Advise

[Dubai]

So i went out with my cousin who was looking to buy an umbrella cockatoo. And we found that sweetest 1 year old moluccan cockatoo who would talk, dance and do some awesome tricks. It was super happy, friendly and cuddly. My cousin wants to get it but is worried about it's feathers. The cockatoo's feathers didn't look healthy to us, it seemed plucked or something. The shop keeper told us that the bird was kept in a small cage for several days by their previous owners in the process of transportation; this caused the feathers situation.

What do you guys think? Can this be the cause of the damaged feathers? Or there is a possibility that it can be sick?

Thanks

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[Laurasea]

Firstly the bird looks way to thin. And the feathers look like over preening, but also.. ?? I'd be worried that it is sick, PBFD!??? And then these birds can be very difficult to take care of, scream very loudly, need tons of mental stimulation, and attention, prone to feather plucking abd self mutilation, can chew through walls. Lastly neverr trust what someone who is trying to re-home a parrot tells you, most of the time they lie... Could be older, have issues, be unwell

 

[GaleriaGila]

So many things to be concerned about...
Cockatoos are fabulous but complicated birds... are you quite experienced in their husbandry?
Yes, I share your medical concerns. Most of us here wouldn't make a big move without the guidance of our avian veterinarians. Do you have one? I did a quick Google...
https://www.google.com/search?q=dub...rome..69i57.8382j1j7&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8
I'd want a complete evaluation before I invested my heart, soul, and pocketbook in a new 'too!
There are many 'too afficionados and experts here who can guide and support you if you decide to move ahead responsibly.

 

[noodles123]

I have an Umbrella Cockatoo. Unless your cousin has had other cockatoos, I would say that this is a poor choice. Not only are they the most re-homed parrot statistically, they are EXTREMELY difficult to care for and this one does not look healthy. Baby Umbrellas are often purchased and then re-homed because they tend to have a personality change between 2-6 years of age. Babies are all sweet and quiet, but they do not stay that way. I would say A LOT more on the issue, but at the risk of sounding super fatalistic, I will not.

These parrots ARE extremely needy and want to be with you 24/7...This sounds great, until it isn't. Just know that this bird will change dramatically between now and the time it reaches sexual maturity......whether or not it is sick. From the looks of that tail/ leg, and everything else, the bird is either an over-preener (sign of emotional problems) or ill. It is possible that the bird plucked itself in a short period, but that is because they SUCK at transitions and get very bonded to people. That means that, if not from illness, the feather mutilation may or may not stop in a new home (as the bird is still upset over the loss of old family...) My U2 had 3 homes by the time I got her...she is almost 11...That is heartbreaking, but again, these birds are VERY complicated and emotional. Furthermore, emotions aside, I am not convinced this bird is healthy. If you could get it checked by a CAV (not exotics vet, bet certified avian vet) then you would have a better idea...Again, these birds are tough and unlike other parrots (very complicated, very smart, very emotional).

Also, the cuddling will need to stop. This is unhealthy for the birds (Cockatoos) and leads to mixed sexual signals and aggression (as well as deadly issues in females). Sexually frustrated birds will scream and self-mutilate, so while this bird is super cuddly right now, cuddling him is setting unhealthy precedents for future interactions. Cockatoos are very emotional and by petting anywhere other than their heads, you are presenting yourself as a sexual partner. If spurned enough, the "Too" will implode (self-destruct) or explode (turn on those who led him on).

 

[sunshine.within]

If your cousin is a gold star parrot owner ready for a lifetime commitment and armed with undying devotion for that gorgeous cockatoo, I’d say definitely have him fully evaluated by a certified avian vet. He looks like an angel but also malnourished and neglected. It breaks my ever loving heart to see these birds desperate for a shot at a good life. I want to hug them all.


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[ChristaNL]

Run
Away


that is not only a very unhealthy looking bird, it is plucking already- but you are probably being lied to about the age.

Find a shop that sells healthy animals - that have been tested for all diseases (or offer to do so)- and tells you the true story.

This is not just from a few days in a small cage. This an abused and undernourished animal, suffering from who knows what.
Unless you can get this one to a CAV and tested + evaluated asap I would not even think about adopting that one.

(I would not take on a too anyway-- you will have no life/time/space left for yourself -> you will be busy day in- day out to try to keep it healthy and happy for the next 60 years or so )

 

[Dubai]

Thanks guys for your reply! We decided not to get the bird. What species of parrots do you recommend my cousin to get?

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[Scott]

You may have made the right choice to pass on this bird, especially if your cousin is not well acquainted with parrots.

Not all cockatoos are nightmares, many of us have successfully lived with various species for decades. Stereotyping any bird or companion animal is detrimental to those awaiting great new homes.

 

[sunshine.within]

I really hope someone will go and help that beautiful boy.

I don’t recommend any parrot to be honest. That’s what ends up happening 90% of the time. Abuse, abandonment, neglect, rehoming. There are hundreds of thousands unwanted parrots in stores, online, in foster homes....
And I am in awe of how courageous, resilient and strong they are. No matter what happens to them, they seem to hold on to their naturally good spirits and trust in human beings.

