Will another cockatiel help my bird chill out???

[Shugama]

Once upon a time, I had a cockatiel named Patrick. He must have been made of fairy dust because he was the perfect bird. Hardly ever screeched, just ran back in forth in his cage like a dog when we got home from work. Never bit me. Was curious and playful but not annoying. Didn't get into everything, loved to cuddle and nuzzle me behind the ears while I washed dishes. Showered with me and swayed back and forth in the shower stream regularly. And most importantly, he didn't screech in his cage when we had to put him away for whatever reason. Stupidly, I thought all cockatiels must be like Patrick. Because of my stories, my son started asking for a cockatiel, so we got him one for his 14th birthday.

At first, Indiana Jones was great. But as he got older, he got more and more insistent on his way (he is about 1 year old now). At first we had the cage in a front room, but we had to move it to the living room/kitchen area because he would screech when we weren't in the room. That was better. He would chill in the cage while my home-schooled daughter did her work. If we ever let him out during school time, he would of course eat everything on the table...laptops, school books, school work (my...bird...ate my homework?? no, really)...just impossible to get stuff done. So, back in the cage during school time. Fine. But then after a few months....screech, screech! Cover cage...screech, screech! Doesn't matter. Let him out and he will be on my shoulder and often screech DIRECTLY in my ear while I'm doing kitchen stuff. That's enough to make me angry, as my ears will often ring for hours when that happens.

Almost impossible to get him back in the cage in the morning because he flies. We can't clip his wings because one of the cats is just way too interested in him (and he's stupid...will literally walk on the floor right in front of her). By now I'm ready to let nature take its course I mean what? JUST JOKES. But just this morning, he was in his cage and I was trying to have some solitude. He's downstairs and I'm upstairs with the door shut, blasting white noise thru a pair of Yamaha HS8s and I can STILL HEAR HIM through the white noise. I give up and let him out, he flies on my shoulder and starts screeching in my ear again. Can't. Take. Anymore.

His saving grace is that usually in the afternoon, he chills out. You can get him out and he will be very personable, let you pet his head in the most vulnerable way, accept kisses, etc. All of this but I can't get my hand near him in the morning. Super weird.

Sorry for the rant, but I'm on the verge of telling my son that I'm sorry, he's gotta go. He is precious but he's not worth my sanity. Really. I am fully prepared to accept judgment for that statement. However, I am wondering if a second cockatiel will provide the companionship he needs so that he can chill out. I know there's a risk the birds won't get along (which would be worse), and there's also a risk that he won't want to cuddle with my son anymore. I don't know what to do. I do love him and so does my much better half and my son. But again, I don't want to start to hate the bird and have every morning be miserable.

 

[Xoetix]

I think my first question is, are you sure he’s male?

 

[Shugama]

I think my first question is, are you sure he’s male?

Got him from a breeder...told us he was a male. Had females to select from as well.

 

[Xoetix]

Do you have a photo of him? Because the screeching behavior sounds more female than male.

 

[Shugama]

H

 

[Xoetix]

Oh heck, this is a morph I’m no good with. Does he talk? Whistle any specific tune? Or just yell?

 

[Shugama]

Oh heck, this is a morph I’m no good with. Does he talk? Whistle any specific tune? Or just yell?

I'm sorry...I bet screech is a misnomer. It's just his loudest TWEET...and it is very loud. I guess screech is more like that distressed squawk you hear when he's handled and doesn't like it. The loud TWEEET is what I have been calling screech because that's what it feels like to my ears.

Anyway, he makes several vocalizations. Sometimes somewhat mimicking the WHEEE-Whooooo, other times more quiet bird talking (doesn't sound like human vowels or anything, but sounds like he's kinda talking to himself in bird talk).

 

[sunnysmom]

On my goodness, he's a cutie. He's a pied. So can't really visually sex. So, cockatiels hit puberty around his age (1-2). So welcome to puberty. Seriously. I think he'll chill out in time. Some thoughts. How much sleep/darkness does he get? I would shoot for at least 10-12. What is his diet like? Does he have toys and does he play with them? It's a really hard thing to do but with a screaming bird, but you need to ignore him. Ignore means no reaction. No covering, no leaving the room, etc. It's no attention what so ever. If you cave and cover him or pay attention to him after 30-40 minutes, you've just taught him that he has to scream for 30-40 minutes to get attention. When he's quiet, then he gets praise, attention, a treat, out of the cage, etc. It can be rough. Especially if part of this is hormonal which I strongly suspect. But after 2-3 weeks, he should catch on.

