Have you noticed your cockatiel screaming when you leave the room? Are you wondering why they do this? Is it normal? Is there anything you can do to help them? Here is all that you’ll need to know.
Cockatiels may not be able to talk, but they can use many other methods of communication to interact with us. Sometimes, screaming is one of those methods
Don’t worry—we’ve got you. In this article, we will give you some insight into why your cockatiel is screaming when you leave the room and what you can do about it.
Can Cockatiels Have Separation Anxiety?
Just like humans, even cockatiels tend to suffer from skittishness, or nervousness.
A few things such as past traumatic experience, or lack of socialization can trigger anxiety in our cockatiels.
Sometimes cockatiels can have separation anxiety due to physical reasons such as illness, exposure to something toxic, or some infectious diseases.
If your cockatiel is used to being around you most of the time, and that changes, your bird may experience separation anxiety.
If your cockatiel has separation anxiety it will often make a lot of noise and may behave erratically when triggered.
Although each cockatiel has a different personality, birds with separation anxiety will often scream and squeak when their owner leaves them alone, as they become incredibly nervous and stressed without their human companion.
Why Does My Cockatiel Yell When I Leave The Room?
If your cockatiel screams when you leave the room, it could be a simple sign that your bird loves you, or it could be a sign of an underlying health condition.
Listed below are some of the reasons why your cockatiel yells when you leave the room.
Curious
At times, cockatiels can be really curious. Your bird might be eager to know about what is going on.
Sometimes your bird would scream at you, just to find out what you are doing.
You will also see that your cockatiels get angry or annoyed if you are not paying attention to them.
Bored
Boredom is yet another common reasons why your cockatiel might scream.
If your cockatiel is bored, then it might become restless and cry out for attention.
You can help your bored cockatiel by providing it with plenty of toys, swings, and other ways of stimulation in its cage.
If a cockatiel won’t stop screaming because she’s lonely, find a solution. Or, consider adopting a second cockatiel.
Attention Seeking Behavior
In most cases, cockatiels start to scream owner’s attention.
If you have not fulfilled your bird’s basic needs, they might just scream grab your attention.
If you understand your bird’s behavior and give them what they are asking for, it will probably stop screaming.
Trying To Communicate With You
The most obvious reason your cockatiel may be screaming is that they need or want something from you, like food, water, or a walk.
The screaming should stop once you identify the problem and fix it.
However, if your cockatiel is for more food after you just fed them, this is a problem that needs to be corrected.
In any case, if you feel that your bird is not well, I would advise you to take them to a vet as soon as possible.
Health Complications
Besides the reasons mentioned above, your cockatiel’s medical health could be the root of their behavior.
In such cases, a trip to your veterinarian to rule out an illness or other physical cause for your bird’s behavior is an excellent place to start when trying to figure out why they’re acting the way they are.
How Do I Stop My Cockatiel From Screaming When I Leave The Room?
If you think your cockatiel may be suffering from anxiety, you can do a few things to help them feel better.
Listed below are a few things that you can do if your cockatiel tends to scream every time you leave the room.
Other People’s Contact
If your cockatiel isn’t used to being around people other than you, they may develop a phobia of strangers. Allow your friends to visit from time to time and give your bird a favorite treat.
It may take a few tries for your bird to become brave enough to approach them, so be patient.
Getting them used to other people will make them less apprehensive in general and will make it easier for them to accept other, while you are not available.
Stick To The Routine
Cockatiels do not handle changes very well. Therefore, I would advise you to fix a particular feeding time for your bird.
A well-set routine will surely keep your bird happy and stress-free. With frequent changes, your bird can surely turn aggressive and start to scream.
Adequate Stimulation
Cockatiels need lots of activity to keep them engaged. They quickly get bored.
A lack of activities for stimulation is a common cause of depression and frustration in cockatiels.
You must install swings, perches, and a variety of toys in your cockatiel’s cage.
A cockatiel without proper enrichment can become bored, destructive, and depressed.
You can categorize your cockatiel’s toys into four groups:
- Foraging toys: Cockatiels are natural foragers, and toys that encourage this behavior are ideal for keeping them stimulated throughout the day.
- Puzzle Toys: These toys will be even more mentally challenging for the cockatiels as it forages.
- Chewing toys: These are important for mental enrichment and beak maintenance.
- Play toys: These can encompass everything from bells and ball toys to rope ladders for climbing.
You will see that your cockatiels will eventually grow bored of their toys, so rotate them weekly to keep things fresh. You might also have to replace toys as they become damaged.
Is It Ok To Ignore A Screaming Cockatiel?
It is important for you to learn to distinguish between instances when your cockatiel need your help and when it is crying just because it does not want you to leave.
If you have met all the needs of your cockatiels and it is not engaging in any destructive behavior, then you should not encourage its screaming behavior.
If your cockatiel does not learn to feel safe alone, then it might develop separation anxiety.
Difficult as this can be to implement, it is part of the process for your cockatiel to be ok with being alone for short periods.
