blue and gold screaming help

[crazyaboutbirds20]

My bird vini is screaming excessively and my grandpa gets real mad my grandma doesn't want my grandpa to get mad so the second he screams she gets him and holds him for a long time and since I go to college my grandma is complaining that she is a prisoner here and she can't leave the house because hell scream and grandpa will get mad then when I get home I can't do home work or anything because I have to hold him so he wont scream and my grandpa wont get mad I know we trained him to scream by picking him up every time he screams but my grandpa gets mad so I can't help it is there anyway that I can train vini not to scream without ignoring him because that'll get me in trouble.

 

[Chesphoto]

You are right, you and your Grandma are creating a monster.

The good news is you can fix it but it is going to take you and your grandparents to all work together. First, your Grandpa has to understand that you are working on the problem, but the next week will probably be loud. Maybe get him some earplugs...

Next, you need to find a place that you can put Vini when he is loud for a timeout. When he screams, tell him that loud birds go bye-bye and move him to the timeout place. Leave him there until he quiets down. Then bring him back out and if he screams again, back he goes. Both you and your Grandma need to both do this consistently.

Hope this helps!

 

[Birdman666]

Yes! I agree. You have absolutely trained this bird to scream. Now you have to train him not to scream. (That's harder!)

Standard Screaming protocols from the rescue I used to work with:

1. Do not scream back! If the bird is screaming, speak in a whisper. If he wants to hear what you are saying, he has to quiet down.

2. When the bird is screaming he does not get attention. He goes in his cage, and gets covered on 3 sides.

3. If he doesn't stop screaming. He gets covered 100% UNTIL he quiets down.

4. THIS IS THE IMPORTANT STEP: THE POSITIVE REINFORCEMENT STEP: Once he quiets down, he gets uncovered and praised "That's better, and a good bird."

5. If he remains quiet, he gets uncovered completely.

6. Holding a bird too much is like holding a baby too much, they cry when you set them down. STRUCTURE the interaction with the bird. This is your interaction/getting held time. This is your time to play on your own. That way the bird gets into a regular routine, and will realize screaming doesn't change the routine.

 

[JerseyWendy]

I've got to admit that covering them briefly REALLY does the trick. I'm pretty tolerant when my big macs have their "moments", but I'm currently fighting with a gnarly, nasty cold, and my tolerance level isn't up to par.

I was trying to take a nap earlier, and both Niko & Ripley had been out for over 2.5 hours, so I put them in their cages and laid on the couch. CAW CAAAW CAAAAAW. :31: Not 1 minute, not 5 minutes, but 10 minutes later I had enough, quietly got up, grabbed their blankets and told them if they don't quiet down they'll get covered. CAAAAAAW, CAAAAW....CAAAAAW. :32: I covered them both for 5 minutes, and it was INSTA-QUIET. Removed the covers, and not one of them started up again. But I left the blankets on the floor for them to see. :54:

They are SO smart. And I got to nap peacefully.

 

[Birdman666]

The only bird I have that occasionally gets carried away with screaming to try and get his way is my red fronted macaw.

I DON'T EVEN HAVE TO COVER HER ANYMORE. ALL I DO, IS PULL THE COVER OUT OF THE CLOSET, AND THROW IT ON THE FLOOR NEXT TO HER CAGE, AND ASK HER IF I NEED TO COVER HER... She immediately quiets down.

BUT you have to be consistent about it.

 

[Jumpingtadpoles]

I have also heard having a time to be loud, together is a good idea. I LOVE BEING LOUD!!! So I take time most days to be loud with him. I live in the country, so I go on the porch and yell with my boy, or we listen to some of his favourite music, and really go at it.
He loves "I shake, I move" because it says "hot" so we scream "hot!" Together. Lol.

 

[MonicaMc]

Sounds like he needs some training in new behaviors (target training, turn around, wave, dance, ring toss, basketball, etc) and taught how to forage for his food.

Would your grandmother be up to helping you train Vini?

 

[Sheryl]

We do the same and it really works like 'a time and place for everything'. My husband is like you - he loves to get loud. He puts on loud music and everybody who wants to join in, does. My GW, Mijo, yells the loudest and has the best time. Scot has also taught him to yell a couple of octaves lower than normal. That is pretty funny to see/hear. Hey whatever works, huh?