HELP...behavior change :-)

[tlouiselle]

We have had Stewie since he was 9 weeks old. He has made us so happy...until now. Stewie just turned two years old a few months ago. He has become a complete stinker. He squawks in the middle of the night, he is much louder and makes loud high pitched screams/squawks that he has not done before... I will tell him "no". He will look at me and do them again...I am having a hard time handling the screams. He has always made noises but thay were more sweet coos and chattering words and sounds. He will not stay on his playgyms either. He has a HUGE cage with a playgym on top. He also has a large java tree stand on our screened porch. He has toys toys and more rotated toys...but they are of no interest to him all of the sudden. He is running on the floor, on the counters, on the sofa...everywhere and getting into anything and everything. He has one counter that he is NOT allowed on (where the stove is). He doesn't care now. He will flutter onto it, I will stand up to go remove him, and he flutters off. I will sit down and he will flutter back up there. He will even sneak onto it when I have to leave the room for a second. He will see me come back in and he flutters off. STINKER STINKER STINKER.

Nothing in his lifestyle has changed. I work from home and his cage is in the main room with me. I would open the cage for him to play on his gym for the day, occasionally chatting with him, a pet, or rotate him to his other playgym. I did not want to spoil him too much because I did not want him to get used to too much attention during the day while I am working.

Could this be a phase? I don't know the age these guys mature...OR is he unhappy. I always feel bad that he doesn't have another bird since they are a flock animal. We have cats and dogs that he plays with but would he be happier in a household with other birds? I love him to pieces and only want what is best for him :-(

 

[drlisaort]

I don't have any sage advice for you as Oliver is only 13 months old and thus far is quite quiet with the exception of his chatter and practicing words. Once in a blue moon at night after our dinner and before he goes to bed he'll let out one long screech while yawning. Other then that, he's pretty quiet. I'm wondering, is there any odd light that wasn't in his sleep area before? Perhaps something is scaring him. As for the counter, Oliver never goes near our counters as they are off limits. He does walk around on the floor from time to time but predictably makes a beeline for the dog cage to climb up the open door or to his cage to climb up to the top to play. Anyway, I look forward to reading others thoughts who have way more experience with this species...

 

[tlouiselle]

I miss when Stewie was like that LOL. There is no light in his cage. Nothing scaring him. These are not scared squawks. They are just his "i'm awake and want to be vocal". He did thiat at our old house and when we travel with him as well. I just hope this is a phase and/or the season that is causing so much sass and crazy energy that he did not have before. Other then this stinker spell you could not want a more perfect parrot. He is potty trained (poops on command and returns to his cage to poop when he is loose), he gets along with everyone and everything. He doesn't have a mean bone in his body. I can do anything to him and he will just let me because he trusts so much.

 

[Birdman666]

Probably just a phase.

You might want to cover him at night to stop the screaming.

The stubborn bird thing... I just keep putting them back. Eventually they get it. You might have to clip him for awhile if it is dangerous, at east until he gets the message.