Cons of owning a Galah Cockatoo?

[MustLoveAnimals]

I've been doing more research on Galahs; searching through forums, reading articles, etc.
I've read multiple comments saying how much they dislike Galahs, or how they would NEVER recommend one to ANYBODY.
I know that these must not be easy parrots to keep (and I'm okay with that, that's why I'm here to learn!), but can they honestly be that bad? Are these people who just didn't know a thing about them? Didn't train them, didn't raise them the right way? Accidentally reinforced bad behaviors/habits?
I'm not expecting an "easy ride" with a Galah. But these people make them sound like they're terrible. I know that must not be the case.
Maybe they're simply not birds for everyone?

 

[getwozzy]

Lol say what?! I have never heard any of that [emoji33]

Galahs are not as difficult as their white counterparts; they're more emotionally stable and a tad more independent.

So I'm thinking whomever's told you these nigntmare stories about Galahs that they either had NO clue what they were doing, didn't train/raise them right, and/or reinforced bad behaviors....

Cockatoos in general are not for everyone- a lot of people misunderstand them and don't give them the proper structure/training...and they give up when the bird acts out.

Chili is LITERALLY like having another toddler in my home- not joking.

She's smart, I know she knows how to manipulate, if she's hungry or tired she'll throw a fit (just like my little boy lol), and the list goes on.

As long as you have a plan on how you're going to raise your galah, and you know how to deal with (or when to ask advice) behavioral/hormonal/ "puberty" issues then you should be fine.

The only time that I, personally, have advised against someone getting a galah is if they don't really have any bird experience at all.

 

[veimar]

I'm very interested in this information as well. Galah is my dream bird! I think the bad things can be said almost about any species of birds by people who couldn't handle them properly or had no understanding of their bird's personality. I have 6 previously "bad" birds, who are my little sweet angels now! But for their previous owners they were untamable, shy, aggressive, etc, etc. It all depends how you handle them and how much are you willing to educate yourself about any species.
I'm very curious to hear BAD things about Galahs!

 

[MustLoveAnimals]

I'll post a link to one of the websites. I actually LOVE this page by Jamie Leigh. Very informative. But stroll to the bottom and look at some of the comments....they're not too bad, but they point out some cons...?
Rose Breasted Cockatoos as Pets | Jamieleigh's Parrot Help

And here is post by a Yahoo user. Look at the last reply.
https://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20110427181748AAoWJJZ

 

[MustLoveAnimals]

Lol say what?! I have never heard any of that [emoji33]

Galahs are not as difficult as their white counterparts; they're more emotionally stable and a tad more independent.

So I'm thinking whomever's told you these nigntmare stories about Galahs that they either had NO clue what they were doing, didn't train/raise them right, and/or reinforced bad behaviors....

Cockatoos in general are not for everyone- a lot of people misunderstand them and don't give them the proper structure/training...and they give up when the bird acts out.

Chili is LITERALLY like having another toddler in my home- not joking.

She's smart, I know she knows how to manipulate, if she's hungry or tired she'll throw a fit (just like my little boy lol), and the list goes on.

As long as you have a plan on how you're going to raise your galah, and you know how to deal with (or when to ask advice) behavioral/hormonal/ "puberty" issues then you should be fine.

The only time that I, personally, have advised against someone getting a galah is if they don't really have any bird experience at all.

That's what I've been told. That they're typically easier that the larger 'Toos.
Yes, I was assuming that they have no idea what they're takling about...I have been told about the cons of owning a Galah, but those are more like; high energy, destructive, etc. Not big deals (in my personal opinion).
I already have a Cockatiel that has destroyed our vinyl window blinds. Lol Not really significant to me. And I also understand that a Galah is capable of destroying MUCH more and much larger items. Again, not that big of a deal. Considering there will ALWAYS be someone there to supervise out-of-cage time. I will have the cage in the busiest room in the house, so somebody will always be there, or in the very next room. I've asked my Mom what she thought of bringing home a parrot that had the mentality and intelligence of a two year old child. She thought that it would be a fun and rewarding adventure! My entire family (I'm still living at home with my parents and my younger brother) would love another family pet. And loud noise every so often isn't a problem, neither is another high energy animal (I already have one of those!) We love animals! All of us! And everybody would love taking part in this.

