Sorry it took me so long to tell everyone. I didn't get home last night till after 10pm.
I know she isn't a dog. I believe having dealt with behavior problems in our foster dogs has given us a realistic view of this behavior in our parrot. There are usually no quick fixes, unfortunately. I think we would be a lot more frustrated if we didn't already know that fact.
She was quiet until he brought her into the office at the usual time and she suddenly realized I wasn't here. She got very loud and I came home for a quick break in between classes. I was a bit late for one class when I got back. Since it is the first week my instructor let it slide but he told the whole class (while looking at me) that he might hold quizzes at the beginning of class if people were late. No one looked very happy about that so going home during that time can't be a permanent solution.
She started screaming again about 30 minutes after I left. She wasn't "in the zone" ignoring everything but screaming. She was just screaming while she beat everything up. He popped in ear plugs and ignored it. I called, and I couldn't even hear him. She IS very loud. I have heard the macs and toos go at it in the rescue. She has them all beat. I never thought I would ever be able to say that. She is so quiet that you would never think she could make such sonic boom shrieks.
I sent him an email telling him that as soon as she paused for even a few seconds to plop her in the shower and give her a bath. She went to get a drink of water and he scooped her up in a towel and ran to the bathroom with her. She seemed quite suprised he said. She likes taking a bath so he let her get good and soaked. Then she went into her cage again and happily preened herself. She took a nap after that. She started calling for me around the time I came home from class on Monday. They tried giving her fruit, some new toys, her favorite TV show, but she had snapped back into "the zone" and nothing was registering to her. All she was paying attention to was the scream and listening for something or too something they couldn't hear. Once she reaches that state there is nothing you can do that snaps her out of it. After 2 hours of yelling my hubby turned off the lights, covered her early, and went into the back of the house and listened to the TV with headphones. After about 45 minutes she was quiet and went to sleep.
My friend came over to say that her co-worker had told her the bird made noise but she had no idea the bird could be that loud. Since my friend lives right next to us, and is the reason we have KerBear, they are not complaining. I think we now know the reason KerBear was plopped on my door step. There is no way a landlord would allow that screaming. Mrs. Spencer said she was walking her dog and could still hear our big bird two streets over. 
She said at least we didn't have to worry about thieves. No one would want it after hearing all that. (actually, I didn't know any pets had been stolen till she mentioned it 
)
We are walking a fine line here. We have to try and distract and discourage the screaming behavior without giving attention for screaming and encouraging it.
This is so hard. Right now she is good as gold and not making a peep. She is just playing with her toys in her cage and being good as anyone could ask for. We are not upset with her. We are not angry at her. This is not in any way her fault. She might seem like she has always been here, but really she hasn't even been here more then just a few short weeks.
I just wish we could figure out the warning signs of her "in the zone" screaming fits so that they would be interrupted before they happen.
I think we will ignore all screaming while beating up toys. I just don't understand why my husband isn't as good as I am now. She never objected to being with him without me before school started. Then again, I have never been gone as long as I will be on Tue/Thur before either.
I just wish I knew more distraction techniques. New toys, a kong filled with sunbutter, TV and radio, and a bath only work for short periods of time (some don't work at all). Those were the things listed in Well Behaved Parrot.
I called a behavorist on Craiglist and they told me to spray her with a water bottle!
I hung up. Don't anyone try and argue with me either because I won't listen to you. I refuse to punish KerBear or make her afraid of water. 
If anyone has any positive distractions besides food and the ones listed above I would be really grateful.
I am feeling a bit defensive right now from having to defend her to the neighbors. She isn't a bad girl at all. She is sweet and loving as anyone could want.
First, GOOD ON YOU for not listening to someone who is calling themself a behaviorist (which I am sure they aren't) and recommending punishment. It won't work you were smart not to do it. We have all sorts of wannabe dog trainers advertising their hack services on CL, very scary. Anyone who understands behavior will never recommending punishing an animal for having anxiety. Grrrrr
I hope you are keeping a log because there is some progress.
You said she didn't scream until he brought her into the office. Good! It sounds like you have a trigger, can he not bring her into the office? Maybe that is a good place to start.
I think the bath as a reinforcer for being quiet is great AND it keeps her quiet while preening for a while.
I think that the fact that she has screaming episodes where she doesn't totally zone out is good. You are smart to watch for early signs because once the animal goes limbic (or emotional) you probably won't be able to get her back and she won't be cognitive so she won't be able to learn anyway. Keep looking for early signs.
I was thinking maybe rather than you leaving the toys your husband should add some throughout the day so new toys keep coming in. And, have your tried making foraging things like nuts stuck in coffee filters stuck in wiffle balls and things like that where they are different, interesting and highly rewarding? There is a great website called
www.parrotenrichment.com that has tons of great homemade foraging toys and ideas.
Another thought, might not be a good idea, but what if you didn't interact with her at all in the morning and she just stayed covered until you left and your husband uncovered her?
Finally, I would definitely get Barbara Heidenreich's books on behavior. She is fantastic. Also, Susan Friedmans
www.behaviorworks.com website has some good articles. There is also a yahoogroup called ParrotBAS that has mini lessons you can take for free. They teach people how to do behavior analysis which can help solve problems. I am just taking them for continued education but you can take them if you have a specific issue with your bird as well.
Hope this helps some. I know others will be by soon to help also!
I hope your neighbors give you guys time to solve the problem. Is there a way to go about sound proofing the room she's in?
I just think it was nice of them. You never can tell about people. Maybe she just wanted to sleep in tomorrow?
