| Screaming Cockatoo - CLICK HERE for the Pet Manual Forum Home Page |
| Shannon |
Hi, My name is Shannon, companion to an 8 yr old Umbrella Cockatoo named
Shaggy. I've read about what to expect before you get a cockatoo, and
preparing yourself for the adventure ahead. Unfortunately, I'm past that
point and have had Shaggy for his entire 8 years. He has been screaming for
4 of the 8. I know all the things we're not supposed to do... yelling back,
squirting with water, covering the cage, banging the cage, etc... I am
completely at my wits end here. I love him very very much and it breaks my
heart to even consider selling him... he can be so sweet and wonderful. I
am serious though, I need some guidance as to how to curtail the screaming.
I greet him immediately upon waking and returning home. As soon as I'm done
greeting him, he starts screaming. Sometimes he doesn't stop for several
hours. Suddenly he'll stop, and play with his toys for awhile and just as
suddenly start screaming again.. He won't let me talk on the phone, eat
dinner, or watch television without screaming. Oh he'll stop screaming if I
do everyting two feet from his cage, but honestly, we can't live like that!
I've checked online into some parrot training tapes and courses, do you
think this will help? He's got a big cage, lots of toys, and he gets
scratched and talked to a lot. Any advice would be appreciated.
Shannon
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| Just Molly |
"Shannon" <shannon@nomorespam.com> wrote in message
news:H7hHc.828$vN3.34@twister.rdc-kc.rr.com...
> Hi, My name is Shannon, companion to an 8 yr old Umbrella Cockatoo named
> Shaggy. I've read about what to expect before you get a cockatoo, and
> preparing yourself for the adventure ahead. Unfortunately, I'm past that
> point and have had Shaggy for his entire 8 years. He has been screaming
for
> 4 of the 8. I know all the things we're not supposed to do... yelling
back,
> squirting with water, covering the cage, banging the cage, etc... I am
> completely at my wits end here. I love him very very much and it breaks
my
> heart to even consider selling him... he can be so sweet and wonderful. I
> am serious though, I need some guidance as to how to curtail the
screaming.
> I greet him immediately upon waking and returning home. As soon as I'm
done
> greeting him, he starts screaming. Sometimes he doesn't stop for several
> hours. Suddenly he'll stop, and play with his toys for awhile and just as
> suddenly start screaming again.. He won't let me talk on the phone, eat
> dinner, or watch television without screaming. Oh he'll stop screaming if
I
> do everyting two feet from his cage, but honestly, we can't live like
that!
> I've checked online into some parrot training tapes and courses, do you
> think this will help? He's got a big cage, lots of toys, and he gets
> scratched and talked to a lot. Any advice would be appreciated.
>
" I've read about what to expect before you get a cockatoo, ".
Yet still you seem amazed that your U2 screams. Did you visit
www.mytoos.com before you bought him? I have one too but was aware of the
noise factor as I did my research. One of the problems you might have is
that you work and when you get home, he greets you loudly, then you say
hello and go off to do normal things like take a shower, cook a meal so he
is ignored again. Thats how I got Pandora. The previous owners led busy
lives and she was ignored for most of the time. Luckily Pandora didn't end
up as mentally damaged as the little goffin I now have who ended up first
plucking, then chewing holes in her chest at the sheer distress of being
ignoored and punished for screaming a welcome when her people came home.
Cockatoos do NOT make good pets for normal working people. In all honesty,
I doubt you will get your bird to stop being needy and stop screaming. You
are trying to stop him behaving like a cockatoo behaves. Perhaps it is time
to place him in a home where there are people about most of the day and who
can cope with the noise or keep him occupied.
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| Louis Boyd |
Shannon wrote:
> Hi, My name is Shannon, companion to an 8 yr old Umbrella Cockatoo named
> Shaggy. I've read about what to expect before you get a cockatoo, and
> preparing yourself for the adventure ahead. Unfortunately, I'm past that
> point and have had Shaggy for his entire 8 years. He has been screaming for
> 4 of the 8. I know all the things we're not supposed to do... yelling back,
> squirting with water, covering the cage, banging the cage, etc... I am
> completely at my wits end here. I love him very very much and it breaks my
> heart to even consider selling him... he can be so sweet and wonderful. I
> am serious though, I need some guidance as to how to curtail the screaming.
> I greet him immediately upon waking and returning home. As soon as I'm done
> greeting him, he starts screaming. Sometimes he doesn't stop for several
> hours. Suddenly he'll stop, and play with his toys for awhile and just as
> suddenly start screaming again.. He won't let me talk on the phone, eat
> dinner, or watch television without screaming. Oh he'll stop screaming if I
> do everyting two feet from his cage, but honestly, we can't live like that!
> I've checked online into some parrot training tapes and courses, do you
> think this will help? He's got a big cage, lots of toys, and he gets
> scratched and talked to a lot. Any advice would be appreciated.
I have an old Umbrella Cockatoo. His voice is "normal" when he screams,
but that's very rare. There are two times when he will scream. One is
if he's locked in a cage. The screaming starts about 1/2 hour after the
cage is locked. It stops about 30 seonds after the cage is opened. The
other is if a light is left on when he thinks it's time to sleep. Again,
the screaming is continuous intil the situation is corrected. (lights
out). He prefers a very high perch. My ceiling is 16' in one area, and
after placing a perch about 2' below the apex he's been quite content.
He spends most of his time there, perfectly quiet. He's a "rescue" bird
which has given up on humans. He won't bond to me or my wife, though he
doesn't attack and will take offered food. He gets along with our two
B&G's to the point of trading grooming sessions with them.
