How to stop LuLu's screaming

[jroyal]

Hi guys, this isn't really a new problem but I'm a little more concerned now. Lulu occasionally screams. It's not extremely loud, or excessive but I just want to know why she does it. Before I moved, if lulu was upstairs and I was downstairs, it was not bad at all but we have carpet upstairs ( as does my new apartment). It's like an "ACK ACK" that she does. It's only the two times and she's done, so again it's not unbearable. All her other sounds are soft and quiet unless she's telling me No.
She does this scream whenever I or anyone else enters the room (not so much when I leave). She also sometimes does it if I pet her and then stop. When

I was at home my dad got a new puppy and Lu screamed every now and then but I just figured she didn't like the dog. But if she's by herself she perfectly fine and may only scream like twice in a day.
How can I cut down on. Her screaming? I told the neighbors to please let me know if her screaming bothers them but no one has said anything.
I'm afraid to open my window because if she were to scream I feel like it would carry because my neighborhood is really quiet. In my old home she's scared quite a few people as they walked past the house (although I think she kind of enjoyed their reactions because she did watch)

Any ideas for me??

Thanks

 

[Julianna]

It sounds like Lulu isn't so much sreaming as just calling. Parrots in the wild call to each other all day in their flocks, and it's perfectly natural for them to call loudly a few times a day. It may seem loud to us, but to them it's just normal volume. My caique does a quick call (it's one of the loudest sounds she makes, too) when I enter or leave a room or if something else stops or starts (such as petting). This could be the same sort of call that you're describing. I've heard you can train parrots to stop screaming by just not reacting to the call. If it's a contact call, then the bird is probably hoping for a sound from you in response. If you don't give one, then the bird will learn that calling doesn't get it what it wants, and therefore will stop. However, if the screaming isn't excessive, then it's probably just normal parrot behavior, and it's not a bad habit unless it's too loud for your apartment/neighborhood.

 

[MikeyTN]

Before you enter the room and before she sees you, call her name. Talk to her like a baby and get all excited. Hi LuLu, how's your day baby girl, etc etc. If she screams, say something back to her like your having a conversation. If you pet her she screams, ask her does it feel good, did you like that LuLu. Your basically having a conversation with your bird and if you keep that up, she might try to start to mimic you by talking and making funny noises instead of scream. I do it to my birds all the time and my birds rather chatter then scream. Sure they have their occasional scream, but that is completely normal. That's how birds are! That's how they communicate, talking is their second language you know!

 

[lpolliard]

Chico does this when I walk in the door when I come home from work. I am only three feet from him and he is looking right at me but he still lets out a loud squawk. He is not startled. I just think he is happy to see me. He will also contact call me when I leave the room sometimes.

 

[drlisaort]

Oliver squawked the first few weeks when I brought him home. It wasn't a scream but more like a parrot out in the jungle. I figured he learned it from the other parrots he housed with before he came to join me. Now, he sounds like us and makes gibber talk or real words. He will call out Mamma if he doesn't see me, and if I don't say it back or his name, he'll continue louder and louder. I think perhaps your Lulu is looking for reassurance that you are there...

 

[jroyal]

So it's ok to "reinforce" this calling behavior?

 

[Pajarita]

I think the point everybody is trying to make is that she is not screaming, she is calling and that's normal. You can try to teach her a different flock call (as in calling Momma or whatever) but parrots will call and ekkies are not bad at all when t comes to that (if you mention your 'problem' to somebody who has a screaming cockatoo, they will laugh in your face -ekkies' calls are nothing -and I do mean NOTHING compared to a screaming too!)