Birds can be great companions, but unfortunately they also make a lot of noise. Sometimes the noise is unavoidable, but there are steps you can take to train your pet bird not to scream excessively and continuously.
Step
Method 1 of 3: Training Birds
Step 1. Understand bird behavior
Most birds tend to make noise, either by chirping or screaming. Birds tend to make their loudest sounds when they are awake in the morning and before going to bed at night. Some birds are noisier than others, but before buying a bird understand that a little noise is unavoidable.
- Cockatoos are considered one of the noisiest bird species. Although this one bird usually makes a limited voice in the morning and evening, the cockatoo is widely regarded as the noisiest bird that can be kept as a pet.
- Macaws are also quite noisy, but these birds usually make the most noise in the morning and evening, more or less like a cockatoo.
- Conures also tend to be very loud, high-pitched shrieks, but these birds are usually noisiest when they "call" to their owners, and don't "chatter" throughout the day.
- The palek (cockatiel), musk (budgerigar), lovebird, and parrotlet are known to be very noisy throughout the day. If you're attracted to birds that don't make much noise, it's best to avoid them.
Step 2. Don't reward the screaming bird
Whenever you react to a bird's shriek that won't stop, regardless of the species of bird, it's ingrained in his mind that his irritating behavior will help him get the attention he wants. The bird owner responds to the screams by showering attention on the noisy bird, or even by running into the room and yelling to tell him to stop making a lot of noise. It may be difficult at first, but over time, ignoring the bird's screams will train it not to act out to seek attention.
- Leave the room when the bird starts acting up.
- Don't go back into the room until he stops screaming or screaming.
- Return to the room once the bird has calmed down for at least ten seconds.
- Give him a compliment or reward him with a gift to show him that not making a lot of noise will get him attention.
Step 3. Teach the bird to make soft sounds
Praise the bird when it whistles or whispers, not when it screams or screams. This step will be especially useful for your parrot as it will be easier to teach softly spoken words than just sounds.
- Do not raise your voice in response to the volume or pitch of the bird's voice.
- Speak softly whenever you communicate with birds, and whenever you are near them.
- Give praise each time the bird lowers its voice to match yours.
Step 4. Reward good behavior
If your bird currently has an acceptable loudness range, offer him food or toys in return each time he uses that range. Over time, the bird will associate that range of sounds with whatever reward you're about to give.
- Don't forget to give praise for good behavior as soon as possible. If time passes between the bird's actions and your reaction, he may not be able to connect the two.
- Whenever the bird screams or makes a loud noise, you should temporarily stop caring and affection for it and leave the room immediately.
- Use different reward "rewards". Find out what birds like, and save those gifts for practice purposes. Your bird will get the extra motivation it needs to understand your clues.
Method 2 of 3: Changing the Environment
Step 1. Turn off the light
Some birds feel overstimulated if exposed to too much sun. In general, birds exposed to more than 12 hours of light per day may experience increased hormone levels, aggressive behavior, and an increase in the volume of their voices.
- Keep the curtains closed during the day to limit sun exposure, and put a sheet of paper or a covering to cover the cage when you go to bed.
- Make sure there is still enough air flowing into the cage under the cover you are using.
- Do not use polyester as this material does not allow air to flow properly.
- To block out the light as best as possible, use black fabric.
Step 2. Try not to make the sound around the bird too loud
Some birds respond to sounds around them with their own voices. If you watch television or listen to music at home, try to keep the volume down. Once a bird gets used to a quieter home environment, it may become a calmer bird.
- Speak in a low voice. Birds will often be quiet to hear what you have to say.
- Never shout at a bird. Also try not to speak loudly or vehemently around him.
Step 3. Avoid sudden movements
It's possible that you or a family member is moving too quickly around the bird, causing the bird to feel anxious or overstimulated. Move slowly around the bird, and ask other family members to do the same.
- If you have children in your house, teach them not to run around in the room where the birds are.
