Conure screams and hearing issues

[Iridal]

Ok.... so I'm at my wits end and I'm going to try to make this as coherent as I can but I'm starting to hit some fear. My husband and I have had a sun conure for a few months now, got him in January. Did a lot of research, understand they're loud, didn't realize how physically loud they were. I thought loud meant they were vocal and irritating, I can deal with that. No, this dude is LOUD, like physically loud, and I'm in a rock band. After years in a rock band I'm wondering if this is what will make me go deaf.

I don't like giving up on pets so I haven't re-homed him, but I'm not sure I can stand it any more. I don't care that its loud I care that it might make me lose my hearing. How do you all deal with your birds and the random shrieking? How are you all not deaf yet? He doesn't scream all the time but even just one random shriek freaks me out. I'm sitting in my own house with ear plugs and mild tinnitus that I'm now not sure will ever go away. I'm panicking. How can all of you be happy with your birds yet somehow I'm sensitive enough to already have ringing ears?

He hears a noise, he screams. You walk by, he screams. He sees a car, he screams. He wants your attention, he screams. I've tried ignoring him, reinforcing good noises, saying no to bad ones and putting him in time out, I spend time with him, I taught him tricks. What gives.

 

[Squeekmouse]

This is a tough one, and also the reason I chose a Green Cheek instead of a Sun Conure. I really only have two good bits of advice.

1. Do NOT pay any attention to him when he shrieks. There's a difference between a contact call and a tantrum shriek. A contact call (from Yoda anyway) is a loud, single tone call that almost sounds like he is saying "HEEEEEEEY?" (pause) "HEEEEEEEEEY?" When Yoda does that, I make sure I make myself visible if possible and say back "I'm here Yoda!" so he knows I'm ok and I didn't get eaten by a jaguar. The tantrum shrieks sound like a fire alarm or car alarm and they are awful. Do NOT respond in any way shape of form to these. Even yelling at him is just encouraging him by giving him attention and interacting with him. If I am approaching Yoda's cage to take him out and he starts that shrieking, I immediately turn around and walk the other directiong. The SECOND he stops, I pause and turn around to face him. If he stays quiet for a few seconds I approach again, speaking softly and then I take him out and praise him. If he shrieks again, I turn around and leave.

2. If he's already out and he starts shrieking, first speak very softly and soothingly and calmly, maybe some "shhhhhh" sounds, the point is to relax him. If this doesn't work after 5 or 10 seconds, he'll go in his cage until he quiets down.

Move his cage away from the area you are hanging out in if his shrieks are making you deaf. You MIGHT even consider wearing ear plugs when you are with him until you can get this training to work.

 

[GaleriaGila]

Good advice above.

I have had a Patagonian (biggest and loudest of the conures) on my right shouldee for 33 years, and I just had my hearing tested, and it's fine.

I do know that sustained decibel levels of 80-90 and up can cause damage. Can you get your hands on a decibel meter? Maybe a sound guy from the old band days?

I applaud your efforts to get good information before rushing into anything.

If I were you, I'd get my hearing tested to serve as a baseline and then test regularly.

I do so hope you can keep the bird.

 

[Jen5200]

I have 2 suns, a GCC and a cockatiel..... so I understand what you’re saying about loud . My ears usually only ring if I happen to be next to a cage and someone decides to belt out a good screech. I have had my hearing tested and so far no hearing loss. I do however wear earplugs at the parrot rescue where there is an abundance of cockatoos - those guys make my ear drums vibrate when they get going in chorus.

Squeekmouse’s advice is great. I actually now keep my cages in the main part of the house so that they can see us moving around - it seemed to alleviate some of the contact calling since they know where we are. I don’t respond to screeching, and it has decreased over time. It took awhile for my husband to understand that he had to resist the urge to yell at them or go see what they were yelling about. It helps if everyone in the house is consistent.

I hope you find a workable solution for your house!

