Goffins Cockatoo Info

[kalypso123]

I am considering a Goffins Cockatoo. I need to know if I could take adequate care of a Goffins on a school schedule i.e being gone for six to seven hours but when I am home he will have lots of attention.

 

[Scott]

I am biased - Goffins are my favorite parrots!
The happiness of your bird during planned absences will depend to a degree on the quality of socialization. Are you planning to acquire a young hand-fed Goffin, an adult, or possibly a rescued bird that may have issues of trust? Can you purchase a large cage filled with toys to stimulate and occupy time? Try to provide distinctly special rewards when leaving and returning.

Goffins are typically social and can enjoy living in a flock; you will be such a member. Might you consider two Goffins so they will be entertained while you are at school? I've found they can bond closely to people yet entertain themselves being avians.

 

[kalypso123]

I am biased - Goffins are my favorite parrots!
The happiness of your bird during planned absences will depend to a degree on the quality of socialization. Are you planning to acquire a young hand-fed Goffin, an adult, or possibly a rescued bird that may have issues of trust? Can you purchase a large cage filled with toys to stimulate and occupy time? Try to provide distinctly special rewards when leaving and returning.

Goffins are typically social and can enjoy living in a flock; you will be such a member. Might you consider two Goffins so they will be entertained while you are at school? I've found they can bond closely to people yet entertain themselves being avians.

Wouldnt they bond to each other instead of me and I could provide a big cage and lots of toys. I may not be able to afford two either unless I went with a rescue. I thought about a rescue but since this would be my first Cockatoo I probably would get a hand raised one.

 

[Kiwibird]

My dad has a goffin and has had Alfie almost 40 years (he got him as an unweaned baby). I cannot say I'm a big fan of cockatoos myself, but for the right personality, they can be great birds. Alfie is hyper-agressive towards my mom, so he has to be in his cage during the day while my dad is at work (he gets to come out in the morning and at night). He has a large cage, and plenty of toys. He also shares the bird area with a bonded pair of amazons he's been around his whole life. The zons do not have direct contact with him, but they do "talk" in birdie language at each other sometimes. Even so, I don't think the other birds play a huge part in his happiness or life. My dad apparently tried to get Alfie a girlfriend at some point, but he was so aggressive towards her, she was returned to the store within days or else he would have killed her. He seems happiest just being alone with his toys or with my dad Just a personal opinion, but I don't think you should EVER get your bird a buddy. If YOU want a second bird, and it happens your birds become best friends, great, but buying a pet with an expectation to be another pets friend is just not a good call. There is never a guarantee they will get along.

The key with keeping cockatoos happy is to encourage independent play and self-rewarding behaviors from a young age and have structure and routine in their lives so they know what to expect. Their natural social structure is such, they are with their flock every second of every day and always have hundreds of "friends" around. It is totally unnatural for them to be left alone, and playing with toys and self entertaining is a LEARNED behavior. One major thing to consider with a too (even small ones) is the cost of toys and material to keep them mentally healthy. It is almost beyond belief how fast they can rip up that $30 toy (like, give the bird 6 hours and it's a pile of splinters). They need a lot of wood and/or paper to shred, as well as progressively more difficult foraging challenges (they are highly intelligent), and none of that is cheap. Of course many people save money by making their own toys, but as a student, will you have a few hours a week you can dedicate to toy-making for your bird or the funds to afford an extra $200 a month on pre-made toys? Then theres the time factor. As a student, are you willing to forego social activities yourself to spend time with your bird? The time dedication to a parrot is a lot like having a kid. I was 19 when I got Kiwi, and my friends all made fun of me because I did not go out until after he went to bed (9pm) because it wasn't fair to him to work all day and then go directly out without spending time with him. And I also stayed in on the weekends (save a few quick errands) because I liked to hang out with Kiwi and make him toys for the upcoming week. Though for me, I do not still have the friends, but I do still have the bird

These are serious things you have to consider as a student getting a bird. Only you can answer whether or not you're fine with giving up your social life for a bird, or if you can afford a bird, or whether it may be better to wait, but please consider carefully

 

[kalypso123]

My dad has a goffin and has had Alfie almost 40 years (he got him as an unweaned baby). I cannot say I'm a big fan of cockatoos myself, but for the right personality, they can be great birds. Alfie is hyper-agressive towards my mom, so he has to be in his cage during the day while my dad is at work (he gets to come out in the morning and at night). He has a large cage, and plenty of toys. He also shares the bird area with a bonded pair of amazons he's been around his whole life. The zons do not have direct contact with him, but they do "talk" in birdie language at each other sometimes. Even so, I don't think the other birds play a huge part in his happiness or life. My dad apparently tried to get Alfie a girlfriend at some point, but he was so aggressive towards her, she was returned to the store within days or else he would have killed her. He seems happiest just being alone with his toys or with my dad Just a personal opinion, but I don't think you should EVER get your bird a buddy. If YOU want a second bird, and it happens your birds become best friends, great, but buying a pet with an expectation to be another pets friend is just not a good call. There is never a guarantee they will get along.

