Please Help - Parrot screams nonstop ONLY when I'm IN the room with her

[willowwisp]

I've read about parrots screaming when you leave the room plenty of times but I unfortunately have the complete opposite case.


I've owned my alexandrine for 8 years now and for the past year she has developed an extreme screaming habit. She only screams when I am in the room with her, when I leave she goes quiet. If I come back to the room the screaming kicks off again. The screaming is so high-pitched and shrill that it pierces through any earplugs. It's torture to be in the room with it. I try keep her occupied with regularly rotated toys, foraging activities, everything. Nothing works, when she's in a screaming fit nothing seems to interest her at all. I try play music or parrot tv videos which do not nothing except offer more things for her to scream at. I never react to the screaming, just completely ignore it, but this doesn't phase her. I can never reward her silences as the second I turn around to do so she starts the screaming up again. As she screams, she paces wildly as though she's feral. It's like she doesn't even seem to recognise me.

I'm a part-time student so I'm regularly around to keep her company but she doesn't seem to care. She hates being held, touched or scritched. She likes when I whistle and talk to her, but when she's in one of these screaming sessions, me talking or even looking at her when she's quiet starts the screaming all over again. I'm at my breaking point and I don't know what to do, the screaming is so bad that I'm always on edge in my own room, I can't get college work done, it brings me to tears with how constant and intense it is every single day without fail. It starts the second I uncover her in the morning and doesn't end until she's covered for the night. I wondered if getting her a companion parrot might help her be happier but the possibility of the screaming problem just doubling has me steering far clear of that possibility right now.

Some extra info on her: her diet is harrison's pellets and fresh fruit/veg in her foraging toys each day. She gets 12 hours of sleep on average. Her cage is left open pretty much all day. Some days I'm in college but she always gets at minimum 3-4 hours of company which she regards with varying levels of apathy.

 

[JjEjFjF]

I dont have answer but i know what you're dealing with. One of my two Conures has recently started squawking constantly. Very loudly just like your bird. I have to take them out of their bird room and put the upstairs so not to drive all of my other birds crazy. I dont know if its a hormonal thing of what. Very nerve racking.

 

[willowwisp]

I dont have answer but i know what you're dealing with. One of my two Conures has recently started squawking constantly. Very loudly just like your bird. I have to take them out of their bird room and put the upstairs so not to drive all of my other birds crazy. I dont know if its a hormonal thing of what. Very nerve racking.

It's reassuring to know I'm not alone in this, thanks

 

[JjEjFjF]

It's reassuring to know I'm not alone in this, thanks

Oh no, youre not alone. I read about this is other forums too.

 

[GaleriaGila]

She is energized and ecstatic when in your godly presence!

*sigh*

I have no advice, sadly. But I will contribute that I think there are two extremes of parrot ownership.
1 - practice sound behavior management tactics, address species-specific issues, etc.'
2- Give in, surrender, cater to your bird's reality. Accept it.

Guess which alternative I chose.

Thank you for posting! Bless ya.