Please Help Me! I Spoiled My Baby Quaker And Now She Screams!

[MalakisMommy]

I purchased my baby Quaker in August 2007. I instantly fell in love with her from the moment I saw her. I had a Quaker when I was young, but I consider myself a first time parrot owner, so I need a lot of advice. I've read almost all of Mattie Sue Athan's books on parrots, but I can't solve our little problem. Malaki, my little girl Quaker, is now 10 months old and SCREAMS! I'm not talking about the normal "squak...pause...squak" when she's asking where I am. She screams bloody murder if I'm not keeping her as the center of all my attention. I gather, after I read Mattie Sue Athan's books, that I over spoiled Malaki the first months that I had her. She is still learning to play with her toys on her own, so we're working on that. I just don't know what to do! When she starts screaming she doesn't stop. I live in a little one bedroom apartment, so this behavior issue can't continue. I don't know how to make her stop. I've tried covering her up, but she still screams. I've tried ignoring her, she just screams louder. I've been working with her, for a long time now on encouraging her to say "step-up" instead of scream, but I don't know if I'm doing the right thing. Any words of advice would be great.

[isoscelestri]

I read from a Sally Blanchard book that parrots really find whispering fascinating. She helped a couple that had a parrot (I think some sort of Cockatoo) that would scream, especially when they left the house. So she had them whisper to each other and the bird as they were leaving, eventually the bird started whispering instead of screaming, especially since the owners rewarded the whispering behavior. From what you wrote, it's not the same situation, but perhaps if you started to whisper to your bird before you go and do something else or see if it helps distract the bird from screaming...

[MalakisMommy]

thanks for the advice Isoscelestri, but I've tried that... she still screams. I've tried ignoring her, I've tried covering her up, I've tried to encourage her to say her words instead of scream... nothing works. I love her dearly, and won't ever get rid of her, but this is just terrible. She can be so sweet at times, like right now she's on my shoulder talkeing to me very softly and lovie... but then other times she'll just start screaming. It's not onset by any thing or person or event. It's just when she wants attention, but sometimes she even screams when she is getting attention. I just need advice.

[rockybird]

What a tough situation. Can you try saying firmly NO and putting on the counter or table when she is with you and screaming, and walk away. CLose the door behind you like you are leaving. Stand outside the door for a minute or two or until she stops and then go back in. I dont know if it will work, but I did this when my conure started nipping and it worked great. He soon learned that if he nipped he was going to be left alone. He doesnt like being out of his cage alone, so he learned quickly.