A parrot screaming may be in distress. First, we will try to see if his cage is large enough if he comes out long enough, and if he has enough interactions with his congeners. A parrot is programmed to be constantly with a companion.
In the absence of congeners, the bird will wither and excessive and unbearable calls will be observed: the isolated bird fears being abandoned by the colony when it is out of sight and screams to be found.
Thus, most unbearable calls are driven by a distressed and isolated bird and are easy to mitigate by adding one or more congeners of the same species.
If the bird lives with companions and still screams a lot, it can be made into the habit of expressing itself more calmly.
How to stop parrot screaming
Train your parrot to click. Parrots are very easy to train, respond well to the clicker, and appreciate mental stimulation. Mental activity will significantly decrease screaming. Training a parrot to the clicker so that it does not make noise is similar to training a dog to the clicker so that it stops barking. Buy a clicker and small edible treats for the parrot.
- Above all, associate the clicker with the treat. In front of your bird, click and give it “right after” the treat. Do this until he starts to eagerly fix the reward after the click. This is the sign that he made the link between the 2 objects.
- Use the clicker as if it were a treat. It replaces the need to give a treat that, over time, comes back expensive, gets dirty, and becomes problematic if your bird does the difficult.
- Highlight each good behavior with a click. If necessary, follow each click with lots of congratulations and treats to strengthen the “clicker and treat” association.
Reward good behavior. Whenever your parrot stops screaming when you leave the room or whenever it imitates your calm and restrained voice, give it a delicious treat, congratulate it, or click if you train it to the clicker (see below for the latter method ).
- Try different treats until you find the ones he prefers, but reserve them for workouts. Over time, your parrot will combine treatment and good behavior.
- Birds prefer colorful treats with great taste. Some experts recommend Nutri-Berries or yogurt-covered treats specifically designed for parrots like Kaytee Yogurt Dips.
- Break the treats into small pieces. Your parrot will be able to eat them quickly and stay focused on training without being distracted by the reward.
- Reward your parrot right after he obeys you. It is important that the reward is perceived by the bird as a quick and immediate response. Otherwise, it will not make the link.
- Verbally praise your parrot every time you give it a treat for its good behavior.
Avoid punishing him by screaming. Avoid punishing him by screaming or raising his voice. This is what people naturally do when they scold their pets. However, your parrot will think that this kind of behavior is rewarded and it will not facilitate its training.
If you shout at your parrot, it will be frightened and make more noise. He may also think that you are joining him because birds naturally react in this way in nature.
- Ignore your parrot when it makes noise. You’ll have to arm yourself with patience, but ignoring this kind of behavior is the best way to get him to stop.
- Even a simple facial expression can be interpreted as a reward by your parrot. It’s best to leave the room and ignore it completely when it screams to get your attention.
- Be prepared for louder noises. In the same way as a child who stings a fit of anger and screams louder when he receives no attention, your parrot will make even more noise. However, be patient and consistent and he will eventually stop on his own.
- Return to the room when your parrot has calmed down for at least 10 seconds. Then give him the attention he was looking for. Over time, he will eventually understand that good behavior is rewarded and bad behavior is ignored.
Teach him to speak softly. You won’t be able to stop your parrot from talking indefinitely, but you can train it to whisper or speak softly instead of screaming. Practice, patience, and consistency are essential to prevent a bird from making noise.
- Continue to ignore bad behavior.
- Talk softly to your parrot. Use a hushed voice or “communicate” with him through whistles.
Be consistent. Consistency is the key to any type of dressage. Doing things differently from moment to moment can disturb your parrot. Praise and reward him every time he behaves well and ignore him every time he misbehaves.
Use a strobe lamp. Be aware that strobe lamps are very unpleasant for birds. Use them as a last resort rather than as a standard training tool.
- Attach a strobe lamp that you will control via a remote control near the cage.
- Whenever your bird screams, turn on the lamp without entering the room (entering the room will be perceived as recognition).
- The light will be unpleasant for your bird and it will quickly learn that bad behavior triggers the unwanted flash.
Accept the behavior of your parrot. Shouting is natural in parrots and you can not completely silence them. These birds like to be heard, especially when they wake up and before sleeping. If you can’t stand noisy animals, consider the possibility of relocating your parrot.
- Let your parrot make noise morning and evening to encourage it to stay silent during the day.
- Parrots are also curious and intelligent creatures. By training your companion, you stimulate him mentally and give him interesting things to learn. Mental work will push him to make less noise.
Stop parrot screaming
SOURCE:Parrot Playhouse
Develop your environment
Turn off the lights. Some birds feel overstimulated when they are too exposed to sunlight. In general, parrots need 10-12 hours of sleep each night. Exposure to more than 12 hours of light each day causes hormone levels to rise, aggressive behavior, and increase noise.
