Screeching...and no idea why

[Rookie11]

I have heard that there are numerous reasons for a bird to make loud calls (screeching). I have tried to do research online about the causes and what I can do about it but Im not having much luck. Normally my bird, Roxy, is quiet during the day but when my parents come home she starts screeching. Just recently she has started to do it most of the day and then it gets worse when my parents come home. I play with her a lot during the day whether its just sitting and holding her while we watch TV or playing little games with her, But as soon as I put her back she starts screeching. I have no idea what to do about it. I have tried teaching her new sounds to make when she wants more attention, covering her cage , or ignoring it all together. I am out of ideas and I just want the best for my bird and her happiness.

[Rookie11]

She'll do it until someone comes up to her or gives her something to eat. She seems to do it for all types of reasons and I havent really figured out anything inparticular that makes her stop.

[KimBear]

Members, because this is the "Ask the Experts" board, please give me a chance to respond before posting.



While it may seem there's no reason or pattern to your cockatoo's screaming, there most likely is. It may be difficult to figure it out because there may be more than one reason, and because we aren't always able to interpret the screaming, we can't determine what it is that's setting the bird off. Could be happy excitement, could be angry frustration. To our non-cockatoo ears, it all may sound alike.

Normally, when a parrot screams after people come home, it's a "hey-where-have-you-been-come-over-here-and-see-me" response. There are a couple of ways you can manipulate this so it isn't as much of a problem. One strategy is to predict when it's likely to happen then try to prevent the problem in the first place. You could greet your parents at the door with bird in hand, for example. She's not likely to scream if your folks are talking to her and petting her.

Another idea would be for your parents to establish a coming-home greeting ritual that involves them coming over to the bird to say "hi", waiting for her to settle down, then letting her out for a bit.

The whole screaming issue can be pretty complicated and trying to recommend something without knowing more about your situation isn't easy to do. There are some tactics (ignoring the bird, for example) that would be perfectly valid in some situations, but in others could be the worst thing to do.

Getting one-on-one professional advice is a good idea because you will get information that's personalized rather than general. That's not to say there's no trial-and-error when you have a consultation. Somtimes it can't be helped because you're trying to figure out another creature that can't always tell you what they want or need.

One thing that there's no guessing about: Screaming problems are one of the main reasons people end up getting rid of their cockatoos or putting them in a back room or basement. It's best to get a handle on it now before it reaches a boiling point, and it will likely take some more investigating.

[Rookie11]

Thanks. I will definetly try that out. The last thing I would want to do is get rid of her. She can be quite noisy at times but its worth it.