When he's in his cage alone, have you tried playing music or putting the TV on for him or even youtube videos of birds? It might help. As to your question about a second bird, I think you get a second bird if YOU want a second bird. If it's puberty, a second bird isn't going to calm him down I don't think. And as you said, they may not get along. I always say you need to assume 2 birds are not going to want to share a cage. If eventually they do, great. But (except for budgies) I never advise just putting 2 birds in a cage together. Plus, you should quarantine any new bird for at least 30 days anyway.

 

[Shugama]

On my goodness, he's a cutie. He's a pied. So can't really visually sex. So, cockatiels hit puberty around his age (1-2). So welcome to puberty. Seriously. I think he'll chill out in time. Some thoughts. How much sleep/darkness does he get? I would shoot for at least 10-12. What is his diet like? Does he have toys and does he play with them? It's a really hard thing to do but with a screaming bird, but you need to ignore him. Ignore means no reaction. No covering, no leaving the room, etc. It's no attention what so ever. If you cave and cover him or pay attention to him after 30-40 minutes, you've just taught him that he has to scream for 30-40 minutes to get attention. When he's quiet, then he gets praise, attention, a treat, out of the cage, etc. It can be rough. Especially if part of this is hormonal which I strongly suspect. But after 2-3 weeks, he should catch on.

When he's in his cage alone, have you tried playing music or putting the TV on for him or even youtube videos of birds? It might help. As to your question about a second bird, I think you get a second bird if YOU want a second bird. If it's puberty, a second bird isn't going to calm him down I don't think. And as you said, they may not get along. I always say you need to assume 2 birds are not going to want to share a cage. If eventually they do, great. But (except for budgies) I never advise just putting 2 birds in a cage together. Plus, you should quarantine any new bird for at least 30 days anyway.

He's VERY cute. And when he's being good he's wonderful to be with. Sounds hopeful if this is just a stage.

Cage usually gets covered at 9pm and we uncover around 7 or 8. I have no problem waiting until 9! He has toys and he does play with them...mostly the wooden circles on a string that we have to replenish when he's done tearing them up. He has a big mirror, a big ball with a bell in it that he really only plays with when we fill it with spray millet, a xylophone but he pretty much ignores it, and some regular wooden blocks he sometimes messes with but not too often. He pretty much spends most of his time walking around to find the best view of us. I can try bird noises. When I play music he likes to compete with it, so he's taken that from me too (I love music).

No, I definitely don't want a second bird...just looking for a means to an end. I will try ignoring him. I feel like he will do it forever. I think I need to get myself some noise-canceling headphones and the family needs to learn sign language. Really.

 

[Rebel]

just way too interested in him (and he's stupid...will literally walk on the floor right in front of her)

Good lord! You really dont care about your bird, do you.

 

[Shugama]

Good lord! You really dont care about your bird, do you.

Aren’t you cute? You have ALL the context from that little statement…

 

[Emma&pico]

you have to get another if you want one not for your bird
Because if they don’t get along you are now with two birds that may act this way

I feel you I had a female cockatiel about 9/10years ago and she made the noise I think your talking about constantly and I mean constantly was no break in it whether she was in or not of cage I ended up pregnant with my daughter and really poorly I made choice to rehome her I stayed in touch with her new owners and she was same even with a friend it was a little less but still constantly calling for what either us could figure out

knowing what I know how I could have adding better toys that they can actually shred and made her work for food in foraging toys had a better routine would it have work I will never know
Did I make my choice for my family at time definitely

I am not saying to rehome but just saying as @sunnysmom suggested maybe try them before going down that road unless you really want another

 

[Mizzely]

I do think you care and are just really frazzled right now! My husband makes morbid jokes when he's annoyed too. My anxiety is triggered when I have a repeating, constant noise too, which makes everyone around me miserable. All that to say, I get it!

I dealt with a screamer for years. My Quaker, Jingo, would scream for sometimes 8 hours a day, and it was unbearable. I got another Quaker, Bobber, thinking he was just lonely. So then I had two Quakers who screamed all day.

Bobber sadly died and Jingo is now with my mother in law. She's hard of hearing and he doesn't scream as much there so it works. I don't know why he was so unhappy here, but he was.

Of course I would see if there are things you can do to make things better before jumping straight into rehoming or another bird. A play area outside of the cage, making him forage for most of his food, ignoring the screaming (which is so, so hard), a white noise machine can help...

 

[sunnysmom]

He's VERY cute. And when he's being good he's wonderful to be with. Sounds hopeful if this is just a stage.

Cage usually gets covered at 9pm and we uncover around 7 or 8. I have no problem waiting until 9! He has toys and he does play with them...mostly the wooden circles on a string that we have to replenish when he's done tearing them up. He has a big mirror, a big ball with a bell in it that he really only plays with when we fill it with spray millet, a xylophone but he pretty much ignores it, and some regular wooden blocks he sometimes messes with but not too often. He pretty much spends most of his time walking around to find the best view of us. I can try bird noises. When I play music he likes to compete with it, so he's taken that from me too (I love music).

