I do believe that is due to the fact that you have 6 of them though. I would NEVER suggest buying a bunch of cockatoos without having had them, but when you just have 1, you are ALLLLLL of the flock rolled into 1.... The OP isn't looking at buying a flock...and buying a flock as a first-time cockatoo owner would likely be VERY unwise and EXPENSIVE.
For the average person, the level of devotion it takes to work and have 1 cockatoo is INSANE.
At the same time, it is also a bad idea to go into ownership thinking, "well if my 1 Too is unruly/needy, I will just get another cockatoo" because that could backfire TERRIBLY for so many ways...
I know you have had great experiences, but the "average joe" (even when experienced with other parrot varieties) does NOT or they wouldn't be the most re-homed bird...I just feel like it is a risky thing to encourage people to get them without more information...especially when other birds are still on the table as far as options are concerned...Does that make sense? I researched forever before adopting mine and despite my planning and background, I still feel like nothing could have prepared me for the reality that is now mine for the next 60+ years. LOVE MY BIRD...But I would love any bird that I bonded with....which means, a different large parrot, while difficult, would have been just fine (and much, much less complicated). I am in it for the long-haul, but God help me if I ever become ill or lose the stamina I have now...
Nobody is suggesting a person ever buy a flock of cockatoos or even one example without rigorous research and deep introspection.
I respectfully disagree with the insanity notion and endless demands. All of my birds are well adjusted, none have suffered neglect. My long-term job prior to retirement saw me absent for roughly half the month, generally with four day intervals. Time spent with my birds during days off was intense but reasonable, and they had loving care in my absence.
This is a discussion forum, not a cudgel to demonstrably sway opinion.
I occasionally cite mytoos.com as reference for the worst-case scenario, but the evangelical hubris against cockatoos belongs there, not at ParrotForums.
I am not trying to show hubris. Nor did I mean to imply that
you were suggesting that people buy a flock (I was just clarifying based on the fact that
I said they likely would do better in flocks). I know that would be crazy, so
I wanted to make sure it didn't look like I was telling people to go buy a group as a solution.
I have worked with cockatoos a lot and I have one, therefore, my input does have a place. As a rule, people do not really know what they are getting into when they adopt one of these birds (despite past research, and experiences interacting with these birds, I do no think I truly understood what it would be like to bring one home). Owning any bird requires a TON of commitment and work, and in my opinion, cockatoos take that to the next level. Maybe it is because I am a perfectionist, but when my bird has occasionally started over-preening etc, flashes of birds in sweaters fly before my eyes and that is a terrible thought because generally (not always) it means that something environmental was or is wrong). Keeping my bird alive has been an average amount of work, but keeping her balanced, engaged and emotionally stable has required planning, time, effort and lots and lots of patience.
I interact with a lot of people on a daily basis, and the average person is a poor fit for a bird and even less so for a cockatoo. Adoption is always a gamble (especially without a full understanding of the bird's health, history, age and the owner's background, home set-up, lifestyle, age, personality, funds etc), so if you don't seriously consider the worst-case-scenario, then what happens if you get it?
I am VERY PRO ADOPTION, but it is like a one-sided marriage: "Do you take this cockatoo to be your lawfully wedded bird, to have and to hold, from this day forward,
for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, until death do us part.") You can't divorce a cockatoo. If people don't consider the downside, then they are not making an informed decision. When people marry, they often spend years getting to know the other person. When people adopt birds, they often have not considered this.
People have to accept the challenges that MAY come with getting a bird like this BEFORE they get one, or they are not fit to take the plunge--you have to take all of the possible good with all of the possible bad and be prepared for both. There are enough sources that downplay the level of commitment owning a cockatoo takes (on websites, such as the Spruce.com). I stand behind that fact that the statistics on rehoming are further proof that people quickly get in over their heads with these birds. I think it is heartbreaking that so many of these birds get passed from home to home and it really takes a toll on them.
I will always support someone once they have a cockatoo, but very rarely would I encourage someone to go out and get one without verification that they fulling understood the possibilities ahead. Once someone gets a bird, the deal is done...at least, it should be. It hurts these birds to go from home-to-home and it does impact behavior over the years.
We both have very different means of approaching this issue and I respect that, but I often feel that, due to a love for our own birds/experiences, it can be easy to downplay or paint a rosier-than-life picture for people who may or may not have the same background, let alone the same bird.
The good, the bad and the ugly are essential...
Mytoos.com is the worst case scenario, but from my perspective, if you prepare for the worst and get the best then it is a win...Because again, for many people, the worst is a reality. I have seen it over and over again in pet-shops, rescues and among peers.
On the other hand, if people just see all of the cute "Too" videos on Twitter/Instagram/Facebook and do some internet searches then they will have convinced themselves that owning a cockatoo isn't that big of a deal (like owning any other parrot, or worse yet, like owning a dog, cat or hamster)...If I only talk about the positives, then I am doing a large disservice to the person asking (I am also reducing the amount of devotion and time it takes to keep a well-behaved bird)..If I downplay my experiences, or the experiences of those I have worked with, then the same is true. Cockatoos are VERY unique, and therefore, they are no standards for comparison, even among bird owners. They also can be extremely charismatic and so it can be very easy for potential owners to meet one and fall in love. "They are so sweet and cuddly and quiet in the pet shop..It'll be fine..."
I am glad you keep things fairly upbeat, but I can't keep negativity out of a discussion about cockatoos without omitting a portion of reality. I know that I have probably irritated you with all of this back-and-fourth and I do appreciated your input and your optimism.
I think that all of this discourse is necessary and constructive, so please know that my intent was not to offend, but to reflect what I have learned and witnessed (in my own home and the homes of others). I am speaking honestly.
Remember, just as you have your opinions (and feel strongly about them), I have mine and both are okay...I speak passionately because I care about people and cockatoos.
I believe we have that in common.
I am not the first of the last to speak strongly about something, but I do think that my opinion has a place within this discussion and on this forum.
! But Quakers are very prone to feather destructive problems because they need a lot of attention and are very smart, two things linked with more behavior problems, that's why there is a Quaker Mutilation Syndrome after all..and cage agressive, just mess with the cage when they are out.
