# Last straw



## Katta (Mar 21, 2008)

It sounds horrible to say it, but I honestly cannot stand my birds anymore. They are ruining my relationships with my boyfriend, my roommate, my neighbors, and even my dog...she hates the screaming and will whine under the bed when the birds go off. I feel like I have gone above and beyond and just feel extremely betrayed by them. I know it sounds irrational because they can't purposely intend to make me feel this way, but I cannot help feeling like this after everything I have tried to do for them.

I tried rehoming them THREE times, and all three times they were returned to me within several months because the new owners could not take it either. I gave them to an avian rescue, who houses birds on several acres outside. They had an aviary with a dozen cockatiels in it...mine apparently were so stressful to the other birds at the rescue that they asked me if I could take them back and I did. 

In the past 3 years I have spent over $4000 on:

Vet visits (All are healthy, no medical reasons for the screaming)
Hormone therapy even though they didn't really need them (Suggestion of vet)
Parrot behavior training seminars and classes (I drove 8 hours roundtrip every weekend to a major city for 1.5 months for these classes)
Private trainer
Various aviaries and playstands
Bird sitter to come in during the day while I am at work to give them even more out of cage and flight time
Avicalm supplements
All sorts of CDs, DVDs, etc. to play to 'relax' them
Toys, foraging methods (If you can name the foraging toy, I own it)
Aviator harnesses for all three of them
Full spectrum lighting for inside
White noise makers for when people are trying to sleep (Doesn't work)
I only feed them organic Harrison's Bird Pellets and a sprouting mix
Fines for noise violations totaling over $700

I like the flock calls, the singing, normal noisy bird sounds, but this morning I was woken up at 7:30am and it is now 11:14am....there has not been more than 1 minute of silence in between. These are very high pitched and loud screams, not normal vocalizations. And when one goes off, the other two go off as well starting a neverending cycle. My neighbors already banged on the ceiling several times. This is a daily problem, I am constantly scared of getting evicted.

I don't know what to do anymore. I can't rehome them because they come straight back and as much as they frustrate me I want to be able to make sure they end up in a good home. I can't afford a house so they can have their own room without disturbing neighbors, and I certainly will not go to the extremes of euthanizing them.

I am a very patient person, but I am losing my sanity. More often then not, I am sitting in the bathroom with the lights off and door shut, with a pillow over my ears sobbing because of these birds. This problem is far outweighing the good moments I have had with my birds.

Just needed to rant 
________
Drug Testing Kit


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## Siobhan (Mar 21, 2010)

Is there a bird club in your area? If there is, someone in that bird club will want your birds, someone who won't be bothered by the noise. Some birds are just more vocal than others. Freddie and Benjy make noise constantly, though most of Freddie's is whistling and singing. He does have long periods every day where he just squawks. He's doing it now, in fact. But we're so used to it we don't care, and we live in a house where no one else will be disturbed. If you could find someone like us to take them, it would be better for everyone.


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## roxy culver (May 27, 2010)

Finding them a good home is all you can do for them now, you've tried everything else and its not your fault. You do need your sanity and if you did have a house it wouldn't be an issue but until that happens this is obviously upsetting you...


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## jc119007 (Dec 28, 2009)

Have you tried rehoming just one or two and keeping only one? Perhaps seperating them would be a better idea...just a thought....


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## xxxSpikexxx (Jul 30, 2007)

Search for a parrot club in your area, they are usually really good about helping out birds who need new homes


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## Birdlette (Feb 25, 2009)

I know it must be nerve-racking for you to have them screaming all the time... You certainly have tried alot of different solutions and are offering them a healthy assortment of foods and toys. Just a thought but how much out-of-cage time do they have when you interact with them one-on-one? Perhaps spending a little time just chillin' with them would help you all bond again? I know I enjoy my morning cup of tea with my little male tiel sitting on my hand "allowing" me to preen him. I could rub his neck and head all day if he had his way! The other one just likes to putter about on the table and play with things. Today it was a paper cup, sometimes a scattering of cereal or a plastic lid. Its just that we are together and I am paying them attention. They also enjoy coming in the shower with me. They have a play stand to sit on or they perch on the towel racks and then they can also come in the shower with me if they want. ( some days they do and some days they don't) Again, its just that we are hanging out together. They are calmer and more relaxed even though i have to go to work all day...


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## ShakeQPC (Jun 26, 2010)

I agree with jc119007. Have you tried re-homing them separately. Maybe they don't like each other. I'm sorry you are having a bad time with them. I have been really lucky with my Sarvey, he hardly makes a noise. Maybe as he gets older he might.


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## cinnamon (Jul 16, 2009)

I looked at your photos and your tiels are so nice and healthy looking! I wish I had something helpful to offer. They just look great and cages are clean and food is yummy. I know when one of ours gets loud and on a roll he can't stop I talk to him right next to the cage and I spray him, in fact I do all 19 birds and it helps. I work so don't know how they are when I'm gone. I have days when they drive me up a wall, so I leave the apt. and stay gone for a bit, a walk or shopping and I am not so overwhelmed when I get home. I wish you all the best in this situation! Honestly, I would love to have one but am way too far away!


