I hate my bird

[Der Blaue Engel]

:cry:

My cockatiel, Imhotep, will not stop screaming. I react in the worst way possible by screaming back. (I know it's reinforcing the behavior, but I can't help it...the sound just makes me lose it.) I have tried covering his cage when he does it, leaving the room, ignoring him while being in the room (which never works for long because the frustration build-up makes my ultimate reaction to it worse), giving him extra attention when he's not screaming. Nothing works.

When he's not screaming, he's a darling, very intelligent bird. I don't really hate him (if I did, I'd just give him away), but he's driving me completely out of my mind, and I don't like myself when I'm screaming back at him. (While typing this short post, I have nearly gone completely round the bend with his screaming interruptions and my over-the-top reactions.)

Any bird people with helpful advice? (No self-righteous criticism about what a terrible pet-owner I am needed, thanks.)

[johnnie]

1. I have two and they do that a lot

I really don't have any real advise except to try to introduce him to new toys. If they can keep busy, they keep quiet.

I warn mine all the time that I am going to go Ozzy Osbourne on their asses.

I am completely sympathetic to what you are going through. When it gets to be too much, I take them down to the studio in the basement and close the door. It is large, so it's not like I am putting them in a closet.

[Der Blaue Engel]

6. I wish I had a smaller cage so that I could move it when he gets crazy

I have two also, it's just the one that does most of the screaming. (I think.)

They actually love being outside on the back deck, and every once in a while I take the whole cage/stand apparatus out there, but it's big, bulky, and heavy, and hard to maneuver around the furniture in my house. I've considered getting them a smaller "play cage." I should probably stop considering and just do it already.

They're both ridiculously afraid of new toys. Anything new that I put in the cage is met with grave suspicion. They sit on the other side of the cage staring at the new toy for days, and eventually they'll get to where they can ignore it, but they almost never play with it. They like their old stand-bys and that's that. Weird little creatures.

[Lance_Boyle]

2. cure here:

+

[SammyWinstonJack]

3. ....

:yoiks:

[Der Blaue Engel]

7. Don't think I haven't fired up the grill on more than one occassion

:evilgrin:

[ceile]

4. Does he do this often?

Maybe he's lonely and needs a girlfriend? Just guessing-I know nothing about birds. :shrug:

[Darth_Kitten]

5. Maybe some distractions like some funky toys.....

try www.parrotdiseperch.com

Maybe check out a Parrot Society near you. (if not try online) maybe they have some helpful tips.

I know Murphee (my tiel) gets really yakky for about a week and then she has eggs and shuts up. For a male tiel, I don't know.

You are not a bad pet owner. They can be a little frustrating at times. :)

[Der Blaue Engel]

24. Thanks, DK

If only mine would just lay an egg and shut up. :D

[sarge43]

8. If he's over a year and half old, he

may have a case of unrequited love, better known as the hots. Try one of those soft toys or cuddle blankets; my maniacal toon finds mmmm relief with his soft toy.

Look around at yard sales and, if you have one, the local recycling center for a smaller cage. Even pet stores which sometimes sell flawed, but usable, ones at a discount. When he gets wound up, putting him in another room will save your sanity.

[WilliamPitt]

9. Here

Click click boom. New hat.

:)

Kidding. I know nothing of birds. Good luck.

[Blue_Roses]

10. That's a beautiful bird

I have two parakeets that fight and squawk non-stop:banghead: I know what you mean. I put their cage out on the patio every morning until dusk. Then when they come in they're quiet.

I love 'em though...

[Der Blaue Engel]

11. I just dragged the cage out to the deck

and now they're quietly enjoying the sunshine as if they were the sweetest birds ever to grace the planet.

It's definitely time to get a small, portable cage, because that was a major feat, and now I'm covered in splashed bird water and bits of detritus, as is the path through the house.

[FloridaJudy]

12. My ex-husband solved that one

By leaving the window open one day when our cockatiel was out of her cage. I don't recommend it, however.

Speaking of cockatiels, how do you keep them from pecking at skin blemishes? I've had two, and they always try to perform surgery on my moles while perched on my shoulder. Annoying - and painful! - habit.

[Der Blaue Engel]

26. I have long hair (which Immy likes to groom), so most of my skin is fairly protected

But he does go for any jewelry I have around my neck or in my ears. He even cracked through a garnet bead on a chain once, in about half a second. He seemed to think it was a tasty berry. :)

[Darth_Kitten]

27. Mine tries to pick my nose.........

ewwwhhh!!! :)

Guess they like to preen us. :)

[idgiehkt]

13. My cockatiel is very similar in appearance

I am not sure what you mean by 'screaming' though. The only time my bird does that is if he is scared...he sometimes sleeps standing on my hip at night (I sleep on my side) and if I roll over too fast he will screech and act p.o.'d, but even then it is not that loud. I wonder if your bird has figured out he gets to go outside if he 'screams' enough. My bird only does that and his little 'biting' gesture when he's not liking my plans for him, but he's out of his cage all day so that doesn't happen that much; he usually gets to do what he wants to do.

I know what you mean about new objects, though. I can't bring anything onto my screen porch or in my cabin without him completely freaking out. New objects really bother him...the lastest was a new vacuum cleaner and he was not pleased, lol. Sometimes it really worries me how much of a reaction he has to new objects, he flies all over the place making his upset noises.

He does carry on sometimes whistling like crazy and usually if I listen very closely I can hear what it is that he is reacting to, usually another bird far off or a radio or something. Could there be some sound in your environment that maybe you can't hear that your bird is reacting to?

