Cockatoos compared to Macaws?

[wrench13]

Maddie, one thing no one has mentioned is the incredible destructive power of both too and macaw beaks. All parrots like to chew stuff, some more then others. I have seen with my own eyes a macaw reduce a cutsie-pie wood parrot toy to splinters in a matter of 30 minutes. Like a wood chipper, that's the closest I can approximate. So a good portion of the money you will need to support your large parrot will be supplying toys, either bought or made from parrot safe wood. After they are done with the toys, say good bye to furniture, woodwork, even walls themselves. So, bigger bird, bigger toys and likely more then a smaller parrot might.

That brings me to asking you to consider Amazons and specifically the smaller ones. Panamas, white fronts and yes, even yellow shouldered Amazons are all mellower, quieter versions of their larger 'hot 3' cousins. If family bird is one of the check marks, my personal experience with the '3' is that they easily become 1 person birds. My yellow nape was a mushball.... to me. Everyone else was fresh meat. And I have observed this in other examples too. On the other hand, for example, Panama amazons are considered to be the most desired parrot for family life - in certain areas of South America where pretty much any parrot is available. My own yellow shoulder is about a perfect parrot as one could ask for, she is easily handled by every one in the family.

Lastly, if shelters are not in the cards for you, perhaps working part time in a pet shop that carry parrots?

Good luck in your search and as always ask as many questions here as you like. One of us bird nuts will answer.

 

[SirEdwin89]

There are plenty of smaller sized parrots that make GREAT feathered friends.

I like the umbrella, possibly goffins because theyre smaller for the toos, not sure of the macaws though, And instead of a cage Ive seen people set up jungle gym type stands so theyre not so confined, which I would want to do I think. And my biggest concern with the cockatoo is the feather pluking and how neurotic they can become, if it werent for that the cockatoo would be my choice (unless if maybe a senegal like yours came and stole my heart ) But the Macaws are so large, I want a big bird because of how they handle and how affectionate they tend to be and Im pretty set on a larger bird also because I feel safer handling them, Im not so scared of squishing them but a macaw is at the very end of the large scale (Unless maybe a Hauns), so theres a whole bunch to consider still and I dont wanna rush because this is a big decision- Im also not determined to get one of these specifically but they are my favorite from what Ive read and watched (which is totally different than real life)

Nothing wrong with free-stands, but personally I think it's a good idea to have a cage around still. All of my Fids are allowed out most all of the day, but at night when it is time for bed, or when they want a nap during the day, they all chose to go back in to their cages. It isn't about the bars keeping them in, it's about them knowing the bars are keeping other things *out* so they know they are safe while they sleep.

 

[Jayyj]

In terms of too species, I would look at the galah, goffin, bare eyed/little corrella and lesser sulphur crested. The big white ones - particularly the umbrella and mullocan - can be very difficult even for people with years of experience. That stems partly from their personality, which is much more stubborn and bipolar than the smaller toos, but also their size and strength: a seriously annoyed galah can draw blood and cause a bit of pain but that's about the extent of what that little beak can do, where as an umbrella or mullocan can land you in the ER with a few bites.

One thing that I think would be really important to consider is how the bird might cope with changing environments and new people. A one person bird that gets jealous whenever someone new appears on the scene (partners, housemates, children etc) will be very hard to handle. There's an element of training to this (look for Birdman666's posts on 'pass the birdie' for example) but some species are harder to socialise than others. An umbrella too that sees you as its mate and attacks anyone who comes near you would be a serious problem! I don't know much about macaws but I think a couple of the mini macaws are notorious for this sort of problem as well.

 

[maddieatrisk]

Good luck in your search and as always ask as many questions here as you like. One of us bird nuts will answer.

How affectionate are those other parrots? And yeah from what Ive gathered these birds spend a lot of time chewing (and destroying Also, there's no petshops around here- there used to be but it shut down, although there is a few 40 minutes away, working there probably wouldnt happen but maybe I could go in and interact with what they have there

 

[BeatriceC]

I should take a picture of charlotte's two week old perches and toys, and the wood pile on the bottom of her cage in the morning. It's funny, to me, to watch her go into birdie bliss whole she's reducing the world to toothpicks, but I'm lucky that I have a backyard full of bird safe wood and can make some of my own perches at no cost. I still spend a fortune on toys. It's just something that you hear about and can't really believe the extent of until you see it yourself. I have three other birds, and knew that she would chew a lot, but I was still surprised at the reality.

