What To Do About A Noisy Parrot

[Kevin]

What To Do About A Noisy Parrot
By: Micheal Russell

In this article, now that we've covered how to get your parrot to talk, we're going to cover what to do when you can't get him to shut his beak.

Fact of life. Parrots make a noise and it's not always a pleasant one. Even the quietest of parrots can make you wish you'd bought a goldfish instead and the ones that spend all day screaming like a fire truck make you wish you lived out in the country somewhere.

So, the question is...How do you get that blasted bird to shut up?

The experts say to become more informed about how birds communicate and why they do what they do.

The first thing you have to understand is what is normal for a bird as far as its vocal patterns. For starters, you have to understand that there is no such thing as a quiet parrot. Living with a parrot is kind of like living with a roommate. He'll squawk for hours sometimes and then pass out in front of the television.

The more comfortable a bird is with its surroundings the more it will talk. That's why when you first take your parrot home it will be fairly quiet and begin to speak more as time marches on.

A normal vocalization for a parrot is, fortunately, not all day long. Parrots will begin their vocal exercises early in the morning and then quickly quiet down. They will then start up again around sunset. They will also get a little chatty after taking a nap. This may not be a bad thing as you do want to know that your parrot is still breathing.

Some birds are so happy with their surroundings that they speak more often than other birds. This is not to suggest that if you want your bird to be quiet you routinely do what you can to make its life miserable.

If you feel that your bird is speaking more than is normal, then it is quite possible that you chose a species that is more vocal than others. A Macaw can scream at ear deafening decibels for up to ten minutes at a time without coming up for air.

The thing you need to do as an owner is to recognize the difference between a parrot that is chirping because it is happy and one that is upset. There is a definite difference in the sound with the latter having a tone of desperation and unhappiness.

Once you've determined the cause of the noise, one thing you can do to quiet your parrot down is to give it something to do. Birds that are bored scream more. There are a number of toys you can get for your parrot. Just place them in his cage and you will notice a decrease in the amount of noise coming from the cage.

Also, make sure your parrot has a proper diet. A healthy bird is not going to be as noisy as one that is sick and screaming because of this.

But the bottom line is simply this. You bought a parrot and parrots are noisy. As long as the noise isn't excessive, which you should be able to determine from the tips above, you are simply going to have to learn to live with your fine feathered friend.

Of course you could always go out and get that goldfish.

[Annesad]

I have a very noisy Hahns McCaw...Murphy can rattle the windows...everyone says it is only when I am home...he will be quiet while my husband or housekeeper is here, for hours...I walk in and all heck breaks loose. He has my number! If he yells, I give him a treat or fresh food...I used to yell back and that made him worse...plus he can now say "please shut up, Murph!" He thinks I am one of his flock and that yelling is fun. He also can say "Wanna go nite-nite," in broad deaylight because that's what I threaten him with. Big lesson, don't scream with him or reward him with food...it increases his fun.

[Bonesy]

I've found you can shape the vocal behaviour of most birds. Yes they are noisy but you can teach them softer sounds are more acceptable than those ear-drum-popping-screeches that they like to do JUST as you pick up the phone.

With my budgie, for example, we all know budgies are mouthy little beggars, don't we? When he used to scream for attention or just for the sound of his own voice, I would turn my back on him & wait for him to stop. The second he went silent, i'd turn around & talk with him softly, then, as soon as he raised his tone again, turn my back to him & pretend the other wall was SUDDENLY so so interesting. He soon realised soft chatting got him more attention than shouting his beak off.

Now I simply have to tell him "Good Boy!!" when he sings a tune that is pleasant and he will recite it a few more times just to hear the approval. (I reserve Good Boy for things done right during clicker training & he associates it with a treat or two! ..useful weapon sometimes )

Simple steps used effectively can really minimise the headache of an over-zealous bird.

When i first started training, i issued Time-out to the bird for shouting, which was a quick fix but it eventually amounted to attention all the same, and it was just as effective & less time consuming to do the "Back flash" than to issue a Time-out. As i gained enough experiene over the years the Backflash was the single most effective tool i have ever used on birds, and I can now use it as a full trainer & still find it does the job & well. It's also easy for the client to take home, as it is not complex in the slightest. You can even narrow it to turning your head away, at the end of the day it works by issuing Ignorance to the bird until it reacts in the way you'd like, then it gets the attention it often begins getting noisy to start with in order to gain.

Many people will also often shout back to the bird which worsens the issue as sometimes your bird simply wants to know if you, as a flock member, are still alive & well, and when you don't respond, it may get worried, and shout louder, then you reach your tether on the noise & shout out at it, so it thinks you are either supporting the noise it just made by returning it or, sometimes, it may think you are in stress & scream in fear of your well-being (some people don't think of this but it makes sense when you think of it.)

[Copper]

I've taught mine to used their inside voices. They can hollar and scream as much as they want out on the deck, letting it echo back from the mountains. Inside though, I would put my finger up to my lips, tell them to use their inside voices, and whisper it to each one. I'll then take my thumb and index finger and put them on their bleaks like I was pinching a nose, and repeat use the inside voice. They've all learned.
They will occasionally get rambunctious during the day, and the noise levels have mirrored those of jets flying overhead. I just do the rounds to all the play areas and remind each one to use the inside voice, and it's been more than effective. Only rarely do I need the reinforcement of the fingers on the beaks.

[kensbuns]

Parrots are loud????????? Who da thunk?????? LOLOLOLOL

[jplinville]

My breeders all seem to think it's time to shout while I'm on the phone! LOL

[Copper]

Originally Posted by jplinville

My breeders all seem to think it's time to shout while I'm on the phone! LOL

Just like any kid no matter how old.... the time to talk to the parront is while they are distracted on a phone call.... they'll agree to almost anything so they can get back to the conversation!
You know it's one of those unwritten rules!