Nonstop Screaming

[AJ & Lauren]

Hi, my name is lauren and i live with my family in Ontario. We recently bought a 12 month old Sun Conure named AJ. He is very sweet and has bonded with the family, though we have encountered a problem. The problemis that anytime somebody is in the kitchen (which is in view of his cage) he will scream for attention which is normal (from what i have read) but when they leave he screams non stop and its enough to give anybody a headache. We love him very much and understand that this is a natural behaviour, but we would like to know how to reduce this. We have been doing this for now: we will only enter the kitchen when he is quiet (if possible) and we always leave as soon as he screams, then we re-enter when he is quiet, but this isnt working very well (only a little). Thanks in Advance!
-Lauren & AJhttp://theparrotforum.com/posting.php?mode=post&f=11#

[laducockatiel]

Hiya there, welcome to the forum.

It sounds like your bird gets bored when you leave, therefore it screams. The best way to solve this, is to make some foraging toys for it. Here's the link to a helpful thread about introducing your parrot to foraging: http://theparrotforum.com/viewtopic.php?f=22&t=6961

[cml]

Pick one of his cute noises, and respond only to that. Shower him with attention when he does it and be damned sure to run to him the minute he does it so he gets it was that noise you are rewarding. Ignore the screaming competely.

Just ignoring screaming and walking in when he is quiet isnt always enough, it didnt work with our amazon. We instead did what was suggested here on the forums, and started rewarding a specific noise, in our case a wolf-whistle. The screaming is almost competely gone and replaced with whistling, which is much preferable, dont you think =)?

[macbrush]

My grey Spencer also make noises whenever no one is in his room. He made all sounds he possibly could like a looped tape, so it's not too bad. But still some screams in between which isn't very nice in early morning of an holiday for our neighbors.

We solved this by responded only to a few tunes that he whistle, by responding I meant we actually just whistle the same tune back without actually let him see us. The effect was amazing, now he mostly just stick with those tunes as flock calling, as well as this actually reduced the frequency of him calling, probably now he understands we are always nearby.

[MeanDonnaJean]

We...started rewarding a specific noise, in our case a wolf-whistle. The screaming is...replaced with whistling, which is much preferable, dont you think =)?

Hmmmm, in Zoey's case, which is when she's makin' that non-stop high shriek constant loud wolf whistle when she wants ME, all I can say is.......

........that's debatable!

[AJ & Lauren]

Lol thanks guys! illbe sure to use all your suggestions posting.php?mode=reply&f=11&t=7134#
-Lauren & AJhttp://theparrotforum.com/posting.php ... 11&t=7134#

[Kenny]

When I'm alone in the house with Puppy the Senegal I use earplugs to help ignore screaming.
I find the foam ones to be the most effective and comfortable.

Also he's not screaming from neglect on my part.
I give Puppy TONS of attention and new toys and branches to chew chew chew.
There are perches all over the house so he gets some change of scenery.
Still, he would prefer to be surgically grafted to my body and for me to quit my job and be his playtoy 24/7.
Sorry, Puppy. SOMEBODY's got to work to pay for these $500 cages, vet bills, and toys you devour.

When I'm not alone in the house I have to stop the screaming by giving Puppy even more of what he wants.
Keeping the peace with the SO is SO worth it.
He hates a screaming bird and cannot tune it out like I can.
So it's a balancing act between doing what's best for Puppy long term and keeping the human happy.

Another thing I do to reduce the screaming, which only happens when I'm in another room but Puppy knows I'm there, is to just hum, talk, sing or make cute little pleasant sounds that I'd like him to copy.
When Puppy can hear my voice (even I'm just reciting the alphabet) he seems more likely to calm down and be quiet.