if I sit down and do it for a bit it really helps, he gets distracted by me trying to communicate with him (hes probably laughing at me.)

I really think part of it is that hes bored. He has toys, some that came with him and some I bought, but he isnt interested in them, and Im at a complete loss as to what to get him. He has a bell, wooden climbing toys, mirrors, perches. Is there anything Amazons specifically like? Tomorrow before I go to the store Im going to try some tissue/paper, hopefully itll occupy him while Im gone.

 

[LoveMyParrots]

Ill try that LoveMyParrots. Its hard not to pull away, he doesnt just bite once he likes to knaw! (Though it still doesnt hurt as much as my hedgehog biting..)
Do you think I should try wrapping my hand in a shirt, or wearing a glove for his biting? So Im less likely to pull away?
Also, what are some good treats for training? Ive gone into the store several times looking at treats, but am never sure what to get. He doesnt seem to be a picky eater, but I dont want to get treats that may be bad for him.

Thanks julya! I also try to get him to make his cute/pretty sounds over the squaks, if I sit down and do it for a bit it really helps, he gets distracted by me trying to communicate with him (hes probably laughing at me.)

I really think part of it is that hes bored. He has toys, some that came with him and some I bought, but he isnt interested in them, and Im at a complete loss as to what to get him. He has a bell, wooden climbing toys, mirrors, perches. Is there anything Amazons specifically like? Tomorrow before I go to the store Im going to try some tissue/paper, hopefully itll occupy him while Im gone.

No, i dont recommend wearing a glove or cover your hand. You are trying to show him at not to bite your hand, if you wear a glove you all the time, he will only learn to not bite the glove, rather than your actual hand.

Good treats are dried fruit, nuts, bread, pellets (colour ones), pasta, any healthy table food, depends on what he likes.

 

[henpecked]

welcome to the forum, looks like your getting good advice from several members. We really have great members here. If i could i'd like to offer some insight into your new zon. He's not really new, LOL. at 7 yrs old he's used to how things were at his old house and changes make him insecure. He's looking for a flock/mate to belong with. Single birds don't live long by themselves in the wild and need a flock. What he needs is a strong,confident,outgoing leader. He'd be just as happy with a good leader if not more so then being the "big bird" and calling the shots. Don't be intimidated by him and start making small decisions for him. Respect his cage as his safe spot and try to gain his trust. Don't take his interactions with you and turn them into something you want to do(like petting) . When he shows an interest in stepping up to go with you, great, but take him back to his cage before he's ready. Don't wait for him to bite to say" i've had enough" and want to go back to my cage. When he ask for head rubs, only give him a few seconds worth and leave him wanting more interactions with you. Besides being food motivated zons are also motivated by praise. Be excited,outgoing,animated when talking with him. Be quick to praise good behavior. Yes ignore the screaming, but be very quick to reward the good. Maybe tell him,"hey pretty bird" when to walk up to his cage. Before long he'll be saying"hey pretty bird" when he wants your attention. Realize what is happening and reward it, don't force him to revert back to screaming to get some attention. Keep his cage near the center of activity in his new home. Make him feel apart of your flock. Good luck, i've had my zon for 42 yrs and she is the "rock" in my life. IMO amazons need a good family to be apart of.

 

[Max.zilla]

Thank you both!

I talk to him a lot, hes in our dining room which is essentially the center of the house; every time I pass through I talk to him, and throughout the day I sit next to his cage and talk for a little while..

Ill be sure to get him some of those treats

 

[julya]

My amazon's favorite toys are his bell and he loves chewing up rolls of toilet paper. It takes him a week or so to chew a roll down to nothing. And I also used a home made pvc T shaped perch to pick him up when he first came to my house, and I still use it sometimes when he is in a bitey mood.