Screeching cockatiel

ironed_out

My cockatiel is around 10 years old
About 5 years ago, when my Grandad passed away, I also took in his cockateil. Both birds were in the same cage and we never had any problems, until about a month ago, when grandad's bird (Rascal) started to have a go at Casper, chasing him round the cage, fighting to get Casper away from the food bowl etc. We kept an eye on it, but after a while noticed Casper was losing feathers on the back of his head. This, I guessed, was either caused by Rascal whilst preening or by Casper getting stressed. I eventually decided to re-home Rascal (as I don't have room for 2 bird cages) and he went to live with a friend's birds as they have an aviary. I've since found out he's settled in really well

My problem now is Casper screeches constantly! It's driving us all insane.:eek:
I'm guessing it's now to do with being seperated from his buddy but I don't know what to do about it. His cage is full of toys and treats but he's never been interested in them.

Any advice on how I can calm him down a bit please.

Mutter_2

I take it there is a mirror in the cage.
A budgie we had as a child spent many a happy hour chirping to his reflection.

YorkiePud_3

I wouldn't put a mirror in a cage with a cockatiel ... they can be flitty birds, scared of their own shadow and while budgies thoroughly enjoy thinking there is another bird in the cage with them, it will freak a cockatiel out.

I have had cockatiels from breeders and also have taken in rescued tiels too ... a lot of them will do the screech thing at night time (most of mine have done) but thankfully, it has been just prior to lights out and they have always quietened down then.

Something else I have found that sets them off ... is birdsong from outside, or on television.

The cockatiel I have now was bullied by another, like this one of yours, and it can cause serious psychological problems to them, so I would say please please please don't think about getting another cockatiel to put in the cage with him.

One cockatiel I had used to fling his head round ... just an affliction he got from stress of being bullied by another male cockatiel. People think cos they are aviary birds, that you can stick em in a cage with others and it usually ends up in fisticuffs with one bird getting the hell beaten out of them and having their feathers plucked.

I find soft whistling helps calm them down because they love tunes that have "twiddly" bits ... "I'm forever blowing bubbles" being a favourite with a number of tiels I have had!! *L* ... if you whistle it softly and in a low tone, you may find that helps, but honestly, they do have times where they have their little screech and then for the rest of the time are pretty quiet.

I would say don't put any of those toys in with him that look like birds .. you know the ones .. you can clip them on the perches. Any other bird will terrify him after what he has been through ... but if he thinks he is the only bird he may calm down and quieten down in time.

Oh, and some people cover them up if they get noisy, but I don't. Tiels are prone to getting the "terrors" ... if he gets spooked and flaps round his cage and is covered up ie in darkness, he will keep thrashing about and really injure himself.

ironed_out

The screeching can happen at any time of the day, but during the evening I have now started to cover the cage for a while
I did put a mirror near the cage to see if it would help and he did seem fascinated for an hour or 2.
You're right about the bird sounds, but also cutlery tapping on the plate whilst we eat, voices he can over hear on the phone, and also having the radio on also sets him off! (especially if it's a phone-in or a news reader)

He does whistles 'pop goes the weasel' and another tune that I can't think what it's called, but I know we used to sing 'Hitler, has only got one ball' when we were kids :rotfl: and also the laurel and hardy theme music:rolleyes: so I do tend to whistle along to one of these to distract him.

Thanks for your help

Oh and we definately weren't thinking of getting another to keep him company after the last time.;)

LittleTinker

Mutter wrote: »

I take it there is a mirror in the cage.
A budgie we had as a child spent many a happy hour chirping to his reflection.

Mirrors arent always very good for all birds because a few of them get scared by their own reflection.

Did your budgie talk at all? Budgies with mirrors tend to talk a lot less than the budgies without because they think they have a friend so dont need to make new ones. lol

LittleTinker

Oops...forgot to answer you OP.

Males tend to screech a lot when they want a females company. They are much more vocal than females.....and also if they are bored.

upferret

Hi, this is almost certaninly caused by taking his friend away, even though he was being bullied. I have a 30+ year old cockatiel and he would do the same, we have ended up getting a pair of cockatiels which live next to him in a different cage, he is very happy with this arrangement. We also breed cockatiels and once they are weaned they go to live with "uncle jack" for a bit which gives him some company which are too young too attack him. They only way to stop him screaming would be to get him another friend, I know you say you have no room for two cages, so I would recommend getting him another friend, a more timid one that will not attack him, and you can keep them in the same cage. is there somewhere you can get one and swap it if not suitable? Our female will scream unless she has a mate also, they need lots of company from their own kind or they feel insecure and unsafe as in the wild they would be in very large flocks.

