Birdman666
Well-known member
- Sep 18, 2013
- 9,904
- 263
- Parrots
- Presently have six Greenwing Macaw (17 yo), Red Fronted Macaw (12 yo), Red Lored Amazon (17 y.o.), Lilac Crowned Amazon (about 43 y.o.) and a Congo African Grey (11 y.o.)
Panama Amazon (1 Y.O.)
Itās fairly easy to inadvertently train a bird to scream...
I have a friend that has a B&G with zero manners. Set the bird down, if it sees you it screams to be picked up, and continues to scream until, guess what, it gets picked up... and every time this bird throws a fit, it gets picked up.
Ergo, the bird has been trained to throw a fit, and scream.
With a large too, itās even easier. Just hold the bird too much, and keep it entertained! Sure, itās fun. And they are little love spongesā¦ until you set them down and they become psychotic!
Don't want that? STRUCTURE THE INTERACTION, TEACH THE BIRD TO PLAY ON IT'S OWN... That is ultimately the key to preventing screaming problems. They still vocalize a couple of times a day. Feeding time, when I get home from work, when they know it's pick me up time... other than that? Not a peep... IF YOU TRAIN THEM PROPERLY... If not, don't complain about the bird doing exactly what you trained it to do.
Knowledge is required with toos and big macs especially. Problem birds are generally accidentally created. They don't come that way.
Never scream at a bird who is screaming. It only makes them louder. In fact, with many large toos and macaws, it initiates a game of who can yell louder. (And how much fun is it for a bird to play a game he will win every time?! Oh, yeah, we can play this one all day!) The next time your bird starts yelling? Do the opposite! Speak in a whisper! Heāll have to quiet down and focus on you to hear what you are saying. Now heās quiet and distracted, and no longer screaming. Now focus him on something else, and maybe heāll play with that insteadā¦
Screaming protocols are as follows: When the bird starts screaming, he is asked to quiet down. (My command is āToo loud.ā Pardon the pun.) If he continues, the cage cover comes out, and gets thrown on the floor in front of the bird. If he still continues, you cover 3 sides of the cage. If he continues after 3 sides are covered, then he gets all the way covered.
Once he quiets down, you uncover the front of the cage and praise him for being good. If he remains quiet, the cover comes off and he again gets praised and rewarded for being good.
SCREAMING BIRDS GET IGNORED. THEY DO NOT GET REWARDED AT ALLā¦
QUIET BIRDS GET EXTRA ATTENTIONā¦
You must be 100% consistent or it wonāt work. It canāt be sometimes. It must be every time. Tantrums donāt get rewarded!
I have a friend that has a B&G with zero manners. Set the bird down, if it sees you it screams to be picked up, and continues to scream until, guess what, it gets picked up... and every time this bird throws a fit, it gets picked up.
Ergo, the bird has been trained to throw a fit, and scream.
With a large too, itās even easier. Just hold the bird too much, and keep it entertained! Sure, itās fun. And they are little love spongesā¦ until you set them down and they become psychotic!
Don't want that? STRUCTURE THE INTERACTION, TEACH THE BIRD TO PLAY ON IT'S OWN... That is ultimately the key to preventing screaming problems. They still vocalize a couple of times a day. Feeding time, when I get home from work, when they know it's pick me up time... other than that? Not a peep... IF YOU TRAIN THEM PROPERLY... If not, don't complain about the bird doing exactly what you trained it to do.
Knowledge is required with toos and big macs especially. Problem birds are generally accidentally created. They don't come that way.
Never scream at a bird who is screaming. It only makes them louder. In fact, with many large toos and macaws, it initiates a game of who can yell louder. (And how much fun is it for a bird to play a game he will win every time?! Oh, yeah, we can play this one all day!) The next time your bird starts yelling? Do the opposite! Speak in a whisper! Heāll have to quiet down and focus on you to hear what you are saying. Now heās quiet and distracted, and no longer screaming. Now focus him on something else, and maybe heāll play with that insteadā¦
Screaming protocols are as follows: When the bird starts screaming, he is asked to quiet down. (My command is āToo loud.ā Pardon the pun.) If he continues, the cage cover comes out, and gets thrown on the floor in front of the bird. If he still continues, you cover 3 sides of the cage. If he continues after 3 sides are covered, then he gets all the way covered.
Once he quiets down, you uncover the front of the cage and praise him for being good. If he remains quiet, the cover comes off and he again gets praised and rewarded for being good.
SCREAMING BIRDS GET IGNORED. THEY DO NOT GET REWARDED AT ALLā¦
QUIET BIRDS GET EXTRA ATTENTIONā¦
You must be 100% consistent or it wonāt work. It canāt be sometimes. It must be every time. Tantrums donāt get rewarded!