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## Jess (Jun 20, 2010)

I'm wondering if the problem is the hutch/birdy home. Please don't take this the wrong way but it is very enclosed and lacks climbing ability. They do like to climb. I know my birds would be unhappy if I tried to put them in a cage of that type.
I know from other forums alot of people don't like the types of cages that almost look like an aquarium on a cupboard. They might be good for keeping in mess but they aren't any good for the birds mental well being.


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## Jenny10 (Feb 27, 2010)

My two can be vocal in the morning, I find what helps my two settle down is a good spray bath after out of the cage time, this sets them into preening mode back in the cage and then they tend to have a good nap once finished preening, could be worth ago.


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## dakisgirls (Jul 15, 2010)

I agree with Birdlette. Sometimes the simple things between you and your birds are the easiest to forget about. Like, for example, if a bird starts plucking it's feathers out, sometimes people automatically think it's something mentally wrong, whereas it's most likey just the lack or nutritional food or one-on-one time that's stressing the bird out. I also agree with Jess. This birdy home may look cool, and it does have a ton of toys and activities for the bird to do, but it feels inclosed and crowded. Try a wire cage.


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## Katta (Mar 21, 2008)

Jess said:


> I'm wondering if the problem is the hutch/birdy home. Please don't take this the wrong way but it is very enclosed and lacks climbing ability. They do like to climb. I know my birds would be unhappy if I tried to put them in a cage of that type.
> I know from other forums alot of people don't like the types of cages that almost look like an aquarium on a cupboard. They might be good for keeping in mess but they aren't any good for the birds mental well being.


The hutch was from several years ago; they loved it and voluntarily stayed in it when I took the glass front off. Trust me, it was much bigger in person than in the pictures (It took up an entire wall) and we definitely had a hissy fit period when transitioning to the new cage. They have been living in an 8 ft tall by 4 ft wide by 3.5 ft deep aviary, powder coated stainless steel all around. There certainly is not a lack of room. 

They have a playstand in my living room and have at LEAST an hour of out of cage free time no matter how busy I have been. My best moments are of watching TV on the couch, with a bird on each shoulder and another preening my sock. It's those moments that have me so frustrated about the situation 

I don't want to separate them because they do get along and will go frantic with flock calls if one of them disappears from sight. 

They are vocal in the morning/afternoon when the birds are active outside, which I can tolerate. But I can tell the difference between that and all out ear shattering screamfests. I just can't figure what is setting off the latter. They come out of the blue and once they start nothing aside from total darkness will make them stop. They will step up on my finger, stare me in the face, and still keep screaming <_<
________
LAMBORGHINI 400GT MONZA SPECIFICATIONS


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## dakisgirls (Jul 15, 2010)

So it's just the noise alone that bothers you?? Try this: when you wake up in the morning to birds screaming, give the one(s) that aren't screaming, a treat. If all of them are screaming, walk in, pick up the treat bag, put it down, and walk away. The next time you hear a scream throughout the day, continue giving the ones that aren't screaming the treat. Soon they should learn that when they DON'T scream, they get a treat. If they are quiet for as little as 1 minute, give them a treat. Then 2 min, 3 min, 4 min, and so on, until you can walk in there only a few times a day to give them a treat for being quiet. A friend of mine did this with her macaws, and they are the quietest macaws I have ever seen. Don't mistake vocalising for screaming, though! Good luck.


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## kirbulous (Jul 21, 2010)

I have similar bird screaming problems when I get home from work. And mostly it is Kirby going off and then Abby chiming in. 
Sorry to hear about your problems. Not sure what might help. Good luck with rehoming. I'm sure you'll find someone that can care for them.


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## ShakeQPC (Jun 26, 2010)

Can you believe it, I posted over a week ago, saying my guy was the quietest wee thing.... that afternoon.... he became a squaker! Am glad its normal. He can't be bored, he helped me make the toys! He comes out for very long periods of time, and just puts himself away. I think he just wants to be with me. Which is annoying when cooking dinner and doing dishes, the 2 things I can't have his help with. He just screams til I'm done. If I'm sitting on the couch next to the cage or if he is out, he mostly ignores me, but at least he's mostly quiet. I think alot of the time it is just vocalising. And my husband likes loud whistles so probably doesn't help.... Never mind, I completely and utterly love him.


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## kirbulous (Jul 21, 2010)

I think many birds start out shy and quiet but once they start bonding with you and getting comfortable they get noisier and noisier. Hopefully he doesn't turn into too much of screamer. Although even my first bird, Leo was a screamer and I used to find it endearing. Hearing Kirby and/or Abby call for me is also endearing although sometimes they can be a bit noisy. For some reason I thought it might be quieter with two birds because they'd keep each other company and not care so much about the humans in the room. But it turns out I've just got two birds that both scream when the humans leave the room. sigh. Something to work on. :tiel3::tiel1:


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## ShakeQPC (Jun 26, 2010)

hehe, yea, makes me not want to get another birdie! Read an article on getting a second one yesterday, and apparently its more work rather than less! Oh well, maybe in a few months, when I move to a house by the beach. At the moment the neighbours only hear the outside birdies, so we're safe so far.


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## kirbulous (Jul 21, 2010)

Today their squawking was so cute! I was sitting at the table near their cages and someone knocked on the door. As I stood up there were soft chirps and then as I took a step away they got louder and finally as I left the room they started screaming. So bad! But so cute!


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