Behaviour problem with a male cockatiel

[Ashckroft]

Hello bird lovers,

I have two cockatiels (male). For some time now I have problem with one of them. The youngest one is excessively screaming all over the day and stops only while im with him. The moment I have to walk away he starts again. My birds cages are located in the bedroom, as this is the most quiet place in the apartment, but whenever we are home they roam freely here and there. During night time, the moment I go in or out of their room the same thing happens... few loud squicks until im in the room. This is not the only problem... the bird is non-stop chasing my other cockatiel who is the older male. Since the little guy became sexualy mature my older tiel stopped being vocal so often and I rarely hear him sing. I am consurned about my bigger parrot as he seems stressed over the little aggressor. They are both perfectly healthy (going to the vet twice a year), eat only recommended foods and despite the things I mentioned they still have a connection in between and call each other at the end of the day.

The first time the younger one expressed bad behaviour was when i was giving them millet 1-2 years ago and he got angry, because I was feeding the other parrot too (I'm mentioning this in any case).

So far:
1. I've tried to separate them, but they call each other at the end of the day and can't make them stay in different rooms. PS: When I separate them I noticed that the bigger tiel starts to sing again.
2. I've tried with the "more dark time" method for hormones and it only makes him stop screaming for the duration only.
3. I've tried to stay more with him and from time to time this does show some effect , but its not viable.

Background:

At the moment its a bid hard for me to be at home , because I'm biotech eng. and from the begining of the year I'm working in different country and I spend half of the month there and half at my home. My gf is pharmacist and takes 12h shifts 3 times a week and she is home the rest of the time.
I have my first parrot from 2018 and the second 2019. The problem started arround the 2021.

 

[sunnysmom]

How old is your youngest? I suspect he's going through basically birdie puberty and you have to just ride it out. Are they in separate cages? Also, you probably know this but it's important not to reinforce the screaming. That means no reaction at all to it. Don't go back to the room, don't leave the room, don't look at him. When he quiets down, then he can get attention or a treat.

 

[Ashckroft]

Thanks for the fast reply! They have two separate cages, 2 playgrounds and some toys in the room. The younger one is 3 years old at the moment. I'm trying to do the things you mentioned , but its a bit hard. I've seen people to comment on the internet that in those scream they put the on "jail time". I don't belive that works , but should I try?

 

[tka]

No, a time out or "jail time" is still a reaction.

How much time do they have out of their cage in hours? What does their routine look like - when do they wake up, get time out of the cage, go to bed? What happens on days when you're away and your girlfriend is working a twelve hour shift?

Are they flighted or clipped?

Do they play with toys and forage?

Do you do any training with them?

How do you interact with them? How does your girlfriend interact with them? Has either bird shown courtship behaviour to a human?

https://pamelaclarkonline.com/screaming

 

[Ashckroft]

How much time do they have out of their cage in hours?What does their routine look like - when do they wake up, get time out of the cage, go to bed? What happens on days when you're away and your girlfriend is working a twelve hour shift?


- They are free to roam through the day.
-They wake up arround 7 o'clock in the morning. Some of the time we kept dark until 10 am (the vet said, because of hormones)
-They go to bed arround 7-8 PM.
-When she is working she change food and water around 7 am and takes some time with them ( arround 10min she said)
-When she is not working she does the same morning routine,takes them for few hours arround the apartment, baths once a week,

NOTE: she said the little guy is chasing the other parrot in the morning and then settles down latter on. She told me he is screaming more when I'm at home. I also noticed that he is kinda obsessed with me - always wanna come to my showder , flies to me the moment I come back to my country and enter the door.

Are they flighted or clipped?
-No they have never been clipped.

Do they play with toys and forage?
- The younger one have interest in some toys , but not often, roams a lot exploring stuff and forage.
- The older one is more of a chill guy - he likes to sit with us, sing from time to time when he is not with the other parrot and chill. He also likes watching outside the window and get scritches. He does not have interest in any kind of toys at all.. only human contact and he doesn't require a lot of attention to be happy.

Do you do any training with them?
- I have tried for 2 years, but so far I've managed to teach the older one to come for a scritch and the younger to fly to me. I've tried everything on youtube so far.

How do you interact with them? How does your girlfriend interact with them? Has either bird shown courtship behaviour to a human?
- Well I usually take them along with me in the house, watching and working on PC and so on.I talk to them, whistle... pet the older one. I try not to force any jealousy, because the younger one is a problem. Before I used to give them millets , but he started beeing aggressive towards it the moment I try to feed the other parrot. If you put lettuce on the top of the cage he gets angry in the same way.
- She gives them vegies, attention, plays with them, takes them arround the house, plays music.

-The older one does not show any courtship at all. Before we got the other one he had very basic routine - wakes up, sing two hours, preen all day , sings again one hour before night time and goes to bed.
-The little one shows courtship behaviour a lot to different objects and mostly me and her.

Both the parrots are like perfeclty opposite. Their behaviour have absolutely nothing in common. I can try to train the younger and I usually have success, but he doesnt like to be touched or taking bath, he is the more vocal one, likes to wander arround. The older like more human physical contact, but he is solid calm like solid solid. Only 5 min of contact with him and he is happy the whole day and thats it.