What to do with a terrible screamer

[Dedawen]

Pooka is just short of 12 years old. I got him under rather unusual circumstances. I got him from an online breeder in Texas, I lived in the state of Washington at the time. When I got him the breeder refused to tell me his age until I got the DNA and pedigree papers. Turns out the poor fellow was less than three months old and, contrary to what the breeder told me, the poor fellow hadn't even been fully weaned yet. I bumbled along as a first time bird owner, managed to get him some formula and hand fed him until he started eating solid foods. But some damage had been done - he's gotten a horrible separation anxiety that in the past decade I've not been able to get him through.

 

His vet described him as "a very nervous little fellow". He screams for no apparent reason, and if we ignore his screams he just does it louder. I've tried everything - reinforcing the positive and ignoring the negative - but due to his extreme intelligence and his "OMG!" stubbornness he still screams. Daily and loudly.

 

He's very addicted to my roommate. If given a chance will follow my roommate all over the house. If Kevin (the roommate) leaves his bedroom to use the bathroom and does NOT come into the living room, Pooka is aware and goes ballistic, screaming and shrieking his brains out. My only recourse is to put him back in his cage and cover him until he calms down and I dislike doing this (this could even be construed as "reinforcement" of the negative behavior).

 

Pooka is not a very strong talker. He does talk - and has exhibited proof that he knows what he is saying (I came out of the bathroom once and he wasn't in sight; I called his name and this voice from the kitchen replied "What do you want??") but he hasn't added anything new to his lexicon in years. He loves to whistle and the three of us - myself, roommate, and Pooka - will carry on whistle conversations when we're in separate rooms. This often keeps the Pookster from screaming but not for long.

 

I am aware he gets bored yet toys make him nervous. Any new toy put on is gym will keep him off his gym for days. Some toys he just never accepts. Recently I've given him dry corn on the cob - harvested off the puny stalks out back - and he LOVES them.

 

Anyway...there's a truncated version of Pooka's history. Any suggestions would be much appreciated!

 

Thanks!

Daniel & Pooka

[SRSeedBurners]

My first thoughts were, I'd buy earplugs and completely 100% ignore the screaming. You might be right about the getting covered up is seen as a positive reinforcement to the Grey. At least he's getting attention.

 

I only thought of the earplugs idea because we use them all the time here:

- I have to sleep with them in or I sleep very restlessly

- I ride a motorcycle and the wind noise inside the helmet get deafening after a while

- I read, my wife watches TV at an ungodly high level.

 

However, Greycie spots my earplugs and it's like I have a rabid buzzard on my head. She won't give in till she gets it out of my head.

[Timbersmom]

LOL to the rabid buzzard... I with I could help Daniel, but I have never dealt with a screamer.

[Luvparrots]

Have you tried singing or just talking back. My gang always quiet down if I am talking or singing.

[danmcq]

My Dayo does not like being separated either when he knows we are in the house. I and my wife both ignore him if we're busy and cannot come in to his view. I do software engineering support from home and have a home office I spend 8 hours on weekdays in except for breaks between calls. Sometimes dayo will start very loudly vocalizing smoke detector sounds, whistles and yelling "I hear you!, Here I am!". The only way I can quiet him for 10 minutes or so is to open my office door and tell him in a very stern voice :I'm on the phone, be quiet!!". Amazingly he complies. He knows what talking on the phone means as he listens to me talking on it all the time.

 

So, given I am in a similar situation as you. I have no advice really other than ignoring it. I truly doubt placing him in the cage and covering it will stop the separation anxiety and screaming. Dayo will scream if he is still left covered in his cage when he knows his cover off cage time is 630am. A few minutes after that time passes, the screaming starts until he is uncovered.

 

We have just come to understand he is a wild and non-domesticated creature that separation from the flock means certain death. Thus the non-stop contact calling.

[kins2321@yahoo.com]

Sophie came to us at age two. A very spoiled little girl, that had an " open concept" home life. She actually had a nanny. When we adopted her, or rather she adopted us, we were able to continue the " open concept", as this was the only way I was in agreement to adopt a bird, with my kids. We have maintained the " open concept" for many years. Yes... now I have a birdroom, that door gets closed, but the cages never get closed. They have gyms to step up too, when we are not home. Yes, I know people won't be happy about my comment! BIRDS do not do well, with their doors closed! Would you? Nancy