upatsix.com - Your Source For Pet Bird Information

I need advice about my cockatiel - he's a year and a half and shrieks whether in his cage or on my shoulder so it's not for attention. By-the-way, I ignore his shrieking in his cage so I don't reinforce. Any ideas/help etc would be much appreciated! Thanks, Heather

There are many reasons why a cockatiel screams. I can't post them all here, but I will give you some links to help you.

First, make sure nothing is scaring him. Then assuming this is a behavior issue, you have to be super diciplined and not even look at him when he screams. If he is out and he is doing this, calmly whisper to him that he cannot be out if he screams and put him in his cage and walk away. When he is quiet go back over and praise him for being good and give a treat and let him back out. This method works well with my Indian Ringneck, but you must be very quick about coming back into the room when he is good.

Here are several links for you to look at (I also have them on my website that tries to link together many help articles)

COCKATIEL SCREAMING, HAMILTON & DISTRICT BUDGERIGAR SOCIETY INC.

Cockatiel Cottage: My bird is screaming! Help! What should I do?

Stop The Squawk Discover these helpful tips of training parrots not to scream By Elise Kaplan


Keep in mind, if it is something enviornmental that is causing the screaming, no ammount of ignoring will help. He is old enough to become hormonal and want a mate (not needed!), and he could be looking for one using a contact call to see if there is one nearby. Make sure he is getting at least 12 hours of dark time (sleep) daily. This helps kick hormonal birds out of the cycle, and yes, a single male bird can and will get hormonal! Make sure that there is nothing in the cage that resembles a nest box. This means no hidey huts, paper bags, boxes, etc.

Try to see if there is a pattern of time that he is screaming. There are normal times for birds to vocalize and noise should be expected. Many will be vocal first thing in the morning, mid afternoon, around dinnertime, and right before dusk. That is the pattern here at least!

You can also teach him an alternative to screaming, you can whistle, whisper, sing, and distract him if it is contact calling. My oldest tiel has been taught to wolf whistle for attention, and knock on the cage door when he feels he needs let out. This was done by reinforcing behaviors I would rather hear/see. It takes time, so don't get discouraged.

Happy black Friday, Heather, and welcome to UAS Whenever anyone posts here about noisy tiels, I must confess that's foreign to my experience. My tiels whistle and chirp and make noises that can be heard throughout the house, but they don't shriek ... except when I'm removing one for a vet trip or a flockmate has died. Some will call out pitifully for 3-4 days in desperation to hear the missing mate's answering call

From my experience and from all I've read, most captive parrots would be happier in pairs, and this is truer of tiels than of many other genera. Tiels are such peaceable, sociable birds that they are often very happy even in same-sex pairs and in threesomes of same or mixed genders. I'm not pretending to know that a pal would stop your bird's shrieking, but it is what first comes to my mind reading your short post. OTOH it might be that he's in physical distress. If he's overdue for his annual vet exam, now might be a great time to make that apptmt. If you'd like help finding a good avian vet, just tell us what city or towns you live near.

He might also be molting or feeling the first full-force surging of his sexual hormones. If so, the behavior will change pretty quickly and providing some distraction might help. I give my flock large quantities of branches to chew. Are you in a private home with landscaping that you know isn't sprayed with chemicals? If so and you need help identifying available branches safe for birds to chew, we can help. Or you could buy him some new chew toys.

If you think about a second tiel, there are several important considerations. If you're new to birds and unsure what these safeguards are, let us describe them for you.