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Cockatoos are my passion and my favorite pet bird. However, they are NOT for everyone. They are NOT for those wanting a decoration, nor for anyone incapable of setting guidelines and consistency. They are NOT suitable for anyone living in an apartment, condo, or with close neighbors. They should not be "first" birds; nor be given to children as pets. In fact, the majority of cockatoos really do not like small children and you must watch your children closely if you share your home with one of these birds. Cockatoos are one of the species of birds you will often find in a rescue situation due to plucking, screaming, or other behavioral issues normally brought on by it's owner and/or environment. This species truly needs an owner who has done extensive research into the characteristics of this complex parrot, understands when it "grows" up it may become hormonal at times, and can cope with a bird that is often compared in intelligence to a two year old child. For these reasons, we are extremely picky about whom we select to own one of our babies.
ALL cockatoos are LOUD! No cockatoo should be considered for anyone living in an apartment or condo or with close neighbors. The larger cockatoos can produce calls that can be heard a mile away. To truly appreciate how loud a cockatoo can be, (and bear in mind this is a moluccan not an umbrella you will hear) please visit this site MyToos and listen to the Moluccan for an example. Cockatoos are naturally boisterous. They live in a flock and spend the majority of their time foraging for food and playing. When they play they throw up their crests, strut around on top of/or in their cages, spread their wings, and scream for the sheer joy of voicing their opinion. A happy cockatoo is not a quiet cockatoo. However, a well raised, socialized, baby with set ground rules, will normally not yell all day, but confine the majority of it's vocalizing sessions to greet the day, play time, and in the evening before bed. I taught one of my umbrella hens to "whisper" instead of scream. It took alot of patience but was well worth the effort as you can imagine.
The Umbrella baby is absolutely precious. Other than a Moluccan, you won't find a cuddlier cockatoo baby. These birds have earned the reputation as "velcro" birds for a reason. They thrive on being held, petted, and coddled. As such, it is extremely easy to spoil these little ones. Obviously, it is not in one's best interest to do so. Cockatoos must have consistency or at least a routine of sorts, started when young to keep them happy. In other words, if you cover their cage at night when babies, you should plan on always covering their cage. A greeting of "good morning" followed by uncovering the cage, picking up the bird for a morning pet or kiss, then feeding warm foods for breakfast gives the baby something to look forward to. Conversely, ending the evening with a short scritching session, covering the cage and whispering "night night" establishes another pattern. Note that these activities do not and should not be at the exact same time each day, as these birds will learn to expect breakfast/attention at that time and can become little monsters about it. Normally, breakfast in our house is anywhere from 8:00 a.m. to 9:00 a.m. and bed-time can be as late as 10:00 p.m. to give you an idea.All cockatoos are very playful and must have a variety of toys, rotated frequently, at their disposal for shredding, chewing, and simply enjoying. Many large cockatoos, mainly males in my experience, love "gadgety" type toys with nuts/bolts and/or puzzle toys that they must figure out how to take apart. Foraging toys that you can hide nuts or other treats in are also relished. In the wild, these birds are ground feeders so foraging is something that comes natural to them. Many cockatoos enjoy musical toys. Our favorite on-line toy store is Busy Beaks.
Cockatoos are very energetic, clownish birds with a love of play. Therefore, you cannot confine them to a small cage and expect them to be happy about it! We have found that the larger the cage, the happier the cockatoo! Since most baby umbrella's can be clumsy, we start them in a "baby" cage and then once they get the feel for it we "graduate" them to a larger cage. The cage we like is the Avian Adventures Castillo dometop or playtop. This cage is approx. 38" wide by 30" deep x 48" tall (inside dimensions for playtop). The Grande is the ideal size for a permanent cage once the baby has mastered the art of perching, feeding, etc in a smaller cage.
Cage location if you have a single cockatoo household should be in the family room or area that the most activity occurs (but NOT the kitchen due to noxious fumes, etc). The Umbrella cockatoo loves to be in the midst of goings on, and this way you can scritch it's head when you pass the cage, maybe offer a piece of food that you are eating that is good for it, and talk to it. You do not have to take it out every second, indeed you should not. It needs to learn to play by itself in it's cage as well as enjoy out time when you decide to take it out.
Playstands can be an important item in a parrot's closet, but the majority of Cockatoos will not stay on them for any length of time. They will get down the minute you turn your back or leave the room, and wander around getting into mischief or simply looking for you. Our pet bare-eye, Yogi, gets down and calls out plaintively "up-up!" which alerts me that she is on the floor and wants to be picked up. She also says "up-up" in the morning when she is uncovered and raises her foot expectantly.
We feed our pet cockatoos a wide variety of vegetables, nuts, grains (sprouted), Zupreem fruit blend pellets, and Goldenfeast Schmitts Original Fruit & Nut blend. In the mornings they typically get a bowl of warmed veggies & fruits topped with birdie bread, sprouts, or ground flax seed. Other days they might get Beak Appetit, my bean mix (made with cooked black beans, soy beans, lentils, pinto beans, split peas, chopped kale, chopped broccoli, chopped tomato, chopped cooked sweet potato or yam, chopped zuchhini, and chopped apple) or a rice bowl with brown rice topped with shredded cheddar cheese (not too much please), chopped chicken well cooked and not too much, cooked green peas and cooked corn. I also give them pasta, either cooked or dry, and they love it. Pellets are available at all times in a separate bowl and seed mix is given in another bowl. They are on Lixit quart size water bottles but also receive a crock of fresh water every morning with their breakfasts. I use Manu mineral blocks in all the cages as I feel it is the most natural mineral block on the market.
Please do as much research as you can. Ask questions. Make an appointment to come meet the babies and be prepared to fill out an application prior to placement. Refer to our Terms/Conditions page for more information. A hand-fed, well socialized Umbrella cockatoo can be a very loyal pet for many many years in the right situation. Please do not hesitate to contact us if you have any questions at all.
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