Barnaby Rose
Strolling the yard
- Joined
- 5/28/16
- Messages
- 120
- Real Name
- Barnaby
Hi guys.
It has been a while since I have posted (probably a good thing), but here I am again and I need some help.
My little man Oliver (he is a Timneh African Grey), is about two years old now (yes, I know, the terrible twos)... and is becoming a little heck*** DEMON with his screaming, and I need to recoup and get some advice before I blow my head off.
So this has been an issue now for about two months, and as far as I am aware we are doing everything right - which I will outline below. To sum it up, he just will not stop screaming. He screams to come out of the cage, he screams when he is hungry or wants food, he screams for attention, and sometimes he just screams for seemingly no reason whatsoever. The screaming is not the same as the baby noises, which we have had a problem with before (and since solved), but more actual screaming/squawking/yelling.
I NEVER take him out of the cage when he is screaming, we wait, ignoring him completely until he quiets down (which yes, he eventually does, but sometimes not for EVER), and then we take him out, praise him for being quiet, and reward him for it.
I have taken him to the vet twice now, he is just fine (health wise), his diet and frequency of diet is almost perfect, he is not under fed or 'thinks he is under fed', and once I do take him out and reward him, he is basically silent the rest of the day.
He is out of the cage over 6 hours a day, has more toys and foraging equipment than any bird I have ever seen, an entire room to play safely, plus a few hours every single night with us in our living room.
He gets 9-11 hours of sleep every single night depending on when we get up (or when he stops screaming in the morning once he hears us), and I have been told by the vet that it should not be a sleep issue.
So, my question is, am I missing something? I know that birds experience hormones and changes in their body and behavior just like kids going through puberty, and I have been told also that sometimes there is 'nothing I can do', and I just need to 'wait him out', but I just like can't except that. The level and frequency in which he screams his brains out (literally an hour plus at times), before going 60-90 seconds of silent and being rewarded, is literally making us miserable. Our neighbors have complained countless times, I have 'sound proofed' the room as best I can, but I am running out of options and ideas so I am asking for help or advice.
Any and all feedback is greatly greatly appreciated, I am happy to answer any other questions that anyone may have or anything I can do to help warrant an effective treatment for this issue, I am willing to do. I will never give up on my little man no matter what, it should go without saying but I just want to make that clear right off the bat.
Thank you for reading.
It has been a while since I have posted (probably a good thing), but here I am again and I need some help.
My little man Oliver (he is a Timneh African Grey), is about two years old now (yes, I know, the terrible twos)... and is becoming a little heck*** DEMON with his screaming, and I need to recoup and get some advice before I blow my head off.
So this has been an issue now for about two months, and as far as I am aware we are doing everything right - which I will outline below. To sum it up, he just will not stop screaming. He screams to come out of the cage, he screams when he is hungry or wants food, he screams for attention, and sometimes he just screams for seemingly no reason whatsoever. The screaming is not the same as the baby noises, which we have had a problem with before (and since solved), but more actual screaming/squawking/yelling.
I NEVER take him out of the cage when he is screaming, we wait, ignoring him completely until he quiets down (which yes, he eventually does, but sometimes not for EVER), and then we take him out, praise him for being quiet, and reward him for it.
I have taken him to the vet twice now, he is just fine (health wise), his diet and frequency of diet is almost perfect, he is not under fed or 'thinks he is under fed', and once I do take him out and reward him, he is basically silent the rest of the day.
He is out of the cage over 6 hours a day, has more toys and foraging equipment than any bird I have ever seen, an entire room to play safely, plus a few hours every single night with us in our living room.
He gets 9-11 hours of sleep every single night depending on when we get up (or when he stops screaming in the morning once he hears us), and I have been told by the vet that it should not be a sleep issue.
So, my question is, am I missing something? I know that birds experience hormones and changes in their body and behavior just like kids going through puberty, and I have been told also that sometimes there is 'nothing I can do', and I just need to 'wait him out', but I just like can't except that. The level and frequency in which he screams his brains out (literally an hour plus at times), before going 60-90 seconds of silent and being rewarded, is literally making us miserable. Our neighbors have complained countless times, I have 'sound proofed' the room as best I can, but I am running out of options and ideas so I am asking for help or advice.
Any and all feedback is greatly greatly appreciated, I am happy to answer any other questions that anyone may have or anything I can do to help warrant an effective treatment for this issue, I am willing to do. I will never give up on my little man no matter what, it should go without saying but I just want to make that clear right off the bat.
Thank you for reading.