Advice? I'd think there is something he doesn't like in his current
environment. Try some changes. I can't tell from your description what
the problem might be.
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| Claudia Engel |
Louis Boyd <boyd@apt0.sao.arizona.edu> writes:
> Advice? I'd think there is something he doesn't like in his current
> environment. Try some changes. I can't tell from your description
> what the problem might be.
I can: lack of attention. I know the owner feels they're taking time with
the bird, but this is most likely not the case. 'too's are very needy
birds - they need to be with their flock *constantly*, not left in the
other room or locked in a cage all day or generally ignored. Much as I love
them, I don't have a cockatoo (and I really love the goffin's) because I
have to work all day. I do have other birds, but the other birds are
generally not as needy as cockatoos (budgies, cockatiel, Timneh African
Grey). Even so, I make it a point to spend as much time as I can with
my birds, making sure they're let out of their cages whenever possible
(typically *always* when I'm home) and allowed to participate in whatever
I'm doing. They're also provided with new toys regularly ("new" can
mean rotating in older toys every week or so the bird thinks it's
something new) and whatever other form of stimulation I can find.
Parrots, in general, are very intelligent and therefore become bored very
easily. When they're alone, it's like solitary confinement.
Treat your bird as you would a small child, as best you can.
--
Claudia Engel (no emails please)
aka: Engelchen
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| David G Fisher |
There's sojme good advice in this thread, but if you do give the bird away,
the best way to do so is to contact a local bird club in your area and
inquire about their bird adoption program.
Dave
"Shannon" <shannon@nomorespam.com> wrote in message
news:H7hHc.828$vN3.34@twister.rdc-kc.rr.com...
> Hi, My name is Shannon, companion to an 8 yr old Umbrella Cockatoo named
> Shaggy. I've read about what to expect before you get a cockatoo, and
> preparing yourself for the adventure ahead. Unfortunately, I'm past that
> point and have had Shaggy for his entire 8 years. He has been screaming
for
> 4 of the 8. I know all the things we're not supposed to do... yelling
back,
> squirting with water, covering the cage, banging the cage, etc... I am
> completely at my wits end here. I love him very very much and it breaks
my
> heart to even consider selling him... he can be so sweet and wonderful. I
> am serious though, I need some guidance as to how to curtail the
screaming.
> I greet him immediately upon waking and returning home. As soon as I'm
done
> greeting him, he starts screaming. Sometimes he doesn't stop for several
> hours. Suddenly he'll stop, and play with his toys for awhile and just as
> suddenly start screaming again.. He won't let me talk on the phone, eat
> dinner, or watch television without screaming. Oh he'll stop screaming if
I
> do everyting two feet from his cage, but honestly, we can't live like
that!
> I've checked online into some parrot training tapes and courses, do you
> think this will help? He's got a big cage, lots of toys, and he gets
> scratched and talked to a lot. Any advice would be appreciated.
>
> Shannon
>
>
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| Anonny Moose |
"Mongo Sucks" <mongo_sucksREMOVE@hotmailREMOVE.com> wrote in message
news:qMmdncQ6dO4XK3Pd4p2dnA@look.ca...
> Shannon <shannon@nomorespam.com> wrote:
> > dinner, or watch television without screaming. Oh he'll stop screaming
if I
> > do everyting two feet from his cage, but honestly, we can't live like
that!
>
> If your cockatoo wants to be near you constantly, maybe you can try using
a
> portable perch or stand so that you can carry him to whatever room you
happen
> to be in. If you go to the bathroom, kitchen, etc., try carrying the
perch
> there. Maybe if as long as he is able to see you in the same room, he may
be
> happy enough to stop screaming. Good luck.
This no doubt would stop the screaming but I think it is an unreasonable
solution. In fact, it is reinforcing the very behavior she wants to change.
karen
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| Sandy Adams |
----- Original Message -----
From: "Anonny Moose" <nospam@leavemealone.com>
Newsgroups: rec.pets.birds
Sent: Friday, July 09, 2004 12:20 PM
Subject: Re: Screaming Cockatoo
> This no doubt would stop the screaming but I think it is an unreasonable
> solution. In fact, it is reinforcing the very behavior she wants to
change.
>
> karen
>
That might be true.. but you have to look at what a cockatoo is.. i have a
Moluccan named Punkin and have had her now for 2 years.. she likes a
schedule.. she likes new toys monthly.. she must have her breakfast, lunch,
dinner before you eat yours or you can't say grace over her screaming at
you.. so she gets a plate of our food if it's appropriate or her food if
it's not..
i treat her like a toddler.. and it works.. she does shower with me every
day.. sits on the shower bar and screams and flaps and I splash water on her
(she does not like to get completely wet)
If i'm gone and hubbies home.. then she gets on her portable stand and goes
with him to his office..
she's stopped most of her plucking since i got her.. she's happy and very
sweet most of the times.. at dark she goes to bed in her own bedroom in her
sleepy cage.. she likes full darkness.. and expects someone to come get her
as soon as the sun is up and move her to her day cage play area..
she also has a happy birdie scream and you'd best fix this i'm mad scream..
and i'm scared come get me scream.. she really is quiet most of the time
with just few minutes bursts of screaming.. though i love to see her do the
wingflapping top of her voice.. happy birdie scream.. she didn't do that
when we got her :)
I think if you work at it.. you can figure out why your bird is screaming
and come to some way to alleviate most of it..
Sandy
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