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Screaming Solutions and Success Stories

mangosaur

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Hi Everyone! I recently took in a re-homed halfmoon conure about a month ago. I absolutely adore him; however, my family is having some issues with his screaming. He is approximately 2.5 years old and we are his fourth home, so I can understand he may have some separation anxiety. I am wondering if anyone has any suggestions for our approach to the issue. The current plan of action is:
- Adjusting his diet from seeds to fresh vegetables and pellets.
 

budgieluv3

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Maybe have a playlist of songs he likes, mine likes Hamilton and six, and play that when he starts screaming. Do not give him a treat or attention as that is seen as a reward for screaming. Instead, offer a distraction. Are his toys changed around often? How big is his cage?
 

mangosaur

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Hi Everyone! I recently took in a rehomed halfmoon conure about a month ago. I absolutely adore him, but my family is having some issues with his screaming. He is approximately 2.5 years old and we are his fourth home, so I can understand that he may have some separation anxiety. I am wondering if anyone has any suggestions for curbing this sort of behavior. This is our current plan of action:
  • Adjusting diet from seeds to pellets and veggies
    • Has been about a month and he completely ignores pellets still. I've been giving him chop (salad greens, flax seeds, hemp seeds, oats, carrots, green beans, blueberries) with seeds sprinkled on top. He'll usually dig through this for about an hour. Around noon I'll add in some more seeds, just in case he's only playing with the chop rather than eating it. In the evenings I'll only give him pellets, which he will nibble for a bit and then ignore.
    • I wanted him to forage for foods; however, he already seems so disinterested in anything other than seeds I was concerned he wouldn't eat. I do put some seeds in his foraging toys, which he has gotten better at destroying
  • Encouraging play and foraging behaviors
    • He doesn't really forage or play with toys on his own, so I've been clicker training him to. I've also attached an image of his cage with all his toys in case there are any suggestions on that front
  • Allowing him about 10 hours of sleep every night
  • Ignoring him when he does scream
Is there anything else we should be doing to discourage the screaming? I have a feeling he mostly screams when he doesn't get his seeds or is bored.

He doesn't really make any other sounds either, except the occasional "Good boy" (super cute, but doesn't happen often) and his normal parrot sounds.

Thanks for reading through! Please let me know if you have any suggestions! I would also love to hear any success stories with screaming behaviors for motivation :)

Darcy.jpg DarcyCage.jpg
 

mangosaur

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Ah somehow this post posted before I had finished writing this! I'm not sure how I can delete this thread oops:O I do have an updated new thread with a picture of his cage!

Ohh I'll try playing music to see which ones he likes! He has a few toys that haven't really been rotated yet, I am going to spend this weekend shopping around for supplies to make some for him

 

budgieluv3

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Didn’t you just post another thread about this?
@Staff is it possible to get these two combined if it is the same thing?
 

budgieluv3

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I found trying to make a distraction (not through attention or rewards) is helpful. Something like music etc.
 

BirdWorld

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Maybe someone can merge your two threads? @Staff
 

Zara

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:bump8:
 

sunnysmom

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He's really cute. :) Where is his cage located? Is he around where everyone is? Is he screaming because he's flock calling?
 

mangosaur

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Hehe thank you - he’s cute but grumpy! His cage is currently in the living room next to my lovebird’s (he was quarantined in a separate room for about 4 weeks). I believe he is flock calling as it usually happens for a stretch of time after I say hi to him and leave. Sometimes he’ll continue to scream for about 30 min or more. Is there a way to encourage quieter calls or maybe a different sound?
 

sunnysmom

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Hehe thank you - he’s cute but grumpy! His cage is currently in the living room next to my lovebird’s (he was quarantined in a separate room for about 4 weeks). I believe he is flock calling as it usually happens for a stretch of time after I say hi to him and leave. Sometimes he’ll continue to scream for about 30 min or more. Is there a way to encourage quieter calls or maybe a different sound?
It's tricky. If it's a flock call, I usually call back once and tell them it's okay or something like that. As silly as it sounds, i also try to explain what I'm doing before I leave the room. Like, I have to run to the store- I'll be back soon. I am going in the kitchen but not leaving the house. It sounds dumb but I think they understand more than we sometimes give them credit for and it helps if they know for instance, that I'm going to work and going to be gone all day or if I'm just going leaving the room. Also, what I'm trying to do with my cockatoo is that I praise him and give him lots of attention for good noises- like when he talks. And then ignore the screaming. And that can be hard because that means completely ignoring it- not looking at him, not leaving the room, etc.
 

mangosaur

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Hmm I’ll give that it shot! It does become a little difficult, because sometimes some family members will move him outside when he’s being loud, which is disruptive to conference calls. So I that may have positively affected that. Sometimes, it doesn’t sound like a flock call, and more that he is dissatisfied with something (no seeds, bored?). Maybe that’s just how his personality is haha
 

sunnysmom

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Hmm I’ll give that it shot! It does become a little difficult, because sometimes some family members will move him outside when he’s being loud, which is disruptive to conference calls. So I that may have positively affected that. Sometimes, it doesn’t sound like a flock call, and more that he is dissatisfied with something (no seeds, bored?). Maybe that’s just how his personality is haha
The other thing you can try is a set routine. My cockatoo also screams when he wants out. My fiance is home during the day and can't let him out- it's a long story. But what I did was Elvis only gets let out a certain times. That has also helped with the screaming because he's not going to be let out randomly now.
 

mangosaur

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Thanks! That's a good idea too - I'm realizing now that he doesn't have a set routine in when he gets let out, goes outside and training sessions now
 

mangosaur

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Ah today he was screaming for hours. It’s really difficult to ignore and I think my family is frustrated as well. Is non stop screaming a sign of boredom? He has many toys, and will play with them a little then stop and scream haha.
 

Sparkles99

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My budgies stopped screaming at each other when they got more space. Maybe more space & toys would help? Also, perches. It helped my two! They're also quieter when it's quiet around them.
 

mangosaur

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My budgies stopped screaming at each other when they got more space. Maybe more space & toys would help? Also, perches. It helped my two! They're also quieter when it's quiet around them.
I thought that might be it as well, so I actually just got him a new flight cage:) however, he still screams - I think it may be reinforced and he does seem anxious when he’s doing it (clinging to the bars and flattened feathers). I feel that he has been rehomed so many times maybe he has separation anxiety
 

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mangosaur

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Thanks for linking the article! I actually did read through that one before. It sounds like it could be anxiety induced - so I’ve been trying to follow a routine with him, but no progress yet :(
 
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