What can be used as a punishment

[asulli]

All the above are good responses. I look at my birds as kids who need to be taught with patience. Sometimes they are screaming or making noise because they need something and they are trying to communicate it. How frustrating it is to not be able to communicate ones feelings. Perhaps you can keep a log and see when this is happening and again like all above have said, positive reinforcement is the way to go.

We do have what we call quite times at home and they all know this because I will play classical music and we try to behave calmly. It takes time, but anything worthwhile takes time.

I know that sometimes it can get frustrating, and they can feel this and it excites them. Perhaps if you do feel frustrated you can leave the room for a little while and regroup.

I learn all the time from reading these posts. Thank you for sharing your problem so that perhaps it can help someone else in the future.

[Lisa B]

Here's some more info that may be of help.

"The key to modifying bird behavior is understanding motivation and the responsible use of reinforcement."- Steve Martin

Understanding Bird Behavior

[Congobongo]

OMG, Never do anything like that to punish a bird. What I usually do if they do something bad is just stop and walk away. That is punishment enough because they want your attention. Mine get the message. If you do a bad thing...I walk away.

[Tobysmom]

i cant say anymore than what has been said a bird playing and squawking is a happy bird and its something all birds do

[HollyT]

Originally Posted by Lisa B

When my amazon starts to get overly loud, i would go over to his cage, and call him by name, and say, shhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh...quiet. He would look at me and start to whisper his vocalizations. It is rather comical.

With your grey you can go over and try to speak softly and try to bring the energy level down a bit. If you are aggitated, he will feed off that. If you are calm and quiet, he will feed off of that as well.
It is really just being a parrot. Screaming at toys is the ultimate joy. The first thing a parrot owner notices when a bird is sick or passes on is the deafening sounds of silence.

My former vet taught her macaw how to whisper instead of scream, its the coolest thing. Everyone has already given you tons of great leads and advice and I can only mirror what most are offering. Parrots vocalize. They're voices are designed to carry for miles and miles. Inside our homes its very loud, even my budgie Tucker gets loud (for a budgie). I think a good solution would be to observe the "screaming" incidents you've mentioned. If they're in the morning or at dusk then that's normal and there's not much to be done but let them have at it.

Another things a friend of mine does, as soon as he gets home his amazons are usually calling to him so he goes into their area and greets them back just as vocally for a few mins everyone flaps and yells out their welcomes. Then they're good. He's able to let them out and they're pretty quiet for the remainder of the afternoon/evening.

There's no such thing as punishment for a parrot, they just don't get it. It can only do harm.

[Congobongo]

They are like elephants, they will remember the meaness and pay you back!

[TheHolisticNanny]

I would like to be the first to acknowledge that the op is posting from RUSSIA!!!!!
And with that, I would like to NOT assume the worst here and applaud the op for coming to this lovely board for help!

NOw, I don't have experience with screaming greys, but would like to suggest a little clicker/target training so that you can ask her/him to DO something else while it is screaming to distract it and then lavishly reward her for complying and then reward when the screaming stops, even for a few seconds like another pp suggested.....

I've also heard that if you whisper to a loud bird they will become quiet so that they can hear what your saying, if your grey will do this, THEN reward her!!!!!

Not sure where I heard this, and if it's wrong some one PLEASE correct me :-)


p.s. who KNEW there were greys in Russia!>!>!???? Not I! Very very cool!

[JGMAP]

That is why we discuss issues with our birds. One persons Idea might not be what works for your birds. Keep an open mind and see what works for your situation. There are alot of valid ideas out there. Just need to get the one that will make you both happy.

[Jag]

Translation of some words is HIGHLY inaccurate. Since the OP hasn't responded to this thread, my assumption would be that there is a misunderstanding of what they were trying to ask. Another possibility is that there is a cultural difference with regards to how to 'keep' a parrot... and maybe that information isn't anywhere near what we have. Spraying a parrot for 'bad behavior' to US may sound like the worst thing ever... but in other areas of the world this may well be commonplace and perfectly acceptable. It's a little more difficult when a poster doesn't put where they're from on the post... but when it's there (indicating there could be a language barrier) I think we owe it to all parties involved to ask for additional info to clarify what they mean.....

Hopefully the OP will return to clarify...

[Oldcockatoo]

Oh, sorry, but I had lots of work last week, but now I've finally come back. And thank all of you very much for all pieces of advice, they're really very useful for me. :)

Originally Posted by Jag

there is a misunderstanding of what they were trying to ask. Another possibility is that there is a cultural difference with regards to how to 'keep' a parrot

Yes, you're quite right. Of course, I didn't mean physical punishment or something like closing grey in his cage for screaming.

Originally Posted by Jag

Spraying a parrot for 'bad behavior' to US may sound like the worst thing ever... but in other areas of the world this may well be commonplace and perfectly acceptable.

Well, there're so many opinions you can read now in Russia so you really can't understand for sure how should you react for this or that parrot's behavior. And many people who write about their birds in boards do not tell all the truth about their realations with parrots. They write that punishment is not acceptable but in fact they punish their birds and just conceal it because they are afraid they'll be condemned. That's why I try to read foreign books and boards.

Originally Posted by TheHolisticNanny

who KNEW there were greys in Russia!>!>!???? Not I! Very very cool!

Hah, in fact greys are one of the most popular big parrots in Russia. :)

Originally Posted by Congobongo

What I usually do if they do something bad is just stop and walk away. That is punishment enough because they want your attention.

Oh, that's a good idea I suppose because it is based on parrot's psychology. But unfortunately I can't use it because there's nowhere to go, we live in one room with my grey and the kitchen is shared.

Originally Posted by Lisa B

"The key to modifying bird behavior is understanding motivation and the responsible use of reinforcement."- Steve Martin

Thank you very much! :)

Originally Posted by jenseits

But maybe you can have a specifically designated "loud time". I know some of the members do that, and it works for them. (Pick a specific time of day for getting all the energy out, where you yell and scream together). You might also encourage other, softer sounds that you encourage and try to teach your 'too that this is the appropriate "happy sound".

Yeah, I've heard a lot of such a method and I like the idea very much. But how can I show to my grey that he's welcomed to scream during this "loud time"? And I can teach him other "happy sounds" by not paying attention to the sounds which I don't like and by reacting on sounds that I do like, right?

Originally Posted by Lisa B

It is really just being a parrot. Screaming at toys is the ultimate joy.

Yeah, I understand that and surely don't want to try to stop natural parrot's behavior.

Originally Posted by Lisa B

With your grey you can go over and try to speak softly and try to bring the energy level down a bit. If you are aggitated, he will feed off that. If you are calm and quiet, he will feed off of that as well.

I'll try, thank you very much! :)

Originally Posted by shellbeme

Alot of times they will use this as a contact call. Does he/she do this when you are out of the room? Chico was - still is sometimes, using this as a contact call for me when I leave the room and believe me I'd love to wring his little neck sometimes-but I would never.

Umm, no, I know his contact call for me to scratch him or give him food. And the screaming which I meant I suppose was their natural morning and evening screaming. Sometimes the screaming is really very loud. :)

Originally Posted by Patti J

here's some really good articles including one on punishment.

Thank you very much, too! I'll read it. :)

Well, in fact I'm very happy that my grey behaves well, mostly he screams in the morning and talks in evenings (talking is not loud, of course) and if the natural morning screaming is too loud I'll try all the pieces of advice you've given to me. I suppose firstly I must try positive reinforcement. :)