# Overbonded clingy tiel screams like a banshee



## PiedPiper (May 5, 2009)

Well... that's the only way to describe it really.
Sully will pace furiously and scream nonstop as soon as I attempt to enter/exit the room.
I've tried just about everything (contact calls, ignoring her, combination of both) but nothing really works (contact calls either cause her to quiet down but then the other two parrots start yelling or she just screams louder--and I'd rather not trade one yelling bird for two). 
She has a large cage, plenty of perches and toys (but she barely if ever touches them). She occaisionally will walk around on the bottom and shred newspaper (she'll bite me if I try to touch the papers).
I can't pick her up because if I do she'll start treading on my head and trying to rub her butt on me, or she'll hold her wings out and chatter. 
I know that the best course of action is to ignore sexual behaviour like this but she doesn't behave any other way with me. If I put her down she'll either attempt to climb back onto me or she'll strut around whistling with her wings out. 
As soon as she sees me in the morning (even if I just walk by the cage) she'll scramble to the closest corner to me in her cage and whistle, chatter and hold her wings out.

I know her screaming is probably based on her overbonding to me but how do I solve it if she won't behave any other way around me than trying to court/feed me. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated!


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## Mythara (Apr 9, 2009)

For the toys, have you tried giving her a range of toys? It's possible she just doesn't like the ones she has, for example, our 'tiels don't like wood or rope toys, or swings. They do love vine munch balls, palm leaves and other things they can crunch. It's also possible she just doesn't understand what the toys are. Other than showing her the toy, and getting her to play with it, with you, I don't know what you can do to teach her about them.

Have you tried foraging with her? In the wild, birds spend more than half their time searching for food, whereas pet birds generally spend very little time going to their food dishes and eating as much as they want -leaving them with a lot of time on their hands. The idea of captive foraging, is to get them searching for as much of their food as possible, and making it a "game". Our 'tiels love foraging and spend hours finding all the hiding places. You can either have her searching just for treats, or like our birds, searching for all her daily food. My blog (Feathers and Forage link in my signature) has loads of ideas. It could help to distract her from looking for you all the time.


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## sweetrsue (Jul 8, 2008)

She is not over bonded to you but you are her only flock member so she is very dependent on you. Your info still says you have no 'tiels so I'm assuming you only have one. The pacing back and forth indicates she wants out of the cage. These birds are always in flocks in the wild so she just wants to be with the only other flock member she knows. The only solution that is immediately apparent is to get her a friend. She will naturally become less dependent on you.


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## PiedPiper (May 5, 2009)

She has mirrors, bells, wood pieces, rope, beads and tissue paper... and she'll play with the tissue a little bit... but it doesn't distract her. She explores just about everything when she's outside of her cage but just sits when she's inside. 
I do sprinkle a little bit of seed on the bottom of her cage and into a toy and she eats it but as soon as she notices I'm leaving she completely stops and begins her screaming.

I don't know if I can support another bird and because I'm not sure of her sex I don't want baby tiels either... but I suppose I could try another tiel as a last resort. I personally try to adhere to the motto that I should only get another bird if I want another bird and that that new bird isn't a magical solution but a living creature. Also, if Sully decided she did not like the other bird then it would be a waste. My linnie absolutely loves her for example, and would definetly be her cagemate if she let him but she doesn't like him.


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## sweetrsue (Jul 8, 2008)

It actually sounds like a male to me. They are much more vocal. When you said she whistles to you I thought you must have a male. As for your Motto: I should only get another bird if I want another bird. You also need to consider what is natural for your bird and what your bird wants.


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## Birdlette (Feb 25, 2009)

"She" sounds like "he" to me from the described behaviours... holding out his wings, runnning around on his cage floor, whistling, rubbing his butt on you etc... sounds like he has plenty of toys and things to interact with too. I would make sure he gets 10 hours or more of darkness a day to decrease his hormonal drive which might help with the over-bonding. If you have another family member who could feed him daily and interact with him in a positive way that may help too...


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## atvchick95 (Sep 17, 2007)

if you can post a pic a lot of mutations can be visually sexed and if it isn't one, at least knowing the age can help out 

but did you used to give her a lot of attention at one point, then suddenly stop? like work hours changed, things came up, etc and you don't have as much time to spend with her as you once did??


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## Mythara (Apr 9, 2009)

Birdlette said:


> "She" sounds like "he" to me from the described behaviours... holding out his wings, runnning around on his cage floor, whistling, rubbing his butt on you etc... sounds like he has plenty of toys and things to interact with too. I would make sure he gets 10 hours or more of darkness a day to decrease his hormonal drive which might help with the over-bonding. If you have another family member who could feed him daily and interact with him in a positive way that may help too...


Running around on the cage floor isn't really a male behaviour, my females both do it too.  I agree with Sue that a second bird may help. But if that isn't an option for you, you'll need to make other changes to your routine. Try moving her up to more advanced foraging, than just seed on the bottom of the cage, different toys, leaving music/tv on for him/her...


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## PiedPiper (May 5, 2009)

I don't have a picture of her (which, I agree with you who say she is he, is probably a boy) but she looks near if not identical to the picture of xxxSpikexxx's bird Spike. I don't remember suddenly giving her any less amount of attention but I'll try giving her more attention and I'm going shopping tomorrow so I'll pick up some new foraging toys.
Oh, and what I meant by my motto (because I realize I came off selfish etc.) is that I shouldn't be charging this new bird with the task of being her cagemate and that I'm not at a point where I have the appropriate amount time to give to another bird should Sully decide not bond to the new bird. 
It would be unfair to bring home another tiel if I wasn't ready or able to give him as much love as my existing three should Sully not like him.


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## sweetrsue (Jul 8, 2008)

If you have 3 birds it's a mute point anyway. Apparently company is not the issue.


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## SweetSimmy (Sep 1, 2008)

I have the same problem with max, except he has freya


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## PiedPiper (May 5, 2009)

Well, I've been trying the contact calls again (plus I discovered she luuuvs paper strips woven in her cage) and they are slowly working. She still gets going when I head for the door but a few whistles from me and she stops pacing and will only call out, eventually only occaisionally and then she eventually quiets down.
I will tell them all very clearly that 'i'll be right back, be good' or 'see ya later, bye guys be good" and then answer any contact calls, when I get back I go see everyone individually and praise them. 
But I'm sort of in a catch 22 because if I don't answer her screams (it's that annoying hen cockatiel shriek) she only gets more anxious and continues on but if I answer her it reinforces the scream. I'd really like to teach her another noise but I don't know if as a hen she is capable of that (the only reason that supports her being female is her lack of whistling/chattering etc. outside of when she's trying to court me). She doesn't do the vocal duets that the grey likes to do with me in that if he makes a sound I copy him or vice versa, although she gets all excited, fluffs up and paces.
Can I teach her to copy me etc.?


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## sweetrsue (Jul 8, 2008)

The flock call is a natural reaction and you won't be able to teach her to replace it with another noise. Try not to make a big deal out of leaving or returning. They say that helps with a dog that has separation anxiety. If you announce your departure and reassure her when you return that reinforces the behavior. Try being very nonchalant about both. Give her treats for being a nice quiet girl. Tell her "Good Quiet" and give her a treat.


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