SRSeedBurners Posted September 16, 2014 Share Posted September 16, 2014 GreycieMae picked up a nasty high-pitched shrill from Toby the Caiquey. Toby only does it once in a great while. Greycie is doing it daily, several times a day also directly into my ear a few times which causes a temporary deafness. It's bad enough that when she starts it, my temper gets going and I have to get her out of my vicinity before I want to toss her and her shrill out the window. So she either ends up in the bird room room or her outdoor cage. Lately she gets up, and in less than 5 minutes she's in her outdoor cage because she starts it immediately. I can't deal with it without ear plugs and she won't let me wear earplugs - so her only option is the bird room or the outdoor cage. Any ideas how to curb this behavior? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Inara Posted September 16, 2014 Share Posted September 16, 2014 . So she either ends up in the bird room room or her outdoor cage. Lately she gets up, and in less than 5 minutes she's in her outdoor cage because she starts it immediately. Could she be loving going to her outdoor cage? If so, then it makes sense that she'd start in and keep it going until you take her there. You can always go back to square one, and try giving her her favorite treats when she is *not* doing it and give her lots of attention then too -- this could take a lot of daily treats and attention, and just completely ignore her and/or leave to another room where she can't be with you when she is doing it. GreycieMae is one smart cookie and it won't take her long to catch on that it is not going to get her what she's looking for. You are also one smart cookie and you know that it will take some major effort on your part too Those kinds of sounds really can make a human's nerves get on edge. So remember when she starts, that she's looking for something from you. Take a deeeep breath. Calm your body, and walk off without so much as a glance in her direction. The instant she stops it, make sure you give her lots of attention and a good treat. Wash, rinse, repeat. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luvparrots Posted September 16, 2014 Share Posted September 16, 2014 Well, she is getting her way by shrilling so. I would try singing back. My parrots always become quiet if I start to talk or sing. Or darken the room totally. Birds usually become very quiet in the dark. Or get a head/ear radio and turn it on and your grey out. But unless it is what you want to do, putting your grey out the moment she shrills..... She wins, you lose. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SRSeedBurners Posted September 16, 2014 Author Share Posted September 16, 2014 Well, she much prefers hanging with me instead of the bird room or outside in her little day cage so it's a lose-lose for both of us. Not sure if non-FB users can view this link, but here's almost the exact sound she's making at: 0:04, 0:18, 0:30 and approximately 4 more... P.s. this is not my video or my birds, I just happened to see this video and noticed it's the exact sound Greycie is making. https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=10201461265293352 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kins2321@yahoo.com Posted September 16, 2014 Share Posted September 16, 2014 Thanks alot Sterling... Sophie started imitating in five seconds or less! LOL! You haven't seen anything yet, if that bothers you!I already can't hear more than 20% in my right ear. When Sophie is exceptionally loud that it even bothers my deaf ears, I can imagine how bad it really is. I say " shhhhh"... she quiets right down. The reason she does, is I taught her " NO!" when very loud, and returned to cage. Eventually I said NO, followed by shhhhh. That is her key word once she realized the behavior wasn't appreciated. Start with no, deprive her of your company. Once she understands the " no", then give another keyword what you expect of her behavior. I now can go directly to " shhhh", she quiets immediately. Not saying it lasts forever.... I go back into " shhhh" mode many times. She will shhh pretty quickly. My long drawn out shhhh, I'm not really annoyed yet. My quick shhh.. she knows I am losing patience, and will stop in mid scream. Nancy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
katana600 Posted September 16, 2014 Share Posted September 16, 2014 Gilbert makes that same sound! She does it as a "danger" siren and she knows it is obnoxious. It is absolutely piercing through and through. Luckily, she only does it to alert us that she is upset or nervous. I honestly don't know what I would do if she started this on a regular basis. I usually affirm to her "Gilbert's okay" and for whatever reason, she seems reassured and doesn't repeat it. Whatever reason caused GreycieMae to initiate this is probably not why she persists. There has to be a way to reach her. They are so darn intelligent it's hard to figure out. You can guarantee she knows she is vexing you. Was there a turning point at which she started doing this or escalating? Thinking backwards, if you can find what initiated it, you might be able to address it. My heart goes out to you, bless your eardrums. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SRSeedBurners Posted September 16, 2014 Author Share Posted September 16, 2014 She started doing it because she attacked Toby one day. He was traumatized enough that he sat there and did it all day long while she dialed in the frequency and tone and basically perfected it. She does it when she's stressed, when she's playing, when she's eating....it's her new favorite 'word'. I would be fine with it if she would just let me wear ear plugs. The second she spots those she is all over me to get them out of my ears. I'm sure she thinks she's doing me a favor. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JeffNOK Posted September 16, 2014 Share Posted September 16, 2014 I feel for you. My Gracie has a similarly irritating sound she makes when she is uncomfortable or wants my attention. Thankfully she doesn't use it that often. I don't have any advice but can offer sympathy. Ear plugs might be an option. I saw a woman on Parrot Confidential PBS Nature--with a Cockatoo who lived with earplugs permanently attached. Hopefully this is just a phase. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Timbersmom Posted September 17, 2014 Share Posted September 17, 2014 Dee, that is exactly what Timber does. We call it his "alert." He does it when someone is coming in the door etc. I assumed it was an instinctual noise they make to warn the flock of an intruder or other danger. Sterling, nothing to add to the advice already given. Fortunately, Timber only does it for "cause." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sanveaz Posted September 17, 2014 Share Posted September 17, 2014 Escher used to make that sound constantly. We started whistling to him every time he did it. It took a couple of weeks but now he just does it when he wants out of his cage. He used to do it even when he was sitting on me. His new sound is the smoke alarm. Someone set off the smoke alarms at our apartment complex Christmas Eve. He went all the way until June before he started doing it. We did the same thing with that sound as the other. When he would do it we'd whistle. It only took a few days this time to get him to the point that he only does it in the morning and when I come home from work. It's his new I want out sound. He still does the piercing sound every once in a while, sometimes he alternates sounds. Good luck getting GreycieMae to find a new sound. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
