Francie Mae
New member
- Feb 22, 2025
- 14
- 2
- Parrots
- Bare-eyed cockatoo
Hey everyone! I figured Iād make an update post about how my Too is doing; the feedback I received on my first post was so helpful and very appreciated. I wanted to talk about what Iāve noticed, and what new questions I have 
This is probably going to be another long one, which Iām sorry for in advance!
My bird (named Grim, after a dream I had as a little girl) has been with us for almost a week. Heās eating, drinking, and moving around, and not plucking his feathers, thankfully, so health wise, all seems well. Heās still shy, which is to be expected, but thatās also where my first question comes ināshould we only let him out if he āsteps up?ā His cage has a small door near the top that weāve opened up, and heās walked out and climbed around multiple times now, but will move quickly away or go back in his cage if we reach for him (slowly, or course). Iām totally okay with giving him all the time that he needs, but I was wondering if it would be beneficial to teach him that being handled is the main way to get playtime outside of the cage. If itās better to let him explore outside the cage and come to us on his own terms, though, then thatās what weāll do
However, thatās not to say that heās not social. Heās taken a liking to my mom, and has mimicked the cadence of expressions that she repeats to him. Iāve read a lot about cockatoos and mimicking, especially when it comes to tone, but it was so cool to see in real time the way he copied her exact cadence. He also has stepped up onto her arm, albeit only once. I think my momās confidence might be helpful in her success in bonding with him, because while I havenāt been outright nervous (as in I havenāt flinched away from him or anything like that), I am definitely a worrier in new situations, especially when it comes to living creatures, so Iāve been holding some internal tension. But Iāve been smiling/talking/singing to him a lot Honestly, the way my mom is always chattering and singing and dancing around, sheās kind of a bird herself, lol.
While Iām very happy that heās getting along with my mom, I want to do my best to ensure he socializes well with others, especially people in our household, as he grows up. I understand that by nature, cockatoos are āone personā birds, but does anyone have any tips for how to keep him as socialized as is possible/within his nature?
As for biting, he has not bitten anyone since my first post. He likes to gently nibble on my mom, but thatās about it.
In terms of stimulation, I think heās bored. He doesnāt want to leave the cage though, so Iām not sure how to help, as he seems pretty uninterested in his toys (heās got a variety). I started hiding shelled almonds in different parts of his cage, which he seems to like. I know cockatoos are screamers by nature, even if they arenāt bored, but this morning while I was in a Zoom meeting, he was screaming and banging around and specifically grabbing the door to his cage, which is why I think he was bored (he had food and water, and there were no other animals present). I just ignored him and went about my business, because I read that you arenāt supposed to reward ābadā behavior (ābadā being very subjective, as a bird that screams starting to scream is to be expected and I know canāt be trained away!). Should I continue to ignore him if he screams, assuming all else is well?
I also have had read so many mixed opinions and lengthy discussions on wing clipping, so I wanted to get the opinion of people on this forum. I have an inherent apprehension about wing clipping, because it seems cruel to take flight away from animals who are so specifically designed for that one thing, but some people have said that itās safer for cockatoos in neighborhood/household settings. Instead of wing clipping, would harness training by better? Or is one not a replacement for the other? I want to do whatās best for Grim, even if it requires āworkā or training, whether thatās wing clipping or harness training. If harness training is the way to go, how should I go about that?
In my last post, some concern was raised about the other animals in my household. I wanted to tell yāall how thatās been going! I have two indoor lady kitties, and theyāve been in the room while heās in his cage and I am also present. They watched him for a few minutes, and then promptly lost interest and havenāt showed any inclination towards him again. I had silkie chicks living in my room for a few months, as I was raising them for a family member until they were coop-ready, and the cats behaved the same way then, too. He also doesnāt seem upset by their presence at all. Thatās not to say that I would ever place my full trust in either the cats or Grim to always interact safely, especially alone, but I wanted to say that itās been going well. As for our Labrador (an off-duty service dog), Grim seems mostly unafraid of her, if not slightly apprehensive. Our dog has been very calm and well-behaved.
