Alright friends, let me tell you about the loudmouth parrot disaster I dealt with last Tuesday. My feathery buddy Kiwi started screaming like a broken car alarm nonstop at sunrise. Seriously, this bird could shatter wine glasses.
The Breaking Point
First I did what any sleep-deprived human would do: yelled right back at him. Big mistake. Kiwi just puffed up his chest and screamed louder. Then I tried covering his cage with a blanket - he kicked it off in two seconds flat. So I sat on the floor Googling "bird screaming" while he treated my ears like punching bags.
Changing Tactics
Next morning when Kiwi started his opera performance, I didn't react at all. Just dead-faced walked past his cage. He paused mid-screech like "Wait, where's my audience?" Grabbed his favorite bell toy from the drawer and casually played with it myself. Kiwi shut up immediately, head cocked sideways.
When he finally made a normal chirp, I sprinted to his cage like he'd won the lottery: "GOOD BIRD!" while showering him with sunflower seeds. His eyes got huge - guess who learned screaming doesn't get attention but quiet noises do?
The Routine That Saved My Sanity
Here's what worked magic for us:
- Started waking up 15 minutes earlier to uncover his cage before sunrise
- Gave him foraging toys stuffed with almonds before bed
- Put a small radio near his cage playing jazz on low volume
- Rewarded every single non-scream sound for a week straight
How Things Look Now
Yesterday morning? Kiwi whistled "Happy Birthday" instead of screaming. Still hits a few screechy notes around dinner time, but now I just turn my back and he stops quicker than my neighbor's yappy chihuahua. Changed everything - and my coffee tastes better without an angry feathered soprano in my ear!
