Ask Lafeber

Recently Acquired Old Cockatiel with Horrible Separation Anxiety

Hello,
I have recently adopted an old cockatiel around 15 years old from a family friend. He was never tamed and always bit people, they had him in a small cage but other than that was well-taken care for and loved. When they could no longer buy his food because of COVID they asked me to be his forever home. I had never had a bird but I was ready to set up to the challenge. I bought him a huge rolling cage, lots of toys but was mindful of leaving space for him to stretch, lots of water sources, treats, and fresh food every day. But from day one he seemed to be very aware of my presence. At first, I thought he was just scared and lonely from moving into a new home with a new owner after 15 years of being in someone’s kitchen. But quickly I realized that he does not want me out of his sight I can’t even go into the restroom for 1 minute without him screaming off the top of his head. I can’t touch him since he was never tamed and I have tried leaving the room and letting him scream but I just moved into these apartments and I don’t want a noise complaint because he has a really loud constant scream. I’ve tried giving him attention and treats when he is quiet but he doesn’t like to take the treats from me. I ordered some anti-anxiety medicine to sprinkle into his food but this is week 2 and he still doesn’t change. I want to be a good owner and make him comfortable, but I know that I cannot be in his line of sight forever. I am considering getting him another cockatiel to help him cope and take his attention off of me, but I’m also afraid it may do the opposite since he’s been alone for so long. I would really appreciate any advice or guidance, I want him to have a happy life with me.

Hi Marie,

I’m glad you were able to take this bird and are trying to give him a good home. Contact calling is a issue with cockatiels. It is odd that he seems to have an attachment so soon, so it is likely that some of this is due to his anxiety at being in a new home and having so many changes at his age. He is already much older than the average cockatiel these days, although they can live into their 30’s. But most captive bred cockatiels live more like 10-12 years due to poor genetics or poor care.

You might try covering part of his cage so that he feels more secure – just the back and part of one side, including part of the top. He may feel exposed being in a large cage for the first time. If he doesn’t have any mirrors, get him one or two. While some will advise against mirrors, they are perfectly fine to give to a bird. The only issues are if a tame bird becomes so obsessed with a mirror that he ignores his owners or becomes obsessed to the point of constantly feeding the mirror or trying to mate with it – this is more common with a younger bird. A mirror can be a good companion for an older bird who isn’t tame. I agree about not getting another bird because mainly you will end up with twice the noise. He is probably too old to accept another bird, even just as a companion.

I would be wary of the supplements that are sold for anxiety or other ailments. These are rarely based on any science and some may even be unhealthy. We will be hosting a free webinar on July 24th where the Vet will discuss alternative and homeopathic remedies and their effectiveness. The registration information will be on our website soon on this page:

https://lafeber.com/pet-birds/category/webinar/

You can try leaving a TV or radio on for him when you aren’t around. You are doing the right thing as far as ignoring the screaming and rewarding him for being quiet. But it does take time for a bird to get the message and some birds are just noisier than others. Hopefully with more time to settle in, he will get better and stop doing as much contact calling. He is hoping for a response, so calling back to him will not work because he will just call again wanting another response. Screaming is a big issue with birds and can’t always be stopped. Just stay consistent with him – each time you give in just encourages more calling. I hope this little guy can soon feel secure enough to be in the room by himself without so much calling for you.

Thank you for asking Lafeber,

Brenda