How can i get my girlfriend to help me with our screaming bird?

Question

0My girlfriend bought me a pet cockateil as a pet for christmas, a very touching and expencive gift. I had only had parakeets before and did not know what i was getting into. Since then my bird has picked an extreamly bad habit , namely high picthed screaming that can be heard outside our building! I have found training to try and remidy that behavior but the problem now lies in her. To stop the screaming she hates we both have to ignore the bird some thing she can not do. Often she ends up screaming at him to "shut up"
which just furthers the problem as he takes it as an attencion reward for his poor behavior. What can i suggest for her to do to cool down her firey temper at the bird when he is so hard to ignore?

Answer 1

Hi, you are correct to say that screaming back at the bird will only aggravate the situation. I never had a pet bird before, so most probably, I'm not the right person to advise you on this. I did have two naughty cats before, and I learned that you have to condition their habits by following some positive training techniques. The key word here is "positive." Screaming back at an animal is "negative." Same goes with canines. Here's something from the internet which I know will interest you. It has tips on how to deal with cockatiel screamers.

Answer 2

It's not about your girlfriend at all - it is about your cockateil. You need to distract the bird so the both of you can have some private time together.
She/he's bonded to you, and birds want to spend time with their loved ones. It helps to have the cage in an area where there is a lot of activity, so they feel like they are part of the action and getting attention; that's what they need. Here's some additional information.
The mental health of your cockatiel is very important.
Cockatiels need games and toys. They need to hear sounds and see objects. In other words, they need mental stimulation, or they may go as "crazy as a loon," or become as "dumb as a dodo bird."
Cockatiels are playful birds and they like interaction. Remember, you are responsible for your cockatiel's physical and mental health. If you were kept in a small room for the rest of your life and given your food but no companionship, how would you feel and what would you do? Think about this and try to make your bird's life as pleasant as possible. You will be greatly rewarded with a happy bird that will give you years of joy and pleasure. If you have provided for your cockatiel's physical and mental needs, you should have a happy, friendly cockatiel and a good pet. But always be on the lookout for any developing problems and try to find their cause. A few signs that your cockatiel might suffer from mental stress:
• Agitated hopping or flying from perch to perch
• Feather picking
• Toe chewing
• Excessive aggression
• No interest in playing, singing, talking.

Hope this helps, goodluck.

Answer 3

Ha! Ha! Do you need help with your girlfriend screaming at the bird, or the bird's screaming?! Well...let's work on the bird. ;-)

How about try the opposite? Instead of giving your cockatiel your attention by telling it to "shut up", why not shower your bird with lots of love and attention and scratches when the cockatiel is quiet? Take the bird out when he/she is being quiet, and have he/she sit on your shoulder while you're at home just kickin' back or just sitting while you do some paperwork, or on the computer. Just be careful, don't take the bird out to sit on your shoulder too soon after the bird has been screaming. The bird will associate getting to sit on your shoulder, with its screaming.

We have cockatiels and they love to just relax on our shoulders while we watch tv, do homework or on the computer.

Good luck! Screaming birds can drive you insane!

Answer 4

Talk to your girlfriend about....

1) Selling the bird.
2) Setting it free.
3) Get another bird so that the cockateil has company.

Answer 5

Simple...

Cover his cage when she comes over.

Good Luck :-)

Answer 6

withhold sex, haha