Want to get a cockatoo

[Billy29]

I have been doing extensive research and trying to be responsible. I have wanted a cockatoo my whole life, I am 32 single have my own house, and work 8 hours a day so I'm out of the house 9 hours a day. I read about these horror stories and birds plucking themselves to death.

Is it possible to have a cockatoo in my living situation? I also have a dog and a cat so there would be some kind of interaction with probably the cat when I'm not home.

Is there anything you can do to entertain a cockatoo while you are not home?

I was considering a tribella, sulfur crested, or an umbrella cockatoo.

Any species of large cockatoo easier than the other?

Thank you,
Billy

 

[Ravennessa]

When you say interaction? do you mean as in the cat bother the bird or being friendly? cause if he bothers the bird it may 1. end with the cat get a really nasty bite 2. the cat scratch the bird through the cage which I THINK (not sure, have heard it is, but not sure if its a wivestale) can be poisonous.. 3. that'd be tremendous stress for the animal and would likely ensure for him to start plucking himself.. I don't know enough about any other part of the owner ship to own one of these, but that was the first thing that came to mind.

Oh and welcome to the forum The other people who are real bird pro's will soon let you know more!! Im just the owner of a little bratty sun conure!

 

[Billy29]

My cat is pretty friendly, I can't see her being mean to a cockatoo plus she is declawed. I could see her just sitting on top of the cage hanging out.

 

[Ravennessa]

That is likely to either make the bird angry and she can hurt the cat.. Or stressing the bird out.. I know enough to know that most birds don't like things coming from above.. That's how they usually get attacked by a predator.. So I'd say keep them separated until you have done introduction and you know the bird and cat are truly acclimated..

 

[Mare Miller]

Hi Billy and welcome! I have a male umbrella and a female Goffin's. I'm home a lot but when I'm not, I don't feel too bad for them in their separate cages but same room, and they have lots of things to do in their cage. They enjoy each others company. Amigo, the U2, did much better after bringing Sassy home, I'm not saying get two birds, just saying that they do like company.

 

[Billy29]

Would a cockatoo get along with a sun conure or a smaller species like a cockatiel?

 

[Karigan]

Possibly. Never allow them together unsupervised though, because due to the size difference accidents can happen. My sennie prefers to have nothing to do with my greys, but they like being in the same room where they can call to their flock.

 

[Mare Miller]

If you decide to bring in a companion bird for your parrot, something besides another cockatoo would work. Just because my Sassy Goffin's is smaller doesn't mean she is less needy than my U2, therefore, double your time having to give them one on one time. I've heard that the female U2s are easier than the males.

 

[sonja]

Have you had a bird before at all?

 

[Jayyj]

Cats do have a bacteria in their mouths that is deadly to birds - this is definitely not an old wives tale, and several forum members will give you first hand examples of birds that have died as a result of a bite or scratch from a cat. The difficulty with this is that, depending on the personalities, cats and birds can happily share the same space, and even be friendly towards each other, but it only takes one spat in the lifetime of the two animals to cause a potentially fatal incident. I have both, and they appear to get on together, but I'd never trust the two of them alone together and that's with the softest, bagpuss of a cat you could imagine. The more active the cat (and the same goes for the dog as well) the closer you'll have to watch them, and it will have to be a judgment call on your part if it's reasonable to have them out together at all.

Umbrella cockatoos have a reputation for being challenging even for people with a lot of experience with large birds. If you're dead set on a white cockatoo then it might be worth looking into Lesser Sulfur Crested, Ducorps or Bare Eyed 'toos.

You'll get differing opinions on leaving a bird during the day. I leave mine for eight hours total and she copes, but she's very clingy when I get home and I do worry about it. I try to ensure she gets a minimum of six hours a day with me around and her not confined to the cage, and lots of hands on time particularly early evening.

 

[Mare Miller]

That's a good question Sonja! U2s, IMO, do not make good pets, it is VERY hard to keep them happy. Amigo was my first bird EVER and wow, was I NOT prepared for what we were getting into! It took me a long time to really understand how to deal with such a forceful personality. They are incredible creatures. Scary smart, loving, overly protective, very destructive and hard to keep content.

