Bird Tip - Teach Independence to Reduce Screaming

With a sweet new bird, your inclination is to cuddle it and have it stuck to your body when it's not in its cage.  Well DON'T!

Paulie doesn't need to be held or on someone constantly.  It's good for him to spend some time on top of a cage, or on a play stand by himself for a while each day.  Teaches independence and so he won't learn to scream for attention.  Do this "independence time" after you  have spent some time cuddling and playing with him.  Helps a lot to have special goodies on the cage/play stand - table foods, water, wad of paper to chew up, new toy, etc.

If he won't stay on the cage/play stand or won't stop screeching for you (give him at least 5-10 minutes to stop screeching or jumping off, keep putting him back on the cage/stand) quietly pick him up and lock him in his cage until he calms down.  Leave the room if you have to.  You can play with him again after he's calmed down and quiet for 15 minutes or so.  He'll hear you walking around and whatever and he'll scream.  Don't go to him, don't let him out, don't "poor baby" him through the bars.  Just ignore him.

You also need to be realistic as to how often a bird vocalizes.  Birds are not quiet animals (Then again, humans aren't either.  When was the last time you went 15 minutes without opening your trap?) .

Understand when it's normal for them to be vocalizing:
- Dusk: 15-20 minutes
- Dawn: 15-20 minutes.  15-20 minutes seems absolute FOREVER if you can't stand the noise.  Find some noise that really grates on your nerves and see if you can stand it before you get yourself a bird.
- When you leave the house.  He should settle down w/in 10-15 minutes after you leave.  Reduce screaming in this instance by giving the bird super special items right before you step out the door - favorite toy, favorite food, etc.  Save certain special items for this use.  Your bird will look forward to your departure in anticipation of his bonus goodies. 
- Even when you leave the room it's not odd for him to beep once or twice - more persistent than that and you need to put him in his cage and/or leave the room until he quiets down.

Understand "contact calls":
- When you return home and he's screaming, he's contact calling you.  When you come home, go briefly say "hi" to the bird, let him out on top of his cage, go do something like bathroom/change clothes whatever until he's quiet for a few minutes; then pick him up and play with him.

Read more about contact calls:  Contact Calls