I need help w/ screaming spectacled

[stronghandsmcgee]

I am in desperate need of help/advice. I have a female spectacled who is about 15 months old. I love her to death, but lately she has been driving me up a wall. She never was a very quiet bird, but over the past 3 or 4 months she has turned into a complete terror. All she does these days is scream almost constantly whenever I leave the room. I cannot figure out how to get her to stop. This is becoming a real problem; she is incredibly loud and I live in an apartment. I'm worried that my neighbors will start complaining soon and if that happens I'll have to get rid of her. Can anyone help me?

 

[Minzer84]

Hi, and welcome! This is one of the problems I am having with my Yellow Crowned Amazon...most people say you should ignore the behavior, which discourages it, in theory...A lot of people on this forum are for talking quietly when the bird starts to scream, a lot of the times they will quiet down to listen (that's what I've been trying lately)...It's a hard situation, because picking the bird up and putting it in time-out gives it attention, screaming at the bird to shut up encourages it, and killing the bird is what we really want to do but don't for obvious reasons...you could also try searching past threads for "screaming" and see what you come up with. Everyone here has been very helpful and I'm sure they'll have more suggestions that have slipped my mind.

 

[stronghandsmcgee]

IME, ignoring is definitely "in theory." So far, all ignoring has gotten me is a record (yes, I timed it) 4 hours and 23 minutes of screaming pterodactyl. I'll try searching through old threads, but I'd still like as much input as everyone can give me.

 

[Minzer84]

4 hours and 23 minutes...I would go absolutely insane, so kudos to you for putting up with that this long. I think the ignoring tactic is supposed to be a very long term solution, which takes awhile for a bird to really figure out...not really convenient! Anyway, I'm so sorry that this has happened to you and your baby, I definitely know how frustrating it is...for awhile I was putting Iggy on the floor when he screamed, because he won't scream at all from the floor...not sure if picking him up in the first place was a reward or not, but he definitely didn't like the floor...Anyway, I know everyone here will have lots more to say, so I'll let them take it from here.

 

[indigo]

First of all welcome and we want pictures ....

Okay, now for a reply.

I don't have a 'zon or a screamer really, but I DID have a screamer when I brought Pix home. I am his third caretaker, and his previous two were less than ok. Anyways, he would scream for attention whenever I was not lavishing him attention (which I don't like to do generally, I like to give them all about the same amount of attention, including Jade and Tango). What I did was to talk to him softly when he would scream. I'd stay in the room and do something unrelated, and then when he got distracted I'd leave and that seems to have worked as he no longer screams.

Now he contact calls me when I leave the room unless I tell them I am going out for a bit in which case he says bye sort of. We have a game where he contact calls me (usually a couple tweets) then I tweet the same pattern back ... then I tweet some patterns to him and he replies .... people think im crazy but its cute. Sometimes Serenity gets in on it and occasionally Bonnie does too, but usually its just Pix, but Bonnie usually is singing songs then too.

Anyways, I used the soft talking method and it seemed to work alright. Seeing as your baby is so young still, it may be her way of seeing where your limits are.

I am sure there's going to be others come on here who have other ideas.

 

[Peta]

OMG 4 hours 23 mins You are a saint,

I also use the quiet talk and that seems to quieten mine down, but then they're not screamers really.

First off we need to find something that works for both you and your bird. Obviously ignoring her doesn't work, so that ones out. Have you tried talking to her from another room to see if that will quieten her down.???????? Also try putting her on the floor. Is she flighted or clipped? If flighted and she doesn't like the floor she will probably just fly off again.

I'm worried that my neighbors will start complaining soon and if that happens I'll have to get rid of her.

Obviously this is something that you want to get sorted quickly, but please don't try a lot of things all at once, this will only confuse her and could end up making the problem worse.

Oh another one if she screams have you tried putting her in her cage and covering her? When she stops you could talk to her and take her out, as soon as she starts again, back in and cover?

Welcome to our family, any questions just ask. We're here to try to help. Let us know if any of these suggestions work, and in the meantime we can try to come up with something else that may help.

not sure if picking him up in the first place was a reward or not, but he definitely didn't like the floor

Minzer, it don't matter if it was a reward or not (never thought I'd say that) if it stopped Iggy from screaming,

 

[pheobus]

Hi and wellcome!

I've got a YCA as Minzer, who sometimes gets really loud !

The other guys have already told you most of the tactics we use, I also change him room when he is not responding to anything else and that makes him quite as he is interested observing the new surroundings..

Well thats all I could think about right now.If I come up with sth more I'll let you know..

Oh!You are a very patient person to tolerate a screaming amazon for that long..

 

[stronghandsmcgee]

Well, so far so good. She's been relatively quiet the last couple of days, thanks to Spongebob Squarepants and a few other cartoons playing on my computer while I'm out of the room or gone. I'd like to thank everyone for their help, and I'm probably going to need it again. Anyways, here's some pics of my baby. Her name is Pinecone. Yes, Pinecone. I was having a hard time picking a name and then she puffed up like a pinecone in front of a bunch of my friends. Thus, Pinecone.

 

[Peta]

She is very beautiful and I love that name.

I'd like to thank everyone for their help, and I'm probably going to need it again.

You are very welcome and anytime you need help just scream, someone will hear ya. I'm glad that you were able to find something to help with the screaming.

 

[birdcrazy]

excuse me if I missed this but what kind of a bird is she? she looked like some kind of amazon but I wasn't sure - I've never seen one quite like her.

 

[Peta]

Kelli, she is a female spectacled Amazon.

 

[stronghandsmcgee]

Kelli, she is a female spectacled Amazon.

Yep, Amazona albifrons nana, the rainforest subspecies.

 

[stronghandsmcgee]

Alright, everyone. I have officially reached the end of my rope. I can't stand this anymore--I am stressed almost to the breaking point, and it's all I can do not to scream or strangle her when she throws one of her tantrums (which are almost constant), and I certainly can't afford to get behavioral consultation. I'm almost certainly going to get rid of her.

 

[indigo]

Have you contacted local rescues? I mean they deal with behavioural issues all the time - they may have some help for you and if it doesnt work they may be able to help re-home her.

 

[Minzer84]

I'm so sorry to hear this...I know what you must be going through, especially since Iggy and I just had a fairly bad night in that department...you know what's best for her, I'm sure you or a rescue will be able to find her another home where perhaps her screaming will be tolerated or somehow diminished...Again, I'm really sorry, it's a tough decision.

 

[Peta]

I'm so so sorry, to hear this. I can only try to imagine what this feels like, (I don't have screamers) and I'm sure I couldn't imagine it like it really is.

You have tried your very best, and now its time to think of what is best for you. Is there a rescue center near you that could either help you out or re-home her.

Again I'm so very sorry, I just wish we could have come up with something here that would have helped you and her.