BudgieBootcamp

So what I ended up doing was leaving the radio or TV on when I'm out — background noise helps. Within a few days there was a noticeable improvement. Definitely worth trying.

My Quaker parrot did this too! Turned out it was because of jealousy of a new person, pet, or even object in the home. Once I addressed that, everything went back to normal.

What worked for me was spending at minimum 2 hours of supervised out-of-cage time daily. Took about a week but my Eclectus responded really well to it.

Following up on my earlier comment — I tried what you suggested and it actually worked! My lineolated parakeet is doing so much better. Thank you!

Oh my bird did this for about about a month and I tried everything. Honestly, time was the biggest factor. They just grew out of it.

This!! So much this. Saving this post to show my partner.

Oh man, this brings back memories. When we were dealing with this with Pistachio, I thought we'd never get through it. Now it's just a funny memory. It gets better, I promise.

Already stressing about Canada Day plans. Last year I left booking a bird sitter way too late and had to cancel my trip. If you're traveling for Easter, book NOW. Any recommendations for bird sitters or boarding in the Richmond Hill area?

Been thinking about adopting a rescue instead of buying from a breeder. Any experiences with rescue birds in Ontario? What should I expect in terms of behavioral challenges? Which rescue organizations do you recommend?

Bookmarking this thread! So much great info. This is why I keep coming back to this forum.

I struggled with this too until I started getting a kitchen scale and weighing them weekly to track health. Now it's like a completely different bird.

Great question! So in my experience with Quaker parrot, this usually comes down to a few things. First, spending at minimum 2 hours of supervised out-of-cage time daily. Second, make sure they're getting enough sleep — 12 hours of uninterrupted dark sleep is crucial. And third, pay attention to hormonal season — spring is brutal because that was a huge factor for my Sunny. Hope that helps!

My vet in Scarborough suggested putting the food bowl higher up — birds feel safer eating at height and I noticed a change within the first week. Highly recommend.

I've been giving my green cheek conure filtered water but ran out of filters and gave tap water for a day. Now I'm spiraling. Toronto water is rated pretty good for humans, but what about birds? Do chlorine levels matter? What about in older buildings with lead pipes?

Welcome!! Looking forward to hearing more about your feathered friend. Don't be shy about asking questions!

Have you noticed any other changes? When my Indian Ringneck did this they were also grinding their beak more than usual.

Do you have other pets in the home? My Quaker parrot started acting differently when we got a cat.

Just wanted to come back and say the advice in this thread WORKED. My cockatiel finally stopped screaming when I leave the room after I tried putting a bird lamp on a 12/12 timer to simulate natural daylight cycles.

Following up on my earlier comment — I tried what you suggested and it actually worked! My Indian Ringneck is doing so much better. Thank you!

Which avian vet do you go to? I'm looking for a good one near Hamilton.