Unwanted sounds

[Dave27563]

Hi all

 

Can anyone tell me if there is a way of training a grey not to make a noise it has picked up?

Don’t mind the talking or the whistling all the time but she has picked up noise from something (maybe the radio) and it sounds terrible.

I tried telling her no but all it done was make her make the noise even more. Now she seams to be doing it most of the time.

 

Thanks

 

Dave

[MommaFawkes]

Maybe try ignoring it...like everytime she does it walk out of the room. Without saying anything to her at all, sounds like she took the NO as something that just got her more attention.

[Dave27563]

Hi

 

Tried that, same thing happens, Must admit she makes more noise when im out of the room than if i was in the room.

[judygram]

Dave, just about the only way is to ignore it and it will take time and she may never stop making the noise but at least you won't be incouraging it.

[BMustee]

It sounds like she has made that noise her contact call or thinks it's fun to do. There is really nothing you can do to make her stop...she will stop when she is good and ready...which could be never. When she makes the noise don't do anything, act like you didn't hear it. My Elmo picked up a noise that I'm not fond of and he would do it all the time, it just seemed to be his "flavor of the month". He's starting to not do it as much now and replaced it with a new noise he leaned. Basicly in a nut shell, your stuck with the noise till your grey gets bored of it. Not to sound mean but when you buy a parrot there WILL be noises your not happy about and if you can't deal with them you really should not have gotten a parrot.

[Tari]

It can take months for a sound or noise to go away. Que says Pretty Puppy. She started this back when I worked at pretty puppy. I have been away from that place for almost five years. She still well say Pretty Puppy. When she does I well reply with Pretty Bird. Over the years she says it less but she well still say it sometimes.

[danmcq]

Yes, as others have said, it will take time for it to stop.

 

The best and really only thing you can do to help stop it (maybe) is not to react to it at all. By reacting with a "No", it gives your Grey attention an encourages it. :-)

 

We all have our Grey's "Quirks" to live with. B)

[Dave27563]

Thanks all

Looks like ill have to ignore it and keep my fingers crossed.

[LisaM]

One more idea...when she makes a sound that is less "offensive", make a huge deal out of it and give her lots of attention. That may get her to make the new noise more often because it's more fun to see your reaction.

 

We tried this with the infamous "smoke detector beep" and got her to do a "whoop...whoop...whoop" instead.

 

Good luck!

Lisa

[Acappella]

Another thing is everyone in the house has to respond the same way, by ignoring it. If anyone responds in a way that isn't consistent, the behaviour will only be reinforced. If you or someone else gives in and says "no" after she's made the noise 10 times, she'll learn that she has to do it 10 times to get attention, which is not exactly what you want:S

[LisaM]

Excellent point Acappella! I have two kids and that has been a difficult thing to work through with them (you can imagine how much patience a 6 year old boy has!). Also, one of mine has learned to screech really loud when new people come over because they ALWAYS react. Great parrot fun! I try to remember to tell people before they get into the house to just turn their backs and don't even look at him when he does that but it seems that people just can't resist!