# Only sings when I'm not around?



## Elysianphoenix (Jun 15, 2011)

Hey everyone,

I'm a long-time budgie owner and since a couple weeks I have a very tame cockatiel living with me. The odd thing is, he doesn't sing when I'm around, or so others tell me. When I'm in the room, he makes little squeaky noises, and sometimes the odd chirp, but more than one or two chirps he never does around me. He's attached, he flies to me, he sleeps on my shoulder, he gives me kisses, he wants me to pet him, but according to others, he only sings when I'm out of the room and becomes a real squeaky baby when I'm near. Can anyone explain this odd behavior?


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## luffy3001 (Sep 1, 2010)

the squeaky bahavior is like him telling u he loves u probably he doesnt want to sing to u because ur part of his flock or he is probably saying negative things i have never heard of a bird ever doing that before sorry if i answered the question out of topic


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## tielfan (Aug 31, 2008)

Birds are quirky and there might not be a sensible reason for it. Maybe he's still just a little bit shy and is holding back on singing to you. If you talk, sing, and/or whistle to him it will encourage him to whistle back.

Maybe he has something that he's trying to communicate to you and the little squeaky noises are a message. How old is this bird? Is there any head-bobbing with the squeaks? If he's a recently weaned baby he might be begging to be handfed. In that case you can hold some food in your hand for him to eat. This is comforting to young birds and is good bonding with older birds too.


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## Elysianphoenix (Jun 15, 2011)

Thank you for your replies. I have no idea why he won't sing around me. He does sing around anyone else, just not me. There's no head bobbing, though I do from time to time feed him from my hand as he seems to like that. He's been with me about 3 weeks now, and that's about as long as he's been eating on his own (the breeder called me to pick him up once he ate on his own). 

I guess it'll stay a mystery why he sings around others, but not me. :-( Thanks for your help though!


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## Marlie (Jan 27, 2011)

My bird used to do this also. He never sang when he knew i was around and as soon as he saw me he would stop. Now he will sing if i am in his sight but if i pay attention him while hes doing it, if i whistle along with him, he stops. I am not sure about how he reacts to others as i am the only one who handles him.


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## Siobhan (Mar 21, 2010)

Johnny sings to get attention and once he has the attention, he stops. He'll occasionally whistle a bit when I'm paying attention to him, but singing is strictly a "Look at MEEEEE" activity. That may be why yours stops when you come in -- he's got what he wants then: YOU!


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## kat (Jul 7, 2009)

My boy will sing on my sholder and if i look at him while hes singing he will put his beak to my cheak and sing or make kissing noises but if i make any noise at all while he singing he stops. Ive just thought that he is trying to learn more sounds so he stops to pay attention to me.


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## .mpeg (Oct 6, 2010)

for ages mister used to sit on my shoulder, wings out slightly, singing at me in the mornings. now he opts to chatter away at me with occasional breath pauses. he practises his very out-of-tune singing when i'm not around now. or when he doesn't know i'm around anyway bwahaha


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## Jac249 (May 19, 2011)

Our kiki did this. Was a wonderful singer but never if I was around. Would sing in front of anyone else but never me. I thought it may have been a "wanna get it perfect first" thing. Unfortunately we lost kiki so will never find out. Once though I even hid around the corner but kik could see my shadow so stopped.


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## Elysianphoenix (Jun 15, 2011)

Thanks for the replies, everyone!  I think that does make sense! He is starting to sing a bit more now, even with me in the room, but as soon as he knows I'm paying attention to him, he will stop. So either he's shy, or he's trying to get my attention. 

He seems to like screeching. *laughs* He's too adorable.


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