Adopted 15 year old Goffins Cockatoo

[lovecoco]

Her name is Baby. She is 15 and lived with the same family for all 15. Kids were in home, but all grew up and moved out, so the couple wasn't giving her as much attention as they would like. They were busy and she bit lady, which scared her and she stopped giving her out of cage time. I don't know how long she didn't come out of cage. She had plucked at some point, but all down has grown in. She's adorable and seems to just perch when out of cage. I saw her play once (with rope to ring cow bell, she was curious). It's been 7 days and she isn't as nervous as when I picked her up. Let's me scratch head and I give her out of cage time (to gain trust that way, too). Any tips would be helpful. I want to teach her to step up but every time I try she runs inside cage. I know it might be too soon. She has given me a few warnings (for biting) when I've been scratching her head. I touch her beak very softly and whisper "no" sweetly, scratch a bit more and back off. I'm trying to learn her body language. She's very sweet overall, but I do know she's a wild animal and will not push boundaries. Any tips on teaching her to step up, food being fed to cockatoos (she came with a nut, seed, fruit, pellet mix). Also any other advice that might help during this transition would be appreciated

 

[Scott]

Congratulations, Baby is a beauty!!

I believe you are on the right track by going slowly and letting Baby acclimate to her new home after 15 years of relative security. Seven days is still fairly new; that she exits the cage and trusts you to head-scratch is great progress. Stepping up is akin to granting you full trust with her body, so please take baby (pun intended) steps and offer a definitive reward, such as a piece of almond. She may initially place one foot on you rather reluctantly as prelude to fully stepping-up.

My Goffins have a preference for peas, yams, sweet potatoes, various beans including garbanzo, black, pinto, kidney, and lima, corn, (sparing amounts) edamame in shell, apple, pear, banana, melon seeds, pomegranate kernels, whole unsweetened cranberries (in season) and cooked 100% whole grain noodles. I always offer additional items enjoyed by my other birds in the hope of one day trying, such as various peppers, zucchini, black-eyed peas, carrots, etc. I've had them try and enjoy foods spurned for 20+ years! Once or twice per week they are offered bits of whole-grain bread and Cheerios as treats. Millet given about twice weekly.

They also receive a good quality seed mix and Zupreem pellets in small quantities.

Was Baby hand-fed or completely raised by parents in a breeder situation? Goffins are naturally gregarious and very curious. The mother of my 3 offspring is a wild-caught bird I've had for about 27 years. Peanut is at least 40 and is separated from her mate Popcorn due to his aggressiveness. As a result I placed her in a bird-room with her sons and found she tamed nicely. She has never bitten, unlike her spoiled sons on occasion!

As you might guess, I am deeply attracted to Goffins and consider them my favorite parrots!!

 

[lovecoco]

Thanks for the reply. Yes, she was hand fed as a Baby. They said she was always a great bird and would hang with all the teenagers that would come over and visit their kids. The previou owner told me that when she bit her, she held on and she couldn't get her off, but that it was more of a startle bite (something the lady did or something she heard outside). I feel that maybe she tried to get her in cage and she probably didn't want to, but not too sure. The lady really loved her and is a nice lady, she cared enough to find her a better home. After she bit her she became afraid and Baby wasn't getting out of cage time. It may have been a while before the lady decided she needed a another home. She was nervous and I could tell she loved the lady. She'd walk over to her while in cage for head scratches. She's a funny bird. If you say wings, she says a high pitched wings and puts her wings up. Says hello in the sweetest voice, too. She also combs her feathers with carrots, like a hair brush idk if that's some kind of cockatoo behavior, but very funny. Thanks for all the food info, too. She throws her fresh veggies and fruit at times if I offer. Not shy lol.

 

[happy410]

Very pretty girl. Congrats

 

[Scott]

Given that Baby was hand-fed and was once outgoing and friendly, all you need to do is provide what she perceives as the "right" environment.

They can be very stubborn with food, but I have found two things will help: Continuously offer the types of food tossed, and one day Baby will try one or more of the items and enjoy. They are flock-eaters, and you and your family are part of her "flock." Try eating a selection of what you offer - from a different plate/bowl - and she will observe and become curious.

Goffins have all sorts of interesting behaviors, and stroking feathers with objects is typical. They also attempt to place small objects, including food, below the wing as a sort of game.

 

[Allee]

Congratulations, Baby is a very pretty girl! Thank you for offering a home to an older bird.

 

[lovecoco]

I have definitely seen the game. She also seems a little moodier today. I know she has many pin feathers all over her body, including head, so maybe when I scratch at times, it might not feel great so she warns. The reason I wanted to adopt was because I adopted my Amazon and unfortunately, she flew away and I'm very heartbroken. She was an Awesome pet. I still hope she will return or I will receive a call that someone found her, but I've done all I can to find her. It was emotionally draining just focusing on it daily. I wanted to turn it into a positive by giving a bird who needed love, all the love I had for my girl.