upatsix.com - Your Source For Pet Bird Information

Okay, I'm an old timer from the "old" board. I have an almost 6 year old B&G who up until about a year ago was a sweetie, not too much screaming. We've moved to a new home and since that time, he and our 6 year old Quaker have done nothing but scream. I do admit, I've yelled back to them to both reassure them that mommy is still around and to also tell them to shut up. It's gotten out of control. If I'm at home, when I GET home when I'm anywhere they know I'm in the house, they scream. They don't seem to do it when hubby is here alone with them.

I am desperate. I've done the ignoring, moved their cages, moved their toys, given new toys, new perches, moved perches, moved water/seed/nuts and soft foods-fresh veggies around, they're out if we're here and are able to keep an eye on them, they get plenty of out of cage time, they go to bed on a schedule and get up on a schedule (both sleep in out of cage crates off their perches on soft towels/blankies and stuffed babies.

Hubby is not thrilled at the screaming and I'm just at my wits end. Please someone help me. Medically they're fine too.

Thats because you reacted to their screamming, making it a game to them. Lets scream we get a reaction from her. You need to ignore the screamming, and reward when they are in Normal mode. Keep to a routine, it may take a while but dont give them a reaction, they want.

Is it "too late" and I've ruined them?

Absolutely NOT! You can change the behaviour to positive! Just work on keeping things routine and dont scream back, you need to re-condition them, to wanting your attention other than a screamming match.

well, I've been trying to not respond to the screaming by A)ignoring it and B) not reacting if I'm in the same room by not flinching or turning around.

Positive things like crowing like a rooster, calling a name or barking will get a reaction from me and I'll call back to them then or crow or bark too. This gets the B&G to crow back to me. Beakie the Quaker is a little spit fire and will just squawk all day long. I think Cookie gets peeved at him and yells to try and outdo him.

Beakie if allowed would be with me all day long.

When it's warmer, I think our plan is to build an outdoor aviary to give them more outside time and give them something else to do. We both work 8 hour jobs. Mine has a one hour drive to and from work, so I'm gone from the house for more than 9 hours a day. Hubby works from home, so he's in and out of the house throughout the day and they don't scream for him.

When they know I'm getting home, they start up the noise.

Cause, like children they want your attention. Dont get disscouraged, go play with them when you get home, give them treats then go relax, hang a toy they havent seen for a bit to take their attention away from you. We try to change scenery, it does work, and keeps them from becoming bored.

Well, something needs to change - Hubby just said he'd build an outdoor aviary for them to give them a change of scenery as soon as he got done with another project he's working on.

thats cool!

Well, Cookie is outside in his outside cage right now and I put the two 'lets in their big cage out there with him, he's out there munching away on some pellets watching the wind blow, calling for hubby by using his name, but he is NOT, I repeat NOT screaming

The quaker is with me - hrm...maybe the quaker is the problem? When I leave HIM alone, HE screams....I'll set up his smaller cage outside too to give them something new to look at.

For now, I'm working on my "junk" room to set it up as a Bird Room, move their cages in there, set up some swings, perches, etc outside of their cages, boings and chains hanging from the ceiling and leave their out of cage stands/perches in the living/dining rooms.

This is why I wont take in small birds- when I use to- they drive my bigger birds nuts. Now that we have all Big birds- everyone is happy. We dont have any screamers or irrstated birds- sounds mean but I find it is very true. Like a big dog being bugged by little energetic ones- I know because we have a 100 lb German Shepard- and 6 mini dogs- same thing.

Well, I just heard from a friend of mine who has two quakers, a sun conure, a Green Wing and a B&G, she said her quakers set her Macaw off - maybe that's the ticket....shoot...well if that's the case, i'll have to re-think things. Cooke is still outside and the let's must be bugging him because he just started yelling.....crapola

Anyways, my friend said that if the quakers get going, they get the B&G going which gets the Greenwing going.....she rearranged their living quarters, moved the small birds to one room, the macaws to the other, kept the playstands/perches in the living/dining rooms and when she's home, they're on those.

I'm working on that right now.....re-arranging.

COOL- Well Im glad I wasnt being mean to Quaker- but i agree with your friend- I hope re-arranging takes care of it- it should. Gret news!!!!!

This is a good old one about screaming.

My nanday conure is the one who gets my big birds screaming.

In the morning and sometimes in the evenings we have our "scream time" I intentionally get everyone screaming and most times I scream with them too. It's a great stress reliever for me and a big game to the birds. When they scream at other times during the day I mostly ignore them.

Another way I found to keep them quiet is to give them all baths! They are so busy straightening out their feathers they forget to scream.

Hey long time no post, lots of stuff going on. I think we've resolved screaming issues. Cookie and Curley our 10 year old we adopted in February of last year are in the "Bird Room" and Beakie is in the dining room. It seems Beakie was definitely the instigator of the screaming sessions Cookie would embark upon. He does still scream at his toys from time to time but not being in the room with Beakie has helped a LOT. Beakie still squawks a lot, but having no one to reply to him has helped US a lot LOL

Everyone is happy, healthy and doing well!