The more I read the more I think that a macaw might fit in with your lifestyle, but I still think that it's wise to interact with a ton of birds before you decide. My macaw came to me at a time when I absolutely wasn't expecting it. You never know when the right bird is suddenly going to appear.

 

[maddieatrisk]

The more I read the more I think that a macaw might fit in with your lifestyle, but I still think that it's wise to interact with a ton of birds before you decide. My macaw came to me at a time when I absolutely wasn't expecting it. You never know when the right bird is suddenly going to appear.

Cockatoos seemed great at first but I dont think theyd be right for me because they are so difficult to keep happy, I was leaning more towards Macaws from the start, I really wanted to know how thier affection levels compared to a cockatoo's. (Both species were intimidating but I wasnt completely turned away because I know I'd be able to provide for them properly, but that doesnt mean it'd be easy to) However, whenever I read anything on like the smaller sized parrots, all I'd really get was "great talkers, fun, etc.." And a lot of forums and websites saying they werent so cuddly or didnt allopreen in the wild, which was why I didnt consider one in the end. Now though Ive seen quite a few sources to the contrary especially regarding Senegal parrots and I think that I would rather have one of those- housing is easier but they still are 'cuddly' or want to be around thier owners often (Less so than a cockatoo but that's fine, I just want a bird to want to be with me for a few hours and like thier head scratched- dont care about talking ability, appearance, etc..) and they appreciate scritches- from what I've read. (All that with a grain of salt, birds are individuals) But can you attest to what I said about the senegals and would you recommend them? (I saw you had one) Thanks

 

[wrench13]

Maddie, every parrot is different, but my Salty will happily sit on my shoulder all day, and receive scratches and neck massages, do tricks, talk and laugh. You have to keep an open mind on what you want verses what the parrot develops into. My last parrot was a little brotogeris, Max, who whistled great, didnt talk, but was a snuggler who would bury himself into my neck and go to sleep. He was however, not a screamer, but he had an insistent , every 45 seconds or so, loud cheep he would do, unless he was sleeping, eating, getting scratched or on my shoulder. Did i want that exact parrot? No, but we loved him, the same way we love our Salty.

 

[Firstgoatsnowthis]

Hi Maddie,

I just wanted to say that I'm glad you didn't run away even when this forum questioned you and seemed to make you a little uneasy. That's a good thing!

I will tell you a bit about my becoming a bird-person that might be a scenario you encounter when you become a bird's person:

When I met my sweetie, he already owned a parrot. He has plenty of friends, but he didn't really socialize his bird very well. It's hard to have a relationship with a parrot where they don't view their person as their "mate" to some extent, and so when I met Matt and Baby, his Alexandrine, she instantly HATED me. She saw that I might replace her as Matt's "mate" and took all the measures she could come up with to prevent that. My hands are covered in scars and she went after my face one time.

Whatever kind of parrot you choose, make sure that you socialize it well, so that if you ever have a sweetheart, children, or even roommates, you'll hopefully have a better experience than I did.

My response to being attacked by my boyfriend's parrot, was, naturally, to go get my own parrot. Isn't that what anyone would do?

I am also jumping on the bandwagon of people suggesting that you go and meet some individual parrots. I went to the rescue to meet an Amazon, and wound up adopting a Patagonian Conure. If you want a parrot with Undying Love for Humans and Endless Cuddles, that's how my Pattie is. Other Patagonians may be different, as GaleriaGila's doesn't sound like mine at all.

Where are you located, generally, if you don't mind sharing?

 

[BeatriceC]

Senegals can be great too. I have one. He's awesome. He's affectionate and friendly until he's not. Then his demon level can make my yellow nape Amazon look nice. I guess the key with any bird is to expect that they will be birds, and not a dog or a cat. All my birds *can* be snuggly, but they can also all be crazy little demons, and sometimes the mood swing happens with no (perceptible) warning. I think that's why I keep coming back to the advise to visit with a lot of birds and keep an open mind. Let the right bird choose you.