Close the shutters in the afternoon to limit sun exposure and place a sheet or blanket on the cage when you go to bed.
- Make sure the air passes under the sheet you use to cover the cage.
- Do not use polyester, as this fabric does not let air circulate properly.
- To prevent light from passing through, use a black cloth.
Do not make noise in the house. Some parrots make noise in response to the noises around them. If you watch TV or listen to music at home, do it at a relatively low volume. Making as little noise as possible at home is essential to having a quieter, quieter bird.
- Speak softly. The birds will shut up to hear what you say.
- Make your parrot listen to white noise, especially if he is scared when you are not at home. You can watch TV (at low volume) but beware of wildlife documentaries because the sound of birds on the screen will push your companion to make more noise.
Avoid sudden gestures. It is possible that you or someone else in the house will make sudden gestures around your bird which may then become nervous or feel too stimulated. Move slowly in His presence and encourage the whole household to do the same.
- Always supervise children when handling or interacting with the parrot.
- Prevent them from running to or in the room where your pet is. This may frighten or excite him.
Watch for their reactions. It is possible that your bird will feel anxious at the sight of certain physical characteristics. Wearing a hat in his presence can make him nervous or make him doubt who you are. It will react similarly with certain types of glasses or even certain colors of clothing.
If your bird only makes noise on certain occasions, it may be a response to something that has changed in your home or someone in your home. Avoid wearing anything that might upset them or introduce them gradually and without rushing your new outfit/clothing accessory. He will eventually get used to it.
Make sure the bird is healthy
Look for possible health problems. Sometimes the screams are caused by pain and it can be helpful to go to an experienced bird vet. Make sure your parrot doesn’t suffer from any health problems.
- Blood feathers are difficult to diagnose at home. These are new feathers that grow with a vein or artery visible along their entire length. In case of irritation or breakage, they begin to bleed. In general, bleeding is not fatal, but it is particularly painful. Press the affected area and, if the blood continues to flow, take your bird to the vet who will remove the feathers.
- Nails that are too long cause pain and prevent parrots from perching properly. They may also get caught and break in the fabric of the house.
Make sure he has everything he needs. Make sure that the cage is not too small, that it has plenty of suitable toys, and that it has enough water and food.
- Parrots need a diet consisting of about 70% pellets accompanied by plenty of healthy vegetables and occasional fruits.
- Parrots should play for at least an hour with their owner. Your bird should also interact with you as much as possible during the day. If you are unable to meet his needs, consider relocating him.
- Parrots need 10-12 hours of sleep per day. Otherwise, they may bite or make noise. Cover their cage with a cover or a simple blanket each night to ensure they get enough sleep time.
Change your bird’s toys regularly. If your parrot is bored but reacts well to toys, it is possible that it regularly needs new stimuli. Give her a new toy every 2 or 3 weeks.
- Birds like toys of different sizes and pleasant textures that they can chew and where they can perch.
- Parrots especially appreciate sound toys.
- Birds love mirrors where they can look at each other. Some think they are dealing with one of their congeners.
- Give him interactive toys. Something with a ladder or certain types of puzzles will catch his attention and stimulate him intellectually.
- Make sure the toys aren’t too big or too small.
Reassure your parrot. In the wild, birds make noise together to communicate with their congeners and ensure the safety of the group. If your parrot makes noise when you leave the room, it may be trying to communicate with you. Reply from the other room so they know where you are and let them know you’re safe.
Related article: How to train parrot not to bite
Advice
- If you think your parrot is screaming because it is boring or looking for attention, address it calmly and reward it with positive attention if it responds to you in the same way.
- If your parrot is suffering from a deep problem or you can’t find a solution, ask a behaviorist veterinarian to come to your home and help you.
- Find out about your parrot: know what cage size is needed and what noise level you should expect. It is unrealistic and unfair to think that your cockatoo will be as quiet as your previous parakeet.
- Don’t scream! If you often yell at other people, your parrot will make it a habit.
- If you have more than one parrot, expect them to “chat” with each other every day. Although it is possible to prevent incessant noise, it is foolish to think that 2 parrots will not call each other. Controlling the time and place of these discussions will help you reduce chatter at night.
- If your parrot screams excessively, an appointment with a veterinarian may be necessary to detect possible physiological disorders, such as illness or injury.
Warnings
- Talk to your veterinarian about any health problems affecting your parrot.
- Be aware that your parrot simply cannot remain silent. If you have trouble getting used to it, consider the possibility of relocating your pet.
