# Best way to train him not to scream for attention?



## onyx (Oct 1, 2014)

Spooky likes to shriek for attention; this is not okay because I work from home and he's in my office. I also suffer from frequent headaches. 

I was covering his cage every time he started screaming and then uncovering it once he was quiet, but it's been weeks and there's no change. In fact it's like it turned into a game. *ugh* So I'm trying to go the completely-ignore-him route, and praising him when's he's quiet or making acceptable noise. Does this work? How long does it take? I've read it does but I want some personal stories to help give me patience and strength, haha. Even through earplugs the shrieking drives me mad. 

Any tips or tricks would be great too. I know this is a common issue.

Or is this just his personality? He's so domineering. I see videos and photos of cockatiels being petted while they chill on someone's knee, but Spooky has to be RIGHT in your face and will peck and bite if you don't pet him when he wants.


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## Darkel777 (Jun 7, 2013)

Young chicks are this way. It is important to ignore this behavior or it will become routine. Make sure you're giving him plenty of recreational time outside the cage every day too. Bored birds are more noisy.


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## TexTiel (Mar 17, 2013)

Onyx, I'm having the same problem but not sure why. I was going to post a question. My Pickles is too young for it to be a hormonal change or a molt. I was thinking it might be because he is young and wants to be fed. He eats a lot and usually gets quiet after I put more seed in his dish.

Darkel, when you say chick how old are you suggesting? Pickles is about 3 weeks weened. He screams a lot and gets better after I give him more seed. But he's not eating very much of the seed mix to begin with. I've tried ignoring him but his will to scream is greater than my will to listen to it.


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## onyx (Oct 1, 2014)

He's about 10 months old and gets plenty of out of cage time; I'm actually trying to cut it down because I'm able to work a little now (before I was too ill and spent most of my day hanging out with him.) I've never taken him out of the cage in response to his screaming though. 

Sometimes he shrieks when he's out, too. I swear it's just to be annoying.

I just REALLY worry... I'm moving out of my house and into an apartment in a few months and I'm scared about noise complaints. One of the reasons I got a cockatiel was because they're supposed to be quiet enough to be apartment birds.

I really, _really_ need to train him out of it. It's bad enough the effect the noise has on me... I hate to even think about rehoming him once I have to move because he's too loud.  My means are very limited but it's vital to my mental health that I get out of my house asap; it's devastating but if it comes down to choosing between losing my apartment and losing Spooky I would have to surrender him.


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## onyx (Oct 1, 2014)

TexTiel said:


> Onyx, I'm having the same problem but not sure why. I was going to post a question. My Pickles is too young for it to be a hormonal change or a molt. I was thinking it might be because he is young and wants to be fed. He eats a lot and usually gets quiet after I put more seed in his dish.
> 
> Darkel, when you say chick how old are you suggesting? Pickles is about 3 weeks weened. He screams a lot and gets better after I give him more seed. But he's not eating very much of the seed mix to begin with. I've tried ignoring him but his will to scream is greater than my will to listen to it.


Is it a scream-scream or is it that weird, constant radio static shriek? Spooky was given to me by the store before he was fully weaned and was a screaming nightmare for the first month or so because he was just hungry and didn't know how to feed himself. I felt like a right jerk once I realized the problem. Try millet spray. When Spooky was that little he didn't really get seed, but he ate millet. It's better than nothing! Also try feeding him out of your hand. I understand a lot of baby birds regress, too, when they are started on a "normal" diet after being weaned. So that might be your problem.


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## Darkel777 (Jun 7, 2013)

When I say young, I mean under a year old. They beg for food and attention especially if hand fed, and after that passes they will be noisy trying to attract a mate.


Birds are not the pet for everybody, they are noisier than others. Even ankle-biter sized dogs are less noisy than birds. If owning a bird causes you headaches, makes you ill, or doesn't fit your living situation; by all means rehome. Better they live with somebody who will appreciate them than being a burden on a person who doesn't need to be owning a bird.


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## onyx (Oct 1, 2014)

Er, thanks for saying I don't appreciate my bird. <_< 

The bird doesn't cause headaches or "make me ill", withdrawal from a medication is causing me headaches. Spooky just isn't helping when he's screaming. That is why I asked for advice to train him out of it.


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## Lillyvon (Apr 12, 2015)

My Ringo was always a very sweet smart bird who learnt tricks VERY quickly, talking quickly - but we ended up getting another cockatiel as he would kick up a stink by himself. He doesn't like her, she doesn't like him - but it's calmed him down a LOT! Don't feel bad if we have to go out for the day now. But it's risky getting another bird - like throwing two humans together - they either like each other or not.


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## dianne (Nov 27, 2013)

I am wondering whether what you are hearing is the male cockatiel mating call. If you search on Youtube.com you can listen to some that are posted there.

If it is the mating call, it may reflect his sexual maturity. I think (but don't totally know) that, if so, there may be periods when he will be hormonal. I don't know how often for how long. However, generally, people on the forum recommend increasing the night (dark time) to 14 hours, in order to calm down the hormones. He may think of you as his mate, and that may be why he is making this call.

I know it is not a pleasant sound. My male cockatiel has been making this call a lot, and I am trying increased night to calm him down.

If it is a mating call, I doubt that training will change it, but hormone control might. My female cockatiel has shown no interest in the male, despite his persistently making the mating call in her ear. So, it's frequency may not necessarily be related to whether it is being rewarded.


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## Brandon2k14 (Nov 26, 2014)

Rocko calls me in a chirpy way if I leave the room


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## Kiwi (May 12, 2013)

I would try some of the hormone reducing techniques found here:
http://talkcockatiels.com/showthread.php?t=32330
Most of which will say to make sure he gets sleep in a dark quiet room for 12-14 hours for the next week, get rid of nest areas, rearrange the cage, not to give warm mushy foods that trigger hormones, no mirrors or things that can show his reflection on them in his cage to reduce hormones. 

If the problem is still really out of hand, then I think Avicalm is worth a try before getting rid of your baby. It's been taming my 'tiels hormones this week. It has taken the screaming and hormonal plucking down a notch at least. It can't be overdosed, and if you need it to be more powerful one day you can just give him some dark leafy green veggies. The calming effect becomes more powerful the more vitamin B they have in them and dark green veggies are rich in vitamin B. This is the cheapest place I've found for it, you get free shipping in the US. When you add on the shipping prices from other online stores it becomes more expensive:
http://www.wingedvictorys.com/store/avitech-avicalm-bird-calming-supplement-4oz.html

There is also a cheaper relaxation supplement, I have a few of the herbal supplements and they're usually pretty powerful:
http://www.wingedvictorys.com/store/avitech-relaxation-calming-formula-1oz.html


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## onyx (Oct 1, 2014)

Thanks everyone. I think a lot of it was attention nonsense; I stopped trying to cover him when he shrieked (it started to seem like a game, ugh) and just keep earplugs on my desk now. They let me tolerate his shrieking without reacting to it, and he's definitely screaming less and gives up sooner these days.

He's also over the nippiness problem he was having about a month ago, so I think his hormones are under control now.


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