# He's beginning to break my heart



## imouto (Feb 24, 2014)

I've had my tiel since February. I posted previously about how he cries often for attention. Since that post, I've tried new ways of interacting with him. I allow him to ride on my shoulder as I do things about the house, I only give him millet when his behavior is satisfactory, and I got him some new toys to hopefully curve any boredom he may have been suffering from. However, his behavior has worsened. As opposed to waking me up between 7-8 am, he now screams at 5 am until I uncover the cage and let him out. Even once he is out, he will not stop causing a racket. I let him out for a couple of hours, make sure he has food and water, maybe give him a treat if he's calm, then try to get in a power nap to ensure that I can make it through my 8 hour work shifts. It's a no-go. He will call every 4 seconds without fail, keeping me up and driving me INSANE. I can't relocate him to another room as I am renting, and his environment hasn't changed since I moved here two months ago. I don't know what's going on. But it's disheartening, because while I want to be patient and work with him, it is now affecting my health (because of the headaches and constant lack of proper sleep) and I have lately considered re-homing him. I don't want to give up just yet, but if this continues, I don't know what my options may be. 

I'd appreciate any advice.


----------



## Tisena (Sep 28, 2013)

It might be because of the sunrise? is it light at about 5am when he starts? have you tried a thicker cover or curtains/blinds to let less sun in? Does anyone wake up at around 5am that could accidentally wake him up?


----------



## Tequilagirl (Mar 4, 2013)

Yeah I think you need blackout curtains.


----------



## imouto (Feb 24, 2014)

I keep the blinds shut until at least 10am when the birdies are out playing. His cover is thick and keeps the inside of cage pitch black besides a small opening I leave in case of night frights. And night lights are on all night in that corner of the room also for that reason. No one gets up that early on a normal day (sometimes my roommate has 4am shifts but that's rare and he's never been woken from that before) and I don't hear birds calling around this time either.


----------



## Formlesslight (Dec 16, 2013)

Could he be hearing the wild birds? I had a bird that would wake up anywhere from 5am until 7am in the spring and summer because he would hear the wild birds and would want to go play and chat and scream at them. If I waited too long to wake him up he would squawk at me until i let him out or at least uncovered the cage.


----------



## tweetsandsarah (Mar 27, 2014)

I have heard here that people get a wake up call from their fids and they will let them out and then go back to bed. If he is still going off then maybe a very good foraging opportunity will occupy him, and get some energy out. I'm thinking of food, shredding, etc all together.

Can anyone mention whether changing their hours will make them sleep later? He still gets the same hours of darkness, but the hours shift is my idea.

Also, identifying what is setting him off could help in identifying a solution. If he's hearing/seeing something then you can change that. If he's just wanting attention then that may make it more difficult. I'm sorry that you're having a rough time. I hope this and the other great advice you've gotten may help.


----------



## Tequilagirl (Mar 4, 2013)

Have you tried letting him out and going back to sleep?


----------



## CaliTiels (Oct 18, 2012)

Esperanza, 



imouto said:


> Even once he is out, he will not stop causing a racket.


----------



## birdythemighty (May 6, 2012)

Don't let him out of the cage when he screams. My best friend rescued a Goffin Cockatoo with a TERRIBLE screaming habit. She never seemed to stop unless she was on a shoulder or getting scratches. I read an article about curbing a screaming habit and you're not supposed to acknowledge them at all until they're quiet. No approaching the cage, no talking, no eye contact, nothing until they're quiet. My friend has been strict about this with her Goffin and it's almost been a year that she's had her and finally the screaming has gone away almost 90%. 

Another thing I read is to reward an alternative to screaming. If the bird can whistle, maybe reward a whistle and not the scream. Or the ringing of a bell. Pretty much anything that is less anoying than a scream.

Also make sure he has toys and food he likes. If the bird is occupied with foraging or playing, he won't need you as much. 

http://www.birdchannel.com/bird-beh...ehavior-issues-screaming/stop-the-squawk.aspx
http://www.peteducation.com/article.cfm?c=15+1795&aid=1517


----------



## imouto (Feb 24, 2014)

Thank you all so much for your replies. <3 

I'm looking into getting the baby a bigger cage and some more shredding/foraging toys already. 

Unfortunately I have a difficult time not letting him out when he gets loud in the morning because from my experience, he will go off for an hour or more if I ignore the screams. (I've tried it) If it were at like 3pm when no one is home but me, fine. I'd just go to another room for awhile. But at 5am this household is all asleep and I can't expect everyone else to just enduring screaming for 1+ hours. I hope there's a better way to curve this than just ignore him. 

But I think you are right Tweets and Birdy, more foraging toys filled may keep him occupied. 

Lucky for me he hasn't influenced my other bird to start going crazy in the mornings as well. 

When I head off to the store later this weekend (where I bought him) I'll ask the management some advice.


----------

