Hello all. It's been forever since I've posted on the forum! Life has been crazy. Anyways, I need some advice on my screaming quaker. I've read a few threads on the topic and have tried to implement some of those ideas, but I've noticed she does it whenever I leave the room. And it's driving my husband nuts. He's not willing to go hold her or help distract her, so he puts her in the bathroom and turns off the light. This makes me sad! But whenever I leave for work, the store, or even just go out of her sight, she's extremely loud and my husband can't take it. He's mentioned that we should give her up because it's getting worse. But I can't imagine not having her. We're expecting our first baby this January and he's convinced I won't have the time to give her the attention she needs and also that she'll be too loud for the baby. What can I do??? She's got tons of toys (which I rotate often), but it's me, and me only she wants, or she screams. Any additional suggestions to what has already been mentioned?
Thanks a million, Kristin

Did you try the 'I'll be back' thing? Leave for real short times saying, 'I'll be back' until she knows that means you will, then increase the time away. Also don't go in the room until she's quiet for 5 seconds, then increase that, too.

i know it may sound silly but seriously try what Alusdra suggested. i tell Cricket "i'll see you later" when i have to leave and he stopped screaming. (i used to hear him all the way up the hall in my apt complex screaming as i walked away).

when i'm home and able to answer his screams with my voice i don't say those words... only when i'm going to be away for awhile.

i hope it helps because punishing Bella is not going to help the situation. they don't really understand punishment and it will probably just make the situation worse!

I'm afraid your husband is only encouraging your QP to scream when he puts her in the bathroom. For one, he is giving her attention when she screams (which is most likely why she is screaming) and two, he is also punishing her. This certainly won't teach her to stop screaming...it will only encourage it. Not too mention it will cause other issues as well.

Now, does she only scream when you are not in the room with her? Does she do it all the time? Or just some times. What happens when no one is home? You might want to put on a video camera to see what happens.

It could be that she is screaming because she knows that some one is there and she wants some attention. If you're husband is in the room with your bird, can he not let her out to play on top of her cage? If you don't already, put some toys on the outside of her cage so she has something to play with on there.

Another thing...do you have some background noise for her? Some sort of radio/tv going so she hears something?

As for saying that you won't have time for her when the baby comes, or that the QP will be too loud, only you and your husband can decide that. Many Quakers are rehomed because of those very issues. Sad, but it does happen.

Thanks for your replies everyone! Yes, I have tried the background noise with the TV and also telling her "Bye, bye...Be right back." But it seems she just wants me. So if my husband's home and I'm doing errands around the house she screams almost as soon as I turn my back on her. I will suggest my hubby take her out and let her play on top of her cage when I leave, but he isn't the most patient soul. A few skwaks have never bothered me, though the constant screaming does get pretty loud. He, on the other hand, says it's "ear piercing." I just wish it wouldn't bother him so! I love her so much! I've tried to tell him putting her in the bathroom won't help, but he feels it's his only option once I leave. I'll encourage him to try those other suggestions. About when and how often she screams, it is always when I leave the room, but I've noticed when I'm home alone and go up to take a shower, that she'll eventually start singing/talking to herself. It's like she forgets I'm home. If she hears me upstairs though, she'll usually scream until I come down. I don't think she screams througout the day while I'm at work though. I've been meaning to video tape her, but haven't figured out our new camcorder yet. I'm also going to try to make sure I'm not encouraging the screaming by coming to the "rescue" right away. It's hard though! I hate that we're gone so much. I keep trying to convince my hubby that I'll be home MORE once we have the baby, and that that will help, but he's not so sure. Anyways....sorry for the long-winded reply. THANK YOU again EVERYONE for your suggestions!!!

Oh goodness-- I feel for you! Our Hemingway has become quite a mama's boy lately and he flock calls whenever I leave the room also. It is a tough behavior to nix-- but I try to remember that he is calling to me to check on me and keep contact. It is tough not to reinforce the flock calling too! Wish I had more wisdom to pass on but I'm sure all the super-parronts will have some great suggestions. One thing I have been trying is to talk to him from the other room and get him engaged in practicing his speech. Sometimes then he'll go from screaming to peek-a-boo or cockadoodledoo (silly bird). As for your baby concerns-- my husband and I have two children, ages 4 years and 15 months. (We also have two dogs, two birds, AND a little yellow canary) We actually got Hemingway when our little one was only 7 months old. It has gone just fine! We just make sure Hemingway has a spot in whatever room we might go into for any period of time. He has a playtower in the den (where he spends most of his time when we're home), a playgym in the kitchen, and we got a cheap little t-stand that we bring with us into the bathroom for bathtime or into the baby's room for doing pj's and storytime. Actually, keeping him close has helped with the flock calling too. We keep his cage in a spare bedroom (for naptime, when we're not home, and nighttime). He seems to enjoy just being around with us so much. Hubby and I also work fulltime-- so it's a crazy life but we love it! To minimize the chance that Hemingway will wake a sleeping baby, (and also to keep him in the habit of spending some time entertaining himself in his cage), we often tell him that it's "time to rest" and put him in his cage while everyone rests (sometimes with a yummy treat). I turn on the radio and he hangs out in his room for awhile until everyone is up and moving again. It is not a discipline move-- we've just made it more a part of his routine. When your baby comes home he/she will EVENTUALLY (I promise, it will happen) develop a routine that your quaker will fit right into! Hang in there!!

Thanks Michelle! I loved those encouraging words! Sounds like life is 5 times as busy for you in comparison to us...so if you can do it, so can we! That's so true that bringing him into other rooms with you helps. They just want to be near us always! So sweet these little fids! Well, thanks again!

my quaker when i leave his room he is doing the same screaming but i did that method telling him wait wait i will be back and after 1 min he stops screaming i also when i leave him alone i have him music and he is "singing"
hope your parrot learn the same!

I don't have a screaming quaker, but I have a screaming cockatoo, who came to me with the problem. When ever I leave the room None of my other birds do it to the extent he does, but little by little its getting better. He Knows the difference of when I say, bye-bye meaning I'm going to be gone for an extended period of time or I'll be back in a few minutes... He's just learning that he isn't really alone because he has the rest of the flock to "talk" to And I've sat and listened outside the door as to the goings on. The birds actually converse sometimes when I'm not in sight... Its usually just the Hi, Hello Good morning , stuff but there is definitely a dialog and each are communicating. I'm really working with the foraging toys for him so he learns to occupy himself. You might try different types of foraging toys and have a certain one for when you're going to be gone a long period of time and one for when you're only going to be gone for a few minutes... Its kind of a pain in the toosh to be constantly taking one in and out....But it may help him figure out that OK...Mom put this in and she leaves me for a long time, or Mom puts this one in and isn't gone too long.

Also the flock call too you can work on...Pick a tune that you really like and won't tire of hearing a zillion times a day Use it ONLY when you leave the room when he starts with the flock call, whistle that tune so he realizes you are still in the house. Then when you're getting ready to leave the room just give a little whistle. You can be creative and have a I'm leaving whistle, and I'm coming back now whistle. Hopefully he will learn those whistles and use them instead of just screaming. Even if he does whistle it over and over its better to hear a tune than just screaming.

Good Luck.