Screaming Amazon

[Topaz]

Evening! So, I am very lucky that I rescued a Double Yellow Headed Amazon 10 years ago. Since, she has become well trained and has her loud days. Her loud days aren't too bad unless your stressed out. With that being said, a friend asked if I could bird sit his Red Lored Amazon named Rita. She's 15 and has more energy then both my Zon and Pionus put together. She great for me except she has separation anxiety. If she can't see me or I leave the room, the screaming obsessively starts. It's bad!!!! The vet mentioned crating her. Well, it works after an hour or so, once she stops screaming. During her time in "time out", she has chewed a hole big enough that she can squeeze out of the crate. I have done all things imaginable to ignore her and tell the difference between her screams, loud noises, etc to reword her and all that jazz. I know this past year, she didn't receive a lot of personal attention but now she is receiving a good amount of attention (when she's not screaming). My Zon and Pionus are not going after Rita when she screams (if they are out and about). I have even tried to do separate "bird times" but that hasn't been successful in the least bit. Unfortunately, her owner can't take her back and don't know if he is able to take her back anytime soon. My fiance has given her until Halloween to straight up or ship out - we have had her for a few months.

Lets say, the screaming starts at 6am and she doesn't sleep either. Maybe I am so used to having mine after 10 years that I know their routine and my fiance didn't go through the growing years of an amazon so it's hard. Also, I am a huge animal lover and it's getting to me as well with constant headaches that are close to migraines from her.

Please, please help! Any suggestions will greatly be appreciated.

 

[Auggie's Dad]

No behavior is unmanageable - however one must also be realistic. I doubt that she will be quite and content by Halloween, so if your fiance is not flexible then there will be problems. You may however be able to see productive results by then - so if he can be happy enough with that to give her more time then there is plenty of hope.

My first thought on training when I read this was "what a dumb*** veterinarian." Often I try to be open minded and tactful, but that was a dreadful idea.

Ignoring the screaming and giving her attention when she is quiet is a good idea, but in some cases that's not enough. It's hard to reward being quiet if she never is. Also "being quiet" is a non-behavior - it's hard for a bird to know what they are getting rewarded for. So... the solution is to replace "being quiet" with a positive behavior. Teach her to ring a little bell or whistle a pleasant sound to get attention.

At first this can take some time, ring the bell or whistle the tune yourself right before you take her out of her cage repeatedly. Then leave her in her cage until she rings the bell or whistles pleasantly then immediately praise and reward her by letting her out. Again the beginning will be slow, but it is MUCH easier for a bird to learn BELL->ATTENTION than 'QUIET'->ATTENTION.

Once she begins to get it ONLY let her out when she rings (or whistles) and NEVER let her out if she is being loud.

One downside with this is that you should avoid ever ignoring that bell or whistle, particularly in the beginning. One work around is to use a bell toy and when you are leaving the home or will not be able to spend time with her then take the bell out of her cage; if she has no opportunity to give the signal there is no chance to learn the signal is being ignored.

 

[Topaz]

No behavior is unmanageable - however one must also be realistic. I doubt that she will be quite and content by Halloween, so if your fiance is not flexible then there will be problems. You may however be able to see productive results by then - so if he can be happy enough with that to give her more time then there is plenty of hope.

My first thought on training when I read this was "what a dumb*** veterinarian." Often I try to be open minded and tactful, but that was a dreadful idea.

Ignoring the screaming and giving her attention when she is quiet is a good idea, but in some cases that's not enough. It's hard to reward being quiet if she never is. Also "being quiet" is a non-behavior - it's hard for a bird to know what they are getting rewarded for. So... the solution is to replace "being quiet" with a positive behavior. Teach her to ring a little bell or whistle a pleasant sound to get attention.

At first this can take some time, ring the bell or whistle the tune yourself right before you take her out of her cage repeatedly. Then leave her in her cage until she rings the bell or whistles pleasantly then immediately praise and reward her by letting her out. Again the beginning will be slow, but it is MUCH easier for a bird to learn BELL->ATTENTION than 'QUIET'->ATTENTION.

Once she begins to get it ONLY let her out when she rings (or whistles) and NEVER let her out if she is being loud.

One downside with this is that you should avoid ever ignoring that bell or whistle, particularly in the beginning. One work around is to use a bell toy and when you are leaving the home or will not be able to spend time with her then take the bell out of her cage; if she has no opportunity to give the signal there is no chance to learn the signal is being ignored.

Thank you for the advice! The bell and/or whistle is a great idea. On occasion, the bell is the only thing she will play with. For my other amazon, I can easily give her a chew toy or change out her toys and she is as happy as can be. Rita doesn't play with toys - even afraid of them.

My fiance will just be happy for her to have some better results - which we have seen. Lets say she knows how to pull his strings while I am away from the house which then gets my other amazon going.

 

[Auggie's Dad]

To follow up my previous insult to your vet... it was a bit harsh (even if true). But being a trainer working in animal behavior I am often surprised/frustrated with how many people go to their vets for advice about behavior.

Some vets do learn about behavior, and some are experts in it, but it is by no means part of their standard training. If your kid is acting up in school you don't take him to an ear nose throat doctor, you take him to someone who works with behavior (counselors, psychologists, etc). So if a pet is acting up why go to the vet? Ruling out medical concerns is always a good idea as unlike children pets can't tell us when they are sick, but if it is a behavioral problem few vets are equipped to deal with it.

Yet since they are always asked about behavior many vets have taken to the habit of making things up rather than referring the client to a behaviorist.

Anyhow, in regards to my comment on your vet, I have no reason to doubt their medical expertise - I just wish vets would learn to say "I don't know" when it came to things they don't know about.

 

[RedsDad]

I find when my Red Lord get into a screaming fit I don't let her out of the cage,but I talk to her in a very low voice so she will have to stop screaming to hear me,I always look right into her eyes so she know I'm not playing her game, so far this has worked for me for 25 years +. I know when her screaming fit is over she will give me kisses and tell me she love's daddy.

Reds Dad

 

[molly]

When my friends birds get far too noisey, she sprays them LIGHTLY with water. It works.. They see the spray bottle & quieten down, then she looses them out.
It works.

I tried that with my amazon, he went from screaming to singing opera, he just LOVES to take a shower...lol. When he sees the water bottle, he says GoooooD..

Molly.