Long story short, does anyone have any tips for how I should approach socialization, stimulation, and wing clipping/harnesses? Even though Iāve done a lot of research, I donāt think it can replace talking to other people with experience. Sorry again for the long post, thank you for reading, and hope all yāall have a good day
This is probably going to be another long one, which Iām sorry for in advance! My bird (named Grim, after a dream I had as a little girl) has been with us for almost a week. Heās eating, drinking, and moving around, and not plucking his feathers, thankfully, so health wise, all seems well. Heās still shy, which is to be expected, but thatās also where my first question comes ināshould we only let him out if he āsteps up?ā His cage has a small door near the top that weāve opened up, and heās walked out and climbed around multiple times now, but will move quickly away or go back in his cage if we reach for him (slowly, or course). Iām totally okay with giving him all the time that he needs, but I was wondering if it would be beneficial to teach him that being handled is the main way to get playtime outside of the cage. If itās better to let him explore outside the cage and come to us on his own terms, though, then thatās what weāll do
However, thatās not to say that heās not social. Heās taken a liking to my mom, and has mimicked the cadence of expressions that she repeats to him. Iāve read a lot about cockatoos and mimicking, especially when it comes to tone, but it was so cool to see in real time the way he copied her exact cadence. He also has stepped up onto her arm, albeit only once. I think my momās confidence might be helpful in her success in bonding with him, because while I havenāt been outright nervous (as in I havenāt flinched away from him or anything like that), I am definitely a worrier in new situations, especially when it comes to living creatures, so Iāve been holding some internal tension. But Iāve been smiling/talking/singing to him a lot
Honestly, the way my mom is always chattering and singing and dancing around, sheās kind of a bird herself, lol. While Iām very happy that heās getting along with my mom, I want to do my best to ensure he socializes well with others, especially people in our household, as he grows up. I understand that by nature, cockatoos are āone personā birds, but does anyone have any tips for how to keep him as socialized as is possible/within his nature?
As for biting, he has not bitten anyone since my first post. He likes to gently nibble on my mom, but thatās about it.
In terms of stimulation, I think heās bored. He doesnāt want to leave the cage though, so Iām not sure how to help, as he seems pretty uninterested in his toys (heās got a variety). I started hiding shelled almonds in different parts of his cage, which he seems to like. I know cockatoos are screamers by nature, even if they arenāt bored, but this morning while I was in a Zoom meeting, he was screaming and banging around and specifically grabbing the door to his cage, which is why I think he was bored (he had food and water, and there were no other animals present). I just ignored him and went about my business, because I read that you arenāt supposed to reward ābadā behavior (ābadā being very subjective, as a bird that screams starting to scream is to be expected and I know canāt be trained away!). Should I continue to ignore him if he screams, assuming all else is well?
I also have had read so many mixed opinions and lengthy discussions on wing clipping, so I wanted to get the opinion of people on this forum. I have an inherent apprehension about wing clipping, because it seems cruel to take flight away from animals who are so specifically designed for that one thing, but some people have said that itās safer for cockatoos in neighborhood/household settings. Instead of wing clipping, would harness training by better? Or is one not a replacement for the other? I want to do whatās best for Grim, even if it requires āworkā or training, whether thatās wing clipping or harness training. If harness training is the way to go, how should I go about that?
In my last post, some concern was raised about the other animals in my household. I wanted to tell yāall how thatās been going! I have two indoor lady kitties, and theyāve been in the room while heās in his cage and I am also present. They watched him for a few minutes, and then promptly lost interest and havenāt showed any inclination towards him again. I had silkie chicks living in my room for a few months, as I was raising them for a family member until they were coop-ready, and the cats behaved the same way then, too. He also doesnāt seem upset by their presence at all. Thatās not to say that I would ever place my full trust in either the cats or Grim to always interact safely, especially alone, but I wanted to say that itās been going well. As for our Labrador (an off-duty service dog), Grim seems mostly unafraid of her, if not slightly apprehensive. Our dog has been very calm and well-behaved.
Long story short, does anyone have any tips for how I should approach socialization, stimulation, and wing clipping/harnesses? Even though Iāve done a lot of research, I donāt think it can replace talking to other people with experience. Sorry again for the long post, thank you for reading, and hope all yāall have a good day
