Help! How do I calm a mourning cockatiel?

[Not_Giving_Up]

We lost Sydney a few weeks ago, and ever since, Frankie won't shut up unless he is sitting on one of us. If it weren't for the fact that there are two predators in the house (cats), I'd let him stay out of the cage, but I can't do that. He screeches, he yells "Hello Frankie", "Hey Frank", and "Pretty Boy" (we're trying to teach him "Fuck Bush, no luck yet). If we don't respond to him, he bangs his beak on the bars of the cage. I simply cannot afford to buy him another female right now, and he is driving us nuts. He's quiet when it's dark in the room, but we can't keep him in the dark all of the time.

Any suggestions?

[seemunkee]

1. No idea, We only had single birds

Poor Frankie.
Sounds like he needs to bond with someone else. How long were they together?

[Not_Giving_Up]

2. We got Frankie when he was fairly young

Sydney was already here...they had one baby tat hatched and he proved to be an excellent father. I'm guessing here, but Frank n Syd (as I called them - think Frankenstein) were together for about three years. Sydney's death was traumatic. one minute she was fine, then she started making this weird noise, was breathing fast and shallow, then she nose dived off the perch. I tried to give her mouth to beak, but to no avail. I put her back in the cage so Frankie could say goodbye. He got down next to her and screeched "Hello" and did various whistles for hours. When he got back up on a perch, we took her out. He's been getting tons of extra attention, to the point that the cat who has chosen me as her primary human is getting quite jealous of him. I'll get him to say "Fuck Bush" yet!

[seemunkee]

4. Sounds like what happened to our Quaker

She would have seizures and fall off her perch. The last one was too much for her.

[Not_Giving_Up]

6. Sydney had never had that happen before...it was strange.

She laid an egg the day before, and when I heard the noise and came running, she had her rear extended, and I thought she was trying to lay an egg, but she was up on a perch, not in her nest in the bottom of the cage. I've never actually seen her lay an egg, usually I'd wake up, and there would be a egg there. It was just weird.

[Madrone]

3. Have you thought about relocating him?

Maybe move him into another room he's not used to living in with Sydney? I don't know if that would work, but it's something I would probably try.

I have a cockatiel I acquired when an elderly neighbor passed away. OMG - the screeching! I hope you find a solution soon and your ears get a break. Good luck.

[Not_Giving_Up]

5. I really don't have another place to put him

We changed the cage the day after she dies...back down to a one bird sized space. The other cage was huge, and we thought it would help to change his environment. We were not so lucky. We are all going insane. He's also starting to call the cat (Do-ra!), which I don't think he realizes is a bad idea because she actually comes when she hears her name. He does it in the exact pitch that I use to call my kitty. Oh, and as of three days ago, he now meows.

[Madrone]

7. Hmmm.....

Could you leave him in the same room, but move the cage so his viewpoint is from a different perspective?

I know what you mean though - I don't have much space to move mine around either. At least yours makes noises other than the SCREECH - mine doesn't know any words. He's mostly good though and doesn't screech like that all the time.

Maybe another thing you could try is one of those "bird buddy" thing? I have one in Poncho's cage, but he doesn't care about it much. He didn't grow up with toys or anything, so he ignores anything I put in his cage. I'm talking about something like this:

http://www.pets-warehouse.com/Vpasp/shopexd.asp?id=157087

[Not_Giving_Up]

9. I've thought about one of those....

The thing is, I don't want to watch him molest it, and I know he would. Frankie is a horn-dog and a half. If Sydney wouldn't give it up, he hump the perch. I just have visions of him mounting his buddy.

I have absolutely no way to move the cage. I don't have a lot of room, and I have to keep him where the cats won't get any bright ideas. I know that as long as there's a human in the house they won't mess with him, but if they had access and we weren't home, I shudder to think. So, relocating the cage at all is just not an option.

[Madrone]

10. Oh!

:rofl:

[Not_Giving_Up]

12. Let's just say that I feel for the perch these last few weeks

Poor guy, he has needs!

[Madrone]

8. Maybe this will help?

http://birdmart.com/chatboards/cockatiels/topic4904/9.27.07.19.31.07.html

[Not_Giving_Up]

11. I'll give it a try

I'll have hubby hunt some down later on today. I wonder if a vanilla candle would help...I have one of those I could light in the vicinity of his cage.

[Madrone]

13. I think candles can be toxic -

You may want to avoid that.

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=cockatiel+scented+candles&btnG=Search

[Not_Giving_Up]

14. EEK

OK, well, scratch that then. I burn vanilla candles all of the time, just not right next to the bird cage.