 

[getwozzy]

IMHO I think you and your family will do awesome with a galah [emoji4]

 

[MustLoveAnimals]

I'm very interested in this information as well. Galah is my dream bird! I think the bad things can be said almost about any species of birds by people who couldn't handle them properly or had no understanding of their bird's personality. I have 6 previously "bad" birds, who are my little sweet angels now! But for their previous owners they were untamable, shy, aggressive, etc, etc. It all depends how you handle them and how much are you willing to educate yourself about any species.
I'm very curious to hear BAD things about Galahs!

Understood!
I'm not sure if you read my previous post about how I finally bonded to my Cockatiel. But I put lots of dedication, time, and patience into our relationship. She was hissing and biting constantly. NOW, she is kissing me, crawling onto my shoulder, "talking" to me, stepping up onto my hand, FLYING to my hand, and happily and easily accepting food from my hands. She does still hiss at me occasionally, but it's far less. I won't give up on her.
Of course, I do want a hand tame Galah, but I'll still respect him and give him his space if he wants it.

 

[thekarens]

I just "knew" you meant mollucan, not galah. Galah is the only too I would ever consider.

 

[aether-drifter]

Well, the only negative I can think of is that they ARE still cockatoos, even if they're generally regarded as the easiest 'toos. They're needy, and as already mentioned, they're a lot like having a toddler around. Also, like any other species, each one is an individual and some will be "easier" than others. Some will go through challenging hormonal periods, some will develop neurotic behaviors, etc. But overall, I would say they are a joy to have around, and not any more difficult than most other birds of their size.

 

[aether-drifter]

Ok, I just saw these comments on the sites you linked:

"They require 100% of you’re constant attention and get REALLY upset if they can’t constantly see you. My boy is attached to my mom and the girl to me. (She doesn’t like boys so she prefers me to to him), When we leave and they’e home alone togethe it’s terrible on them. These birds are ONLY for people who have A LOT of time to spend with them. They’re ok just being in the same room as us but if we’re in the other room and they can’t see us they act like we’re leaving forever. Please stop recomending this type of bird to people!!! I love my Gahalas more than anything and would never want to see any bird in a home it’s not happy in. Verry few people have the time, knowledge, and attention to give to any parrot, let alone one like this."

Yes, my galah can be like that as well...if she's out of the cage, she doesn't like being left alone in a room, and will squawk if you leave her. I think she gets anxious. But she is fine when she's in her cage and can see the other birds for company. And yes, it's true that she wants our constant attention when she's out. But, I can live with devoting a few hours a day to her. Other people might not want that sort of commitment.

"I'd recommend a cockatiel. I've had Galahs and am NOT impressed with them to ever recommend them "

No reasons given...comment is totally useless.

 

[MustLoveAnimals]

IMHO I think you and your family will do awesome with a galah [emoji4]

Thank you!! That means so much. ^_^

 

[MustLoveAnimals]

I just "knew" you meant mollucan, not galah. Galah is the only too I would ever consider.

Lol
I must be honest; I handled a few Mollucans, and I LOVED them. But I'd never own one. I know that they they are one of the needy "Toos".

 

[veimar]

I'm not sure if you read my previous post about how I finally bonded to my Cockatiel. But I put lots of dedication, time, and patience into our relationship. She was hissing and biting constantly. NOW, she is kissing me, crawling onto my shoulder, "talking" to me, stepping up onto my hand, FLYING to my hand, and happily and easily accepting food from my hands. She does still hiss at me occasionally, but it's far less. I won't give up on her.
Of course, I do want a hand tame Galah, but I'll still respect him and give him his space if he wants it.

