Rescued Cocky Advice Please Help

[Tash]

Hi,

I found a baby Cockatoo about 5 weeks ago. I assume he is about 5 months old, he has no tail feathers and still had lots of baby feathers, but not sure. Anyway we have been feeding him mostly fresh fruit and veg with a special parrot pellet from the pet shop. Over the last couple of weeks his/her feathers have started to fall out and he is becoming very aggressive. We have him in a medium sized cage, but he is let out as much as possible to free roam about the place. He is not liking being handled and sits there making groaning almost crying noises, with his head back. Kind of the same noise as they do in the heat sitting up in the trees. And he wants food all the time.. I want to make sure we are caring for him in the best possible way and doing him no harm. Has anyone got any advice. Thank you guys

 

[MikeyTN]

I take it this is a wild too? If he's got his flight feathers you could just release him back out in the wild where he should be.....Ones that was raised out in the wild should stay in the wild IMO.

 

[Flboy]

Oh, so wow! I am of no help, but wow!

 

[Pinkbirdy]

Is he eating what your giving him ok ? Sounds like hes baby begging . My thought is he so hungry that hes beside himself? Id keep trying [maybe handfeed him see if he responds]. I think you can turn him around.

 

[Tash]

He is a baby and cannot fly so releasing him is not an option at this stage, but thanks

 

[OOwl]

The feathers falling out thing would concern me. I have read that wild cockatoos are really plagued with beak and feather disease. When they are suffering from that disease, they do become very aggressive and have difficulty weaning. I hope that's not his problem. I would definitely consult a vet there, even if it's just to show the vet pictures of your bird, to ask his/her opinion.

When my cockatoo was a baby, he really loved Scenic hand weaning pelleted food soaked in warm carrot juice and fed by hand. The parrot store I got him from used that as a transition food from weaning off formula and sent it home with him. It wasn't warm formula from a syringe but it was still warm and wet and fed by a human hand, so it helped him when he felt like he needed that extra nurturing. To this day (he's 12 now) he will still gobble those down, which we do as a special treat, especially when he's molting. You might try something like that, warm and wet, like warm oatmeal even. Good luck and please keep us updated.

 

[Tash]

Yes he eats just fine. He is always hungry though. But I am being careful not to over feed him.

 

[MikeyTN]

Since he's still a baby I completely understand why he must stay. But like what was mentioned above does worry me a bit. Perhaps a visit to the vet to have a peace of mind?

 

[ToMang07]

Couple questions, where are you located? Do you intend to keep him or no? If you don't plan to keep him I'd try to find a reserve/sanctuary/rehab center. IMO I'd contact an avian vet either way. Do you have any other birds?