# Screaming cockatiel



## Spyro (Aug 3, 2013)

Hello  I have had my gorgeous cockatiel Spyro since august when he was 3 months old so he is roughly 7 months old now.

He is tame flys to me (now his flight feathers have grown back) he lets me rub his head and he speaks to me and gives me kisses! How ever my main problem is his screaming when he is in his cage. I go out the room and you should here him it is so loud! And also if he wants my attention and wants out of his cage.

Any ideas of how to train him to stop this?

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## roxy culver (May 27, 2010)

Try calling back, it sounds like flock calling, like he is trying to make sure you're OK when he can't see you.

When he does it to get your attention, do you respond? If so, it means he has trained you to do what he wants!!!


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## dianne (Nov 27, 2013)

Can you keep him out of the cage more? It sounds like he really wants to be with you more. 

It's so interesting the different problems and different positive things people have with their cockatiels. Some can't get them out of the cage. Some can't get them in. Some can get them to step up, but not to allow scritches. Some are too noisy, some are too quiet. They are such individuals. Like people in a way.

If you need to keep your bird caged, I have read that you really have to be ruthless about not responding when they scream (I don't mean flock calling, that's different, and responding may reassure them and help them to cut down on it). If you respond occasionally, the behavior becomes more entrenched. This is what skilled animal behaviorists say. It is called a random schedule of reinforcement. If an animal gets reinforced every time it does a behavior, it takes less time to stop it when the reinforcement is stopped than if they have been reinforced occasionally and unpredictably--like when the owner just can't stand it any more.


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## Spyro (Aug 3, 2013)

Yee he is always out of his cage as we spend alot of time together  when he squawks or screams I wolf whistle which he does respond back to its just if my bf is in but im at work he doesn't stop so I don't no if maybe hes trying to look for me but cant so he keeps calling out? We do have a very good bond I can say he will let me do anything  he loves his kisses as he keeps asking me for them lol he says give me a kiss and then wolf whistles XD

So I do try and ignore him when it gets very bad and I just let him out now when hes playing in his cage and singing so when hes not making alot of noise if that makes sence?

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## Vickitiel (Oct 10, 2012)

This is a very common issue with single 'tiels and their owners they are bonded to. The closer your bond, the worse the flock-calling is going to be when you're gone. It can get too much, I know! But hopefully you will find a way to calm him or distract him from doing it too often. I can't remember what I did to stop it with my first 'tiel, because I ended up getting a second bird and the desperate flock-calling stopped.


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## Spyro (Aug 3, 2013)

If I was to get a second tiel would my first tiel loose his bond with me? 

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## caterpillar (Oct 14, 2013)

Spyro said:


> If I was to get a second tiel would my first tiel loose his bond with me?
> 
> Sent from my GT-I9505 using Tapatalk


Some people say this does not happen. It DID happen to our tiels, but the problem was that my BF (who was their sole human at the time) stopped paying as much attention to the first tiel once he got the second one. I also don't think he was observing that the second tiel was a bully, either.

If you make sure you spend a lot of time with them both, especially individually, and you monitor them closely to make sure their bond is healthy, it should not happen.


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## dianne (Nov 27, 2013)

So, it sounds like the problem is that he bothers your boyfriend or neighbors while you are out. Is your boyfriend involved with the tiel? How does he react to the screaming while you are away?

It does, indeed, sound like he is looking for you and calling for you.

I would like to see some more experienced tiel owners comment on whether this could be hormonal. I don't know for sure when adolescence usually happens with tiles. If the screaming has increased recently, I would look into that as a possible answer. I thin there is a thread on hormone control. I remember reading that hormones can be reduced by covering the cage for 12 or even 14 hours a night. I'm still learning (have had a tiel for two months), so these are just ideas.


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## Spyro (Aug 3, 2013)

I see! Yeee its more when im not here my bf does get abit angry and just covers him up if he gets too loud and I do not want that obviously because its not too bad when im here ill talk to him and play with him (when hes being quiet or singing in his cage) 

My bf does have an alright bond with him! He changes his food and water and mist sprays him which spyro loves! Spyro is so kind and caring we took him to my moms for the first time and he was on her shoulder wanting his head scratched he likes my company but he enjoys being around anyone  which is fantastic that he behaves great around anyone and new people

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## eduardo (Jan 27, 2012)

A few things may happen if you get a second cockatiel:
- Spyro may calm down with flock calling because he won't feel lonely any more when you are gone
-He may stop flock calling but not get along with the new bird, in which case you will need to house them separate
-He may be happy to have another cockatiel, they may form a great bond and still be very bonded to you 
I got Candy first, but she was flock calling so bad, just like Spyro, that I decided to get another cockatiel, Tony. With time, she stopped calling for me like a mad bird, because they formed a flock bond. However, they don't really get along that great and Tony is often mean to her because they are both very bonded to me and so they see each other as competition.
So, think about all the pros and cons, and all the possibilities, and go from there.


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## dianne (Nov 27, 2013)

It sounds like you are very lucky with this Tiel!

Maybe it's not so bad if your boyfriend covers him--as long as it's not for hours? Then the Spyro could take a nap, and be more ready to play when you get home. 

If your boyfriend is finding the Tiel annoying, it might be a mistake to get a second, unless he's fully on board with that as a solution, because, what if there's even more noise?

I have two budgies and a cockatiel. The budgies are very noisy. I think if I lived with someone else it might annoy him/her.


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## Spyro (Aug 3, 2013)

Yeee I think its something we should work on with spyro for a while first and talk about what we want to do in the future ideally I dont want a second tiel yet so we will find ways to work around it for a while  

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## KTdragon (Jan 5, 2014)

I'm having a very similar problem with my bird Mandy ATM. Though he seems to have more of an obsession with my dad more then me. A friend and i could be talking in a different room then him and hes just fine. but if my dad says something in the same room as us, he goes absolutely crazy.

Sorry, I am new here. I'm hopping its ok that i posted on this Thread. ^^;


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## Spyro (Aug 3, 2013)

Ofcourse it is carry on! If you got the same problem as me why not  

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## LaurulCat (Jan 4, 2014)

If it is your bf that is having the noise problem with the bird and not you, maybe it is the bf that needs to be reminded to answer the bird when the bird calls out for contact with the bf. My birds can hear me when I am in the catroom or the kitchen and they will call out for contact and all I have to do to quiet the entire flock is speak up and say "Hello birdies!" in a bright, happy voice. The tiels and budgies quiet down and then my CAG and my Senegal will call out individually and I say hello to them by name and everyone is quiet again.

Think about how birds behave in a flock; they are constantly chirping to one another, keeping in touch and listening for one of them to give out an alarm call if there is danger. Our pet birds do these same behaviors living in our homes and we have to meet their needs by calling back to them.

If you want noise, you should hear the new Green Cheeked Conures I have! Goodness are they noisy! And it goes on for at least a full minute at a time...


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