Why is my cockatiel doing this?

[Airman21]

Hi guys, my cockatiel sometimes just sits on his perch and screams like that... Why could that be? I know that always when i leave the room he wants to come too but i can t let him because it's an open space livingroom and i don t want him to get hurt or something. It can be because of that, is he suffering that he can t be outside this room? If he s bored he has lots of toys to play with.. In the video the male is screaming and my cute little girl, sits playing not caring about anything:

 

[Chris82]

He's probably just bonded. My female screams when i leave the room or when she sees birds outside the window or when my wife changes her nail varnish colours

 

[Tiel Feathers]

It sounds like he is contact calling for you. Sometimes tiels are happiest where they can see their people, no matter how big and awesome their area is. Maybe you can put a cage in the living room, or where all the action is and let them hang out there sometimes. Ideally you could have a play area in the living room and let you birds fly around. They soon would learn the safe spots to land and not hurt themselves. Just make sure to cover fish tanks, windows, and mirrors, at least at first. If the windows are high, you can use window film that looks like frosted glass. I have some on my high windows with little birds in the design. They have some very pretty ones.

 

[Airman21]

He still screams for no reason during the Day...

 

[Tiel Feathers]

That’s not screaming, that’s contact calling. Completely normal behavior. The reason is your bird is telling you he wants to be with you or wants to know where you are. He needs a big cage in the main room of the house, and to be let out to play with you. See my post above.
a routine of some sort will also help to let him know when out of cage time is.

So you say he is still “screaming.” Are you saying you did try letting him hang out with you in the living room, and that while he is out playing with you he is constantly contact calling you? Or is he contact calling you while in the big cage in the living room? If the latter, a routine might help, and letting him fly around more might help by tiring him out. Your other bird will have to be in the same room too, or he might contact call for her. It might take a while for him to settle into the new situation.

Also, how long have you had him? Contact calling in new birds is very common, but it usually subsides a bit after they get used to everything and learn the household routine.

 

[FeatheredM]

Sometimes it helps if I answer my birds back when they contact call me, I either whistle, or shout, "I'm here". I don't think there is anything wrong with your bird

 

[Shezbug]

Definitely contact calling.
When my bird does this I call back to him to let him know I’m not far away and everything is ok.

 

[Airman21]

That’s not screaming, that’s contact calling. Completely normal behavior. The reason is your bird is telling you he wants to be with you or wants to know where you are. He needs a big cage in the main room of the house, and to be let out to play with you. See my post above.
a routine of some sort will also help to let him know when out of cage time is.

So you say he is still “screaming.” Are you saying you did try letting him hang out with you in the living room, and that while he is out playing with you he is constantly contact calling you? Or is he contact calling you while in the big cage in the living room? If the latter, a routine might help, and letting him fly around more might help by tiring him out. Your other bird will have to be in the same room too, or he might contact call for her. It might take a while for him to settle into the new situation.

Also, how long have you had him? Contact calling in new birds is very common, but it usually subsides a bit after they get used to everything and learn the household routine.

He screams because he wants to be in the living room. I never put them in their cage, only at night.. He has a big room already, all for him and the girl. I got them for 7 and half months already. They are going to be 9 months soon. I can t let them be in the living room too much because i don t want something bad to happen to them, like go to the kitchen and get hurt when sometimes my mom is cooking and stuff.. Also they are making a mess you know, poop everywhere. I only let them poop everywhere in their room where i recorded them. He has enough toys, space, etc, in this room but probably he wants to be with my mom and my dad sometimes, in the living room.. I want don t want him to scream all the time because he wants something all the time. How can i stop him?

 

[Airman21]

Definitely contact calling.
When my bird does this I call back to him to let him know I’m not far away and everything is ok.

He sits on me and contact calls.. I finally get it that he wants to constantly be in the living room but i cannot let him.

