Picasso won't stop 'nail-gunning'

[GCC_Quijote]

So, quick backstory: When Picasso was new to our home (about 2 months old) they were doing construction on the apartment above ours. Consequently one of the very first sounds she learned to mimick was a high powered nail gun.

Well, fast forward a couple of years and she's driving us nuts. she used to do the sound sometimes, but now she does it ALL THE TIME. She won't stop. Talking to her doesn't work. Covering her over doesn't work. Ignoring it doesn't work. Rewarding other sounds doesn't work (she'll often nail-gun when you praise her for other things).

It seems to be her way of throwing a tantrum for not getting her way. For instance, if we've already taken her on a walk today and can't go on another one right now, or if we can't let her out to fly around because we're doing school and can't keep two eyes fully on her (which is absolutely necessary because a couple minute's of inattention can have pretty unfortunate results.)

Soon the semester will be over and finals will be over and I'll have more time to work with her, but if this habit doesn't stop ours will be the land of continual headaches and irritability.

It seems for all the world as though she's trying to punish us until we do what she wants, and that won't work. she's a beautiful bird who gets lots of attention, but we can't just give her her way all the time.


Now, before anyone gets alarmed, we will figure this out no matter what, and nobody is going anywhere. she's staying right where she is.

We just really want to do something about this behavior before it becomes a serious detriment to my grades, or our relationship with Picasso.

 

[Gddmsam]

Boba learned a swear, not from me. I stopped him from saying it by ignoring him when he said it, after a week or so it worked.

 

[Mizzely]

Jingo used to say How Are You about 97 times a day. Drove me nuts. He slowly started saying it less. Once he finds something else he likes better it'll slowly fade, but it'll take a long time

 

[EllaMay]

Does she talk words? I repeat the word or sentences when Ella states them, she has such a large vocabulary now it is unreal, if it is a noise she has picked up I ignore it simple because I like to engage her with talking. I repeat often and praise her, making it fun basically when she talks words so she prefers to do them instead of her multiple noises/sounds she has picked up. Honestly no noise she does bothers me at all. I lived with a very LOUD U2 for 34 years so nothing really bothers me. I actually enjoy all the racket the babes make.

If you show irritation they will pick up on it. I don't find this a behavioral issue to be honest. They are intune to picking up everything they hear and run with it, part of there lovely charm.

 

[GCC_Quijote]

The only behavioral part is that it doesn't seem to be something she just does because she likes it. When she's just chattering it'll only come up occasionally. She seems to do it specifically when she is irritated and/ or not getting her way.

She does talk, though, and we'll see if some other sounds might interest her.

Honestly, the nail gun sound is the only one that I even dislike, and that's only when she does it a ton of times in a row... AND I can usually still manage, but my husband has a concussion (not a serious one, but serious enough to suck) and the nail gun sound has been contributing heavily to splitting headaches.
We've had to suspend her daily walk because its like she could sense his extra vulnerability and started doing it like 5X more often.

She loves my husband, but as the house authority (flock leader) he seems to be the target for all growing birdie related challenges to authority.

Note: We've already started taking your advice! No clue on if its working yet, but we'll keep at it.

 

[JLcribber]

I love the sound of nail guns.

 

[EllaMay]

Happy you are giving it a whirl, it will take time. Ella use to make the Microwave beep everytime it was time to eat, she doesn't anymore, I replaced it with the words num nums coming whenever she beeped she learned it quite fast. lol

 

[EllaMay]

I love the sound of nail guns.

I bet you even hear it in your sleep!