Dinner Time Screaming

[lostitinak]

Ok, so I haven't been here for a while, and all has been well with Griffin since we brought him home.....that is until recently.

Griffin is normally a very loving, snuggling, quiet and awesome BH Pionus.....until it's dinner time.

When I'm in the kitchen making dinner he is usually on his cage, hanging out because it's hot around the stove and he could get hurt.

Now he is normally just fine atop his cage, until about 1 hour before bed he snuggles under my hair and goes to sleep before "night night" time.

The problem is WHILE I'm cooking dinner........my precious little angel turns into a small banshee demon! He starts screaming NON-STOP like some extremely spoiled little child throwing a temper tantrum.

We do our best to ignore him but we are at our wits end. My husband insists that it's just because he knows it's dinner time but there has got to be SOME WAY to get Griffin to understand that this is not OK. We have even tried going over and talking to him (in a calm voice) in an effort to assure him dinner is on it's way.

This is really the only time he screams (other than the occasional squawk).

Please help or it's going to be Griffin-Ka-Bobs for dinner soon! (jk)

Any advice is appreciated. Thanks!

[KDK241]

Monty recently started screaming occasionally when I leave the room but never at dinner time. Of course then he is on his best behavior hoping to get some of what I'm having.

If he is screaming because it's dinner time and you usually feed him at that time I would try feeding him either before you go make dinner or waiting until he is being quiet after dinner. Basically he has figured out that if he screams, he will get really good food.
One thing that worked well for Monty when he used to chew on the wall is I would go pick him up and put him in his cage without saying a word and then let him out after a few minutes. After 2 days of doing this he hasn't chewed on the wall since. You can also try giving him a treat when he is being quiet and praising him, even if it's only for a couple seconds. It could also be a good time to give him a foraging toy or something else to occupy his time. Whenever I want Monty to stay occupied an almond in the shell put in a foraging toy guarantees at least 15 minutes.

[Willow]

Yes, can you give him an "appetizer" treat before he starts screaming?