 

[Airman21]

Guys i think i found out why my male cockatiel screams sometimes.. My father and my mother stay sometimes with them and i saw my father petting the male s tail and he is leaning forward and makes little squeaky noises.. Now i am concerned because there is a possibility he s screaming because he wants more tail petting, which is sexual from what i know and not ok. I am really scared that he s also a girl now.. Is he a she? XDD Only girls do it, or boys do it too? (i mean lean forward with wings slightly downward, doing squeaky little noises)

 

[Kassiani]

I don’t have cockatiels, but I remembered seeing this video a few months ago. This is an example of a female cockatiel inviting her partner to mate (she is kept with a male tiel that you see in the video).

Bird hormones are a natural part of life. We can’t eliminate them, but we can minimize them. I think it’s important that everyone who lives in a home with birds understand that the only ‘safe’ places to touch a bird are on their heads and feet. The back, tummy, and tail are part of where birds touch each other during courtship and mating.

 

[Airman21]

I don’t have cockatiels, but I remembered seeing this video a few months ago. This is an example of a female cockatiel inviting her partner to mate (she is kept with a male tiel that you see in the video).

Bird hormones are a natural part of life. We can’t eliminate them, but we can minimize them. I think it’s important that everyone who lives in a home with birds understand that the only ‘safe’ places to touch a bird are on their heads and feet. The back, tummy, and tail are part of where birds touch each other during courtship and mating.

Right at this moment while i am writing it does this but not so loud, just moves back and forth and little chirps with his tail a bit up. But i think it s a she since it does this right? All this time i tought it s a boy.

 

[Zara]

Guys i think i found out why my male cockatiel screams sometimes..

Would you like me to merge this thread with your previous one?
That way the people who responded will see your reply, and other site visitors who read your previous thread, perhaps looking for answers after experiencing the same thing, will be able to see your update.
It will also benefit you in the end as then people will have all of the information to be able to offer you advice instead of having to go searching for your previous thread.

 

[Airman21]

Would you like me to merge this thread with your previous one?
That way the people who responded will see your reply, and other site visitors who read your previous thread, perhaps looking for answers after experiencing the same thing, will be able to see your update.
It will also benefit you in the end as then people will have all of the information to be able to offer you advice instead of having to go searching for your previous thread.

Yes thank you!

 

[Kassiani]

Right at this moment while i am writing it does this but not so loud, just moves back and forth and little chirps with his tail a bit up. But i think it s a she since it does this right? All this time i tought it s a boy.

It sounds like female tiel behavior to me, but remember I don’t own a tiel. Videos I’ve seen of male tiels feeling frisky are displays of ‘heart wings’ and whistling a tune that apparently the ladies like, lol!

 

[Tiel Feathers]

Sounds like you have a female. I have heard of a male doing this behavior, but I think it’s very uncommon.
Your parents will hopefully listen to you and stop petting your bird anywhere but on the head.

 

[Airman21]

Sounds like you have a female. I have heard of a male doing this behavior, but I think it’s very uncommon.
Your parents will hopefully listen to you and stop petting your bird anywhere but on the head.

Yeah.. But why is my other female not doing this? I hope the lutino is a male now because i am so confused and i want to have a bird to sing.. I am a bit sad tho, all this time i tought the pearl it s a boy, she s even really vocal, screams all the time, all the time she has something to say. The other girl is really really quiet and i don t understand why, this is a sign that she is a girl too..

 

[Airman21]

Also i wanna say the pearl s behaviour does not indicate that she s a female tho, only with the mating dance but in all the other situations seems like a male. I mean it s more vocal, playful, cannot stay in one place, sassy in every aspect etc. Is there any chance she s a he?

 

[Airman21]

Another question.. She started screaming like this since the sexual thing. How can i stop her, my head hurts...

 

[Kassiani]

Well, that last video doesn't look like a hormonal bird to me, just one who might want attention and is being vocal. Birds are vocal. They use their voices all the time for a variety of reasons. And that last video is not, in the English language definition of the word, 'screaming'. An alarm call from a tiel would be faster and louder, I think.

It will help if you provide your birds with lots of toys to shred and chew, and lots of foraging opportunities. I know some members here that the only why their birds are fed is by using foraging. It could be as simple as shredded paper covering their food in their dish, putting treats into paper straws, or buying those toys that have little drawers or cups in which you can put the food. Everything and anything to keep their minds occupied. You could also begin to target train them.