Tell me about Goffins (please)

[Ladyeclectic]

I'm going to be real honest: I've always wanted a cockatoo. They're comical birds and have held my interest ever since I watched "Young Einstein" as a kid (hey, the fascination had to start somewhere!).

That being said, I've read a lot about them, especially lately. I know cockatoos in general are very high maintenance; that they require a lot of attention; that they can be noisy, messy/dusty and problematic; that they can be the worst kind of BSC imaginable. I also know (okay, have read) that they can be loving, total cuddlers, smart, talkative and fun to live with.

I'm drawn to the Goffins because, basically, they're smaller. I've also read that they aren't quite as needy as the bigger 'toos, as long as they have adequate stimulation in their cages and spend quality social time with you outside the cage.

A bit about me: my day generally has me leaving for work at 4am and gettng home around 1pm. Next year I want to start night classes but those wouldn't start until 5pm or later and only 2-3 days a week. I'm looking for a buddy, not a piece of arm candy; I realize there will likely be tantrums, loud noisiness, occasional bloody bites and expensive toys but I'd like to think I'm prepared for that (at least, I know what to expect on both ends of the spectrum).

Can anyone who owns, or has once owned, Goffins cockatoos care to share their knowledge of the species? I'm severely tempted by one in particular nearby me, and although I've yet to see it in person I'm in good contact with the owner. I also know of a lady nearby who breeds them and has a hand raised naked (?) eye baby available.

Any information on the breed would be greatly appreciated, both the good and bad, as I need to weigh my options carefully. I can't do anything until next week anyway, but I'm serious about the breed and would like some first hand experience.

Thanks a whole lot in advance.

 

[Pheonix Rising]

Naked eye ? Do you mean a corrella ( bare eyed cockatoo )

I haven't read much about the goffins but I have a friend with a b e c. And he is awesome
talks well real snuggle bug loves attention but is also happy to play alone in cage or play stand

When he does have a tantrum man o man is it loud ( luckily it's only 1 whole day each month ) or there abouts
he is an escape artist ( even with locks on the doors ) and will destroy anything in his path if your not watching
and he is total destucto beak when it comes to toys
a 2 inch wide by 3 inch long log was destroyed un under 24 hrs

That's my only experiance of them sorry but good luck which ever you choose

 

[CrypticDelirium]

I wish I could give you advice on goffins in particular, but I've never had experience with them. I can tell you a little about my experience with cockatoo's in general though, especially how they differ in ways from other parrots. = )
They are cuddle bugs, but at the same time that makes them EXTREMELY demanding of attention. However, it's not that hard to fulfill really if you're willing to spend an extra five minutes on daily activities to being them out, things like eating breakfast with you, (NOT cooking of course if you use non stick ANYTHING) watching your favorite tv shows together, going for morning walks (or anytime walks), anything really will make them very happy and fulfilled. The more time with you the better! I highly recommend the portable playstand/perches, especially with wheels even if it's just a simple T style, it makes life MUCH easier and generally saves you on birdie poo on the couch, counter, etc.
You must SOMETIMES be careful of excessive cuddling on back, wings, anything other than head during mating season. Don't let it sound too complicated though, it's easy to tell by knowing birdie body language what the mating behavior are. If there is no mating behavior, all cuddles are a go!
Cockatoos are LOUD. It's common they will scream to you when you so much as leave the room because it's how they'd act in a flock. When they do this it's their way of saying "Where did you go, are you okay, I'm worried!!!" Most often this can be fixed by calling back and saying things like "I'm here, no worries" Actually you could even say the bananas are coming to take my shoes and they'd be happy just hearing your voice lol!!! Actually this is true with most parrots, but I thought it would be good to point out anyway. Since it's not guaranteed this will work or that they won't continuously scream while you're not home, I definately recommend owning your house if you are going to get a cockatoo, then no matter the noise level the neighbors can't have too much to say if they hear a few screams now and then. = P
Every cockatoo is different, but every one I've ever known loves destroying anything and everything within reach. Shredder toys are amazing for this, you can get your whole local family in on holding onto things like the cardboardish part of tissue rolls and it's amazing to watch your feathered paper shredder at work, BUT you must be very careful to supervise out of cage play constantly or you'll be rushing to the ER vet when they eat your shutters... PAINT and all. Or couch fibers, bottles of dish soap, seriously ANYTHING they can reach.
Well it seems I've gotten a good part of a novel typed, but I hope it helps you even though it's not about goffins in particular and I'll add more if I think of anything else!!

 

[Ladyeclectic]

Thanks for the advice! I'm waiting to hear back from a lady I've been in contact with about her Goffin. The Dude didn't take much convincing, he's pretty interested in the species too and is eager to interact with the bird. Hopefully there won't be any competition with my conure but since I doubt I'll be leaving the two of them together any length of time that should be fine.

 

[Bobby34231]

Hi Sarah, just a friendly heads up, I remember before you brought home your GCC you were contemplating getting a sun conure but thought that that species would be to loud for apartment living, cockatoo's even the smaller species such as corella's, goffin's, rose breasted and lesser sulphur crested are many times louder than sun conures, I love my 2 RB2's but I have to say sometimes the noise can be overwhelming, just to let you know my neighbors both next door and across the street can hear them, something to think about as to having neighbors even closer in an apartment building

 

[Ladyeclectic]

Hi Sarah, just a friendly heads up, I remember before you brought home your GCC you were contemplating getting a sun conure but thought that that species would be to loud for apartment living, cockatoo's even the smaller species such as corella's, goffin's, rose breasted and lesser sulphur crested are many times louder than sun conures, I love my 2 RB2's but I have to say sometimes the noise can be overwhelming, just to let you know my neighbors both next door and across the street can hear them, something to think about as to having neighbors even closer in an apartment building

Very true, I've been thinking a lot about that. Admittedly I'm newer to birdkeeping and don't quite know what I'm getting myself into sometimes. This weekend I'm headed down to Bakersfield to go to For The Birds, a shop dedicated to birds (obviously :54 and seeing what she has. I'm quite happy with my little conure but I've wanted a medium-large bird for a while and will eventually end up with one. I just need to figure out what will fit me, my lifestyle, and most importantly the right bird. I don't expect it to be overnight, but I'm excited to start experiencing what's out there. She has several of her unweaned babies coming to the store on Saturday and I hope maybe I can pick something out for the future, but we'll see. I'm in no hurry, still need to get money together for the additional cage, toys, treats, etc in addition to the bird.

 

[Bobby34231]

Very Good, glad your thinking ahead, getting a bird on impulse is very hard not to do, been there done that many times myself, going to a dedicated bird store may be a great thing, you can talk to the experts and also interact with some larger birds and hopefuly they'll help you find the right match for your lifestyle, good luck and have fun with the birds this weekend

 

[Ladyeclectic]

I've also been considering Amazons, Eclectus and African Greys, but hopefully this weekend will help me figure out the dimensions of the birds, how loud (or quiet, definitely preferable!) they can be, and anything else I can learn. Nothing beats hands-on, first hand knowledge of just how a particular bird feels on your hand, or speaking with the breeders themselves on the various personalities of the different species. And, admittedly, it'll be nice to get to actually play with the birds! (I'm still taming my little conure so don't get much interaction yet)

ETA: the perk of going this weekend is that I'll be broke until Monday so couldn't take anything home anyway. See, I know how to keep myself in check!