shreeking

[Berrygood]

I am new to the forum and a new owner of a 2 year old senegal parrot. My daughters and I are having a great time with him and between the three of us he is out of his cage often and gets plenty of love and affection. However, if we are not paying attention to him he starts shreeking. Loudly! We try to ignore it so he doesn't think it will get him the attention he wants, but it can go on for an hour. I have read that senegals are quiet. Is there a reason for this behavior and is there a way to stop it? I don't mind whistling or birdy talk, but this is very loud and annoying.

[liz]

whisper

[Naurthon]

Nikko, my black-capped conure can scream very loudly at times, too. I found that it wasn't enough to just ignore him, I had to give him a replacement behavior to use when he wanted attention, one that I wouldn't mind hearing and that I would respond to, so I taught him to say "I love you". Now when he screeches he just gets ignored, but when he says, "I love you" I say, "I love you" back to him. He gets the attention he wants and I get a peaceful home (and who minds being told "I love you" over and over again?)

Incidentally, Nikko and Dante, my CAG, will now say "I love you" back and forth to each other over and over again. It's very cute!

[Cage Cleaner]

Nikko, my black-capped conure can scream very loudly at times, too. I found that it wasn't enough to just ignore him, I had to give him a replacement behavior to use when he wanted attention, one that I wouldn't mind hearing and that I would respond to, so I taught him to say "I love you". Now when he screeches he just gets ignored, but when he says, "I love you" I say, "I love you" back to him. He gets the attention he wants and I get a peaceful home (and who minds being told "I love you" over and over again?)

Incidentally, Nikko and Dante, my CAG, will now say "I love you" back and forth to each other over and over again. It's very cute!

I absolutely agree with this. My GCC had a bit of a screaming problem as well when I first got him. After he learned to speak a few words, he started using them to call me instead of screaming.

How I got it to work was I would call his name, "Luo Shuo" whenever he was quiet, and also to let him know I was around. I also wouldn't respond to any screaming, but when he used more quiet sounds to make noise, I would respond. Eventually he understood that using only quiet conure sounds and/or speaking would get him a response in return.

So now his contact calling sounds something like this: "Luo Shuo. Come here. Step up. Step up. Good bird." with chirping in between. Heh.