Differences in Cockatoos

[Birdman666]

There's a reason I don't have any in my home... I've been offered plenty of them! I fostered two... (And I am in someone's will for another, but that bird is special!)

There was a spoiled rotten U2 that was held too much as a baby, and screamed until it got it's way, and it would literally go for five hours at a time full volume!

That would drive me mad!

And these monsters were created by the way these people raised them!

Same with the dominant greenwing chasing people around the room... you folks taught him that little game! Welcome to macaw hell.

I quickly introduced that bird to Mr. Couch Cushion, and Mr. Towel, and guess what?! He stopped biting and chasing people! (Then learned the fun games Mr. Towel can play, like peek-e-boo!) IT'S NOT ROCKET SCIENCE...

 

[MikeyTN]

I'm with you there Birdman!!!! Dixie our LSC too was taught to self entertain from the beginning and she rarely ever screams. Java the U2 I rehomed due to him being dangerous to everyone in the household, I taught him to self entertain as well and he did so much better, stop plucking and excess screaming. But was still crazy and want to kill anything that's too close to me.

I need to know how to teach Sunshine to Self Entertain.

I offer toys within the cage and treats within as well. I place them within and let them be. Have toys that you can keep treats within, they'll work on it for hours, get one that's hard for them to get it open!!!! I sit in front of the cage and talk to them and rub them through the cage bars and I also dangle the toys around in their cage. I leave music on for them to listen to. Then I walk away. If you constantly bring them out, they want attention from you you you, that's all they care about. Cut the time short and place them back within. They'll learn over time! Java was spoiled rotten by his previous home, that was a hard process with him. But I got it done of course....The new family who got him says he looks really good compared to some they've seen. It just really depends on you on how willing you are to go through with it. They more you have them on you the more of a velcro bird they will become. What most Cockatoos need is actually a atrium where they can fly in and use up some of that pent up energy.

 

[getwozzy]

I only have experience with my little galah, Chili... despite only having him for a couple weeks I can already tell you that he is one mischievous little fluff monster. Lol. And smart. He's quiet for the most part though... he loves adventure, exploring, tasting everything, and destroying toys or whatever he can get his beak on. Even though his beak is the same size as my zon's was, he has yet to bite me hard at all. He's just a gentle little fluff who wants shnuggles. I try to make a homemade toy every few days because he does get bored of toys after about a week. But as long as he has something fun to destroy -like a toy or food, he's pretty good at keeping himself occupied.

 

[Birdman666]

Phone books make excellent shredder toys.

Throw some seeds, and some nuts, and some foot toys or recycled toy parts into a box of Kleenex, then let the bird have at it.

Same deal with tissue paper in a normal cardboard box... This is what we did with all our left over Christmas wrapping and boxes. Stored it in the garage and had several months worth of bird toys.

The biggest thing is to not inadvertently teach the bird that it can get its way by screaming or biting...

 

[getwozzy]

Or put treats/food/foot toys in paper lunch bags and tie it shut and let 'em rip it open!! I've also seen some take suet feeders and put shredded paper, treats, etc in it and let them go at it.

 

[Birdman666]

Incidentally, this goes back to their wild nature... Toos are flock birds.
(Whereas Macaws, conures and amazons are pair bond birds. And birds like Rock Pebblers, for example, are solitary birds.)

Toos in the wild live in huge flocks of birds, sometimes in the 100's. So there is always, always, always, another bird in their lives to interact with. It's a constantly interactive social structure. Which explains the "Velcro" tendencies.

We can't provide that kind of stimulation in captivity. We have to teach them to entertain themselves.

The other flock birds? Grays, and Eckies.

The one thing that all three species have in common?

They are the birds most likely to develop plucking disorders in captivity.

Coincidence?!

 

[Fairmark]

I like and agree with the last post. They need distractions just like any large parrot. We have a sulpher crested at home which we have fostered for several months now. He is more of an entertainer than lover like the umbrellas I've interacted with/owned and socialized but he will occasionally allow himself to be cuddled. He is hilarious when he plays with our dog, plays catch with my daughter and dances/sings and screams when she plays violin.

 

[Betrisher]

LOL! Fairmark, your comment made me laugh! I can just picture this large cockatoo screaming away at your daughter and her vile lyn (that's what we call them: the violin has got to be the most challenging instrument to listen to when practiced). My son is autistic and his particular skill is an ability to pick up just about any musical instrument and teach himself to play it. We've had the recorder (in five different iterations), the piano, the clarinet, the flute, the harp and the vile lyn. Thankfully, Matt has now mastered his vile lyn, so it's not as dreadful as it used to be. However, I can totally understand a cockatoo wanting to scream at one! LOLOL! Your poor daughter, though: it can't be very flattering, having such a vocal audience?

PS. I once had a cat that would come in from out in the yard to bite me every time I sang. Gave me a complex for years!!!

 

[Kimmied]

Birdman666 you are correct in saying that cockatoos live in flocks but they also bond in monogamous pairs. That is why they are Velcro birds because they bond to their human flock member as their mate. My U2 is pretty well adjusted so far. We haven't hit the 7 to 8 year mark. She doesn't scream or really bite. Once she figured out what biting was and didn't get very good results from it. That stopped. I'm home all day but she plays for many hours alone. Then I go in and we play together for a long time. Then at 7 pm it's scream time so we put funky music on and she goes up on her forage tree and we scream and flap our wings and carry on. Then we put quiet music on and chill till bedtime. So I would say the secret with them is try to give them the best of both worlds with independence and one on one attention. I did it by building a forage tree and finding what things she likes best. Such as foot toys. They keep her busy forever. Then she loves to snuggle down with me and hang out for 3 hours or so. No worries though I'm sure you'll be hearing back from me in 6 years