Managing Overbonding with humans.

[scarlet905]

Hi, I posted this on get help but moving the thread here for help.

I need some advice. For about a year I had one Cockatiel. Oscar is the tamest sweetest thing. He loves to cuddle with me. But he screams. He screams when he's in the cage. He screams when he's out of the cage if I'm not paying attention to him.
So, I figured he was lonely. I got another tiel that I "rescued" from a pet store where he'd been a long time. Ernie is cage bound but I'm working on that. At least he doesn't hiss anymore. After a while I introduced the two of them and now they are in the same cage. They get along just fine.
However, Oscar still screams.
I've tried everything. Treats. Ignoring him. Leaving the room. He has lots of toys that I change around. He is well fed... including home made bird bread that I found on here. This board is great by the way.
I've tried all the suggestions on here and I cannot figure out what is distressing this bird. He's so tame and wonderful otherwise.
Thanks for any help.

[tre]

Because he was the "only bird" for a whole year, he probably isn't interested in other birds other than you and other humans! He is already attached to people and probably care less about other birds. I've gone through the exact experience. Your bird just craves you and other humans attention and can't stand to be stuck in a cage while you are home doing other things without him. And as you can see, nothing can distract him away from screaming for your attention. It's just a really strong bird+human bond that he has developed from being around humans for so long. I think if you had bought 2 birds at the same time, they would both bond and not crave so much human attention.

[KDK241]

I agree. He is bonded to you, and when he is not with you, he is not happy. The best thing to do is to ignore the screaming and don't take him out or give him a treat until he is quiet. Also, call to him when he is screaming. Have a whistle that you only whistle back to him during these times. This will be your "flock call". Zeke used to do this until I started whistling back to him. Now, instead of screaming, he just whistles when he misses me and never screams. Basically, teach him that he gets the good things when he is quiet. It will take some time, and some screaming, but eventually he will figure it out.

[parrotntn]

Good ideas! Also, you might try upping or changing out his toys. Does he scream if you take him in a room he hasn't been in?
Treat him for being quiet anywhere, anytime. Keep treats in your hand/pocket. At some point he'll stop, be ready with a treat. Clicker training would do well with him if he's a constant screamer. He'll get the point that in that nanosecond he's quiet, CLICK!>> good stuff is coming.

Does he scream if you cover his cage? If he stops then, slip a treat under the cover and give BIG praise. Create a situation for him that he does well in.
He'll get it, just focus on what he's doing good. If he's screaming, ignore it.
Even a bad reaction is a reaction to him.
He's could be conditioned to screaming..

[Courtzrocks]

We had two tiels but our Daisy (our first one) was really quiet (for a male) but would talk to you if you came in eyesight...our lutino female used to scream all the time. Eventually she started to quiet down when we didnt respond but took her out when she was quiet.

[birdlady49]

You might try leaving the radio or TV on in the room (during the day only) when you're not around so he can enjoy human voices and hopefully stop screaming.

Where is he when he's screaming? Is he hanging on the side of the cage? On his perch? Or?

[scarlet905]

Thanks to all.
I do believe that Oscar is extremely attached to me. My family tells me that he does not scream when I'm not in the house. The cage is in the Family Room and he'll hang on the side and look at me and scream. I ignore it. I would give him treats for being quiet but I cannot figure out what to give him as a treat. Are there some suggestions?
I work at home so the screaming has got to come to an end.

[Monica]

I'm curious... was Oscar handraised? And at what age did you get him at?

Also, at what age did he start screaming?

[scarlet905]

Oscar was hand raised. He was 3 months old when I got him. He bonded with me almost immediately to the exclusion of everyone else in the household (although he's not a biter). I travel quite a bit in my job and we noticed when I returned that he would scream for my attention fairly early on.

[Monica]

I suspected as much... I've been hearing about a lot of handraised cockatiels that if gotten before the age of 5 months go through a period of time when they start to scream... so you are not the only one. My handraised cockatiel I got when she was about 6 months old and I've NEVER had any issues with her screaming. I've heard of this screaming with cockatiels who are the only birds as well as ones who are around other birds (such as budgies).

I think it may have something to do with them not being able to get their independence from their parents/handfeeders.... since in the wild, birds would stay with their parents well after weaning to learn how to survive on their own.

Thus yet, I haven't really heard of any cure for this other than trying to teach them that screaming will not get them the attention that they want.

You can try rearranging the cage, maybe putting it closer to a wall or to a window (the opposite of where it is now), in a more active room or maybe a quieter room.... more toys, maybe some soft playing music... but keep the tiels together (if not same cage same room).