 

[Sunnyclover]

I think you are just sensitive to a sun's particular breed of scream because I have a sun and a nanday and their screams do not usually bother me. I wonder if your bird's scream is just louder than mine or what but my nanday conure is even louder And his shriek is more ear piercing than my sun and the screams only bother me of they do it directly into my ear. Maybe all those years in a rock band has already damaged your ears? Because (imho) it shouldn't bother you that much especially if it's not constant. If your bird was constantly screaming is I'd get it. Mine scream too if they see a car or want to be out of the cage or if they suspect something idls going on. That's good and normal, he's warning you of danger or letting you know he's there. Please let him spend more time with you outside bthe cage because if you're saying he screams when you walk by the cage that is normal. You should try to let him out if you're home because if they are in the cage but can't see you but can hear you he is going to scream and keep screaming. Mine do that too but I have places to put them in each room so I can have them with me instead of in the cage.

 

[Skittys_Daddy]

I think you are just sensitive to a sun's particular breed of scream because I have a sun and a nanday and their screams do not usually bother me. I wonder if your bird's scream is just louder than mine or what but my nanday conure is even louder And his shriek is more ear piercing than my sun and the screams only bother me of they do it directly into my ear. Maybe all those years in a rock band has already damaged your ears? Because (imho) it shouldn't bother you that much especially if it's not constant. If your bird was constantly screaming is I'd get it. Mine scream too if they see a car or want to be out of the cage or if they suspect something idls going on. That's good and normal, he's warning you of danger or letting you know he's there. Please let him spend more time with you outside bthe cage because if you're saying he screams when you walk by the cage that is normal. You should try to let him out if you're home because if they are in the cage but can't see you but can hear you he is going to scream and keep screaming. Mine do that too but I have places to put them in each room so I can have them with me instead of in the cage.

Same for me and Skittles. He used to drive me up the freaking wall. Screaming constantly. I'd let him out for a few hours a day and that was never enough.

Since I am home so much, he wants to be out when I'm home. So I had to make some adjustments. Now, he is free-flighted. When I am home, he is out of the cage and with me and can easily go hours without making a single screech. BUT, if he hears something or sees something that alerts him he WILL go off and won't stop until the 'threat' is neutralized. lol.

I can actually leave the house for 2-4hrs every day and go do errands and such and he is fine. I just leave the radio on for him.

It is AMAZING how much of a difference letting him be free-flighted has made. It literally solved almost all the problems. Of course making that change required me making a lot of changes too.

As for the OPs question, bottom line is this, unless he is going on an on and on OR is going off in your ear (like on your shoulder), going deaf isn't really something to be concerned about with regard to that especially being in a rock band. Just try redirection when he acts up.

No parrot should be going off constantly day after day. THAT is not normal behavior. So if the noise is becoming a nuisance, something is happening that is causing it.

Here are some tips that I do. Skittles has a playstand by the window so he can see the outside birds and get some sun. BUT, there is a church right next door and when he sees people go up the church steps, he screeches on 'alert'. So, I just close the blinds and he stops. If he sees a bug and goes off, I kill the bug and he stops. If he sees or hears something that sets him off, I remove it and he stops.

He used to act up when I was on the phone so I try to give him some attention when I am on the phone as well. That usually keeps him quiet. But if he starts to act up or IF I am on an important call and unable to give him attention I put the person on hold for a moment and go put him in his cage and cover him up until I'm off the phone.

 

[Iridal]

Thanks for the feedback everyone. For what its worth, because I am a glutton for punishment, he's out pretty much every minute I'm home. I only put him in his cage if he's acting up. I do work M-F but he gets time out in the AM and then as soon as I get home until he wants to go to bed. I did start wearing earplugs yesterday and I'm grabbing a set of earmuffs that you use on flightlines/shooting ranges/etc because those ache less. So he's getting his out time and attention. He's even not biting as hard anymore because I tell him to be nice. He doesn't scream ALL the time, just... the random outbursts were starting to freak me out.

I guess I needed to hear that other people were ok because then I can believe I will be ok. My husband is overall unphased and he's spent time on aircraft carriers sitting underneath the launch point months on end. Yeah he wore hearing protection but sometimes it gets by you. I've only been in the band for 2 years so I'd be kinda surprised if it spiked up this fast. I know people that have been in bands for years longer with no issue, and we're actually a bit quieter, we get compliments on that from venues for not blasting a room. This started to onset last week after a few bouts of screaming (bird saw something in the yard) but also just in a room with a lot of smokers over a card game... its hard to pinpoint. But his screaming aggrivates my ears right now so I guess I fixate on it.

