How to Make Your Umbrella Cockatoo Stop Screaming

Interact with your umbrella cockatoo while cleaning in the room.

The umbrella cockatoo may live over 70 years and may scream loudly for assorted reasons. Therefore, it is wise to think about the adoption carefully before obtaining this type of bird for a pet. The umbrella cockatoo may grow as tall as 18 inches and enjoys cuddling. They form strong bonds with their owners and are curious and intelligent. The umbrella cockatoo often uses screaming as a manipulative tactic, and it can be heard as far away as three miles, according to the Parrot Secrets website. Proper training can prevent or reduce this behavior.

Things You'll Need

• Parrot toys

Instructions

1. Tell yourself this is normal behavior for an umbrella cockatoo. They crave attention; if you are in the kitchen preparing dinner, that is where the bird wants to be. This is true no matter what the activity is while in the home. Give your umbrella cockatoo plenty of attention when you are near it to prevent screaming and other behavioral problems, such as plucking its feathers out.

2. Visit a vet that specializes in avian pets. Write down a log of when the umbrella cockatoo screams. Also, jot down what was happening shortly before the screaming began, such as the owner leaving the room, visitors or other causes. Documenting the behavior helps the specialist determine the reason behind the behavior. The vet will also check for medical problems that may cause the screaming.

3. Provide the umbrella cockatoo with plenty of toys to keep its mouth and mind occupied. Toys that the bird can explore or chew work well.

4. Praise the bird when it is out of the cage and not screaming. Interact with it to provide mental stimulation and bonding time. This is also a wise time to train your bird.

5. Ignore the bird when it screams. Giving it positive attention once the screaming begins exacerbates the behavior.

6. Check that the cage is comfortable, the diet is sufficient and the bird gets plenty of rest. Anxieties may result if the bird suffers in any of these areas.

Tips & Warnings

• The best way to prevent bad behavior is to train the umbrella cockatoo well at a young age.

• If a certain color, person, object or scenario triggers the behavior, gradually attempt to nip it in the bud by socializing the bird with the circumstance. Eventually it will adjust and stop the behavior, if you are consistent with the training.

• Contact an avian behavior specialist if your techniques are futile. She will be able to provide you with suggestions to avert the behavior.

References

• About Umbrella Cockatoo
• Common Umbrella Cockatoo Problems