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Hi everyone,
I will try to keep this brief, but there are some details you have to know first. I adopted "Chevy" about 5 years ago from foster care. He and a few other Too's were taken from a terrible situation. Chevy was vet checked with a complete lab workup, he was dna male born approx. 1991 and in pretty good health, meaning his nutrition was not the greatest, his beak was very shiney this has since changed with a better diet, his beak now has the whiteish look that healthy Toos have. His one foot is pretty messed up, missing one toe and kind of deformed, although it does not hamper him in any way. His breast and legs are as bald as a cue ball! Chevy has issues, screaming mostly. It is very difficult for my husband and I to tolerate the screaming!! He upsets the whole household. He hates strangers, I know that Chevy had been with other Toos, that's about all I know about his life. Do you think that maybe he would make a good breeder? Perhaps would like a girlfriend? He does love me and my husband, but we can't live in his cage with him! Please help!
Thanks, Susan

Susan, there are ways to change the screaming. The most effective way is to change it to a more acceptable vocalization. For example, whenever your bird is making a noise that you find acceptable then you praise and give him his favourite treat. The treat should only be used to reward good behaviour. That is called Differential Reinforcement of an Incompatible Behaviour. As in your bird can't scream if he is singing or whistling. Another way is Differential Reinforcement of an Alternate Behaviour. So he can't scream if he is playing with toys. Make sense?

Also you can join the PBAS list and read the articles there on reducing screaming behaviour. Another site is Dr. Susan Friedman's site at http://www.behaviorworks.org

There are excellent articles there as well. Just let me know if you want the link to the PBAS list and I will get it for you.

I live in a 1 bedroom apartment with a goffin, Timneh and red-tailed grey. My birds make the usual bird calls but nothing I can't live with.

Bev

And no you shouldn't consider your bird be used as a breeder. He is a pet. Teach him "good psittizenship". That's what Lee McGuire calls it and it is perfect.

Dear Bev,
Thank you for your information. I guess I should have said that I have tried and will continue to use behavior modification, I don't know if you have ever heard of Bonnie Monroe Doane, she is the author of "My Parrot My Friend" we had talked in great lengths about "Chevy" trust me when I say I will never give up on Chevy. I love him as much as my other 5 parrots, I just didn't know if maybe one of the other Toos he was with was a mate that was taken from him, one of the words he says besides "where's chevy" is "Peaches" Was "Peaches" another Too? He's like a 2 year old trying to tell me something. For all I know "Peaches" could have been a dog. Because breeding season is here I was just wondering if maybe that is why his behavior is worse then normal.
Anyway, thank you so much I checked out that link and I think I am going to join. It seems the more you learn about parrots,
the more you need to learn MORE.
Thanks again, Susan

Hi Susan,

I agree with MFids that Chevy should not become a breeder. I have questions whether birds with behavioral problems really make good parents and whether these birds pass on any of these behaviors to their chicks. Also, you said you adopted Chevy. Most rescues do not allow their birds to be used as breeders.

I would recommend that he gets 10-12 hours of good uninterrupted sleep. I think this time of year can be particularly difficult for many of us, especially regarding noise and hormonal behavior. Since it stays light longer, my birds seem to be noisier towards the end of the day.

Good luck!

I would like to thank all of you for your input. I would like to answer some of the ?s Yes, Chevy has a very large cage 4' x 3' x 4' tall, He also has a 6' x 10' play room, and a most recent 14' x 12' outside aviary. Toys, oh my does he have toys. what I think he likes best is to weave cotton rope through the bars of his cage. He is very articulate and will work at something till he gets it right! All my birds go to bed between 8:30 and 9:00 and I get them up around the same time so that is 12 hours of sleep. I feel all my birds get a great diet, my husband says they eat better then he does He always asks "is this for the birds or can I eat it" lol Yes Chevy is full flighted and does get exercise. I would like to say that Chevy gets plenty of one on one time but that is difficult, I try to give all my birds one on one time but it is never enough with working a full time job so I can support them! their not cheap to keep, we all know that. I keep looking foward to when I can retire whenever that may be Chevy's cage is located in my office so even though I may not be interacting one on one, we are still together. Chevy was not at the rescue very long, maybe two weeks tops. The reason I thought he might make a good breeder or perhaps was one in the past is his displays!! courtship? it is very interesting to watch, I wish I had a way for you all to see it. None of my other birds do anything like it. He flaps his wings w/ full erect crest screams 3 times, stamps his foot, moves his head down and then side to side, makes these odd little noises, and continues this routine rythmaticaly does anyone know what this is? My husbands calls it "primative" I think thats a good word for it.
Thanks again!

Here's the other side to your question.
Your 'too appears quite normal, and yes, he could be considered a potential breeder, but finding an available hen might be difficult, and getting them to accept each other as mates is a case of ... "you won't know until you try..."
It appears that the wild-caught breeders are dying out, and there is a need to establish new breeders that were hatched in captivity. Lesser sulphurs take years to mature, and several more years to become successful parents.

I just wanted to thank all of you for your help Chevy has appeared to have settled down a bit. What kind of branches are safe for him to chew on? I have a lot of ash trees. Do I have to bake them or something first?
Thanks again
Susan

Susan, please be careful of tree branches from your backyard if you have raccoons around. A friend of a friend has 2 birds that the University of Guelph vet thinks might have raccoon roundworm. It is fatal. Just got taken in yesterday. The owners were giving the birds branches from the backyard. The only way to kill the roundworm is with extreme heat as in fire so I would not give my birds anything that could come in contact with raccoon poop.

Bev

I'm so glad I didn't give any to Chevy. I have lots of racoons, we live in the woods! Thanks for the advice, Chevy has been EXTREMLY good lately, I wonder if it was all the storms we had during that 3 week period? I live in Illinois and if you had seen the news it was awful, thunder, lightning, violent winds, flooding. I know how nervous they make me.
Thanks again,
Susan