I'm hoping its allergies clogging my ears. :-/ I have TMJ too. I just wish it would go.

 

[Iridal]

For anyone wondering, conure's scream came in at 115 DB. :-/

 

[LordTriggs]

yup 115 is very normal for a sun

my best advice is to follow everyone else's advice, also to try changing his communication to noises you prefer. Though it does take a long time and consistency on your part you can curb the behavior to make lower whining or quacking noises to get your attention rather than a scream

 

[Skittys_Daddy]

I've never measured Skittles screams. So I don't know how many dBs he is.

But I will say this, a revving motorcycle, ambulance and fire engine are ALL louder than Skittles has ever been at his loudest. He is only his loudest when he's on alert and goes off like a smoke detector. lol

Most of the time, when I go wake him up, he'll make kissy noises and this repetitive "beep-beep" screech thats actually adorable.

I will say this, I have VERY sensitive ears and 'bass' is unbearable to me cause it 'vibrates' my eardrums.

IF Skittles were screaming in my ears, it'd likely be unbearable. But he doesn't, thankfully. But I live alone and RARELY (and I do mean rarely) have company. I also live in a very quiet building (so he doesn't hear much commotion either).

I would suspect that if I were not home as much, had company often and lived in a much more 'active' building, things would be totally different.

I will say this, I have heard and my own experiences confirm that ANY noise issue with a parrot CAN be addressed and corrected.

Also, there is an upper respiratory infection epidemic going around. It could very well be that is what is clogging your ears. I am just getting over it myself and my neighbor is about four days behind me (she got it four days after I did). It's a nasty little bug! But its viral and should pass.

 

[itzjbean]

I will say that after 15 years of not owning birds and then suddenly getting two cockatiels that are very vocal during the day, it did take time to get used to having that shrill chirping going on constantly. Now 2.5 years later that constant chirping has just turned to background noise and doesn't phase me, but I can totally understand how the sudden shrieks of a sun conure can freak you out. It does take some getting used to. Either you get used to it and adapt (as they will always make noise, no matter what, there is no stopping any bird from making noise) or you don't. The people that can't handle the noise end up rehoming which is sad but understandable.

Owning parrots isn't for everyone! The noise is definitely something we all deal with, from budgies to macaws they all have different levels of noise but again we learn to adapt.

 

[Skittys_Daddy]

The funny thing is, suns are a LOT louder than tiels yet tiels sound annoys me more.

Maybe its just cause Skittles screech is kind of cute (except when he is "alerting" me, THAT sound is irritating as heck!). But Skittles is incredible considerate and does NOT screech in my ears. When I had my tiel, Peaches, who I LOVED dearly, I couldn't let her sit on my shoulder cause she'd screech CONSTANTLY and it bothered my ears.

Ironically enough, Skittles the quietest bird I have ever owned and I've had birds since I was 11. That is saying something.

 

[Iridal]

Thanks everyone. I am trying to get him to use different sounds, not acknowledging his screams (which are definite tests to see if he gets a reaction), and it does seem to be working. The second part is training the husband. This stuff doesn't bother him as much so getting consistency is difficult at times. They're both learning though. Bonus, I am a singer by trade, so when I sing soft he likes to coo at me. That helps.

Over the last two days I've either worn earplugs or been out of the house and my ears have gotten worse. So I can decently reliably say its probably not the bird, but whatever is going on his is irritating the hell out of it. I've long wondered if I have a Eustachian tube disorder on top of TMD. It didn't feel like that at first but now that the symptoms have worsened, its definitely one ear, not both, and its the same ear that has been bothering me for years. Left ear passed hearing exam, right ear feels like crap and failed. For the first time ever a doctor gave me steroids today (another fun fact, military medicine, so it kinda sucks with nuanced issues) so we'll see what happens.

So hopefully Mango (guess I never did say his name) will get to stay, unless he happens to particularly irritate my condition. I hope not though, I do kinda love the little dude. He's really smart and sweet, and he doesn't yell THAT often, I'm just really paranoid and physically sensitive right now.

