which screams loudest umbrella cockatoos or african greys

Shopping

Information

Find Answers

Site Info

Links

[?] Subscribe To This Site

which screams loudest umbrella cockatoos or african greys

by kirsty gow
(scunthorpe england)

I currently have a 8 year old cockatoo but are considering taking him back to the pet shop because of terrible biting and screaming. i have been offered a baby african grey 4 months old in exchange and would like to know if this would be best?

is it better to buy from a baby to prevent these terrible outbursts of screaming and biting? does having a pair of african grey babies affect there ability to talk and interact with humans? please help !!

Comments for
which screams loudest umbrella cockatoos or african greys

Click here to add your own comments

Jan 22, 2012

Which is louder...
by: Anonymous

A bird can be as loud as you want it to be, it's all about the training process, if there is/was any.

Kristy, Don't feel bad about wanting to take your bird back to the petshop. I know the other people dont agree with that option, however, I feel you need to do what is best for the bird, not you.

If the bird is unhappy in your home, and not bonding with you, then yes, take it back so it can be properly housed with someone more compadible.

Cockatoos, from my experience have always been horribly louder then most. But shouldnt be a reason to take him back. Greys, they learn to talk, and well, they arent always loud, but they will never shut up. :D Mine goes on talking tangents for hours at a time. But I have the patience for it.

But you shouldn't take the bird back bc he annoys you, take him back only if, he is not happy with the home you've provided. Trading birds in is not something I typically recommend, bc it's traumatic on a bird to be shuffled about from home to home. However, if a bird is NOT happy, that's not healthy mentally for him either.

This has to be something you and the bird both want in order for it to work. No reason for anyone to be unhappy.

I'd suggest That you try to train your cockatoo, Prehaps it's just what he needs.

Remember birds are very smart, and need stimulation. Otherwise they will try to get your attn however they can, even being louder then they need to be. BC negative attn is better then no attn, and thus the bird learns bad habbits.

I wish you luck, and hope you make the best choice for the BIRD.

Jan 22, 2012

re: negative comments
by: Anonymous

this site is meant to provide support and advice so why do i feel like most of the comments left are just nasty i just want to do the best for my parrot!! what is the best food to buy for him and where would i buy it from as i have just been told by the petsho that the seed diet he was on is the best but from research im seeing pellets are the best main part of the diet he needs as well as fresh fruit and vegetables

Editor's note: It is a hard balance to allow people to express opinions but not be abusive. Everyone can't agree on everything.

Jan 21, 2012

Don't Buy Any
by: Anonymous

I am sorry to be rude here but I agree, if you can't handle biting and screaming, don't get any bird at all. All birds will bite and scream, tendencies depend on species but at some point in time it will happen for one reason or another. As they saying always goes, "it isn't if you get bitten, it is when you get bitten".

I am advocate on adopting and feel getting a bird from any pet store is promoting that trade and the things the birds go through to get to the pet store is unimaginable. They are kept in tiny cages at pet stores and not given a proper diet, proper toys and proper attention and exercise.

I am very upset with the fact that you got this bird, don't like and are willing to trade it for another.... birds are living creatures that feel disappointment, anger, hunger, heart break and they bleed like all living creatures do, how could you just "trade it in"? I am so ashamed to be part of the human race when I see things such as this. These birds do not ask to come into this world and if you make a committment to one, then it is your responsibility to do research before buying and after buying to what is necessary to fix what ever is happening with the bird in your home. You have to remember that birds are still a wild animal like adopting a lion or such sort of animal. Bird are captive but not tame and domesticated like cats and dogs. They need owners to understand who they are and accept them for who they are. They need owners to allow the birds to live in their homes and owners who will adapt to them because birds do not do well in adapting to human lifestyles... hence the reason for biting and screaming. Screaming is part of who a bird is as well as chewing up window sills and furniture. Biting is not something birds normally do in the wild, captivity has forced them to bite to get their message across. Just too bad people like you do not understand their messages.

I could go on forever with what a bird needs and how to help you live a peaceful life with them but I am not sure you are ready for a bird yet.

I would suggest if you do not want the cockatoo to take it back to the store, go home empty handed and do some serious research on birds. Noise, biting, behaviours, messiness, chewing, what they need as a very good diet to give them a long life and most importantly the dangers in our homes. Owning a bird isn't about adopting a pet, it is about a complete lifestyle change. If you are not prepared to change your whole life for a bird, then you are not prepared to own one.

Jan 21, 2012

which screams loudest umbrella cockatoos or african greys
by: Linda

You have not given the new Cockatoo any time to get adjusted. The first thing you have to do with any new bird, especially pet store birds, is to have him examined by an Avian Vet ONLY in your driving area. Only Avian Vets can diagnose and treat parrots of any kind.

Lots of pet store birds are already sick, and yours may very well be sick. You cannot make a decision based on a day or two with a new bird and expect it to love you immediately. Trust is earned not freely given, and you have in no way earned this bird's trust as yet.

Take his to Avian Vet, and have him checked for infections or other physical issues and then and only then you can use some training materials on this site to get you started.

If you think that any new bird you get is going to automatically love and trust you, even a handfed baby, you are trying to find the wrong pet. Parrots are exotic wild animals and do not trust humans until the human has been proven trustworthy.This includes all baby parrots all the way up to a 50 year old parrot. Also, I've been bitten badly by baby birds being handfed by me, so as for a bird that does not bite, you are never going to find it.

