Seperation Anxiety??

[ravenr6s]

Whats the best way of training a grey to not freak out when I leave the room? I have a couple books on training greys and neither mentions this. Pretty much, Simba(my 1.5 year old grey) squaks and screeches increndibly loud the second i leave the room and he doesnt stop until he sees me again. Ive left the room for well over an hour and he never once quieted down.

 

Also, are there any other tricks to stopping them from making unwanted noises besides covering the cage for a few minutes or turning your back to them? Neither one of these ideas is working on Simba.

 

Im mainly concerned since i live in an apartment and im sure my neigbor isnt too happy.

[Luvparrots]

My fids call out to me also. I just answer back and that seems to quiet them down most of the time. I always tell them "I'll be back" when I leave a room, that seems to help also. If I am gone too long and one of them calls me again I answer back. It seems they just want to know where I am and that I haven't abandoned them.

[JillyBeanz]

The only time Harvey and I are actually separated whilst I'm at home is when I go outside for any reason, and therefore I shut the kitchen door between him and me, before opening the back door into the garden. I started telling him "two minutes" and he knows not to try and fly after me, and true to my word I return. This seems to put him at a lot more ease when we we are separated. Otherwise, we are mostly always in the line of each other's eyes - yip - even going to the toilet isn't an "alone" moment! Try reassuring Simba that you aren't going to be long, will be back soon etc - Simba will soon realise that the moment of separation won't last forever

[danmcq]

It is a natural behavior for any parrot to contact call when they can not see their flock. There is no way to stop this instinct.

 

They will eventually stop for example, if they know you left the house. But, if they know you are inside or visible outside, they will contact call.

[ravenr6s]

Thanks for the help and info!! My friends 5 year old grey Rosco never freaks out when you leave thats why i questioned it. Simba is only a year and a half old so hopefully he will learn sooner than later that Im not gone for good whenever i leave the room.

 

On a side note, in the past few days he has finally started to talk!!! I noticed in the past few weeks he was def sounding out things ive said but nothing was coming out too clear, and this morning i heard him say "Hi bud" and "step up".

[she]

If I am out of sight of my birds I always call to them quietly,just saying ok Charlie or Cracker seems to prevent any contact calls getting louder.I always do this in a soft voice so they dont feel a need to shout back.

[reggieroo]

Whats the best way of training a grey to not freak out when I leave the room? I have a couple books on training greys and neither mentions this. Pretty much, Simba(my 1.5 year old grey) squaks and screeches increndibly loud the second i leave the room and he doesnt stop until he sees me again. Ive left the room for well over an hour and he never once quieted down.

 

Also, are there any other tricks to stopping them from making unwanted noises besides covering the cage for a few minutes or turning your back to them? Neither one of these ideas is working on Simba.

 

Im mainly concerned since i live in an apartment and im sure my neigbor isnt too happy.

 

I'm having a similar problem & not quite sure what it is, separation anxiety, contact calls or what, although today Murphy is still doing it with me sat here so I'm thinking not contact calls. Check out my post, may give you some answers to your problem.

 

http://www.greyforums.net/forums/showthread.php?189518-Murphy-s-high-pitched-shrieking-some-advise-please

[danmcq]

There is a difference between calling you when you leave the room or are in view, but they cannot get to you i.e locked in cage or non-flighted and need help to get down.

 

Contact calling is normal behavior for any bird. AS they age, it will normally become less, but many times, not completely stop.

 

When you are in view and they just want out or want to come to you. Those are verbal expressions of that desire, not checking to track where you are by contact calls. These too will lessen as they mature and know you aren't going to respond immediately. It helps if you use a term like "Just a minute" or "Just wait ". That will over time indicate you acknowledge their request and you'll get to them. If there is no "Normal" time or phrase you establish that is linked to your words. The calls will just keep being repeated because they have no clue how long or if you will come and release them from the cage or get them off a perching area if not flighted.

 

This is not true in all birds, especially not true in other species like "Too's" that will call non-relenting until they get you where they want you.

 

I hope this gives you a few ideas on how to deal with this.

 

I will say, I return call to my Grey simply to acknowledge I hear him and I am still in the house. I do know, that he knows the difference. If I go outside, he does not contact call at all. He knows I am gone and sits in his favorite perching area until I come back in.

[jessdecutie18]

Believe me I understand your pain... Yoshi calls for me over and over and over and it's sooo loud... yet I've been saying "I'll be back" and it works about half the time. It takes a lot of patience and my husband gets frustrated and upset about Yoshi being so loud, but it is getting better these days and I know it's not a quick process. Just to let you know though, there are others out there with birds constantly demanding their attention. You will get through it, and if you follow the helpful advice of this forum, it will eventually get a lot better I posted about this about 2 months ago, lol.