katana600 Posted September 17, 2014 Share Posted September 17, 2014 Do you think GreycieMae is doing this more since you got the new baby? She may be warning him that he will get what Toby did if he tries to get close to her chosen human. I smile at the thought of her pulling out your earplugs. My husband will wear his headphones to avoid hearing me sometimes too. And I just have to snatch one right off so I get my airtime. I think I might try one of Greycie's shrill whistles next. Instead of teaching her, I may have learned an undesirable trait instead. :-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KimKim Posted September 17, 2014 Share Posted September 17, 2014 Babalu does this too! Exact same sound, makes my husband just as mad as you, and he has the same reaction. Babalu does this when he doesn't like something, when he wants something or when my daughter (2 1/2 years old) is crying. I posted about this a couple years ago when it first started for us, when we moved. We have tried to ignore but it hasn't helped. We feel your pain Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Acappella Posted September 17, 2014 Share Posted September 17, 2014 With sound extinction you and everyone in the family has to be 100% consistent in ignoring it. Easy to say I know. It's easier for me because Dorian and I (and a cranky kitty) are the whole flock here. It does work though. These days if Dorian picks up a sound I don't like, I just have to start the sound extinction behaviour and he recognizes what I'm doing and stops the sound in a day or two. About the earplugs, she has to be on your shoulder to pull them out so I'd be denying her shoulder time until she stops the sound. Or get a pair of sound deadening earphones like construction workers wear, she won't be able to do anything about those. I don't have to tell you they can do real damage to our hearing. She'll ramp up the sound before she abandons it, so now might be a good time for some mindful meditation to keep yourself calm. I know you can do this, you and she have a great relationship. We're here to cheer you on. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SRSeedBurners Posted September 17, 2014 Author Share Posted September 17, 2014 This morning she let me wear the earplugs for 'most' of the morning. Only once she got hell-bent on getting them out. I know some people say 'well don't have a shoulder bird' but for me it's like having my best buddy with me. She goes everywhere with me and takes an interest in everything I do. This would be impossible if I had to cart her around on my arm. I did try a few stern "STOP"s everytime she did the shrill. It put a temporary end to it. I don't think ignoring it is going to work because she will do it even when she playing and not looking at me. She won't even notice she's being ignored. At least the ear plugs bring sanity back into the fold. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
katana600 Posted September 18, 2014 Share Posted September 18, 2014 Ah Sterling, one is assuming you were sane prior to the ear piercing shrill. Would you believe... I played that video just one time and it kicked Miss Gilbert into high gear. She has been doing it often since she heard it. It cured me of the "Oh how I wish she could fly" and "Oh how wonderful it will be when she wants to be near me". It's only been a couple of days and I can begin to imagine your frustration. I have only heard Java answer back with the shrill once and it stopped me in my tracks. Lord help me if they both get on this "kick" at top volume. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SRSeedBurners Posted September 18, 2014 Author Share Posted September 18, 2014 I've been badgering the guy who owns that video to tell me who made that noise. He finally told me it's the Caique shown in the video and he doesn't have a Grey. My problem is I have the teacher of that noise in my house and GreyciMae is a keen student. Don't be surprised if I post a picture of Toby the Caiquey with his beak stuffed with cotton balls and GreycieMae wearing industrial ear muffs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
M'sBabies Posted September 18, 2014 Share Posted September 18, 2014 I have a Sun Conure that every so often will screech LOUD nonstop until I have to walk away. I am SOO thankful that Phoenix has not picked this up... YET. I think the two of them in stereo would make me move into the garage!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kins2321@yahoo.com Posted September 19, 2014 Share Posted September 19, 2014 You can't do a " couple of firm stops!"? you have to be firmly committed, and let your bird know, this behavior is NOT exceptable! It was never easy for me to have a bird on my wrist while vacumning, cleaning the house, cooking, but we did it! Add having an "open cage belief!" Nancy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Muse Posted September 22, 2014 Share Posted September 22, 2014 I have a Sun Conure that every so often will screech LOUD nonstop until I have to walk away. I am SOO thankful that Phoenix has not picked this up... YET. I think the two of them in stereo would make me move into the garage!! Megan does that sun conure "eehhh-eeehhh" screech to a T. Except louder. And she will do it, then go "Alex!" as if she thinks I am going to blame him. LOL Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Muse Posted September 22, 2014 Share Posted September 22, 2014 I think I'd find another noise to 'teach' her. Peck was a red-tailed hawk for a long time, but has moved to a door squeak now. (I did not teach him either). It seems like they have one sound for a while then move on. Hopefully Greycie will move on soon! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SRSeedBurners Posted September 22, 2014 Author Share Posted September 22, 2014 We can only hope. She's doing it daily now. And that damn Toby the Caiquey taught it to her. Now he's doing it all the time too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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