Ask Lafeber

I have no idea why my cockatiel is screaming

I have a 3 month old cockatiel. I’m having a lot of problems with her that I have no idea how to help. Above all, she does this scream/growl sort of sound when: she sees food/treats; I’m nearby and/or she’s climbing onto my shoulder; she’s uncomfortable/wants me to leave; and she’s tired and wants to nap on me (and she won’t nap anywhere else). A vet told me that she’s just young and new, but the pattern of why and when she does it doesn’t seem to make any sense. Why does she do this, and how can I stop this?

Hi Ember,

If the Vet has said she is healthy, then she is most likely doing this because she gets her way when she screams. When you say she won’t nap anywhere else, what that means is you give in and let her nap where she wants to. You need to ignore the screaming, and only reward her for being quiet. If she screams, do not go to her – you have just rewarded her. Any reaction from you, other than you leaving the room, is a reward for her. Any attention is a reward – they don’t understand being yelled at or told no. You need to walk out of the room without saying anything, and when she is quiet, go back to her and give her a reward. She has you well trained, now you need to train her. I’ll give you the link to our articles on training and behavior and these should help you, too.

Teaching Your Bird

Pet Bird and Parrot Behavior

Thank you for asking Lafeber,

Brenda