Screaming and Clingy

[Belinda]

Ok, first let me put it out there that i love my tiel and he ain't going nowhere...now that's said i have got to complain!!!

Cookie is driving me absolutely insane to the point where i want to put him under a pillow and muffle his screams (btw - i wouldn't do that in real life, just my mind). Lately Cookie has been screaming and screaming and screaming for me. He wants attention which he gets hours of a day, there's just no pleasing him. This morning i put him on the play gym with the budgies and that is literally right next to me - on the desk - but being a foot away from me was too distressing for him and he was screaming for my shoulder. Even if he's on my shoulder he will sometimes scream because i'm not talking to him or giving him head scratches. It's the most irritating sound. I love that he loves me but i really need to be able to do things without him sitting right there on my shoulder. I can't leave him on the playgym because i'll get about 4 steps away and he'll flutter after me (i say flutter cause he's clipped so he can't fly to me) so i have to turn around and put him back. When he screams in his cage to be let out i totally ignore him until he's quiet. This morning (first day back at school after hols) i didn't even change his food and water till he was quiet but some days that'll be hard because if he screams past the point where i have to leave for school either i'll have to reward his screaming with attention or leave him foodless for a few hours more than he deserves. What can i do to stop this bad behaviour?? Right from the start i was careful not to give him more attention that i could maintain because i had been warned of screaming but seems like Cookie doesn't care - he just can't get enough mummy time. He's still a baby at 14 weeks.

[svolk]

I think you're doing the right thing with ignoring him when he's screaming. Don't pay him any attention until he is quiet. Even get up and leave the room when he starts screaming and don't come back until he is quiet. I think with some persistence you can break him of this habit.

Does he have a lot of toys to keep himself occupied with? Has he learned how to play well on his own yet?

[Machelle]

Sounds like he has some seperation anxiety. I agree with svolk. Try to ignore him. He has to learn that he can be by himself and it will be ok. Make sure he has lots of toys so he can play on his own. It will take some time so be patient.

[Belinda]

He has lots of toys which he plays with sometimes but he prefers to sit at the top of his boing and sulk or else (if i'm in sight) he climbs back and forth across the cage bars looking at me. Do you have any suggestions for good toys that might occupy his time?

[homebird]

My Mom's male Tiel [Mo] loves to chew leather - he kind of re-tools it.
He also enjoys a few toys that he can take apart & he looks really satisfied when they're at the botom of the cage. I think Tiels appreciate a challenge so maybe a toy he has to work - to get at food/? might be a good one.

[Tiki]

If you pick him up when he screams or give him any attention at all, he learns that screaming will get what he wants-more time with you. You have to ignore him when he screams and when he is quiet, go pick him, up and give him a scritch.

[Belinda]

That's the idea i'm following at the moment. :) I'm also looking into clicker training to see what i might be able to do with that.

[grandma]

Maybe he's just hungry

[Belinda]

He always has food available...

[svolk]

As far as toys, my cockatiel loves to chew and shred. She loves to shred any straw-like material and chew thin pieces of wood. She also enjoys knots as well, untying leather knots especially.