How to teach CAG to not do his war cry scream?

[danbrah]

I have an adopted 8 y/o CAG and only had him about 1 month now, in the mornings he sometimes lets out his war cry noise, (ear piercing ) what are some of the best methods I can try to do that will teach him not to do this?

He sometimes does it for attention or just for himself as he looks out the window in the morning

 

[SilverSage]

Most birds are loudest around sunrise and sunset, it is natural. However, there are things you can do to alter it slightly. For example, consider covering his cage and keeping the room dark until you are prepared to deal with the noise, and maybe turn on music in the morning to help mask it for you, and stimulate him If he does it at night and it is too late, consider playing his favorite music at the time you prefer to get it out of his system.

 

[danbrah]

Most birds are loudest around sunrise and sunset, it is natural. However, there are things you can do to alter it slightly. For example, consider covering his cage and keeping the room dark until you are prepared to deal with the noise, and maybe turn on music in the morning to help mask it for you, and stimulate him If he does it at night and it is too late, consider playing his favorite music at the time you prefer to get it out of his system.

What about for when he does it to gain attention?

 

[MonicaMc]

Can you give him attention before he screams?

Can you give him food, foraging activities or a bath before he screams? What about exercising him? Keeping him busy before he starts so he doesn't have a reason to?

 

[MenomaMinx]

Put the birds cage in your room at night. If that's impractical, start camping out where the bird sleeps.The bird is looking for you: that's part one of the warcry. Part two is when you didn't show up, for which you are being chastised. You really need to start paying attention to what your bird is trying to teach you – we've been over this concept.

And I disagree that African grays are natural screamers. Given a preference, they won't. It's something they learn, through human misbehavior, for releasing frustration or communicating any number of things that they weren't understood when they first tried to tell. The only exception is when the gray perceives itself under the threat of harm or feels it's being harmed – that's a natural scream. Everything else, not so much.....

You want to hear ear shattering screams, try a post vet anxiety attack – pretty much any species of parrot, but 1000 times worse when it's yours.....

 

[Arwyn1313]

My Meyers does this as well. She has her morning scream but she mostly does it to try and get my attention. I will ignore her until she stops then giver her attention. If she starts again,I will do the same thing over and over. She hasn't learned screaming will get her nothing and being a good girl will give her attention just yet but we are working on it. I will keep checking this thread for more ideas. Here's to our ears not bleeding anymore lol