No, I definitely don't want a second bird...just looking for a means to an end. I will try ignoring him. I feel like he will do it forever. I think I need to get myself some noise-canceling headphones and the family needs to learn sign language. Really.

A lot of tiels like shredding toys too. You can try some easy foraging toys too. Like stuffing those finger trap toys with crinkle paper and hiding a few seeds. I even weave paper through the cage bars. I would try taking the mirror out and see what happens. That could be contributing to the hormones too.

 

[Shugama]

So having him wrapped for 12 hours has helped some. I have been very good at ignoring him when he's yelling and complimenting him when he's quiet. He has 3 shreddy toys but I'm very interested in making him have to forage for his food. Currently he gets a 1:1 mix of Rowdy Bush pellets and chicken feed (the chicken feed are organic whole grains and seeds...he has to work at them).

I think clipping his wings will help because he feels like he can do anything he wants when he flies. So if we can get the kitten to calm down maybe that will be an option in the future. The older cat couldn't care less about him.

 

[Mizzely]

What's the protein and fat percentage on the chicken feed? Sometimes high protein/fat foods will encourage breeding behaviors because it signals to the body that food is plentiful - perfect time for breeding. That will cause him to look for a mate - which he would do by screaming.

You can try to give him some veggies and sprouts to help lower the fat and protein percentages, too.

Clipping might encourage more screaming, as then he can't get extra energy out, and he could become frustrated with his inability to get to where he wants to go.

 

[sunnysmom]

I would encourage you not to clip, especially if you have a cat. It's so much better mentally and physically for a bird to be flighted.

 

[vita47]

Once upon a time, I had a cockatiel named Patrick. He must have been made of fairy dust because he was the perfect bird. Hardly ever screeched, just ran back in forth in his cage like a dog when we got home from work. Never bit me. Was curious and playful but not annoying. Didn't get into everything, loved to cuddle and nuzzle me behind the ears while I washed dishes. Showered with me and swayed back and forth in the shower stream regularly. And most importantly, he didn't screech in his cage when we had to put him away for whatever reason. Stupidly, I thought all cockatiels must be like Patrick. Because of my stories, my son started asking for a cockatiel, so we got him one for his 14th birthday.

At first, Indiana Jones was great. But as he got older, he got more and more insistent on his way (he is about 1 year old now). At first we had the cage in a front room, but we had to move it to the living room/kitchen area because he would screech when we weren't in the room. That was better. He would chill in the cage while my home-schooled daughter did her work. If we ever let him out during school time, he would of course eat everything on the table...laptops, school books, school work (my...bird...ate my homework?? no, really)...just impossible to get stuff done. So, back in the cage during school time. Fine. But then after a few months....screech, screech! Cover cage...screech, screech! Doesn't matter. Let him out and he will be on my shoulder and often screech DIRECTLY in my ear while I'm doing kitchen stuff. That's enough to make me angry, as my ears will often ring for hours when that happens.

Almost impossible to get him back in the cage in the morning because he flies. We can't clip his wings because one of the cats is just way too interested in him (and he's stupid...will literally walk on the floor right in front of her). By now I'm ready to let nature take its course I mean what? JUST JOKES. But just this morning, he was in his cage and I was trying to have some solitude. He's downstairs and I'm upstairs with the door shut, blasting white noise thru a pair of Yamaha HS8s and I can STILL HEAR HIM through the white noise. I give up and let him out, he flies on my shoulder and starts screeching in my ear again. Can't. Take. Anymore.

His saving grace is that usually in the afternoon, he chills out. You can get him out and he will be very personable, let you pet his head in the most vulnerable way, accept kisses, etc. All of this but I can't get my hand near him in the morning. Super weird.

Sorry for the rant, but I'm on the verge of telling my son that I'm sorry, he's gotta go. He is precious but he's not worth my sanity. Really. I am fully prepared to accept judgment for that statement. However, I am wondering if a second cockatiel will provide the companionship he needs so that he can chill out. I know there's a risk the birds won't get along (which would be worse), and there's also a risk that he won't want to cuddle with my son anymore. I don't know what to do. I do love him and so does my much better half and my son. But again, I don't want to start to hate the bird and have every morning be miserable.

I don't know about a second bird but I am slowly having encouraging results from setting up a new routine with treats for quiet or desired behaviour and plenty of praise and attention. It is taking it out of me but I think the results are worth the effort. Already seeing better behaviour after less than a week. Still heaps of noise but am finding what works for both of us as much as possible.
Hope you find something useful in the answers.