Do Aratinga Conures screech spontaneously?

[GlassOnion]

Well... my SO did say that he would rather deal with LOUD, HARSH calls rather a bird who can talk. He says animals talking is the creepiest thing in the world and never ever wants a talking bird.

"I'd rather take the loudest bird you can get over the quietest bird who can talk."
Should I bring on the 'toos?

[patdbunny]

He says animals talking is the creepiest thing in the world and never ever wants a talking bird.

I blogged about this!
http://staringatbirdsandgoats.blogspot. ... birds.html

We humans call out "Marco/Polo" to locate each other in the house. The CAGs sometimes will answer
"Polo" in OUR voices, or they'll call us w/ the "Marco".

The male eclectus - OMG! He is CREEPY!! His human coughs and sneezes. And the queer things he says in both adult and kid voices. And he CACKLES in laughter.

Not so creepy when they talk in little radio voices that aren't so human, like the budgies, tiels, ringnecks.

EDIT -
Cute story time to egg you on to getting a sun conure. I don't feel bad since you've heard all the horror and still want one. Actually, I've noticed that if someone's first reaction to the vocalizations is not absolute horror, they really don't mind the vocalizations.

Anyhoo - My first jenday, Cupid, her cage was pretty much open whenever I was home. For all the birds' safety there was the no random roaming rule, so the birds just stayed on, in their cages and playpens. Cupid would wrap herself up in the curtain behind her cage at night to sleep. The only time she ever really broke the no roaming rule was in the mornings when she'd walk across the room (she was housed in my bedroom), climb up my blanket, and snuggle under my chin.

Ducky does that to my daughter. He's within leaping distance of her bed so he jumps and walks up to her head to give her kisses to wake her up.

Is that the most AWESOME way to wake up in the morning, or what?!

[GlassOnion]

That sure does sound creepy.. The thing that creeps me out the most is when I hear soft little voices from this bird's face but the beak doesn't move or open!!

That sounds like the cutest thing in the world, when I do get one eventually I will station it on my bedside table at night..

[kaylayuh]

EDIT -
Cute story time to egg you on to getting a sun conure. I don't feel bad since you've heard all the horror and still want one. Actually, I've noticed that if someone's first reaction to the vocalizations is not absolute horror, they really don't mind the vocalizations.

Anyhoo - My first jenday, Cupid, her cage was pretty much open whenever I was home. For all the birds' safety there was the no random roaming rule, so the birds just stayed on, in their cages and playpens. Cupid would wrap herself up in the curtain behind her cage at night to sleep. The only time she ever really broke the no roaming rule was in the mornings when she'd walk across the room (she was housed in my bedroom), climb up my blanket, and snuggle under my chin.

Ducky does that to my daughter. He's within leaping distance of her bed so he jumps and walks up to her head to give her kisses to wake her up.

Is that the most AWESOME way to wake up in the morning, or what?!

My GCC does something similar. He tends to break out of his cage in the morning before I'm awake and fly to my bed. He'll sit on my head and fall asleep there until I wake up. Apparently this morning, I didn't wake up in time and he flew to my desk. He was sitting there when I woke up looking at me like "were you ever planning on waking up?!?" Very cute. Must be a conure thing.

[Julsiebean]

I LOVE conures!! I had a jenday years ago and he was a screamer. All. Day. At first it was only when he wanted me, or something set him off, OR you know, just being a conure. But as time passed he got SUPER needy, and screamed if he wasn't on my shoulder. He would get extremely jealous and agressive over me and would lunge and attack anyone who came near me. He was housed with my two cockatiels at the time, they were peas and carrots. He loved them and they loved him! Bless his heart though, he was just a screamer. I swear to this day my husband is emotionally scarred from the screaming he did and how agressive he got when anyone came near me. If I even mention a conure my husband gets this glazed over look in his eyes. Ha!

That being said, I think it all boils down to thresholds. I could handle a house full of conures, bring it on baby. My husband cannot. I have to keep this in mind with my flock, because nothing is more miserable then being miserable in your own home.

[patdbunny]

I had a jenday years ago and he was a screamer. All. Day. At first it was only when he wanted me, or something set him off, OR you know, just being a conure. But as time passed he got SUPER needy, and screamed if he wasn't on my shoulder. He would get extremely jealous and agressive over me and would lunge and attack anyone who came near me. He was housed with my two cockatiels at the time, they were peas and carrots. He loved them and they loved him! Bless his heart though, he was just a screamer. I swear to this day my husband is emotionally scarred from the screaming he did and how agressive he got when anyone came near me.

I know exactly what you're talking about. A tiel companion's not going to stop what you went through. What your bird developed was a behavior problem that involved it over bonding with you which caused the excessive screaming and aggression.

I stand by my position that the amount of screaming your bird developed is not normal and a behavioral problem. That's what I meant by they're so loving they're prone to becoming co-dependent. The human needs to teach it that it doesn't need to be attached to your body at all times. The human needs to teach it that when it screams for attention it won't get it. The human needs to teach it that lunging at and biting people are not appropriate behaviors.

[Julsiebean]

I really wish I could have helped my Jenday. I thought I did all the right things. I'd like to have another someday.

[patdbunny]

I really wish I could have helped my Jenday. I thought I did all the right things. I'd like to have another someday.

I know you thought you did all the right things. We all do what we believe is best for our birds. Hugs to you. A bit exciting to know that all the good stuff that we love the little monsters for can be without all the screaming and biting, eh?

Getting it out there that those behaviors are NOT "just the way they are" could potentially save another conure from losing its home.

[Julsiebean]

That is a good point, we need more unbiased and brutally honest information on these birds.

I am not arguing, I just can't think of a better way to word what I am asking, but do you think all behaviors can be changed? That some birds really aren't just screamers? It does give me hope!

[patdbunny]

That some birds really aren't just screamers? It does give me hope!

I do not believe it's normal for the suns/jendays to be "screamers". It's also not realistic to expect them to be quiet all the time.

but do you think all behaviors can be changed?

The bird, yes. Once an established behavioral pattern - it can take months to undo and the bird is more prone to going back to the undesired behaviors as that's what it knows to do. Some people just don't have the patience to rehab their bird. I always tell people who get my birds to call or email me immediately when there's questions or at the first sign of undesired behaviors. Always easier to prevent the behavior from being established than to rehab the bird.

The human. . . That's another story. Some people can't do "tough love". If the bird screams, the person has to go "poor baby" it even though there's nothing wrong. Sometimes you reinforce the undesired behavior and you don't even know it. Sometimes I do it. Ducky knows he can "remote control" me. I'm responsive to him. I have to be very careful about what I'm responsive to and make sure I don't reinforce some undesired behavior.

The human factor is the hardest to change. So, know thy self.