Should I get a cockatoo?

[bpenniman]

So my background is I currently own a rescue blue crowned conure, I had a green cheek conure who flew away and I had an amazon named Lucy who died of cancer. I absolutely love cockatoos. Me and Pippa my blue crowned conure spend our free time watching cockatoo videos on YouTube. So since I had a blue fronted amazon I am familiar with screaming and nasty bites. Here's my dilemma: Pippa is crazy for attention and wants to be with me constantly. Cockatoos are also known for needing a lot of attention. Would she get used to another bird in the family? And I do have the time for a cockatoo. I spend most of my free time with Pippa so I'd have to divide my times I give them attention. I just want what's best for Pippa and the cockatoo.

 

[Minimaker]

Cockatoos are a special kind of demanding that you'll never know until you own one. I've heard the rose breasted (galah) cockatoos are the best ones to own hands down as far as their behavior and ease of ownership. My goffins is very neurotic and very easy to upset. The smallest changes set him off on a tangent like I'd never seen before in a bird. He's been known to pull feathers out of his chest just because someone new was talking to him and then they left the room and he couldn't see them anymore. That being said there are many happy cockatoo owners. You'll find many here. When I came here talking about wanting a cockatoo I was sworn off them by many people because it takes experience and a lot of time to handle their emotional needs. These birds have been described as having a special needs three year old in the house for life. That is 150% true in my opinion. Am I sorry I have one? No, I made a commitment and I will see it through. Is it easy? No, it's not. Any change is instant stress and obvious visible depression with this bird. He literally hangs his little head like a whipped pup if he doesn't get his way over something. Not even kidding, it's just sad to behold. I walk gently with him at all times. I have to.

 

[getwozzy]

Did you already have a specific species of cockatoo in mind?? If not, I'd recommend a galah ~they're more on the independent side when it comes to 'toos.

As far as whether or not Pippa would get along with a new bird is a 50/50 chance....you'll have to see how it goes. You may end up having to leave one in the cage while you spend one-on-one time with the other.

Before I got my first galah, I had an Amazon and I was honestly petrified of cockatoos-- but now I have two lol they are more demanding (even emotionally), but they're not perch potatoes like he was.

 

[OOwl]

I second the galah recommendation if you want a cockatoo. Mine (a 12-year-old male) loves ambient attention, meaning he eats up just watching me go about my day and interacting with family and friends. He is independent and loves to chew wood and we chat back and forth all day. He is in and out of his cage, on the play top and going to spend a few hours on the outdoor aviary on nice days. He's not demanding at all and not at all loud (they do this weird alarm scream that's pretty impressive but well-adjusted ones don't scream like that all day; it's very random and doesn't last long). That said, he is happy to come out and be petted for a while but not anywhere NEAR the white-cockatoo level of required petting to be sated. While they've been known to be nippy, mine is not and I've met a few that weren't either. Honestly, he's like a big pink cockatiel in temperament. He also isn't prone to jealousy issues (and he shares my attention with several other birds, a Grey, a Lovebird, and a Parrotlet). He's fully feathered and not a problem one (other than his heavy wood-chewing habit, so keeping him in toys is pretty costly). Anyway, you might consider a Galah. They are really great pet parrots.

 

[AnnBrown]

I third the recommendation of looking into a Galah! I have fostered M2s, U2s and G2s so when it was time for us to bring home a bird to join our crazy family (my husband and I, 2 kids ages 6 and 7, a cat and a dog) We looked into just about every breed of parrot there is! And several people recommended that I look at Galahs. I could never thank them enough! There is a learning curve with every bird, we went threw some growing pains but now she has been in our house over a month and I couldn't imagine not having her. She is calm and sweet. She loves to be cuddled and would sit in my lap playing with foot toys and being pet all day if I let her! But she is also very independent (amazing for a Too!) and is completely happy to relax on her stand with some toys and a chunk of broccoli! She does not scream like some of the larger breeds do and even when she does it is not near as loud. She loves to chew on wood so i keep lots of chew-able toys in the house and trade them out every few days. we are working on bite pressure as she tends to be very mouthy but sense we started working specifically on this about two weeks ago we have not had any bites, before that she would nip by "accident" when she was playing. I really think she is perfect as far as filling all of our wants and needs in a bird!