YorkiePud_3

upferret wrote: »

Hi, this is almost certaninly caused by taking his friend away, even though he was being bullied. I have a 30+ year old cockatiel and he would do the same, we have ended up getting a pair of cockatiels which live next to him in a different cage, he is very happy with this arrangement. We also breed cockatiels and once they are weaned they go to live with "uncle jack" for a bit which gives him some company which are too young too attack him. They only way to stop him screaming would be to get him another friend, I know you say you have no room for two cages, so I would recommend getting him another friend, a more timid one that will not attack him, and you can keep them in the same cage. is there somewhere you can get one and swap it if not suitable? Our female will scream unless she has a mate also, they need lots of company from their own kind or they feel insecure and unsafe as in the wild they would be in very large flocks.

You mean caused by removing the threat to him? I had to laugh at that.
So you would advocate the bird being bullied, pecked and attacked ... kept away from getting much food and water ... cos you think they like that?
Unbelievable.

Okay, calming down now ... you have a 30+ year old bird; although many just live 12-15 years, I do know of some who have made it to 20 but yours must be a special bird to have made it to 30+ ... but basically, if your cockatiel is happy with the younger birds in with him and feels no threat with them, that is great.

But you cannot state facts about someone else's bird and say this is because of this and this is because of that ... all we can do is say what OUR experiences are, and let the OP decide the best for their bird.

In my experience having cockatiels myself (most of whom have been rescued after enduring awful bullying in cages with other birds) and having worked at a vets where I have seen these poor, finicky birds being affected mentally because of constant bullying from their cage mates, I would beg the OP to leave this bird as an only bird.

Yes, it could give the bird something to focus on and watch, having another bird in a cage in the same room.
I have two other birds in the same room with the cockatiel I have now, but none of them are in his line of vision. He can hear them and listens to them when they talk (the parrot) and trill (canary) but not being able to see them, he doesn't feel threatened by them and so this works for him.

Birds screech for a number of different reasons ... both males and females ... some through boredom, loneliness, wanting a mate ... and some because you've made them!!

If you've gone to the cage and talked to your bird when it has screeched, you've shown it that that's what it should do to get the attention it wants!

They can scream to greet you when you come in or if they cannot see you and think they have been left on their own by their flock (you!) .. and some will just screech for the sheer hell of doing it ... *LOL*

There's no miracle cure ... some people have just ignored their bird when it's been noisy and gone to it when it's gone quiet, to sort of say, "look mate, when you're calm and quiet, you get attention" and the bird has clicked with that ... but to be honest, of all the birds, I do think it's a natural thing for tiels to be vocal a number of times through the day!!

How are you going with your bird, OP? Can we have an update? *S*

doodle-bug_2

I have a male cockatiel who is around 25 years old. He was a single house bird when I first got him, and very friendly. After a few years, he started stalking around and bonking a shoe brush - a sad (but funny) sight indeed!

I moved from the flat and moved him into an aviary with a female - they bonded and were inseparable until she died when he was around 20. I found him another female as he was incredibly lonely, and they are good friends but they don't share the same 'love' as the other hen bird. Could be the age difference!

I think he is getting a bit senile now - whistling things in the wrong order etc! - but he still enjoys his pals. Enough to get a regular clutch of eggs - but I prevent them from breeding (swapping warm eggs with cold eggs so no chicks) so this isn't a problem.

If you have room for a large (enough to fly) aviary, I would recommend this. You could then maybe rehome a hen bird with Casper. Birds tend not to bully each other given adequate space/attention.

Best of luck - let us know how you get on.

kr15snw

Does he come out of the cage? Is he tame? This could seriously help him. Ollie doesnt get lonely as he has us (I know not the same) but hes a 'person' bird. When we look after family / friends birds he loves talking to them but wont go near them.

Our tiel Ollie screams like nuts when he wants to come out. We tend to ignore him and leave him alone, after a while (yes this can take hours) he shuts up. The second he shuts up we let him out.

But he only tends to scream when hes left alone (very common in tiels) or if he hasnt had much attention for a few days. Currently hes sat on his tree branch shouting for my OH, as hes just heard him get our of the shower. Hes a daddys bird and now wants OH to come cuddle him. Mummy love not enough!!

ironed_out

Thanks for all your replies.
He's a lot better than he was when I first posted this thread. He seems to be a lot happier/quieter when my son is around.

He was tame when we first got him and would come out of the cage and sit with me to have a fuss made, or just sit on my shoulder....until I became pregnant and then he turned quite nasty. He's never been a 'blokes' bird, so I find it amazing that he has fallen for my 17 year old son!!:D

He's starting to be friendlier as well, letting me put my finger in the cage to fuss him (unheard of for the past 8 years!)
We've been leaving the doors on his cage open, but he hasn't been brave enough to come out yet, but hopefully he will soon.

Thanks again