Edit to add: One of the reasons I posted was because I needed to hear that other people were ok and that I maybe was freaking out a bit. That helps a ton. So thanks.

 

[eagle18]

You have to ignore him when he screams. If he thinks for one moment that shrieking will get him attention, even negative attention, then he will keep on screaming.

With my Umbrella cockatoo, I bought ear plugs to save my hearing and just ignored him. After several months the screaming lessened.

 

[Skittys_Daddy]

You have to ignore him when he screams. If he thinks for one moment that shrieking will get him attention, even negative attention, then he will keep on screaming.

With my Umbrella cockatoo, I bought ear plugs to save my hearing and just ignored him. After several months the screaming lessened.

Ordinarily I'd agree with you. But its not that simple. IF a sun conure is screaming for attention, then yes, by all means don't acknowledge it. BUT, I've found with Skittles that he screams for various reasons. Sometimes his screaming is out of caution. He senses a threat or sees danger approaching and goes on alert. Sunnies are exceptional 'guard dogs' and they WILL keep watch. Ignoring him when he's on alert doesn't work, it just makes it worse cause he thinks I don't see it.

Its more important to know WHY your bird is screaming before deciding on how to respond. Attention screams shouldn't be acknowledged, but make sure that is in fact what they are.

When Skittles goes on alert, all I have to do is reassure him or remove the threat or perceived danger and he's back to normal.

 

[Sunnyclover]

You have to ignore him when he screams. If he thinks for one moment that shrieking will get him attention, even negative attention, then he will keep on screaming.

With my Umbrella cockatoo, I bought ear plugs to save my hearing and just ignored him. After several months the screaming lessened.

Ordinarily I'd agree with you. But its not that simple. IF a sun conure is screaming for attention, then yes, by all means don't acknowledge it. BUT, I've found with Skittles that he screams for various reasons. Sometimes his screaming is out of caution. He senses a threat or sees danger approaching and goes on alert. Sunnies are exceptional 'guard dogs' and they WILL keep watch. Ignoring him when he's on alert doesn't work, it just makes it worse cause he thinks I don't see it.

Its more important to know WHY your bird is screaming before deciding on how to respond. Attention screams shouldn't be acknowledged, but make sure that is in fact what they are.

When Skittles goes on alert, all I have to do is reassure him or remove the threat or perceived danger and he's back to normal.

Agree. Ollie "goes on alert" too and he is normally a quiet bird. If he wants to warn me about something he will go off like a siren for as long as it takes for him to feel like I'm properly warned...could be 3 screams and could be 33 screams. I never ignore him...I look around and ask him "what is it Baby?" So he feels like I care. Sun conures ARE the gaurd dogs of the conure world and take it upon themselves to warn us of potential danger. Ignoring that or getting mad and annoyed about it could damage your bond and flock bonds. My birds always scream for a reason...even if I don't know it instantly I'll realize what had happened or is happening eventually. I have a feeling that's how most birds are and people just don't understand them. Like today, at 6pm I always give them a treat. I was upstairs taking a nap at 6pmish and they both started screaming. At 1st I was like "omg can't a girl get a quick nap in?! Ffs!" Then like 5 mins later I'm like...oh yeah duh.
Just try to identify the reason they're screaming and you will likely fix a lot of it or shorten it. I do know that birds can develop a screaming disorder but that's usually because they have a medical problem, been abused, neglected or had bad behavior reenforced as a baby. Hope this helps!

 

[AkridChaos]

I like all the helpful tips everyone posted here. I don’t personally own a sunny, but Warbeak was housed next to a sunny and I had to put up with the sunny type screams from a black capped for a while (not nearly as piercing, but extremely annoying). I do know like others have stated, alert screams are different from their other screams. Like Sunnyclover suggested, don’t ignore the alert sirens. It may make things worse. Acknowledge it with a simple comment or sound, to calm them down. They’ll eventually stop when they’re calm or feel you have been properly warned of whatever. But like LordTriggs suggested, do not encourage the other types of screaming. Ignore those, and help them replace it with something else. Maybe like in my case, a specific whistle. I don’t get locating calls nearly as much any more. I get a locating whistle. It took time. It was as simple as I whistled the same thing every day. She’d make a locating scream, I’d whistle back. Eventually it came time to ignore the scream. Took a few weeks, but she eventually did the whistle, I whistled back. She screamed, I ignored. She whistled again, I whistled back. Scream, ignore, whistle, whistle, etc. She does still scream, but it’s only if I’m taking to long to respond back or if I’m taking too long to get back in sight (usually takes a full minute or longer before she starts to freak out and scream for me out of worry).

