How long will a fucking cockatiel SCREAM before he finally gives up?

[Madrone]

I'm thinking never. And seriesly? I'm thinking I fucking hate birds.

So I'm trying the food thing today. Guess driving myself into a straight-jacket sounded like a good idea today or something?

Apples - diced finely, some seed sprinkled on top. Ohhhhh no. "FUCK THAT" is what the bird is saying. (okay, not literally) He wouldn't even touch the SEEDS on the apples. I left them in there - probably for a couple of hours while I was doing housework. With him screeching at the top of his fucking lungs the whole time.

I take the apples out - and he starts making a happy chirp. Then I put the pellets in there. He climbs down, chirping happily the whole way. He perches on the bowl, sticks his head in and finds NO birdseed - then says FUCK THAT again and climbs to the top of the cage. Where he's been. For hours. HOURS. Screaming. Screaming. Screaming. FUCKTHATFUCKYOUFUCKTHATFUCKYOUFUCKTHATFUCKYOUFUCKTHATFUCKYOUFUCKTHATFUCKYOUFUCKTHATFUCKYOU!!!!! I'm pretty sure that's what he's saying in bird talk.

I can't believe I haven't lost it already. For some reason today I've been unusually calm, and pretty zen. Unfortunately my zen is running out, and it won't be long before it's on emtpy. Do I just give up and let him have what he wants - eating himself sick on shit that's not giving him any of the nutrients he needs? He's got some serious issues right now - directly related to the diet he's been on his whole life. I don't know what to do. :cry:

I just want him to shut up. :(

[Sanity Claws]

1. That sounds awful

Can you leave for a little while, even for a fifteen minute walk? Even if he continues to squawk, you won't hear it.
I wish I had advice for you.

[MonkeyFunk]

2. I used to have a cockatiel

and they can be stubborn little shits.

Either distract him - take him out and play with him - or cover his cage and make him go nigh-nigh.

[LostinVA]

12. Covering the cage is only good, if the bird isn't prone to night frights

Otherwise, she may end up with a bloody cockateil on her hands.

[Madrone]

14. Never had a night fright!

Umm.....*knocks on wood*

Thanks for the warning though. I can't cover his cage anyway, it's GINORMOUS.

[IndyOp]

3. Monkey Funk's suggestion of putting a blanket over the cage so he'll go nigh-nigh

might be exactly the right approach. Tomorrow morning he'll be hungry -- maybe hungry enough to eat pellets.

Cats are sooooooo like this, too -- if they eat the junk food equivalent of cat food then it is damned, damned hard to get them to eat nutritious. Just my personal experience...

[Madrone]

5. I ended up putting him in the cardboard box I call the "Hole" -

His cage is too big to cover. And I gave him his seeds back.

I know cats are like that too - the problem is a cat will eventually give in and eat it. A bird will starve itself.

[CC]

7. Maybe see if there is a bird rescue near you. They usually

have experience with difficult birds and might have some hints, tips or tricks for you to try. Worst comes to worst he keeps his seed and maybe just try putting tiny amounts of different things in with them even if he does throw them out most of the time. :hug:

[Kat45]

4. C'mon, seeds aren't THAT bad!

Yes, a bird should have a balanced diet and eat a variety of things but seeds are a part of that diet. Don't let him starve, because you know he'd let himself. What are his health issues?

ANd yes, a cockatiel can scream for a very long time. :-)

[Madrone]

6. I gave up and stuck him in the box.

His beak is growing fast - big sign of health issues there. And I just noticed a couple of days ago (AFTER going to the vet, of course) that he is getting gray spots in the middle of his eyes.

The problem with the seeds is he REALLY won't eat anything else. You know the blends with nuts and twigs and berries and everything else in them? He'll pick all the seeds out, leaving everything else. When he can't find any more seeds he starts bitching.

He'll eat seeds, millet, and cuttlebone. End of story.

[samplegirl]

8. I know it's not funny but my guy

friend has a cocktail and I can relate. Oh my GOD...worst yet is being woke at an ungodly hour to the all to familiar sound. I swear I could roll on the floor.
He lives across the street from a small store complex and pizza shop. In the summer its all most embarrassing to go into one of the shops as they can hear it clear across the street. I guess you could do what he does...open the cage and say...you want me boy and shake the hell out it and him threating his life.
He's really a good bird other than that but when Bob leaves the room the bird goes literally nuts because he can't see him. They get very spoiled.
Bob gets him a mix of all different seeds from Pet Smart that he mixes himself including fruit.
Then gives him three seed balls a day. I doubt he is screaming because he is not satisfied with his food but rather
that he can't see you. These birds are notorious for that.

[Kat45]

9. When my bird is calling to me (ie yelling) when I leave the room,

I often talk to her from the room I'm in, then she knows I'm still here.

[Madrone]

10. Haha - I know someone that packed up his cockatiel in a small box,

drove to a pet store, stashed the box on a shelf, went home, called the pet store and said "There's a bird in a box on your shelf" ..:rofl: I used to be absolutely MORTIFIED by that story. Now I get it completely. LOL

No, he's REALLY screaming about his food. He's actually really well behaved, UNLESS he's out of seeds, water, or completely unsatisfied with what I've given him. (ie: not SEEDS)

I'm still losing the food battle - but I haven't been fighting too hard this past week. Don't have it in me. Maybe next week I'll tangle with him again.

[CC]

11. Maybe try some

ZuPreem for Cockatiels mixed in with the seed. He may throw most of it our but with time maybe he will eventually start eating it. Maybe 1/4 to 1/3 of it the pellets and the rest seed for a month of so then slowly up the amount of pellets. That way it will be his choice and not a battle of wills.


Not that you have to use that brand specifically I just know its pellets are about the same size as small seeds and may blend in with them well.

[mopinko]

13. this is why i have never had a tiel.

we all have our sounds we can't stand, and tiels yelling is mine.
does he get enough exercise? just like with people, an appetite for healthy food usually goes hand in hand with other healthy habits. offering the pellets after fly time, if e gets one, might find him more interested. and fwiw, it takes about 3 days of no food for them to starve. not a recommendation, just letting you know. lots of people think a bird will drop dead with a couple of hours without food.
also, when the screaming starts is a good time to give a good shower. takes their little minds off their bellies.
i am assuming the vet is telling you that he has fatty liver disease. i am not much of an "herb person" but my vet, and lots of bird people i know, swear by milk thistle extract. a few drops in the water, iirc.

[Madrone]

15. The vet didn't tell me, but I figured it out with some online research.

I'll look for that extract. In the meantime ... I have GOOD news! (in another thread)