My happy and calm bird has become a little screeching/chirping nightmare!!  It started last Nov when my mom came to stay with us -  I put it down to change in environment and maybe she sensed tension as my mom was ill but I thought it would stop once she got used to an additional person.  Mom was only with us until Jan but it didn't stop.  She's located in the flow of things where she can see out into the yard and garden and she's always been happy there. We have plenty of people in and out and that never bothered her.  When we eat, she always gets a little treat too because she likes to eat whe we do.

Now... she'll start screaming and chirping excessively the minute she hears you pop the toaster, if you're having a conversation with someone or on the phone - she immediately starts in.  I can be with her, giving her attention and playing and all I have to do is turn around and walk a few steps and off she goes again.  She'll fly over to me, hang out, play, fly back to her cage and then just start.  If we're watching TV - she'll start - get up to see what she wants and she'll wait until you sit down and then goes off again.  When we come home for lunch - the minute she hears me coming in she starts up - I can't even go into the bathroom without her starting up.  

She's not insecure - she's not bored because she has plenty of toys and I switch them out all the time.  I take her outside so she gets plenty of sun and fresh air - she loves it out there.  She gets to be out of her cage.  I give her baths all the time and encourage her to fly - to get exercise and hopefully to wear her out a bit - I've clipped wings during this time thinking she was getting too feisty and wasn't listening.

Sometimes the constant non-stop chirping / screeching is enough where I want to wring her little neck   I've even threatened to let her fly free with all the other birds in our backyard   

My husband says I'll never get rid of that bird - and I do love her - but it's been one heck of a terrible year and she is literally driving me crazy!   I tried to find old posts on spoiled bird or advise but couldn't find what I was looking for.  I guess we lost some threads when things switched over....

Does anyone have any suggestions please - sorry this is long but it's not like she's got this terrible boring life and she's begging for attention.  We don't overdo it with her either - she's always been a great addition.  It has really gotten to the point that you can't carry on a conversation with a friend or family member or even on the phone.  She's starts up and won't stop.

Have any of you been thru this?

yep all the time around here except its not the conures going off its the amazons and cockatoos i cant pick up a phone and talk must go out side. cant eat dinner or lunch either because emmily the new grey comes and steals food off the plate doesnt matter , so my question is does the bird get 12 hours of sleep uninterupted. that is a must for birdies. other then youre mom anything else change hair nails anything good luck just do youre best to ingor her or him it might settle down who knows what goes through thier little heads

Do not respond to her! IGNORE the behavior that you do NOT want and REWARD the behavior that you DO want. Somewhere down the line she has gotten what she wanted out of you when she has screamed. She has gotten your attention by doing this. Wait until she is quiet and then go in and see her.

Not rewarding the shrieking (which we sometimes do accidentally) is important. I have an evening shrieker (conure) and he goes on for about a half hour at nightfall. I let him scream until he calms down.

Although it really is rewarding the behavior, and you are really going nuts, just keep him with you while watching TV maybe since he shrieks when he goes back to his cage.

I have given up on the phone shrieking. Like Tuesday, I have to go outside or into another room! It starts with them all screaming HELLO HELLO and then settles into screams until I finish!

I have intermittent shrieking with Rio in her cage while she's eating. I'm lying in the recliner which is right next to her cage, she is crunching on her pellets and nibbling on her goodies, and every minute or so lets out ONE scream, then goes back to eating. This goes on and on like a metronome. She doesn't do this when she's on her stand eating. She does it if I'm awake watching TV or I (try to) fall asleep to take a nap. She can clearly see me. I have no idea what this is.

I know this is probably wrong, but if I cover the part of the cage that she can see me from, I never hear another peep, only the sound of crunching and then boucning sround with her toys.

I think I've answered my own question, since the forum seems pretty much abandoned.  This may help anyone else reading.

It seems Rio wants to be covered and have her private and quiet time to herself.  It's usually after she's been out of cage most of the day. This usually happens later in the afternoon.  

As soon as I close the cover, I hear only quiet little squawks and quacks, crunching, playing with her bells, and bouncing around.  I noticed this almost every time.  

I guess even birds want their quiet time.  

I'm glad you found the answer.  When Frankie wants quiet time, he crawls down someone's shirt.

This post was last modified: 03-24-2010 09:03 AM by Pippin.

I think it's hormone and molting time too.

Guapo doesn't seem to be molting but he is sure shrieking a lot more!

Rio's got a lot of pin feathers. Before I break the casings she looks really mothy. Then once they open she fluffs up and looks better. They must be uncomfortable, but I can't imagine what they feel like.

Frankie is molting too.