 

[maddieatrisk]

Did i want that exact parrot? No, but we loved him, the same way we love our Salty.

Cute birds- I know what I want but I'd love the bird even if he turned out completely different than what I expect

 

[maddieatrisk]

Where are you located, generally, if you don't mind sharing?

Definetley want (and will ) to interact with my bird often- one of my cockatiels is a little too attached to me, but she was alone her whole life- my second one, less than a year, is still attached to me but she is much nicer to strangers, so socializing is a big concern. And Im in Pa, small town, so theres nothing in the way of bird rescue centers/pet shops around me- there is an cat and dog shelter than Ive tried to volunteer at a few times but they keep rejecting me- not really sure why (Middle and highschoolers tend to go there a lot to meet school requirements for so many hours of volunteering so that could be a reason)

 

[BeatriceC]

My response to being attacked by my boyfriend's parrot, was, naturally, to go get my own parrot. Isn't that what anyone would do?

I got two.

Pretty much the same story. I actually have worked really hard with Goofy (Cookie doesn't care about anything anymore) and we have a peace treaty. Now that I think about it, we made a whole lot of progress really fast once I brought in Leo. Perhaps that's actually a reasonable solution to that problem. Charlotte is a recent addition, but I got Leo for pretty much the same reason as you got your bird.

 

[maddieatrisk]

Senegals can be great too. I have one. He's awesome. He's affectionate and friendly until he's not. Then his demon level can make my yellow nape Amazon look nice. I guess the key with any bird is to expect that they will be birds, and not a dog or a cat. All my birds *can* be snuggly, but they can also all be crazy little demons, and sometimes the mood swing happens with no (perceptible) warning. I think that's why I keep coming back to the advise to visit with a lot of birds and keep an open mind. Let the right bird choose you.

Im not dead set on any one bird, but I'd like an idea. And birds arent domesticated so I wouldnt expect them to be little angels all the time, my tiels can be real crackheads, so Im not expecting or wanting a perfect bird- I really wanna try and go somewhere and meet some in person, but like I said, its kind of hard because of where I am- hopefully the opportunity comes up or theres a rescue within and hour or so of me- gonna go look at that now

 

[Firstgoatsnowthis]

My response to being attacked by my boyfriend's parrot, was, naturally, to go get my own parrot. Isn't that what anyone would do?

I got two.

Pretty much the same story. I actually have worked really hard with Goofy (Cookie doesn't care about anything anymore) and we have a peace treaty. Now that I think about it, we made a whole lot of progress really fast once I brought in Leo. Perhaps that's actually a reasonable solution to that problem. Charlotte is a recent addition, but I got Leo for pretty much the same reason as you got your bird.

Baby and I made peace, because I am oftentimes home when Matt isn't so I can let her out and give her one on one attention, and because I've shown a great generosity with treats. I'm not "allowed" to touch her, nor will she step up for me most of the time, but we have some peace.

I think that the relevant message is that your bird will have an effect on relationships in the future, even with people you've never met. We are already planning how we are going to handle visits from my niece (who is a toddler).

 

[Tangie]

In terms of too species, I would look at the galah, goffin, bare eyed/little corrella and lesser sulphur crested. The big white ones - particularly the umbrella and mullocan - can be very difficult even for people with years of experience. That stems partly from their personality, which is much more stubborn and bipolar than the smaller toos, but also their size and strength: a seriously annoyed galah can draw blood and cause a bit of pain but that's about the extent of what that little beak can do, where as an umbrella or mullocan can land you in the ER with a few bites.

One thing that I think would be really important to consider is how the bird might cope with changing environments and new people. A one person bird that gets jealous whenever someone new appears on the scene (partners, housemates, children etc) will be very hard to handle. There's an element of training to this (look for Birdman666's posts on 'pass the birdie' for example) but some species are harder to socialise than others. An umbrella too that sees you as its mate and attacks anyone who comes near you would be a serious problem! I don't know much about macaws but I think a couple of the mini macaws are notorious for this sort of problem as well.