The key with keeping cockatoos happy is to encourage independent play and self-rewarding behaviors from a young age and have structure and routine in their lives so they know what to expect. Their natural social structure is such, they are with their flock every second of every day and always have hundreds of "friends" around. It is totally unnatural for them to be left alone, and playing with toys and self entertaining is a LEARNED behavior. One major thing to consider with a too (even small ones) is the cost of toys and material to keep them mentally healthy. It is almost beyond belief how fast they can rip up that $30 toy (like, give the bird 6 hours and it's a pile of splinters). They need a lot of wood and/or paper to shred, as well as progressively more difficult foraging challenges (they are highly intelligent), and none of that is cheap. Of course many people save money by making their own toys, but as a student, will you have a few hours a week you can dedicate to toy-making for your bird or the funds to afford an extra $200 a month on pre-made toys? Then theres the time factor. As a student, are you willing to forego social activities yourself to spend time with your bird? The time dedication to a parrot is a lot like having a kid. I was 19 when I got Kiwi, and my friends all made fun of me because I did not go out until after he went to bed (9pm) because it wasn't fair to him to work all day and then go directly out without spending time with him. And I also stayed in on the weekends (save a few quick errands) because I liked to hang out with Kiwi and make him toys for the upcoming week. Though for me, I do not still have the friends, but I do still have the bird

These are serious things you have to consider as a student getting a bird. Only you can answer whether or not you're fine with giving up your social life for a bird, or if you can afford a bird, or whether it may be better to wait, but please consider carefully

I have a bird so I am used to giving up time and not leaving the room much until 9. This bird will be socialized with other people alot. My mom loves Cockatoos but has never had the oppurtunity to get one and my family would be over alot to see him. My cousin is very artisic and good at making things and has agreed to help make toys. This will be a huge project for me so I will be stocking up and luckly my cockatiel isnt destuctive so I dont go through lots of toys. I am getting a blue quaker this year and I will have my cockatiel so at least they could communicate and talk while I am gone.

 

[Scott]

Wouldnt they bond to each other instead of me and I could provide a big cage and lots of toys. I may not be able to afford two either unless I went with a rescue. I thought about a rescue but since this would be my first Cockatoo I probably would get a hand raised one.

That is always a hazard though Goffins are very capable of bonding to humans and interacting with other parrots during your time at school. I only suggested two as a compromise between fulfilling your desire for companionship and the bird's time alone. While I strongly believed rescue animals get first choice for adoption, your reasoning to get a hand raised Goffin is sound!

After reading your latest post, it seems a single Goffin would indeed be best! Take your time and choose carefully as it will be your faithful companion for decades!!

 

[Kiwibird]

I have a bird so I am used to giving up time and not leaving the room much until 9. This bird will be socialized with other people alot. My mom loves Cockatoos but has never had the oppurtunity to get one and my family would be over alot to see him. My cousin is very artisic and good at making things and has agreed to help make toys. This will be a huge project for me so I will be stocking up and luckly my cockatiel isnt destuctive so I dont go through lots of toys. I am getting a blue quaker this year and I will have my cockatiel so at least they could communicate and talk while I am gone.

I think the fact you have other birds in eye (and ear) shot will be enough "companionship". Whether or not they get along enough to be allowed to interact is a whole other story and highly depends on each bird as an individual. I will say, it usually best to get different species used to each other while they're all young, so no one is the "newcomer" who's "stealing" the favored humans attention. You also have a better chance of them all getting along (though no guarantees). It sounds like you have a good plan and are willing to make the long term commitment to a bird who will live as long as you do.

As much as I have a soft spot for rescues, in your situation, a baby would probably be best. A young bird knows no different, and when introduced to the concept of being out/interacting with the flock in the mornings/evenings and entertaining itself during the day, it will have nothing to compare it to and grow up with that being "normal" You also have several years to work hard on training and a good bond before the dreaded hormones hit, and have a better shot at properly dealing with those hormones before they lead to behavioral problems. One of the reasons my parents G2 is so aggressive is back when he was a young bird, it was not common knowledge how hormones affected birds or the signs nor was there much, if any resources on how to deal with them properly. They never gave up on him of course, and now that he's aging, he's finally calming down (after 30+ years of terrible hormonal behavior). Probably a much better call to know its coming and prepare to deal with it properly In fact, most "rehome" cockatoos are between 4-6 years old (puberty time) when they are rehomed the first time. They turn mean or start screaming/plucking, and the owners don't know why or what to do about it. Getting a mature bird means it's likely going to come with some behavioral problems, and they are much harder to reverse than prevent!

 

[kalypso123]

Are females or males more hormonal?