- Never allow children to handle birds without close supervision.
- Teach everyone in the house to gently hold the bird and avoid any quick or startling movements around the bird.
Step 4. Record the bird's reaction
Birds will notice small differences in the appearance and behavior of their owners. It's possible that your bird may feel pressured by the different physical appearances of you or other family members.
- Changes that you think are trivial, such as wearing a hat, wearing certain types of glasses, or even wearing clothes of a certain color can be annoying to birds.
- Avoid wearing anything that might irritate the bird, or you can expose the change to the bird slowly and gradually so it gets used to it.
Method 3 of 3: Making Sure the Birds Are Happy
Step 1. Treat health problems
If the bird is feeling unwell or in pain, it may let out a scream to let you know how it feels. You should be suspicious if your bird has recently started screaming or screaming, which is not normal behavior. Take the bird to the vet for a proper examination, and make sure the bird has enough food and water if it starts to make noise. Other common signs that indicate a serious health problem include:
- Sudden change in appetite
- Difficulty standing or maintaining balance
- Changes in stool color or consistency
- A shabby and messy appearance
Step 2. Provide opportunities for birds to play and exercise
Some birds chatter and scream when they are bored or feel neglected. Even if you don't want to reward attention for negative behavior, you need to consider that your bird may just need a channel of energy.
- Try installing exercise equipment in the cage so your bird can exercise and play whenever he wants.
- Place the toy in the cage. Birds enjoy being stimulated, and may respond well to toys, especially if the toy has hidden food in it so the bird must find a way to get to it.
Step 3. Replace the bird toys in turns
If the bird tends to be bored, but responds well to toys, it's possible that the bird needs new stimulation on a regular basis. Changing toys every few weeks can provide him with the stimulation he needs.
- Birds love colorful toys. If the toy makes a sound, the bird will like it more.
- Give some kind of puzzle based toy. Birds love mental and physical challenges, and they are likely to be happy if given something to stimulate their creativity.
Step 4. Calm the bird when it is anxious
Try carrying the bird under your clothes, if it's small enough. Getting additional warmth and physical contact can often help calm an irritated, screaming bird.
Step 5. Give the bird a sense of security
Birds in the wild make “flock calls” to communicate with other birds and ensure flock safety. If your bird tends to scream when you leave the room, it could be a sign that it's trying to send you a flock call. Try yelling back from another room to let him know where you are and reassure him that you're safe.
Tips
- Do some research on the bird species you are interested in before bringing it home. Knowing in advance whether the bird you want to keep has the potential to make noise or not can influence your decision when choosing pets in the store.
- Buy earplugs or move to another room where the sound of birds can't reach if you still want to sleep in the morning.
- Try to keep the atmosphere around the bird as dark as possible at night and in the early morning.
- Tell other family members when and where the birds sleep. If your siblings run into the room screaming and running, the birds will wake up and may react by screaming along with them.
- Try not to hear the birds chirping outside the house. Often birds will return the tweet to try to get the attention of other birds, especially if the bird has not been tamed.
Warning
- Don't put a cover on the cage every time the bird starts acting up. Use a cage cover at night, or when you try to sleep in the morning. Confining a bird in a cage with a lid all the time can make it unsocial and suffer from nervous breakdowns.
- Even though it's very annoying, don't take very drastic action. He is just a bird and birds do make sounds!
- Do not hit the bird or throw the cage with anything.
- Keeping the bird in a cage with a lid for a long time can have negative effects, such as increasing the frequency with which the bird makes sounds and the loudness of the sound. Calling each other with certain sounds is the primary form of communication for birds that think with a flock mentality, so don't try to stop birds from making sounds on their regular schedule of morning and evening. This can lead to social hazards, and will eventually lead to physical harm. Birds that are not given the opportunity to behave like birds may choose other ways to get attention, such as plucking feathers or being aggressive towards other birds or people.
