alabasandria
New member
- Jun 17, 2013
- 3
- 0
You all were so helpful with my question about weight gain and cholesterol, I thought I'd ask for more help. Short story: I have a 38 yr old WFA named Buddy, he's been with me for 9 years. He's pretty vocal, meaning he screams a little at dawn and dusk and makes sharp contact calls if I leave the room or for a few minutes after I walk out the door. He's never been an excessive screamer, though.
Well, I just moved in with my boyfriend and his screaming has become very excessive. It's been about a month since we moved and Buddy's routine has been completely upended. Here are some basics:
Before, Buddy was normally out of his cage 24/7. He stays on the cage and has never moved off it since I've had him. I even trusted him out when I was not home. Now Buddy has to be in his cage most of the time, because my boyfriend has a young cat and we're still training the cat to leave Buddy alone. The cat and bird are separated when neither of us are home. When we're home, Buddy is out as much as possible.
Before, I had a schedule that kept me home all day at least two days per week, so we had a lot of time together. I currently have a 9-5 and it looks as if I'll be keeping that schedule. My boyfriend is often home though, and he lets Buddy out.
Buddy's also been waking up very early, around 6am whereas he previously would wake up around 8. I think it may be the sound of summer cicadas, but he begins screaming loudly at 6.
Right now he screams nearly every second that we're home. Whether we're in the room or not, whether he's inside or outside of the cage, whether the cat's around or not around. Whatever. The only time he seems to stop screaming is when we're not home or if my boyfriend is home but is very quiet. My neighbors have been very forgiving, but I don't want to wear out their patience. I can tell it's anxiety screaming and not normal vocalizing because he holds his wings out anxiously and all of his feathers are down tight against his body.
Here's what I've tried so far to remedy the screaming. I try to get him covered and put to bed at 8pm every night. I purchased a blackout curtain for his part of the room to help with darkening the space. When he wakes up I give him a shower and some out time with me as I get ready. When I get home I give him a second shower because he likes them and we've been having a heat wave. Repeat daily. I've tried exiting the room when he screams and coming back when quiet, but he will literally scream for hours. I've tried rewarding his happy vocalizations and ignoring the screaming, but it hasn't made a difference and we've been going for about a month.
I'm traveling for 3 weeks soon and Buddy will be staying with my dad and brother since my boyfriend really needs a break from the screaming (Buddy's stayed with them before).
Does anyone have any suggestions besides what I've already done? I know this is a lot of upheaval for a parrot so it may just be a matter of making the routine stick as much as possible. But I've moved with him twice before and this has never happened yet.
Well, I just moved in with my boyfriend and his screaming has become very excessive. It's been about a month since we moved and Buddy's routine has been completely upended. Here are some basics:
Before, Buddy was normally out of his cage 24/7. He stays on the cage and has never moved off it since I've had him. I even trusted him out when I was not home. Now Buddy has to be in his cage most of the time, because my boyfriend has a young cat and we're still training the cat to leave Buddy alone. The cat and bird are separated when neither of us are home. When we're home, Buddy is out as much as possible.
Before, I had a schedule that kept me home all day at least two days per week, so we had a lot of time together. I currently have a 9-5 and it looks as if I'll be keeping that schedule. My boyfriend is often home though, and he lets Buddy out.
Buddy's also been waking up very early, around 6am whereas he previously would wake up around 8. I think it may be the sound of summer cicadas, but he begins screaming loudly at 6.
Right now he screams nearly every second that we're home. Whether we're in the room or not, whether he's inside or outside of the cage, whether the cat's around or not around. Whatever. The only time he seems to stop screaming is when we're not home or if my boyfriend is home but is very quiet. My neighbors have been very forgiving, but I don't want to wear out their patience. I can tell it's anxiety screaming and not normal vocalizing because he holds his wings out anxiously and all of his feathers are down tight against his body.
Here's what I've tried so far to remedy the screaming. I try to get him covered and put to bed at 8pm every night. I purchased a blackout curtain for his part of the room to help with darkening the space. When he wakes up I give him a shower and some out time with me as I get ready. When I get home I give him a second shower because he likes them and we've been having a heat wave. Repeat daily. I've tried exiting the room when he screams and coming back when quiet, but he will literally scream for hours. I've tried rewarding his happy vocalizations and ignoring the screaming, but it hasn't made a difference and we've been going for about a month.
I'm traveling for 3 weeks soon and Buddy will be staying with my dad and brother since my boyfriend really needs a break from the screaming (Buddy's stayed with them before).
Does anyone have any suggestions besides what I've already done? I know this is a lot of upheaval for a parrot so it may just be a matter of making the routine stick as much as possible. But I've moved with him twice before and this has never happened yet.