 

[Pajarita]

If you have no experience with parrots and work full time, don't get a too. There are exceptions to every rule but all parrots need company and toos are one the neediest. There is a good reason why cockatoos are the number one given up bird and, in most cases, it's because people wanted them and thought they could make it work but, as the years went by, they realized they couldn't and, by then, the novelty had already worn off so out goes the poor bird. And this holds even truer for people who acquired toos when single and later got a better-half (the birds don't accept the other person and the owner has to choose between the bird and the boy/girlfriend and guess who loses?)

Why don't you think about a pair of cockaties or even conures? They could keep each other company while you are at work and would still love spending time with you...

 

[Seagulls]

Is it possible to have a cockatoo in my living situation? I also have a dog and a cat so there would be some kind of interaction with probably the cat when I'm not home.

As people have already said, the saliva of mammals (all mammals including us humans) contain bacteria that can be deadly to birds. Never leave mammal and bird alone together.

I would highly recommend you not start with a cockatoo. They are crazy smart and empathetic creatures. Umbrellas, especially, need to spend their lives with a devoted owner. They need a lot of mental stimulation, and it's very important you not give them too much or too little interaction. Too little stresses them out and makes them feel unloved, too much makes them totally and completely dependent on you.

Conures are a better starting bird, since I have never really liked tiels. If you want a bird with a personality closer to a cockatoo, quaker parrots are a good choice. Do not keep pairs of quakers in the same cage, since that turns them hormonally aggressive. And if you must get a cockatoo, try to find the less dependent kind. That means avoid the big ones. I personally love Goffins, I find them much more independent and forgiving. Also crazy smart little buggers.

EDIT: And this might sound silly but. A lot of birds like watching TV. If you set up a little TV for your bird, that might go a long way to keeping it happy while you're gone. I know my cockatoo LOVES watching TV, especially Law & Order. I think he likes the drama.

 

[Billy29]

I have had experience with parrots before. I had a cockatiel when I was a kid and a sun conure who passed away seven years ago. I handled the sun conure just fine and I was looking to move up to a larger bird.

 

[Seagulls]

Well, if you're confident in your abilities... I'd still stray away from the larger 'toos.

I've had exotic animals all my life, and spend all day every day at home. But I still don't think I could handle an Umbrella or other large 'toos. I hear Rose-breasted Cockatoos are fun, crazy smart birds. As are Goffins. Ducorps as well, but they're a bit harder to find.

 

[Jayyj]

Alice has the tv on during the day, plus a large cage with lots of branches, up to a dozen toys, a couple of which get changed daily, and treats hidden around the cage for her to dig out whole I'm gone. There's certainly a lot that can be done to soften the blow of leaving the bird during the day. I'm also really lucky in that her sleep habits from the beginning were to stay up as late as I'd allow her and make up the lost sleep with naps during the afternoon, so she's not awake the whole time I'm gone anyway. When I got her Alice had spent at least six months in a pet shop in an 18" square cage nearly 24 hours a day, so time alone or not I know her quality of life is a lot better now than it was then.

But, I still worry about it being to much time on her own and if I were choosing a bird in place of Alice, I'd probably go with a pair of smaller birds who could keep each other company. It's a tough call for sure.

I'd say it also depends how long you can afford to devote to the bird when you are home, as I don't really see any 'too being able to cope with only getting a couple of hours attention a day.

 

[Billy29]

I'm still considering a Amazon or maybe a rose breasted cockatoo. I'm honestly so confused but I won't be getting anything until I'm 100% sure.

 

[Billy29]

Major Mitchells are beautiful and smaller. Are they any easier?

 

[Seagulls]

Not an expert on Mitchells, but from what I've heard they are pretty intense like Umbrellas. High-strung, even aggressive. They're beautiful, but I find a lot of the most beautiful parrots are the ones you've got to be careful with!

Definitely more difficult than the Rose-Breasted. Price-wise, Mitchells are two to three times more expensive.

 

[Billy29]

Yeah I'm thinking if I got a cockatoo it would be a rose breasted. Just worrisome that a bird that is compared to a pigeon in Australia is worth so much here. Do they have the personalities of their larger cousins?