If you or your cousin get a parrot do it for the selfless reason of saving even just one of these living creatures who have been deprived of their natural life.


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[sunshine.within]

You may have made the right choice to pass on this bird, especially if your cousin is not well acquainted with parrots.



Not all cockatoos are nightmares, many of us have successfully lived with various species for decades. Stereotyping any bird or companion animal is detrimental to those awaiting great new homes.

Exactly Scott, I agree and you worded it beautifully.


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[LeaKP]

You may have made the right choice to pass on this bird, especially if your cousin is not well acquainted with parrots.



Not all cockatoos are nightmares, many of us have successfully lived with various species for decades. Stereotyping any bird or companion animal is detrimental to those awaiting great new homes.

Thank you well said.


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[ChristaNL]

I really hope someone will go and help that beautiful boy.

I don’t recommend any parrot to be honest. That’s what ends up happening 90% of the time. Abuse, abandonment, neglect, rehoming. There are hundreds of thousands unwanted parrots in stores, online, in foster homes....
And I am in awe of how courageous, resilient and strong they are. No matter what happens to them, they seem to hold on to their naturally good spirits and trust in human beings.

If you or your cousin get a parrot do it for the selfless reason of saving even just one of these living creatures who have been deprived of their natural life.

I SO agree.
I love my parrots but they are not meant to live in houses and keeping them even remotely happy is a really tough job!
Not saying that job has no rewards- because they are wonderfull.
But if you are not prepared for having a special needs child for the next few decades or the rest of *your* life ...do not go there!

 

[Amsterdam]

these type of birds need alot of attention can your cousin provide that?

 

[EllenD]

If your cousin has never owned a parrot before, then a Cockatoo of any species is not the correct species to start with, that's for sure. They are like having a perpetual 4 year-old human child for the rest of your life. And a Moluccan or Umbrella are usually the toughest to raise and keep happy and health, which is why this undernourished and Feather-Destructive Moluccan is being sold in the first place...

If your cousin wants to get a parrot that's great, but since he has no experience at all with owning parrots it's best he starts out with a species that isn't quite so challenging as a Cockatoo, Macaw, African Gray, or even most Amazons...Why not look at some Conure species? They are extremely intelligent and called the "Velcro Birds" because they just love to be with their person all the time...However, your cousin will still need to dedicate most of his day to ANY parrot's care, so he needs to keep that in-mind...All parrots are highly intelligent and need tons and tons of time, attention, interaction, and mental stimulation every single day to stay happy and healthy, even the smallest parrots like Parrotlets, Budgies, and Cockatiels...This is why all parrot species pluck and self-mutilate, because people think they are getting a "pet", like a dog, cat, ferret, pig, etc., when in-fact they are actually getting a 3 year-old child...

So if your cousin has that kind of commitment to make to a parrot then i'd suggest starting out with a Cockatiel, Conure, Budgie, something like this, because a Cockatoo, Macaw, African Gray, or Amazon are not at all the parrots to start out with, and they will likely end-up being re-homed by your cousin due to the need for constant care, attention, and mental stimulation, and what happens when they don't get it...

 

[Siobhan]

Rocky Too looked very much like this one when we brought him home. He was too skinny. His feathers were ragged from stressed overpreening. He even had a bald spot on his tummy, not very big, but definitely from plucking. Good food, lots of love and attention and he's fine now. He still tends to absent-mindedly comb his tail with his talons, so it's usually a mess, but he doesn't pluck and the rest of his feathers are in good shape.

 

[EllenD]

Rocky Too looked very much like this one when we brought him home. He was too skinny. His feathers were ragged from stressed overpreening. He even had a bald spot on his tummy, not very big, but definitely from plucking. Good food, lots of love and attention and he's fine now. He still tends to absent-mindedly comb his tail with his talons, so it's usually a mess, but he doesn't pluck and the rest of his feathers are in good shape.

You've done an amazing job with Rocky! The difference here though is huge; You had plenty of bird/parrot owning experience and knew exactly what you were taking-on, while the OP's cousin has absolutely no bird experience at all, not even a Canary or a Finch...So while I certainly hope that someone experienced, capable, and loving adopts that poor Moluccan in that shop, it's not at all the right bird to start-off with for anyone...

I'm assuming that the OP's cousin will most-likely end-up bringing home some type of parrot as a pet, regardless of any advice they are given to not get a parrot, that's why I suggested that he start-off with his first bird being one that he can learn with that won't present the behavioral/psychological issues that a re-homed Cockatoo will...Honestly, both English and American Budgies are fantastic parrots to start-off with. They are extremely intelligent, capable of logic and reasoning, capable of learning to talk, they bond extremely closely with their person, and when properly cared for and fed a healthy, varied, low-fat diet can live into their late-teens.

 

[Siobhan]

I was just trying to make the point that the bird's condition could just be due to neglect and not disease. I agree heartily that budgies are amazing. I have one of those, too, and he's got far more personality than will fit into that tiny body. He's my second-best talker, too, next to my Quaker Jade. Rocky chatters but nobody understands anything he says. LOL