If you take this poor bird back, then please get a different kind of pet because you are not ready for a parrot of any kind. All parrots scream and all parrots bite. The one you have now may have been neglected meaning it was not loved by its previous owners, and now you are basing your love and commitment on superficial behavior of a bird who probably needs all the love it can get. Give this bird a chance or decide to have no birds at all, because they all take time to get to know, may come to you sick or neglected, and there is NO perfect bird as they, like humans, all have some kind of issues or other to deal with.

Good luck, and I hope you decide to settle down and do the work with this bird as all birds are a lot of work. If you don't want to do any work, a parrot is not the pet for you because all of them large or small require lots of work, love, commitment and money to keep them in healthy food and Avian Vet services when sick or injured.

Linda

Jan 21, 2012

Cockatoo
by: Anonymous

I suppose part of the many reasons so many parrots are rehomed and unwanted is because of their initial alluring and intruguing apparance.. And people impulse buy. When they get home they realize they got themselves into a lot of trouble and panic, and get rid of them. A bird has the intellectual intelligence of a 4 or 5 yr old child. Cockatoos (and greys) are known for being exceptionally emotional beings as well. You are probably this poor bird's 4th or 5th home and there is a reason he is screaming and biting. He doesnt have trust yet.. Do u blame him!?! Dont be like the rest of the people who gave up on him so soon... He has needs and is probably emotionally scarred from never understanding why no one has loved him and gave him a chance. I adopted my African Grey when she was 10 yrs old. She bit me all the time.. And hard.. For about 3 months solid. But I knew if I kept working on her trust we would form a bond and i would understand her needs.. An that is just what happened. She is 14 now and we have an incredible relationship.. Dont you owe your cockatoo that same chance?? So my advice is to give your new bird a chance.. You CAN train to stop the biting.. How much effort are you willing to put into it?? There is no such thing as a quiet or non-biting parrot. So dont think you are going to swap for something better... Thats just cruel thinking.. Every bird is an individual.. And if you cant handle the training and patience to find love and a trusting friendship in the bird you initially made a commitment to, then maybe a bird is NOT a good choice of pet for you and find him a home that he deserves where he can be loved and worked with.

Jan 21, 2012

U2
by: Anonymous

I have to chime in here. For one thing, buying a baby bird from a pet shop is just promoting the trade of pet shops selling birds.

I was going to suggest adopting from a reputable parrot rescue, but if you can't handle the biting or screaming, I would suggest NOT getting any bird. Whether you buy a baby bird OR a rescue, they will scream AND bite.

Please do your research before purchasing ANY bird.

In my opinion, a true bird person doesn't get a bird and just because it screams or bites, send it back and trade it for another one. Having a parrot is a lifelong commitment!!!

Parrots scream at certain times of the day, just like they do in the wild. Whether they are bred in captivity or not, they still have that wild instinct in them.

Please reconsider getting anymore birds if you are going to give them up that easily.

Jan 21, 2012

thankyou for our reply
by: kirsty

hi tahnks again for your advice. i bought my cockatoo who is 8 just a week ago he was absolutly fine with me but nobody else his screams wasnt that ba duntil the past few days when he started biting really hard he has bite straight through my finger today!! i have done nothing but research since i got him from the petshop to understand his breed and needs and really wished i had researched him before buying him ( stupid i know but as i walked past him he just drew me to him with his cute word like hello darling)i really need to think about my options before talking him back i have just read loads about him and it says that because he is 8 years old and already surpassed his sexually maturity he may never break his bad biting an conctant screaming habits? :)

Jan 21, 2012

African grey or Cocktoo parrot
by: Tracie

The African grey parrot would likely not be as loud, but can still be loud.

It would be best to purchase your bird from a reputable breeder, where you are sure the bird comes from healthy parents and has been raised in a clean healthy environment. You will want to make sure the bird has been seen by an avian vet and is free from disease or illness before bringing it home.

If you choose to purchase from the pet store, ask for the certificate of good health that is signed by their avian vet. If they don't know of any avian vets, then you will know that YOU need to Find an Avian Vet to take the bird to for an exam.

All birds make noise, not all birds that have a reputation for talking will talk. My mother had an African grey for years that stayed in her room with her 24/7 and it only said 2 or 3 words. It repeated sounds, but not words. My mom worked with the bird, it loved her, but it just didn't choose to repeat words.

Her African grey was quiet most of the time when it was just her and him. When people came over, it screamed and screamed. It hated almost everyone but her. This can happen with any bird that does not get interaction with other people often.

We have some parrot training articles on our Parrot Training page that might help you with your bird.

My final word to you is to please research and read all you can about the bird you wish to purchase. Spend as much time as you can with the bird before ever bringing it home. Listen to it scream, see the mess, find out how much quality pellets like Harrison's or Roudybush cost, since your bird needs to eat about 80% high quality pellets to have a long and healthy life.

Also, please note how long these birds live. If you are a young person, will you still be able to interact with this bird 10 years from now? If you are an older person, who will care for this bird and love it like you 30 - 40 years from now if you die?

Good luck with whatever you decide and thanks for asking before doing anything. :-)

Click here to add your own comments

Join in and write your own page! It's easy to do. How?
Simply click here to return to Parrot Questions