HELP!!

[mymickey]

I just recently purchased my senegal. I didn't even know what kind of bird he was yesterday! Anyway, I decided to get a bird after years of not having any pets. I had one when I was a child, and the bird and I bonded so well. He was like my only little best friend! I missed that, so I decided to get a parrot again.
OH BOY, did I know what I was getting myself into??! The previous owner never told me about how noisy and loud he is!! He never stops, and yells and yells! He has a very loud sound and I live in an apartment building. I am a student and it is very hard for me to concentrate sometimes because he just goes on and on and on!
I am considering giving him up, before I get a letter from my landlord with neighbor complaints! I donm't know what to do to keep him quiet. My other bird was never this loud!
I am really, really torn on what I should do! I want to build a strong bond with him, he is a 1 1/2 years old, but I can't have him being this loud!
I take him out, put him on the floor so he can walk around, put him on my shoulder sometimes, but eventually he starts making noise again. Not only this, but everytime I take him out, he pukes! Everytime! Makes me not want to take him out sometimes, because I am afraid he is going to puke on anything he walks on!
Any suggestions?????

[captwest]

Have you contacted the previous owner,maybe they can help you work out a solution.My first knee-jerk reaction is that this isn't the right bird for your situation. I'm not saying that you couldn't work things out but it will take time, patience and some understanding neighbors. I'm not a senegal person and maybe someone who is can offer better advice.

[patdbunny]

I don't like the puking. The bird could be sick. If he's not puking, but regurging for you, then he wants to bond with you.

[GlassOnion]

Excessive screaming is a very difficult and wearing situation that is often very hard to fix. As a new bird owner, I really honestly don't feel like this is the right bird for you. I'm a strong believer that beginner bird owners should not tackle rescue birds or birds with behavioral issues- but buy a socialized handfed baby from a reputable breeder.

Breaking bad habits is a very enduring process and it takes tons of patience and time. I hope that soon this issue can improve, but otherwise finding a more experienced owner may be the best choice. We wouldn't want you to run into problems with your landlord or with valuable studying time because of the screaming.

The senegal parrot along with other members of the poicephalus are noted for being quiet and generally not developing serious screaming habits. It is unfortunate to hear of your situation.

If you have no progress sometime soon, think it would be best for you to find it a good home, and then do lots of research to find the ideal species for you, ask lots of questions on this forum, then locate a reliable breeder from whom you can buy a handfed baby.

[liz]

I must disagree. There are so many birds out there from loving homes that are about to loose there homes. I have only been actually searching for a few weeks. There are so many stories of people who are old or ill and can't take care of them anymore. Hilda is in a shelter.
Cindy's human took her to college with her. Her human just doesn't have enough time to take care of her. She is selling her cheap with cage and toys in hope of getting her a good home. There are many in shelters that have been fostered to learn there personality.
I know this may step on some toes but if you buy from a breeder you perpetuate the situation.
You have a problem. If you don't time the time and patients to work with that bird no one else will.
It will end up at a shelter or worse a BREEDER.
Liz

[mymickey]

Thank you all for the replies....

[captwest]

Hey MY Mickey, at the risk of derailing this thread i would like to offer this little bit of insight.You are to be commended for attempting to rehome/rescue an older , unwanted bird. However your's is a classic example of the problems one can encounter and the cycle of rehome rehome ,rehome that occurs when people use their emotions to make decisions instead of common sense. "Glassonion" offered good advice that makes sense to some one in your situation.Others on the other hand are playing on your emotions and only advice is to do exactly what you did , and we see how well that's working out. Good luck and maybe common sense will serve new bird owners better than knee jerk emotional reactions.Maybe a young bird from a breeder that is malleable to your situation would give you the knowledge and experience that would make rehoming an older bird possible in the future.Please let us know if there's anything we can do to help your situation.

[entrancedbymyGCC]

I have to agree with the Cap'n here. I might go for a rehome if we get another bird, but as with horses, I don't think I'd recommend it the first time out, and probably not the second time out either, and certainly not if I wasn't prepared to spend some real time working on problems.

That said, it is a bit of a tough choice at this point. I guess the screaming could be contact calling for the missing flock and may die out after a bit. It also sounds as if he hasn't had a vet check recently, and if you do persevere with him, you probably want to make sure nothing is physically wrong.

I certainly don't believe in humans being cavalier with the lives and well-being of their pets. On the other hand, ultimately it does no one any good if the human is miserable and, quite honestly, we have companion animals in our lives to enrich our lives. Sometimes we need to take our own well-being into consideration and say goodbye, doing our best to set up our feathered or furred charge for future happiness but knowing things may not work out. This is not the same as someone adopting a kitten on a whim and then tossing it out at 11 months because it isn't cute anymore, and it should not be painted as being as irresponsible as that. MHO.

[sidech]

I have to agree with the Cap'n here. I might go for a rehome if we get another bird, but as with horses, I don't think I'd recommend it the first time out, and probably not the second time out either, and certainly not if I wasn't prepared to spend some real time working on problems.

That said, it is a bit of a tough choice at this point. I guess the screaming could be contact calling for the missing flock and may die out after a bit. It also sounds as if he hasn't had a vet check recently, and if you do persevere with him, you probably want to make sure nothing is physically wrong.

I certainly don't believe in humans being cavalier with the lives and well-being of their pets. On the other hand, ultimately it does no one any good if the human is miserable and, quite honestly, we have companion animals in our lives to enrich our lives. Sometimes we need to take our own well-being into consideration and say goodbye, doing our best to set up our feathered or furred charge for future happiness but knowing things may not work out. This is not the same as someone adopting a kitten on a whim and then tossing it out at 11 months because it isn't cute anymore, and it should not be painted as being as irresponsible as that. MHO.

Agreed ! I think you need to do a minimum before deciding what to do next. Bring the bird to a vet, give it ample time to settle in and adjust, good food, enough time to sleep, human interaction if he will have it and so fort. But in the end, you can't live a miserable life for the next 25 years because this bird needs special care that you cannot provide... It is sad, and you probably should not have rescued this bird, but that doesn't mean it can't be changed if all your attemps to maket the bird happy have failed.

Good luck !

[mymickey]

YES,
You guys are right. I got my previous bird when he was just a baby. He didn't even have feathers yet! So I guess that's why it was much easier to handle him. Him and I communicated so well. I am not sure what Mickey wants sometimes, and it frustrates me. I have to come over to him like every 5 minutes. I try to take him out and sometimes, and he refuses! He runs away from me, yet when I walk away, he starts to make noise again! So I come over again, and he rans away.

I called the previous owner for advice, and she says he was never this loud. At the same time, he was outside though in a fenced in backyard, with a buddy that he grew up with. May be he misses his little friend. I'm not sure.

I've made up my mind. I have to let him go :-/