 

[Skittys_Daddy]

I COMPLETELY agree with what you said Sunnyclover. Right on!

Skittles NEVER screeches for 'no reason'. In fact, there are only two things he will screech for- he wants something OR he's alerting me to something.

I don't ever ignore Skittles screeches for that reason. He doesn't "screech for attention" with me cause he always has it. So thats never an issue.

He will screech a few times after I wake him up, but he screeches more when its time to go to bed. He will screech when he wants a bath (he will fly over to the faucet, screech and when I go see him he will flutter his feathers, meaning he wants a bath). When he wants his juice, he flies over to the top of the fridge, screeches and when I go to him he makes 'kissy noises' and wags his tongue. He will screech when I come home from running errands and he gets all excited, but calms down after about 5 minutes.

He and I have a GREAT system of communication. He KNOWS that screaming non-stop will NOT get him what he wants. I have him trained to effectively request things.

Sadly, there are too many people out there who will just cover their bird up when it gets loud instead of trying to find out why and solve it that way. They just leave it covered all day or lock it in a room by itself. That's just cruel.

If it gets to a point with Skittles where he is disobedient, I WILL put him in his cage and cover him up. But he HATES being covered and knows that it only happens when he misbehaves.

Skittles used to be nearly impossible to deal with. While I NEVER considered rehoming him, I'd bet money MOST people probably would have. I did not set ANY limits with him and let him have his way all the time and never disciplined him. He became almost unmanageable.

I started using timeouts (which I think were harder for me than they were for him) and setting limits and using redirection and rewards and things are completely opposite now. I didn't join this forum til 2014, three years after getting Skittles and just about the time things started to improve.

 

[Iridal]

Thanks everyone. To put all at ease, I can tell the difference between Mango's "alert" screaming and his "pay attention" scream. I don't get mad at him for what he sees outside, I try to reassure him or move him. But I can tell when he's decided to scream for something because he's not getting his way, or because somebody left the room. He's starting to figure out those won't get him anything, which is good. He doesn't even always screech when he wants something, he chirps rather loud, or does this other "I want this" soft squawk while he's fluttering his wings.

Time out does seem effective for him if he's in a mood and just wants to scream because we didn't do exactly what he wanted, or bite because he's being moody. We don't take him back out until he's settled.

He can seem to tell when I'm unhappy with him. He understands my "no" and stern face and will stop chewing on whatever he's not supposed to be, like my necklace or earrings or mouse. I've had pretty good luck teaching him to not bite us too hard and he can still play, he likes to shake the tip of my finger on the side of his beak. He likes to challenge but he'll listen. To the husband - not so much. Right now I can't tell if the husband is his person or just the one he knows will let him get away with his crap. :33:

In other news, steroids might be helping after all. Ear feels less stuffy, jaw pain is a little lower, ringing still there but decreasing. Ear feels less sensitive overall. Mango aggravates a flare up but is probably not the root cause, so... guess he can stay.

 

[Skittys_Daddy]

Seems you're getting a hold on things and making progress.

Skittles used to pitch a fit when he didn't get his way. Timeouts put the kibosh on that. The key is persistence. You can't let your guard when it comes to limits and boundaries cause they WILL exploit them. lol.

Skittles has actually learned that after his initial 'call' for something (juice, bath etc) that repetitive calling won't speed things up nor will it result in satisfaction, but rather delay it. He's actually at a point now where he flies over to the fridge and makes one or two screeches and then when I get into the kitchen proceeds with repetitive "kissy noises". He knows his "kissy noises" get him a LOT farther than loud screeches.

They do pick up on things rather quickly. But they also WILL exploit any loopholes. Skittles is a master at that. Too often I have underestimated his clever little antics.