[Der Blaue Engel]

14. He makes a high-pitched, ear-piercing elongated chirp

Repeatedly. For hours. It's the reason my sister was eager to get rid of him when I took him in. He had taken to imitating their telephone's electronic ring to get attention, because he figured out that they came running whenever the phone made that noise.

When I brought him home, I had a lot more time to spend with him than I do now. He didn't make the telephone noise at all after he'd been with me for a few weeks, and he began developing quite a vocabulary, which my sister couldn't believe, since he'd never talked to them. He had obviously been starving for attention.

But in recent years, in addition to having a much more demanding job, I've added another cat to the household, preventing him from getting as much out-of-the-cage time as he used to, because the cat is a determined little predator, unlike my first cat, who used to let the bird walk on her.

I then took in another male cockatiel to keep him company, but the two of them pretty much ignore each other. However, ever since the addition of the second cockatiel, Immy has been much more demanding of my attention, and he has taken to shrieking again; not quite the telephone noise, but something similar, at painful decibels. If I had been better at ignoring it when he started up again, I don't think it would have gotten this bad, but he truly seems to enjoy the reaction he gets.

If he was able to spend all day out of the cage, I'm sure he would be a much happier bird, but it just isn't possible. Your bird is lucky to have that environment.

[idgiehkt]

16. sounds like a very gregarious fellow

my bird does make a funny loud chirp and rubs himself against his play gym occasionally. I posted about it on here once and someone told me he was masturbating, which I found disturbing, lol. He just started this behavior about 6 months ago which is strange because I've had him since 2001 and he's never done it before...he does kind of chirp and screech while he's doing it, I'd forgotten about that. He used to be paired with a conure, who dominated him and since that experience (my conure passed away) he's been alone. I didn't want to risk pairing him with a bird that would be dominant since he was so miserable previous. He has a rabbit that lives with him and they tolerate each other. I'd hoped they would somehow bond but they keep a distance but at least he's not alone when I am not there.

I'd give anything to have a cockatiel that talks. Your bird sounds like one that is extremely intelligent. I played bird music sounds for my conure and that helped...I recently uploaded these
http://www.mbr-pwrc.usgs.gov/id/songwav.html
you have to upload them one at a time but then you can start play and your music player on the computer will play one after the other, that would give his mind something to focus on, learning each individual birdsong. My conure's favorite was the whiporwill, he loved it and he could do a pretty good imitation.

[Der Blaue Engel]

18. My other cockatiel is, um...fond...of his perch as well

:D

Lucille (he doesn't know he's a boy) has a favorite toy, a yellow die (as in dice), that he grabs and holds onto with one foot while he humps the perch making increasingly excited noises. It is kind of embarrassing. lol.

Thanks for the link. I'll check it out.

[MonkeyFunk]

15. I used to have a cockatiel

he didn't scream much, but once in awhile he'd get in a mood.

As you know, the worst thing you can do is scream back - that's great entertainment for a bird, and they love to see you get excited - so don't do it. Ever.

I had a tape of birds whistling various songs that I'd put on, and that seemed to calm him down - he'd listen and learn a few songs at the same time.

[Der Blaue Engel]

17. The bird songs is a good idea

He loves to imitate new sounds.

I know I shouldn't scream back. I really wish I could control the impulse, but he just keeps at it, louder and more ear-piercing, until I explode. He's very clever. x(

[pitohui]

19. if i lived closer i would be willing to take the bird

i don't know what else to suggest, to me cockatiel screaming is not too perturbing but i'm probably half deaf and i have other parrots so it is likely i don't even hear it, i'm an expert at tuning things out


in my experience if a bird is screaming then you start whispering back and pretty soon the bird catches on and uses the indoor voice

however most cockatiels are not screamers nor are they vocal, so i wonder if there is an environmental noise problem

don't have radio/teevee/other noise sources going all day long

if it is not you it could be a neighbor

hmmm

i have to say i would be looking for other noise sources in the neighborhood that you have tuned out but the tiel can't tune out

at the end of the day i've adopted tiels and would be willing to do so again but i'm not seeing how to overcome the geographical distance

[Der Blaue Engel]

22. I wouldn't give him up

I'm just frustrated. I'm pretty sure he's just bored and trying to get my attention. He doesn't seem at all unhappy when he's shrieking, just kind of doing "Hey! Look at me! Mom! Mom! Hey! Look what I can do!"

[u4ic]

20. Imhotep is a cutie

I used to have the same problem with my tiel. I think it was because we had moved around a lot, and he started to feel kind of insecure.

It took a long time to undo the screaming by ignoring the behaviour. I got some earplugs, that's how I made it bearable.

Good luck. I was at my wit's end with it once, too, even though I loved my little birdie. :hi:

[Der Blaue Engel]

23. Earplugs...that may be the ticket

:hi:

[mopinko]

21. answer him

he is asking you where you are and what you are doing. whistle back to him, sing a little ditty, or whatever little thing you are teaching him. i agree about a tape of some sort. an interesting one is http://www.thewhistler.com/index.htm
i have one of his, and it is something different. there are other birdie discs out there.
also, give him a shower with a spray bottle. sing for a few minutes while you do it. he will start preening and forget to scream.
also, is there anything that is making noise that he is trying to talk to? one of my parrots always tries to carry on a conversation with the washing machine.
i understand. i would never have a tiel, cuz that contact call plucks my last nerve.

[Rabrrrrrr]

25. Put him on Redstone's porch

:rofl: