Macaw or Red tailed black cocky?

[Sunparrayeet]

Hello, i am looking to get one of these amazing birds but ild like to know what one has a better temperament and is easier to care for. Thanks!

 

[noodles123]

Hello, i am looking to get one of these amazing birds but ild like to know what one has a better temperament and is easier to care for. Thanks!

Welcome!

umm..neither...is easy...at all...BUT NOT A COCKATOO.. my goodness....have you had a parrot before? Cockatoos are literally the most challenging parrot--- and the large ones are re-homed disproportionally to any other parrot- period.

I really really hope you know how much work you are about to take on with a macaw...or anything else...It's like a very very complicated 4 year old that lives forever, has a chainsaw and special needs, plus a megaphone, plus severe allergies to everything ….

 

[noodles123]

Here is my copy-and paste for potential/new owners:

One really important thing when keeping a pet bird in the house is that you cannot use scented products or chemicals/fumes in your home (even things that smell nice to us(---things like smoke, perfumes, air freshener, standard cleaners, vaping, burning food, incense, cigarettes, glue, paint, window sealing kits, polishes, aerosol sprays etc can harm your bird's sensitive respiratory system (which is not the same as mammals'). Using products that heat or are heated which contain Teflon/PTFE/PFCs = very very dangerous. These products off-gas and can kill a bird in under 5 minutes. Teflon/PTFE/PFOA/PFCs are most commonly found in the kitchen (pots, pans, cookie sheets, drip trays, air fryers, popcorn poppers, baking mats, crock pots, toasters, toaster ovens, popcorn poppers, waffle irons, electric skillets etc. They can also be found in space-heaters, curling irons, blow-dryers, straighteners, heat lamps, heat guns, irons, ironing board covers etc. These fumes have killed birds through closed doors and on separate floors of a home, so you should replace your cookware with stainless steel, cast iron or ceramic. You may be thinking-- well, I have used them before and my bird is fine, but they kill very inconsistently and it depends on what you are cooking, the age of the pot/pan, the specific bird etc. There was a member who lost many of her birds from a pan she had literally used for years...then one day, her husband cooked an egg (without burning or overheating) and many of them died, while the rest showed signs of respiratory distress.

You will need an avian-safe cleaner to use within your home (both on the bird cage, but also, around the house). Again, chemical cleaners cannot be used in the home unless avian safe. F10 SC (the yellow/clear concentrate) is a great, avian-safe disinfectant. Other (less effective) options include products such as "poop-off", white vinegar + water, grapefruit seed extract + water, baking soda etc. Peroxide is also fairly safe for disinfecting places like your bathroom, but you do not want your bird to come into contact with it.

Some foods are toxic to them--avocado, coffee (even decaf), caffeine, rhubarb, alcohol, onions/garlic/leeks/chives, mushrooms etc. Salt is also very bad for them, as is most human food. They love it, but it's not healthy.

They should not just eat seed--you will want to feed lots of washed fresh vegetables. Fruit is fine in moderation, but too much can lead to obesity and behavioral issues due to sugar. I feed my bird a mix of high-quality seed (no sunflowers, no peanuts) and pellets (in addition to fruit/veg). ECCLECTUS PARROTS SHOULD NOT EAT PELLETS. Fruit pits are toxic, as are apple seeds. Corn cob and certain nut shells (if swallowed in big pieces) can cause blockages, so you should be very cautious if you give your bird nuts in the shell. Peanuts can harbor aspergillosis, and should be avoided altogether (even they you often see them marketed towards parrots).

It is important to make sure that your bird's toys and cage are made of safe metals. Stainless steel is safest. They can get metal poisoning from playing with or mouthing objects made of unsafe metals.

They need a set amount of sleep each night (at least 10 hours) and the largest cage you can manage with lots of different perches. You want to avoid the totally smooth/round ones as they can lead to a condition called bumblefoot. Never place a cage near drafts and never allow cool air to blow on a bird. They are sensitive to drafts and any temperature shift greater than 10 degrees can cause a shock to their system.

They need lots of safe toys and safe wood to chew. Not all wood is safe, so don't just assume you can give them any kind you want. Pressure blasted or chemically treated wood (e.g., lumber and many other types of wood from the hardware contains toxic chemicals or are cut from trees that are naturally toxic.

They hide illness and so you have to watch them to make sure they are eating normally and pooping normally etc. You should try to find an avian vet (certified avian) if at all possible and take your bird AT LEAST 1 x yearly for an exam. An avian vet is NOT the same as an exotics vet who sees birds--- so if a certified avian vet is available within a few hours of where you live, you will want to set up care.

All parrots can easily confuse the relationship with their human for a sexual one. You don't want this to happen, even though it seems sweet at first. Stick to petting on the head and neck only (the rest is sexual) and do not allow your bird to play in shadowy places, like boxes or under furniture, as these spaces are similar nesting sites and are hormonal triggers. NO SNUGGLE HUTS/TENTS!

Food and water should be replaced daily--- wash the containers daily. Never leave wet food out for more than a few hours (as it can lead to bacterial growth). Never try to medicate a bird via drinking water and never add vitamins to water. Vitamins can be over-dosed easily and harm a bird. Plus, when you add things to water, it makes it impossible to know how much they have gotten and it also encourages bacterial growth. Sometimes it can prevent them from drinking adequately if they don't like the flavor of whatever it is you added. Citrus and fruits high in vitamin C should be given in extreme moderation because they can cause "Iron Storage Disease" (for a cockatoo, 1 small tangerine slice 1-2 times a week was okay, according to my vet).

These birds have the intelligence of 3-4-year-old human, but they are wild animals (not domesticated like dogs). This means that they see the world (and humans) in a very unique way and so you must learn about their behavior in order to prevent problems (screaming, plucking etc). They need lots of time out of their cage daily and a lot of interaction (at least a few hours). At the same time, you don't want to spend TOO much time with a bird of they will become overly dependent and not know what to do with themselves when you go to work etc.

Finally, baby birds are ALWAYS sweet compared to adult birds. When your bird hits puberty, expect that it will exhibit some annoying and problematic behaviors (much like a teen). A through knowledge of behavior and setting expectations at an early age will make your life easier when that time comes, but do prepare yourself and expect that things will not always be so smooth-sailing. Think about a baby human compared to a teen...

I am sure there is more...but that is a basic overview of caring for birds.

Here is an excerpt from another post (which you may want to reference when shopping/ calling about Teflon:
The most insidious is the Teflon/ptfe/pfoa/pfcs because you have to call the company to verify that anything that heats or is intended to be heated does not contain these substances ("PTFE free" doesn't mean PFC free and so there are a lot of marketing gimmicks out there to make people buy what seems like healthier cook-ware, even though it still contains a version of the same chemicals). Also-- these chemicals can be woven into fabric, mixed into metal during the moulding process, applied as a powder, applied as a clear-coat, or mixed with a colored coating. You cannot assume that you will be able to identify them visually, so, when you call, you must provide all abbreviations and full names + spellings of each chemical compound (and then they usually give you "the run around" for a week or so IF they ever answer your questions at all---because sometimes it's a "trade secret"). It's all very sketchy and DuPont (manufacturer of Teflon) claims that off-gassing only occurs at really high temperatures, but there have been numerous documented/scientific and anecdotal reports of birds passing away at temperatures in the 300 F range (and again, it kills through closed doors and on different floors).
FYI- Polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE)
Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA)
A perfluorinated compound (PFC)
Teflon (a common brand-name of non-stick cookware containing these chemicals)

10- 12 hours nightly for sleep, so if you get up at 6 and make a bunch of noise, you will wake the bird up (even if they are still covered). If they wake up at 6, bed should be between 6-8. You want to keep it around the same time if possible (because that's how it is in nature).


OH-- something I didn't mention in my last post-- stainless steel is really one of the only safe metals for them. Research the heck out of your cage and make sure that if it uses a powder-coating it is truly non-toxic. Birds can get metal poisoning from playing with sketchy toys (many made in China do not adhere to best practices) and just mouthing things like money, bolts, locks etc can cause toxic impacts...A man I know allowed his bird to play with un-used toothbrushes and (unbeknownst to him) there were small copper bits that held the bristles in place-- this nearly killed his bird even though the bird didn't actually swallow the pieces. Copper, zinc, nickel, some iron, lead etc are all toxic. Chicken wire and most screens= bad news.

ALSO- AND NEVER EVER BUY A BABY THAT IS UNWEANED!! IT WILL NOT HELP YOU BOND BETTER. THIS IS A MYTH!!!! SERIOUSLY!

 

[Sunparrayeet]

Yes, i've had many birds before and i breed and hand-raise birds. I know how much work they are.

 

[Sunparrayeet]

also i'm not a new parrot owner why yall worring should i put that in the title or something?

 

[noodles123]

Cockatoos can be a real mess. I love them dearly, but they are the least "chill" of all birds in some respects and they will suck you dry if you let them (love sponge= euphemism for obsessive girlfriend/boyfriend if not kept in check) I truly believe they are the most ill-suited parrots for captivity (based on stats etc).

As a breeder, you likely do not keep non-breeding bird pairs past puberty and cockatoos (as well as others) tend to get very contrary and change their preferences etc around sexual maturity..

A cockatoo matures sexually around 3-8 years of age and their personalities change significantly (much like a baby vs teenage human). Macaws also change, but they generally are not as "crazy" (although the absolutely can be).

 

[noodles123]

also i'm not a new parrot owner why yall worring should i put that in the title or something?

because people constantly want cockatoos and have had 0 experience with them..hence the off-the-charts rehoming rates...
and because people in general adopt birds randomly without knowing much at all about them...and it is really scary, given what it takes to keep any of them happy, let alone a large cockatoo.

It's not you...it's just that you should ideally have cockatoo experience if you are getting a cockatoo (via volunteer work , rescue work etc).

 

[Sunparrayeet]

also i'm not a new parrot owner why yall worring should i put that in the title or something?

because people constantly want cockatoos and have had 0 experience with them..hence the off-the-charts rehoming rates...
and because people in general adopt birds randomly without knowing much at all about them...and it is really scary, given what it takes to keep any of them happy, let alone a large cockatoo.

It's not you...it's just that you should ideally have cockatoo experience if you are getting a cockatoo (via volunteer work , rescue work etc).

i've rescued wild galahs and stuff

 

[Sunparrayeet]

also i'm not a new parrot owner why yall worring should i put that in the title or something?

because people constantly want cockatoos and have had 0 experience with them..hence the off-the-charts rehoming rates...
and because people in general adopt birds randomly without knowing much at all about them...and it is really scary, given what it takes to keep any of them happy, let alone a large cockatoo.

It's not you...it's just that you should ideally have cockatoo experience if you are getting a cockatoo (via volunteer work , rescue work etc).

also what type of cockatoo do you have?

 

[noodles123]

That's good- and I haven't had a black or red-tailed, but I will tell you that there is a WORLD of difference between a U2, or M2 and a Galah (galahs are way more laid-back, although still can be a challenge--they are still a bit crazy and hyper at times, but generally less neurotic ). I wish I could help more. Red/black tailed cockatoos also have very special diets from what I understand.

Good luck with your decision and just make sure you research A TON!

 

[noodles123]

also i'm not a new parrot owner why yall worring should i put that in the title or something?

because people constantly want cockatoos and have had 0 experience with them..hence the off-the-charts rehoming rates...
and because people in general adopt birds randomly without knowing much at all about them...and it is really scary, given what it takes to keep any of them happy, let alone a large cockatoo.

It's not you...it's just that you should ideally have cockatoo experience if you are getting a cockatoo (via volunteer work , rescue work etc).

also what type of cockatoo do you have?

I have a 14 year old Umbrella (f)

 

[noodles123]

I hope I didn't scare you off- not trying to be annoying even though I'm sure I am (just very very protective of these birds because the statistics speak for themselves and because I live with one lol)

 

[Sunparrayeet]

That's good- and I haven't had a black or red-tailed, but I will tell you that there is a WORLD of difference between a U2, or M2 and a Galah (galahs are way more laid-back, although still can be a challenge--they are still a bit crazy and hyper at times, but generally less neurotic ). I wish I could help more. Red/black tailed cockatoos also have very special diets from what I understand.

Good luck with your decision and just make sure you research A TON!

I have also galahs are still pretty hyper i've done a ton of research on blacks and i've heard they are very gentle and a lot more placid than the white cockatoos. Thanks for your help and i understand why you reacted like you did when you replied but maybe ask if they have any experience with parrots first?

 

[Sunparrayeet]

because people constantly want cockatoos and have had 0 experience with them..hence the off-the-charts rehoming rates...
and because people in general adopt birds randomly without knowing much at all about them...and it is really scary, given what it takes to keep any of them happy, let alone a large cockatoo.

It's not you...it's just that you should ideally have cockatoo experience if you are getting a cockatoo (via volunteer work , rescue work etc).

also what type of cockatoo do you have?

I have a 14 year old Umbrella (f)

aren't they kinda like sulphurs the umbrellas?

 

[Sunparrayeet]

I hope I didn't scare you off- not trying to be annoying even though I'm sure I am (just very very protective of these birds because the statistics speak for themselves and because I live with one lol)

Yeah, i know i don't honestly think any bird should be pets but i give them the best life possible.

 

[noodles123]

I mean, the thing is, lots of people have parrot experience, but cockatoo experience is different (seriously). So many people have had macaws etc and assumed that cockatoos would be similar, but they aren't in many respects.

I am glad you have parrot experience, but I would try to get some hands-on experience with the species you desire because short term experiences can be misleading etc.

I have no doubts that you are competent, but macaws and cockatoos are kind of like apples and oranges in many respects (even though they are both large-- their personalities and body language are very very different).

Cockatoos are quite sexual, so while they can be docile, it is often linked to a strange bond-- so you are always having to walk a line between what is and isn't appropriate and they always want more (in the sweetest way...but it's not healthy to indulge). This same "lovey" behavior can quickly turn to aggression if the bird feels led on or over/under stimulated..cockatoos are all about complicated boundaries.

 

[noodles123]

also what type of cockatoo do you have?

I have a 14 year old Umbrella (f)

aren't they kinda like sulphurs the umbrellas?

Umbrellas are larger and sassier (and louder), as a rule lol-- but they do look somewhat similar.

 

[wrench13]

Here is what I was able to find on red tailed black cockatoos: These birds are noisy and conspicuous and generally socialise in family groups. The Black Cockatoo has a need for attention that far outweighs any of the other cockatoo species, making this an extremely high maintenance bird and one that is generally not suitable as a pet. A properly cared for Red-tailed Black Cockatoo can live from 50 to a 100 years, which makes them a lifelong commitment and a companion for more than one family generation.

 

[noodles123]

Here is what I was able to find on red tailed black cockatoos: These birds are noisy and conspicuous and generally socialise in family groups. The Black Cockatoo has a need for attention that far outweighs any of the other cockatoo species, making this an extremely high maintenance bird and one that is generally not suitable as a pet. A properly cared for Red-tailed Black Cockatoo can live from 50 to a 100 years, which makes them a lifelong commitment and a companion for more than one family generation.

Dang, if they need more attention than all others, that is saying something! ha

 

[Sunparrayeet]

Here is what I was able to find on red tailed black cockatoos: These birds are noisy and conspicuous and generally socialise in family groups. The Black Cockatoo has a need for attention that far outweighs any of the other cockatoo species, making this an extremely high maintenance bird and one that is generally not suitable as a pet. A properly cared for Red-tailed Black Cockatoo can live from 50 to a 100 years, which makes them a lifelong commitment and a companion for more than one family generation.

thats really weird ive heard them and they are quiet for a cockatoo and very placid