Exactly same with my tiel! he came from pretty terrible conditions and was the only bird who ever drew my blood! But now he is a sweet baby - goes to long walks to the forest with me and can sit on my lap forever. He absolutely loves petting on his neck and head - he is such a kitty!
For some strange reason I DON'T WANT a perfect bird! I always took only unwanted, difficult birds, and gave them the most of love and devotion I could. (I do the same with house plants) Even our first baby from Petsmart was so miserable there, that the manager gave us a huge discount and told us he would have gone back to breeder. And I changed my perspective about species choice after my last addition. I never had any interest in IRNs, but we just adopted one… I just felt that I HAD to help.. So maybe I'll never have a galah, but it's always nice to dream about a pink fluffy cuddle monster!

 

[MustLoveAnimals]

Ok, I just saw these comments on the sites you linked:

"They require 100% of you’re constant attention and get REALLY upset if they can’t constantly see you. My boy is attached to my mom and the girl to me. (She doesn’t like boys so she prefers me to to him), When we leave and they’e home alone togethe it’s terrible on them. These birds are ONLY for people who have A LOT of time to spend with them. They’re ok just being in the same room as us but if we’re in the other room and they can’t see us they act like we’re leaving forever. Please stop recomending this type of bird to people!!! I love my Gahalas more than anything and would never want to see any bird in a home it’s not happy in. Verry few people have the time, knowledge, and attention to give to any parrot, let alone one like this."

Yes, my galah can be like that as well...if she's out of the cage, she doesn't like being left alone in a room, and will squawk if you leave her. I think she gets anxious. But she is fine when she's in her cage and can see the other birds for company. And yes, it's true that she wants our constant attention when she's out. But, I can live with devoting a few hours a day to her. Other people might not want that sort of commitment.

"I'd recommend a cockatiel. I've had Galahs and am NOT impressed with them to ever recommend them "

No reasons given...comment is totally useless.

Once again, I understand. I understand the commitment it takes. I would love to spend much more time with my 'Tiel, but she is the independent type. She has loads of fun playing with her toys by herself and flying from place to place. With the two jobs that I have (part-time) I can definitely give a few hours or more to spending quality time with a Galah 'Too.

 

[aether-drifter]

It's good to be realistic and prepared, but you seem responsible and positive...also committed...I wouldn't worry too much about it.

I think the fact that galahs show up so much less frequently in rescues than other cockatoos probably indicates that they are much easier to deal with.

 

[MustLoveAnimals]

I'm not sure if you read my previous post about how I finally bonded to my Cockatiel. But I put lots of dedication, time, and patience into our relationship. She was hissing and biting constantly. NOW, she is kissing me, crawling onto my shoulder, "talking" to me, stepping up onto my hand, FLYING to my hand, and happily and easily accepting food from my hands. She does still hiss at me occasionally, but it's far less. I won't give up on her.
Of course, I do want a hand tame Galah, but I'll still respect him and give him his space if he wants it.

Exactly same with my tiel! he came from pretty terrible conditions and was the only bird who ever drew my blood! But now he is a sweet baby - goes to long walks to the forest with me and can sit on my lap forever. He absolutely loves petting on his neck and head - he is such a kitty!
For some strange reason I DON'T WANT a perfect bird! I always took only unwanted, difficult birds, and gave them the most of love and devotion I could. (I do the same with house plants) Even our first baby from Petsmart was so miserable there, that the manager gave us a huge discount and told us he would have gone back to breeder. And I changed my perspective about species choice after my last addition. I never had any interest in IRNs, but we just adopted one… I just felt that I HAD to help.. So maybe I'll never have a galah, but it's always nice to dream about a pink fluffy cuddle monster!