I just wanted to add to this. I have a friend that I an AMAZING pet owner, with experience in almost every aspect. She recently had gotten an Umbrella Cockatoo, and they bonded quite well. HOWEVER, she has a fiancé, and when he went to bond with the cockatoo, the cockatoo would have NONE of it, and bit him VERY hard. He has since been rehomed, as it can be SO difficult, and sometimes, nearly impossible for things to work out when a large, hormonal parrot hates the members of your family with a passion.

Anyway, WELCOME!! I hope you stick around! It sounds like you are doing everything right, which is awesome! You seem to understand everything you can without any experience! Everyone else is explaining everything quite well, so there isn't anything I can add. However, I REALLY advise against getting the largest Cockatoos. Sometimes things work out, and the bird is happy, but you may not be. It is NOT impossible though, and I am sure you could handle it! However, I REALLY advise against getting, like, the M2's and the U2's.

 

[Tangie]

What about Conures? They are not the best talkers, but they are so goofy, and they are very personable and snuggly.

 

[maddieatrisk]

Anyway, WELCOME!! I hope you stick around! It sounds like you are doing everything right, which is awesome! You seem to understand everything you can without any experience! Everyone else is explaining everything quite well, so there isn't anything I can add. However, I REALLY advise against getting the largest Cockatoos. Sometimes things work out, and the bird is happy, but you may not be. It is NOT impossible though, and I am sure you could handle it! However, I REALLY advise against getting, like, the M2's and the U2's.

im not completely against a cockatoo (or any bird really) But a large too would be too much I think, I feel if I did go with a cockatoo it would be a goffins or similar sized one

 

[JustineBird]

I just wanted to Chime in.. I am still technically a new Too Owner.. I bought Justine from Omars Bird here in Socal. It took me a while to decide on what bird to buy. By time I mean several months of going to play with the birds at the store after work.

I was initially thinking of a Sulfur Crested Tool, Blue and Gold Mccaw, or a Major Mitchell Mccaw. Then I saw the Umbrellas.. It was a hard decision because both birds were equally as fun, smart, intuitive and could be an awesome addition to my family. Ultimately I chose the Umbrella (Justine) and she has grown attached to everyone in my family.

She is not as aggressive like the Blue and gold but I have seen some Blue and golds that are so mellow and calm just like the Umbrella but some can become more demanding.

I have noticed that Justine is asking for more attention and I try to when I can.. I guess the best answer would be to break it down.. Pros and Cons of each bird. Because in the end no matter what type you choose, they will grow attached and eventually become the way you want them or to a point that it is fun either way.

 

[Hangry]

I might get a lot of flack for this response, but in my experience 'toos can very much be one person birds as well. Mine, for example, has a strong preference for women and if you unfortunately don't meet that criteria he can be extremely unpredictable (as in going from super sweet to serious wound infliction mode in the blink of an eye with no warning).

Additionally, 'toos and small children aren't always the best mix. ...or maybe I just possess and have been exposed to a bunch of jealous children hating cockatoos, IDK. I have an 8 year old who is hands off and nothing but respectful of his space, and I'm still convinced he'd eat her face off if he had the opportunity simply because he's jealous. I can't tell you how stress inducing play dates are because a lot of kids don't understand boundaries (i.e. don't put your freaking hands in his cage, don't tease him, don't try to feed him) which can potentially have severe repercussions when you're dealing with large parrots.

 

[Jayyj]

I might get a lot of flack for this response, but in my experience 'toos can very much be one person birds as well. Mine, for example, has a strong preference for women and if you unfortunately don't meet that criteria he can be extremely unpredictable (as in going from super sweet to serious wound infliction mode in the blink of an eye with no warning).

Actually your experience is pretty similar to that of many - there have been a good number of threads over the years where people adopt adult toos that quickly bond to one family member then proceed to agressively 'defend' them whenever anyone else comes within range. And the unpredictable thing is definitely a character trait of the big white toos.

This is definitely an area where galahs have an advantage: most (although not all) I've come across have been reasonably social and they're much steadier in terms of mood. They're still on the sensitive side and easily stressed but they're a lot easier to predict than the white toos.