Hello everyone! Well yesterday I brought home my first cockatoo. He was handfed from a hactchling and when I visited him in the nursery a few times he was extremely cuddling and happy. Loves attention. The times I tried to take him out of his cage he became extremely frightened and it did not go so well. When I finally got him out he was the perfect angel. He would have no issues coming out from the owners though. Well yesterday I brought him home. On the trip home he came right out of his travel cage and played around great. When I got him home and put him in his cage he went right back to being scared to come out. So should I really work on getting him out and being firm with him (thats what worked the one time I did get him out) or should I just leave him be for now? Thank you in advance!
First Cockatoo
- Thread starter KelliS
- Start date
I'd let him settle in a day or 2, with the door open , so if he wants to come out, he can. "firm" is not "force". Parrots rarely respond well to force. Sit next to the cage, talk quietly and comfortingly , welcoming him home, good bird , and lots of treats. Get him used to new routine, what ever that will be. If it was me.
Yes, agreed to the comments above. Let him adjust and settle in on his own terms at go at his pace. Leave the door to his cage open and sit near him. He should come out on his own when he is ready and that's when you offer a treat and offer an arm 
We would love to see pictures!!!
We would love to see pictures!!! It sound's like he's just being well behaved while out far from his cage as hes scared and unfamiliar with his surroundings, you can test this by moving him closer to the cage and looking at his reaction, if he shows no interest in the cage and wants to stay on your arm then i'm completely off track. I've learn't that forcing anything onto a bird in the wrong way will take you 2 steps back
Last edited:
- Aug 21, 2010
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RIP Gandalf and Big Bird, you are missed.
Welcome to the forums, wishing you and your cockatoo the very best!
Give him plenty of time to adjust to a new environment. Know there will be a "honeymoon" period during which time you will have the opportunity to set the tone for more permanent behaviors. What species of cockatoo do you have? I'll post links to a few helpful threads you may wish to read!!
http://www.parrotforums.com/cockatoos/17694-owning-cockatoo.html
http://www.parrotforums.com/general-parrot-information/49144-tips-bonding-building-trust.html
Give him plenty of time to adjust to a new environment. Know there will be a "honeymoon" period during which time you will have the opportunity to set the tone for more permanent behaviors. What species of cockatoo do you have? I'll post links to a few helpful threads you may wish to read!!
http://www.parrotforums.com/cockatoos/17694-owning-cockatoo.html
http://www.parrotforums.com/general-parrot-information/49144-tips-bonding-building-trust.html
