Flock calling

[IcyWolf]

So today marks the official end of week 2 and ziggy seems to have really accepted us as her flock. We have been eating our meals in our room, only a few feet from her cage and now every time one of us eats anything, including the dog, she will go to one of her food bowls and start eating too. On top of that, she has remained really quiet, no talking or screaming, but in the past two days she has started doing what I can only assume is a flock call, if one of us leaves the room, as soon as the door closes behind us she will let out a few calls, not screams, but not little chatter either, I'm sure it's load enough to hear throughout the entire house but it's not unbearable by any means. I know in the wild parrots do this and then wait for a response back from the rest of the flock, or the missing party, so it only seems right that we should come up with some kind of vocal response to assure her that we are okay and we will be coming back. My question is, should our responding call be a mimic of the call she is doing or can it be anything as long as it is consistent? Does anyone here have an established "it's okay, I'm right here even though you can't see me" call that they use to communicate with their bird?

 

[mtdoramike]

I've always read that it's better no to respond because if you yell back, she will respond to you and then it's a vicious cycle. It's best to ignore it. But if you don't I would suggest that her cage is placed in the main housing area where there is the most activity. I don't believe in birds being placed in a room alone unless there is more than one bird. It's best for them to be in the middle of things.

 

[xreinx]

I have never owned a bird before, but when Cherry, my aunts Black faced lovebird gave her evening calls, (during the night) my grandpa would grunt back at her while he fed wood into the fireplace. And when I was working at the shelter, Lary (a unbrella Too) would give a strange call, Id say "Im here" cause I didnt have time for any other answer. he would go quiet and be content.

I owned chickens and turkeys all my life, the turkeys would give a clicking call and Id answer, so he would know it was me long before he would see me, I grew up in the woods so my ... sounds.. werent always words. Id say do what you feel comfortable with. Id click back to my turkeys and they would relax.

 

[IcyWolf]

I've always read that it's better no to respond because if you yell back, she will respond to you and then it's a vicious cycle. It's best to ignore it. But if you don't I would suggest that her cage is placed in the main housing area where there is the most activity. I don't believe in birds being placed in a room alone unless there is more than one bird. It's best for them to be in the middle of things.

We actually have two room mates right now that we are technically "renting a room" from, so I am in our room with her 99% of the day, the only time I really leave is to make food, which I then bring and eat in here where she can see me, go to the bathroom(and she showers with me 75% of the time), or if I have to actually leave the house, which honestly isn't too often. Our room mates aren't home too often and since their dog has full run of the house and tries to attack our dog, there isn't really anyone in the rest of the house to often, so our bedroom is the most active part of the house. They are actually moving out at the end of the month and we are taking over the lease with two of our friends, both of which love that we have a bird because they have both told me they would like to have one but just don't have enough time, so things will change a bit here in the next two to three weeks. We are actually moving out of our smaller room into the two large rooms downstairs, where I will be able to wheel her cage out into the living room if we are hanging out out there

 

[Bright Star]

My youngest budgie, Keats, gives what I would term a flock call...sometimes to me, sometimes to my other budgie, Raphael. Raphael always responds in kind. I say, 'Yes, dear,' very calmly. That seems to calm him down. If he gets out of control with his chirping/calling, I don't respond, but if it's a simple call or a quieter chirp, I don't mind encouraging him