# Screeching/screaming when I'm present



## Thelastkiss19 (Jan 11, 2013)

Hey guys!

My problem is screeching/screaming. A lot of it. It started around 5 days ago. He has been doing it before, just not this much. If he did screech, ignoring him, walking out of the room, or as a last resort, covering him did help. Now, nothing helps. He was mostly screaming for attention or when I left the room. Now, I sit next to his cage, and after two minutes, he starts screeching, with me sitting there in front of him! It got so drastic and loud this week that even covering his cage didn't work and he kept screaming from underneath the cover.

An hour ago I went to sit with him and after 2 minutes, he started screaming... so I walked out of the room, closed the door, and I did not go back in, to see when he would stop. It took him 25 minutes! I did not want to go back in so that he doesn't take it as encouragement. But it was a long 25 minutes. Now he is in his cage in his room, very quiet. I don't know what he is doing. I'm afraid to go back in because he might start screeching again?!

What's happening? Is he bored? Angry at me? He has been with me for 10 months now. He's still afraid of my hand or of people in general, doesn't really like coming out of his cage. He was in a pet shop for a year before I got him. It took him around half a year to even start playing with the toys in his cage. So trust is definitely an issue for him.

A change in his life could be that I am a little more stressed recently because of my studies. No other change. He has fresh food, water, toys, his droppings look normal, I don't see any health problems, he looks healthy.

He is only loud during the day. When the sun starts to go down - even if the light is on, and he is still cleaning himself of playing, he doesn't scream or sing anymore. Only during daytime. So when I come home from work late, he is all fine. But lately I had to come home earlier and even spend a day at home, my fiancé spent a lot of time at home as well. And Lufi just keeps screaming at both of us. I have no idea why. By the way, I had to spend 3 days at home 2 weeks ago, and of course we're at home almost the whole day on the weekends. We never had this problem before! Only the past few days.

What do you guys think? What is he trying to tell me? Is it because I was stressed, and he felt it? Or maybe trying to talk or whistle to him during a screaming fit was a bad idea, now he thinks we encouraged him and gave him attention? Is that the problem? Should I just ignore him while screaming and reward him when he's quiet, and hope for a change?


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## sunnysmom (Sep 23, 2011)

He could be going through a hormonal period. You can try longer nights treatments- increasing his sleeping/dark time by a couple of hours. Also maybe try working with him to spend more time out of the cage. An hour a day at least is recommended. And I think it is suggested to reward for good behavior.


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## catalinadee (Jan 1, 2011)

Give him lots to do to keep him occupied, shorten those days and don't give in to it  I had a constant screamer, but he had come from a very rocky start and his never actually stopped but there was little I could do about it. Eventually, I decided it would be nice for him to go out into the aviary but then they all ended up doing it <_< I'm sure he will quieten down soon!


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## Thelastkiss19 (Jan 11, 2013)

Thanks for the advice! I will definitely try longer nights. I'm also working on lowering my own energy and stress levels to see if it was me who caused this.

He has plenty of stuff to do, many toys, I usually change them up every once in a while or give him a new one. I will change them up again, maybe that will keep him occupied for a while.

I wish he would spend more time out of his cage, but he just doesn't come out! Even if he does, he flies a little, sits somewhere, and looks very scared. Then he'll get comfortable and start preening, but doesn't go and explore. To get him back in, I take the cage closer to him and he'll fly back on it and find his way inside. If I see him struggling to find the door of his cage, I'll guide him with my hand. But he is sooo afraid of hands, it doesn't matter how slow and nice I go towards him, he sees my hand coming too close for his liking and flies away immediately.

It took me more than 2 years to START bonding with my previous tiel and around 4 years for her to be completely comfortable around me (also from a pet shop, not used to hands either). We built a really strong bond but very slowly. She was a difficult case as well (but very rewarding), so I hope that some breakthrough will happen with Lufi as well when he's ready. 

It just feels sad reading other threads where people tell you they started bonding with their tiel after a few weeks or even days. It's been 10 months now and I'm patient, but I really wish he would just let his guard down.


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