Is it normal for a macaw to scream the entire day?

[hcurab]

We don’t mind occasional screaming and screaming during sunrise/sunset, but this B&G macaw (9 years) is screaming absolutely non-stop!

I’m doing the best I can. I filled his cage with toys. I have him on Harrison’s with vegetables. I interact and train him. He gets Baths almost every day.

When I’m at work or even at home during the day, he’s constantly screaming very loud and scarily. He sounds like someone is getting killed. It sounds like a horror film.

I’ve only had him for 6 days. He has not improved much. I don’t give him attention and never come to his rescue when he screams, only when he’s quiet.

I ordered a foraging food puzzle that will arrive tomorrow.


I don’t know what else to do? My mom and sister (both adults) could not tolerate the screaming anymore. Especially because they’ve been home almost every day. When they try to sleep during the day they get upset. When he screams every second it gets on their nerves. I hate to admit it, but they have a point.

I initially put the bird upstairs near my bedroom, but he was screaming very loudly. I tried this setup for 5 days. Today I thought moving him to the living room, where there’s always someone walking around would ease his mind, but nothing changed.

At this point, my sister has been nagging and nagging me (which caused me extreme anxiety). It was either put the macaw cage outside or rehome him.

I do not want to rehome him. He is now outside for the first night. I live in Miami, so the climate is perfect. He’s in a shaded area. I don’t like having the bird outside, but what can I do?

I have a sun conure, and I have a lot of experience with medium sized birds. I never had a large parrot before, so I need to know what I should expect. .

If a macaw is known to scream the entire day in an ear shattering, psycho killer scream, then I will with a heavy heart have to rehome him.

It depresses me because we got along so well and the bird really trusts me which wasn’t very easy. He really likes me a lot. I feel like a saved him. He makes me SO happy. I become miserable when I feel like I have to rehomed him.

My sister and mom love the bird, but the noise is unbearable to almost anyone with an ear. It’s never-ending!

 

[hcurab]

He’s only quiet when he’s interacting with me or with someone else.

If he’s out of the cage and alone, he will still scream. If someone is walking by him, he will scream.

He needs treats and to be hands-on to get him to stay quiet. He likes training a lot.

My family adores the bird, it’s just very excessive. It’s more than they can handle, and they compromised a lot for me.

 

[GaleriaGila]

BLESS YOU. You have apparently been graced with an exceptionally ALIVE bird.
I have a bird (largest conure about the size of a Grey) who also commands the airwaves seemingly all day, at abut 100 decibels. I have made bizarre sacrifices to keep him over the last 40 years...
I am glad I did, but... I feel your pain.
I would say... use the search engine here to read threads on noise, and... do your best.
I feel ya. Good luck. Please stick with us.

 

[kme3388]

Hi there, and welcome,

I’m very sorry to hear you have a macaw who is screaming the entire day. Yes they do indeed have a very loud scream.


Can you tell us how you acquired this macaw so we understand what may be playing a factor on why this macaw is doing a very loud call consistently?

I just read the macaw is 9 years old, so this is not a baby.

No, macaws do not do a loud call consistently all day long & for hours on end. Usually the ones I’ve dealt with will do a loud call because they are hungry, because someone is in their eye site & they want out of their cage. When the lady who ran the shelter actually took a day off the macaw would scream more than usual. She was really attached to the person who ran the shelter. She didn’t hide that it was her favorite person. They do need to adjust to a new environment. Their entire life just changed to something new & probably scary to them.

I don’t know your environment in FL, but we have a lot of outdoor predators like coyotes for an example here in MN where I live. Be very careful leaving your macaw outside.

 

[GaleriaGila]

Amen to that coyote comment...
I thought we had left them behind in New Mexico when we moved up North to Ohio. No such luck. It didn't take long for me to spy a few snooping around our back porch nipping at the grill for bits of burgers!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[deekaybull]

We don’t mind occasional screaming and screaming during sunrise/sunset, but this B&G macaw (9 years) is screaming absolutely non-stop!

I’m doing the best I can. I filled his cage with toys. I have him on Harrison’s with vegetables. I interact and train him. He gets Baths almost every day.

When I’m at work or even at home during the day, he’s constantly screaming very loud and scarily. He sounds like someone is getting killed. It sounds like a horror film.

I’ve only had him for 6 days. He has not improved much. I don’t give him attention and never come to his rescue when he screams, only when he’s quiet.

I ordered a foraging food puzzle that will arrive tomorrow.


I don’t know what else to do? My mom and sister (both adults) could not tolerate the screaming anymore. Especially because they’ve been home almost every day. When they try to sleep during the day they get upset. When he screams every second it gets on their nerves. I hate to admit it, but they have a point.

I initially put the bird upstairs near my bedroom, but he was screaming very loudly. I tried this setup for 5 days. Today I thought moving him to the living room, where there’s always someone walking around would ease his mind, but nothing changed.

At this point, my sister has been nagging and nagging me (which caused me extreme anxiety). It was either put the macaw cage outside or rehome him.

I do not want to rehome him. He is now outside for the first night. I live in Miami, so the climate is perfect. He’s in a shaded area. I don’t like having the bird outside, but what can I do?

I have a sun conure, and I have a lot of experience with medium sized birds. I never had a large parrot before, so I need to know what I should expect. .

If a macaw is known to scream the entire day in an ear shattering, psycho killer scream, then I will with a heavy heart have to rehome him.

It depresses me because we got along so well and the bird really trusts me which wasn’t very easy. He really likes me a lot. I feel like a saved him. He makes me SO happy. I become miserable when I feel like I have to rehomed him.

My sister and mom love the bird, but the noise is unbearable to almost anyone with an ear. It’s never-ending!

It will further traumatize the bird if you give up. We had a new bird & he started feather picking.
The screaming was NOT constant.

He is better but it took about three months.

Your bird is scared & unhappy. He does not have his/her person, environment, routine, food, toys, cage (?), & everything is different.

If you possibly can, hang in there.

 

[Shoegoo]

It will further traumatize the bird if you give up. We had a new bird & he started feather picking.
The screaming was NOT constant.

He is better but it took about three months.

Your bird is scared & unhappy. He does not have his/her person, environment, routine, food, toys, cage (?), & everything is different.

If you possibly can, hang in there.

I agree. Hang in there. Plenty love and understanding will pay off. It may be separation anxiety. My bird was feather picking so bad when I brought her to the vet. A couple of hormone shots, some Rx medicine in her water for 100 days and now she's happy again. I have my fingers crossed.

 

[PrimorandMoxi]

My B&G will definitely scream.
they want attention all the time, and need to learn to play on their own.

easier said than done.
Are you giving him toys?

 

[GoldenDaysAz]

Hi there! In reading this thread, I’m wondering if you have a plan for an Avian Vet check up? I adopted all three of my parrots and the vet visit was a valuable head start in knowing of any health conditions I could possibly be dealing with. One of mine was excessively screaming and the vet found a throat infection and had to go on antibiotics. Once that cleared up he was so much happier. When I asked the vet how he got that, they said it’s common in drinking from water that wasn’t changed out frequently enough if they are a food dunker. He definitely is a dunker. (dunks all his food in his water that makes his water a mess.) so I have to change water frequently because of him. They are all SO different in character. Don’t give up! I wish you the best and I hope you find a solution soon.Lou

 

[bhunt931]

Hang in there 6 days is not very long for a macaw to adjust to a new environment and routine. Give him time and hopefully he will settle in. They definitely need lots of attention.