How awesome!!
My 'Tiel, Arka, is doing better every day! I've only had her for about six months. She is warming up to me each day as well! She gave me many sweet kisses today. I didn't try to touch her or grab her. I just let her come to me with her free will. I talked to her A LOT. Excitedly and calmly. She loves it! It brings us closer. ^_^

 

[4dugnlee]

Hmmm....I've never heard that about Galahs. I mean, they can be difficult, but so can any parrot, even budgies. I've always heard that their temperament was along the lines of a cockatiel. Obviously bigger, but not like umbrella's or moluccans. I would love a galah, but my flock is complete.

 

[MustLoveAnimals]

It's good to be realistic and prepared, but you seem responsible and positive...also committed...I wouldn't worry too much about it.

I think the fact that galahs show up so much less frequently in rescues than other cockatoos probably indicates that they are much easier to deal with.

Exactly!
Mentally and emotionally, I'm ready! But financially, I'm not. I have a few other priorities at the moment. Those come first, since I don't have Galah, yet.
I've also noticed that. The only parrot rescue I have heard of in my state is STAR Avian Rescue (Saint Louis, Missouri). They do not have any Galahs. And I like to search on Craigslist often. I've only seen two Galahs, and they were gone within two days. But I keep telling myself; I can't rush this process, it's something I must be completely ready for. This is a LIFE companion! I'll be living with this creature for the rest of my LIFE! Through the good and the bad, this bird will be there with me, with it's happy, energetic personality.

 

[veimar]

I wouldn't even worry about that - don't forget that the birds choose us, not we are choosing them! I completely believe in this - there is something mysterious about the way that birds come to us. If you are meant to have a Galah you'll have one, I'm sure! The only species that I "wanted" in my flock are my cockatiel and budgies, all others were random. Just a tiny example how things happen in a weird way: I really wanted a budgie or two to make Parry a company, but when I called the lady selling them on CL she told me she sold all the budgie babies, but has a young lovebird for only $20. I wasn't sure, but decided to take her. Guess what - the day I went to pick up my lovie the lady gave me two budgies for free because somebody had returned them the night before, and their parents plucked their heads bare! So now I have them all! You never know…

 

[Jayyj]

There's a steak house round the corner from work. Terrible place: I hate the way it smells, and the chunks of burnt flesh they put in front of you make me sick to my stomach. There's literally nothing in the menu I can eat. I wouldn't recommend it to anyone. 0/10.

So there you go, my first restaurant review. I think I may have forgotten to mention I'm a vegetarian who hasn't eaten a steak in 25 years, but I doubt that's important. No, I'll just post it to the internet as it is.

Point is, the downside of the internet is it gives everyone an equal voice, and there are a lot of idiots in the world who love using that equal voice to holler their opinions as if objective fact. The first example, if he/she had been paying attention, would have noticed that Jamie Leigh says - in that piece and on her online galah videos - if you're choosing a first parrot don't get a cockatoo of any kind, but if your heart is set on one a galah is by far the most likely to be managable to a beginner. That's not the same as telling people to go out and buy one because they're cute and pink. And the second example, who isn't 'impressed' with galahs and recommends an eclectus instead? Guess what: I'm not impressed with idiots posting unqualified remarks on the internet. Next?

The fist example actually made a good point, which I'd made myself in one of your previous threads - just because they're less likely than larger toos to turn into a violent, screaming, plucking disaster, doesn't mean they're easy birds to keep as pets. They need a lot of attention and if they're not handled correctly they often end up nervous, depressed balls of fluff at the back of the cage. Alice started out like that and it's been a very steep, uphill struggle to get her where she is now. Socialisation and self entertainment are crucial to get right with galahs, and there are certainly more robust species that would be less of a handful to a beginner. But all of the larger parrot species are a serious undertaking and a steep learning curve for an inexperienced guardian - certainly there's a huge amount of potential for disaster with an African grey as a first bird, and there are probably more naked, plucked greys and ecluctus in refuges than there are galahs. The bottom line is any parrot needs a lot of research and a lot of time invested in providing for them - and galahs are as big a commitment as any other large species.