 

[Scott]

Never had a Galah, but am impressed by the reputation they enjoy despite being Toos!

In the realm of toos, I have a M2, Citron, 5 G2s and am closest to the latter species. Each Goffin has a distinct personality, so I can comfortably state they are not automatons and cannot be typecast. Only one is a bit neurotic and slightly over grooms, (never plucks) all scream situationally but not mindlessly, and are capable of independence.

I have always felt a durable 2-way bond with these small "clowns" and cannot imagine life without their company! My best advice to those seeking a too is research species characteristics and spend much time with prospective individuals.

 

[Blueridge]

I've never had one but I know that Cockatoos are crazy for attention. I'm sure they are great pets but I would never be able to give one the amount of care that they require.

Best of luck to whatever you choose to do!

 

[Pinkbirdy]

I would check into a Macaw I have 4 Toos and 3 Macaws

 

[Siobhan]

The short answer is "no." Because unless you know what you're getting into -- and you don't know unless you've had a 'too before, no matter HOW much research you've done -- it is a huge, huge commitment. That being said, we adore our Rocky and wouldn't give him up for anything, but we have days when we question our sanity and the adjustment time it took to get to this point was long and hard and some days are still long and hard. You will have a petulant 2-year-old given to screaming tantrums for decades, demanding of time and attention and destructive and messy, who then turns around and snuggles against you and says "I wuv ooh" just when you've reached the breaking point. Not for the faint of heart. If you already have a demanding parrot, who takes up all your free time, I would advise against a 'too.

 

[ToMang07]

The short answer is "no." Because unless you know what you're getting into -- and you don't know unless you've had a 'too before, no matter HOW much research you've done -- it is a huge, huge commitment. That being said, we adore our Rocky and wouldn't give him up for anything, but we have days when we question our sanity and the adjustment time it took to get to this point was long and hard and some days are still long and hard. You will have a petulant 2-year-old given to screaming tantrums for decades, demanding of time and attention and destructive and messy, who then turns around and snuggles against you and says "I wuv ooh" just when you've reached the breaking point. Not for the faint of heart. If you already have a demanding parrot, who takes up all your free time, I would advise against a 'too.

I second this. 2 demanding birds, competing for attention does not sound like a good idea. Then you have the size difference and potential for injury added in. JMO.

I absolutely love my bratty, messy, destructive, slightly neurotic cuddle-bug.....er bird.

 

[riddick07]

Re: Should I get a cockatoo

Cockatoo people are crazy....we adopt out cockatoos to first time bird owners but they have a pretty good idea what they are getting into by the time the bird goes home. After all we have 15 or so cockatoos to torture adopters with:54: It was funny one adopter last Saturday was very interested in a cockatoo but a macaw showed the most interest in her and the macaw was on her definitely see again next time list. Could have something to do with her meeting two of the crazy cockatoos....I don't know how she picked out the most hormonal male umbrella to meet and the craziest female umbrella on her first try:20: By the time I wrangled the male umbrella out of the cage she no longer wanted to meet him

We have two cockatoos and I couldn't deal with another one unless it was exceptional. I can play with all the ones at the shelter so that's good enough for me!

Soooooo I guess it depends on what you want to deal with and what you can deal with. I have one demanding bird and I could handle one more most likely and I would be at my limit. I wouldn't say no because I don't know you or your situation or what you can handle. I haven't seen you interact with birds, I don't know your schedule, I don't know if you know how to properly socialize a cockatoo......if you haven't been to a rescue I recommend you make a trip to one even if it's far away because the ones at the rescue will show you how bad it can get unless they have all sweet ones....ah I wonder what that would be like....make a trip to NJ I can introduce you to plenty of crazy