Screams all day

[greendayglory]

I have a 5 yr old male cockatiel. he screams practically all day long . my dad is a truckdriver and has to sleep during the day, and my cockatiel keeps him up. my dad says if i can't get him to stop i'll have to get rid of him, and i really don't want to do you think getting another male cockatiel would help?

[jabsmom]

Maybe a female will help him.

[greendayglory]

thanks, but i don't want any babies

[samsmom1]

hope this helps...Spring hormones are raging with most of our tiels and, yes, that contact screech can drive one to insanity. First, I'd recommend a nice set of foam earplugs to help save yourself from the most piercing of his cries. Then, brew yourself a cup of organic chamomile tea (pure chamomile - nothing else added). Add additional water to make a total of 40 ounces. Serve as his only drinking liquid for the next four days...then give him two days of water and go back to the chamomile tea. Chamomile is an holistic calming agent that might help to take the edge off his hormones. There is also a wonderful product called avi-calm that you can get from http://www.avitec.com....works pretty well.

Get him some nice fresh millet sprays (I like to use http://www.chopperstoys.com) as tiels adore the healthy activity of plucking the seeds from the stalk. A busy beak is one that isn't screaming. It really does need to be good fresh millet sprays and some of what I see in the big box stores is really old and disgusting. My guys won't touch it - so this isn't a place to scimp.

What type of toys does he have. Nice destructable toys are ideal and you can get some good ideas while you are at chopperstoys.com. Most tiels love anything that is made from dried grass that they can shred. Most bigbox pet stores have a product that is dried grass woven into a braid that you can thread through the cage bars to give him something to work on. My tiels also love small drinking straws and polly rope...they just love preening the stuff. Might take a few weeks for him to get over being afraid of the new toys, but it'll help eventually.

Do you use a dark blanket to cover him with at night? This will help him to think it is "night" even tho the sun has risen and give you the chance to sleep a bit longer. However, it is perfectly natural for a bird to greet the morning with screams of delight...ya can't really blame him for this one.

How's the diet? Loads of human foods? Being deficient in nutrients can lead to behavior problems, just like with humans. So we need to take a hard look at what he does eat and perhaps improve his nutrition. A good way to start that most tiels can't resist is a nice big piece of romaine lettuce clipped to the side of the cage. Again, a busy beak is a quiet one.

How about exercise? Does he get out of his cage? Is he permitted the opportunity to get out and about and exercise

[Just Ask Jan!]

Offer him some fresh safe, tree branches such as from the willow tree. If the beak is busy, it will not be screaming