!!screaming!!

[dayjamyers]

As most usuals know I adopted a cockatoo Petey, iv'e had him for about a week and he likes to scream for me when I leave like a panic scream very loud, is this my fault?? Could I possibly be pandering to him to much?? Maybe separation anxeity? It needs to stop I am not sure how to "punish" a bird(if even neccessary) or even attempt to get them to stop screaming---HELP?

 

[southerninak]

OMG please don't think of it as punishment.
He may just need you to answer back .
When I first got Simon in my home he would scream when I left and I yelled back . hi hi hi and no wwhen he hears me he yells hi really excited which is so much better than the screams he can make.Look in The Cockatoo section for behavior . I'm sure you will be able to figure it out . I'll try to get the link but I'm not good at that

I found this one .

http://www.parrothouse.com/pamelaclark/secondhand.html

 

[Allessa]

Jaden used to be that way too. Especially after he came back from being stolen.

The key is to reward but its not always easy. Definately patience is the key. Is he screaming when you leave the room? Maybe you can set up playstands and take him with when you leave the room. Sounds like he just wants to see you. Having stands in all the rooms helped alot here. Until he became fully flighted. Now he just stalks me

 

[Brigidt36]

Yes, please don't think of it as punishment. You need to use Positive Reinforcement. Clicker training may help, that uses positive reinforcement. Answering his calls back should help a bit too. Good luck.

 

[Holiday]

I don't own a 'too, but in the case of my Red-fronted macaw, she screamed like that for a couple of weeks until she realized that she was here to stay. I think it often takes a few weeks for a sensitive parrot to settle in, and screaming under rehome conditions is the most natural thing in the world. You need to establish a routine with the bird, so that he knows when to expect you and when not to. Ignore the screaming, and if he's ever quiet, you might try quietly and calmly praising and rewarding him for that. Quietly hand him a treat. They do usually quiet down when they feel safe. Please do not try punishment--the bird will never feel safe. Best of luck.

 

[JLcribber]

Put that word punishment right out of your head. It does not and will not work.

The Facts about Punishment

You have had Petey only 1 week which is equal to about 1 minute in parrot time. It is going to take up to 3 months before he starts to feel comfortable and secure and that's only if "you" play your cards right, act properly and gain his trust.

Parrot Trust Account

They do not scream for no reason. You must figure out "why" he's screaming so you can work on correcting it. Please read these articles to give you insight into the various reasons and how to handle him.

Sam Foster. Vocalizations 1
Sam Foster. Vocalizations 2
Sam Foster. Vocalizations 3


I know you love Petey very much but he is a cockatoo. He is not like any bird you may have experience with and will be a huge challenge to look after. The sooner you resign yourself to this the better off you will be.


You must become proficient at reading his body language and understanding his moods and motives. The quicker the better. We are here to help you in any way so please do not hesitate to ask a million questions.

 

[WenM]

Contact calling/screaming when you leave a room is often their way of assuring themselves that you aren't leaving them trapped and all alone. Sometimes a "call" back or even setting a "routine" that assures them of your return each time helps. Although he is not a Too - I have it all over this forum about Ray being a world class screamer - he still screams but not ALL the time as before and this really helped but it does take some time.

You can tell them - "I'll be right back" or "See you later" "I gotta go to work" or something similar - then leave the room and when you get just out of sight, repeat the phrase. Take a minute or two and return to the room and tell them "I'M BACK!" or "Good Morning!" "I'm home!" or something equally enthusiastic. Practice this several times a day - making the time between leaving and your return longer each time. This will take a while but you will notice that they learn to expect the routine and understand that the phrase MEANS that you are not abandoning them and WILL be back.

Mine all say a mix of "I gotta go to work" or "I'll be right back" or "See ya later!" when I walk out the door of the bird room to which I follow with a proper response "yep, I gotta go to work" or "Ok, see ya later" My return is always followed by "Mom's home!" or "Hi - how are ya?" when I come back. It's a routine they know well and let me tell you, if I don't follow the routine with the proper responses, they get nervous and yell. This doesn't fix all screaming but it helps to calm that little nagging doubt they have each time you walk out the door. Good luck!

 

[Bokkapooh]

You've only had him a week. Give him time to get used to his environment You cannot punish a bird for screaming... or punish them at all without ruining any relationship and bond you want to form. Use positive reinforcement to reward all good behaviors Ignore bad behaviors.

2xs a day do appropriate screaming. Like morning calls. Scream with them and reinforce a good scream fest for at least 10 minutes, 2xs a day. Along with a scream fest, do a lot of physical exercise. Like flapping, a ton of it, along with the screaming.

I find exercise and screaming(along with playing with their toys) helps get rid of excess energy, aka "behavior problems".

Creating appropriate times for your bird to get rid of his excess energy, and teaching him routine will help a lot.

 

[Chicklette]

Boomer was abused and went threw the same thing yours is doing now. He started screaming if I went upstairs. All I did was whistle back and the scream turned into a chirp. We still do this now. If Im in the house he knows and we just talk back and forth, so does Chiquita. I agree don’t punish him, he is doing this for a reason. He needs some reassurance.

 

[Thugluvgrl187]

Sounds like you have gotten some good advise.

 

[suncoast]

http://forums.avianavenue.com/behavior-byway/13673-really-does-work.html

Ginger

 

[Gigi]

My parrotlet also calls to me as soon as I leave the room. I think he experiences a moment's panic at being separated. I just call back to him, and he quiets down a bit after a few calls.

You might expect the same thing from a new puppy, if he was confined to one part of the house and you moved to the other part. My experience is only with smaller parrot species, but I can tell you that calling back in a friendly way is working for me.