Hello everyone,
I really need some help. I apologize for the lengthy post.
I have an 8 year old female caique parrot who has learned some bad behaviors because of my unintentional reinforcement. I would rush to the cage when she would scream because I live in an apartment with roommates. So, when she wants ANYTHING she screams this horrible loud shriek! I have had her for 8 years so we aren't strangers at all and I believe we are very comfortable with each other. Most of the time she screams because she wants me to let her out. Whenever I am home she is out of her cage. But, when it is time for me to leave she screams for me. Now, it is habit that whenever I come home I take her out. That's how it goes, Peetree screams I rush to figure out what she needs.
Even out of the cage she screams the same noise, a high pitch, repeated shriek that isn't what I would call her normal happy singing. I recently moved back to the apartment after living with my family for 6 months so I understand the adjustment. But, it has been nearly a month.
I thought that maybe she was afraid? I'll come home to find her pressed against the bars shrieking! She was directly in front of a window so I moved her where she has two walls against her cage and still a view of a window.
Today, Peetree stood on perch connected to the outside of the cage and shrieked repeatedly. I waited for her to stop and then went to see what she needed. Usually i pick her up but, this time she refused to step up and began shrieking again! I don't know what to do! I don't want to force her to step up so I give her some time and come back hoping she will step up when I ask. Still she wouldn't step up and continued to scream a repeated high pitch shriek. This makes me wonder if she is screaming for another reason other than wanting attention.
I worry that maybe she's bored so I make sure to always shower with her and sing. We are working on some tricks, right now its fetch. But, even then, she will start hopping around and shrieking. When she was younger she didn't do this. I have so many fun play stands that I intended for her to play on while I did homework. She still shrieks. She seems to be insatiable! Toys don't seem to help either. I have numerous toys that are for shredding, foraging, shaving down the beak, noisy, bouncy, you name it. I even began hand making them to see if perhaps certain aspects of certain toys discouraged her from playing with them.
I give her lots of yummy and healthy food. She is on a pellet diet. I add Avi cakes and fruits and vegetables. If she doesn't want to eat the healthy stuff, I look up a bird recipe to disguise the unfavored food. I was just recently at the vet and he said that Peetree was very healthy and had a very healthy weight and plumage. At this point, I plan on scheduling another vet appointment for a second opinion.
Is this a hormonal thing? Peetree often tries to regurgitate and was successful. Is this something I can wait out while working on not reinforcing screaming?
I am very devoted to making Peetree happy but, I'm not sure what to do. Does anyone have any suggestions?
I really need some help. I apologize for the lengthy post.
I have an 8 year old female caique parrot who has learned some bad behaviors because of my unintentional reinforcement. I would rush to the cage when she would scream because I live in an apartment with roommates. So, when she wants ANYTHING she screams this horrible loud shriek! I have had her for 8 years so we aren't strangers at all and I believe we are very comfortable with each other. Most of the time she screams because she wants me to let her out. Whenever I am home she is out of her cage. But, when it is time for me to leave she screams for me. Now, it is habit that whenever I come home I take her out. That's how it goes, Peetree screams I rush to figure out what she needs.
Even out of the cage she screams the same noise, a high pitch, repeated shriek that isn't what I would call her normal happy singing. I recently moved back to the apartment after living with my family for 6 months so I understand the adjustment. But, it has been nearly a month.
I thought that maybe she was afraid? I'll come home to find her pressed against the bars shrieking! She was directly in front of a window so I moved her where she has two walls against her cage and still a view of a window.
Today, Peetree stood on perch connected to the outside of the cage and shrieked repeatedly. I waited for her to stop and then went to see what she needed. Usually i pick her up but, this time she refused to step up and began shrieking again! I don't know what to do! I don't want to force her to step up so I give her some time and come back hoping she will step up when I ask. Still she wouldn't step up and continued to scream a repeated high pitch shriek. This makes me wonder if she is screaming for another reason other than wanting attention.
I worry that maybe she's bored so I make sure to always shower with her and sing. We are working on some tricks, right now its fetch. But, even then, she will start hopping around and shrieking. When she was younger she didn't do this. I have so many fun play stands that I intended for her to play on while I did homework. She still shrieks. She seems to be insatiable! Toys don't seem to help either. I have numerous toys that are for shredding, foraging, shaving down the beak, noisy, bouncy, you name it. I even began hand making them to see if perhaps certain aspects of certain toys discouraged her from playing with them.
I give her lots of yummy and healthy food. She is on a pellet diet. I add Avi cakes and fruits and vegetables. If she doesn't want to eat the healthy stuff, I look up a bird recipe to disguise the unfavored food. I was just recently at the vet and he said that Peetree was very healthy and had a very healthy weight and plumage. At this point, I plan on scheduling another vet appointment for a second opinion.
Is this a hormonal thing? Peetree often tries to regurgitate and was successful. Is this something I can wait out while working on not reinforcing screaming?
I am very devoted to making Peetree happy but, I'm not sure what to do. Does anyone have any suggestions?