Birdie Babysitter DVD

[andor]

Don't buy this.

As some of you may know, I've recently had to move from a house I owned with my ex to an apartment due to some life changes. Jude is with me, the other birds are with the ex. Jude was the PERFECT apartment bird. He would mumble to himself, play quietly, eat, and wolf whistle once in awhile. I decided to give him a distraction one day at work and put the Birdie Babysitter DVD in for him on loop.

Now he screams like a cockatoo. I'm being faced with eviction if I cannot get it "under control". Do not buy this DVD.

I'm trying to "mix things up" a bit more and provide more distractions so he forgets about the screaming noises, however, I'm not entirely confident I can break him of it before I get evicted.

 

[Saemma]

? I'm a bit confused, does he still seem like a happy guy, yet has cockatoo noise added to his repertoire or does he seem distressed along with making these sounds? How often is he noisy?

 

[Reeny]

Maybe he is lonely and missing the rest of his flock!

 

[Momto3boys]

I think what he's trying to say is there is a screaming cockatoo on this DVD and now Jude, his grey has picked up the screaming cockatoo.

Jude is mimicking what he heard on the DVD.

Oh Matt, I really hope you dont get evicted....you've been through enough

 

[andor]

? I'm a bit confused, does he still seem like a happy guy, yet has cockatoo noise added to his repertoire or does he seem distressed along with making these sounds? How often is he noisy?

Same personality, just with screaming cockatoo added to his mumbling. Yesterday he started at 4:30 in the morning. It doesn't matter if he's out and getting attention or not, he's still screaming.

 

[andor]

Maybe he is lonely and missing the rest of his flock!

I'm sure that's part of it, but these are noises from the DVD and not ones he would have heard before.

 

[Saemma]

Ah! So, it's frequent *screaming* part that's the issue? That's would be a toughie to deal with. Thanks for the heads up about this situation and hope the situation improves. How much screaming does he resort to when he has you for company?

 

[Saemma]

Same personality, just with screaming cockatoo added to his mumbling. Yesterday he started at 4:30 in the morning. It doesn't matter if he's out and getting attention or not, he's still screaming.

Ok. How about you? Do these noises bother you too? If so, I'd purchase some hearing protection for yourself so you can be successful at ignoring when he makes these noises and show him that he won't get any positive or negative reaction from you. Immediately lavishing lots of praise when he is quiet is a good idea too. When any bird around here screams, I sometimes go up close to them and whisper back .."why are you screaming?".

For some reason this really gets their attention and they usually stop. If I come up with any more ideas that I think may help, I'll add to your thread. So, sorry that you're dealing with this. How long has this screaming been going on? Just a few days?

 

[DQTimnehs]

I have that DVD and was worried about that happening so never left it on for the birds. They change scenes when screaming starts but not soon enough.I'm sorry you are facing this, Matt! I hope you don't get evicted. I don't know how many birds you had but is there any chance you could take 1 more of them so Jude isn't alone? Or consider getting a companion? Quack used to do an annoying high pitched screech whenever I put her in her cage when she was the only bird but stopped when Darwin came.

 

[DQTimnehs]

Oh you can also try putting dark curtains on the window so he will sleep in later. Mine don't wake up until 8 using them.

 

[andor]

Ok. How about you? Do these noises bother you too? If so, I'd purchase some hearing protection for yourself so you can be successful at ignoring when he makes these noises and show him that he won't get any positive or negative reaction from you. Immediately lavishing lots of praise when he is quiet is a good idea too. When any birdaround here screams, I sometimes go up close to them and whisper back .."why are you screaming?".

For some reason this really gets their attention and they usually stop. If I come up with any more ideas that I think may help, I'll add to your thread. So, sorry that you're dealing with this. How long has this screaming been going on? Just a few days?

Yes, just a few days. Should I also get hearing protection for my neighbors so they don't bang on my door and then provide him with a reaction...? That's the problem! The screaming started last Saturday. I put the DVD in for him during the day on that Friday.

I can tell before he's going to start because he strings it in with other much less bothersome vocalizations. If I interrupt him before he gets to the undesirable noises then he'll quiet down. I can't control if he does it while I'm gone, though.

 

[andor]

I have that DVD and was worried about that happening so never left it on for the birds. They change scenes when screaming starts but not soon enough.I'm sorry you are facing this, Matt! I hope you don't get evicted. I don't know how many birds you had but is there any chance you could take 1 more of them so Jude isn't alone? Or consider getting a companion? Quack used to do an annoying high pitched screech whenever I put her in her cage when she was the only bird but stopped when Darwin came.

I can't get another bird, it's written in my lease that I can have ONE animal.

 

[Saemma]

I have that DVD and was worried about that happening so never left it on for the birds. They change scenes when screaming starts but not soon enough.I'm sorry you are facing this, Matt! I hope you don't get evicted. I don't know how many birds you had but is there any chance you could take 1 more of them so Jude isn't alone? Or consider getting a companion? Quack used to do an annoying high pitched screech whenever I put her in her cage when she was the only bird but stopped when Darwin came.

I really do get the impression that when parrots are used to having company for the majority of the time, especially parrot company. it's very challenging to be *alone* for long periods. At this point, none of my parrots like being the only parrot in a room for too long. Perhaps when things start to stabilize in your life, consider welcoming a second parrot?

 

[Saemma]

I can't get another bird, it's written in my lease that I can have ONE animal.

Oh, ok.. I understand.

 

[Merlie]

I hate that DVD!! I got it thinking it would be cool to have the birds hear other birds .. yeah right!! All it did was make every single one of my birds go ape $hit. They wanted to completely drown out the DVD and then some.

Now, we stick to the music channels on TV.

 

[Saemma]

Yes, just a few days. Should I also get hearing protection for my neighbors so they don't bang on my door and then provide him with a reaction...? That's the problem! The screaming started last Saturday. I put the DVD in for him during the day on that Friday.

I can tell before he's going to start because he strings it in with other much less bothersome vocalizations. If I interrupt him before he gets to the undesirable noises then he'll quiet down. I can't control if he does it while I'm gone, though.

I used to live in an apt building where there was absolutely no sound proofing. When Mabel came along I was quite worried because she is capable of being crazy loud and I remember when I first heard her screams, I thought the noise was going to cause the door of her room to fall off and Sachi and Emma used to literally fall off of their perches even though they were in a separate room. For a little while, I used to cringe and worry about what my neighbours were thinking and how they felt. Turned out that they didn't mind one bit and YES, they did hear my parrots and even thought the noises and sounds were cool. I only knew this because when I managed to bump into each and everyone of them I would ask them politely.

In the past I had also always made a point to be personable around them because I knew that I'd be at their mercy when it came to the noises my parrots made.

Anyway, perhaps consider speaking to your new neighbours who are close by in order to demonstrate that you are very aware, and sympathetic about Jude's annoying sounds and are working on improving the matter. MOst people are quite reasonable and appreciate this gesture of courtesy. I know in my case, it helped put my fears of being evicted for noise to rest and was never concerned about it after I knew how my neighbours felt about the situation and about me. Wish I had approached all of them sooner

 

[merlinsmom13]

I agree that you should make sure your anxiety isn't playing into this problem. He has to know that you're unsettled & reacting to it. Jude shhhhhhhh

 

[macawpower58]

What about changing to another CD? One that has say whistling? Or opera? Something new (and quieter) for him to hear and copy?

 

[Aah061211]

I say talk with your neighbors and apartment manager first... Loud bird screams are normal.... Neighbors who complain are just plain annoying

Sent from my Galaxy SIII