Cockatoo Species Information

A cuddly, but needy friend

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If you own a Cockatoo, then you know why they are called the "love sponges" of the parrots.

And you also know that they are the most needy of all the pet birds and often love their owners too much.

These birds make great pets, but ONLY if you are an extremely experienced bird owner. This is VERY important.

STOP! Before you buy a Cockatoo,
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These birds want your attention 24/7 and can cuddle with you for hours. They don't understand that you have a life and you'll most likely never get them to understand that. If you don't meet your bird's needs, he will most likely scream non-stop, pluck out his feathers, and become very aggressive. Feather plucking is a very serious condition--birds that begin to feather pluck can also start self mutilating.

These behavioral problems can come about from lack of interaction, wrong foods, bad placement, improper cages and many other factors. This is why they are the most common parrots found at bird rescues. So keep in mind that these birds require a very high time and care commitment.

You will also find that 'Toos are very loud. They love to scream and Moluccans can scream up to 135 decibels. Some will scream for attention and some will scream for no reason at all. They like to perform and show off, which can include screaming early in the morning as well as in the evening.

They can also be aggressive for no apparent reason. Because of this, you should never let your 'Too on your shoulder or dominant aggressive behavior may begin.

They are very smart, curious, and mischevious. They are expert escape artists and can open almost any cage door. You need to put locks on your bird's cage doors, but keep in mind that many can learn to pick a padlock or open a combination lock. They also love to chew and will destroy your home if left unattended.

While purchasing a cage, keep in mind that they not only need large cages, but also very well built cages. It's not difficult for a 'Too to learn how to take apart a poorly built cage.

They also differ by subspecies when it comes to behavior. For example, Goffin's are a bit more independent than the other subspecies, so they make better pets for the average bird owner. So, make sure you research the individual subspecies for more information.

If you are able to spend at least two full hours a day with your bird (out of his cage), not leave the house for 6 or more hours everyday, cook for your bird and provide him with a variety of healthy foods, handle the loud screaming, afford the large cage and huge amount of toys, and deal with the adjustment stage that can include aggression, then rescuing a 'Too might be a great idea. Make sure you research as much as possible because you don't want to add to the already out-of-hand rescue problem.

Because so many of these birds are left to rescues, I highly encourage you to visit your local parrot rescue, see what I'm talking about, and consider rescuing one of these poor magestic creatures instead of buying one in a store. If you can handle all this, then this really might be the right bird for you.

Cockatoo Species

Small-Sized
Bare-Eyed	Citron	Ducorp's	Goffin's
Lesser-Sulphur-Crested	Major Mitchell's	Rose-Breasted

Large-Sized
Blue-Eyed	Greater-Sulphur-Crested	Moluccan	Palm
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Cockatoo Training

Because 'Toos are such needy parrots, they can quickly become screamers and feather pluckers. Even if you spend a few hours with your 'Too every day, he may scream every minute you're not around. For this reason, we highly recommend that you find an effective training program for your 'Too. Whether your 'Too is new to your home or you've had him for years, a training program will always come in handy. We personally recommend the Bird Tricks Parrot Training Course by Chet Womach. You can see many of his videos for free to get an idea of how much he knows about parrots and how he can help you train yours. Below is one of Chet's videos that discusses how to keep your Moluccan 'Too from screaming. 'Toos tend to scream even if you spend plenty of time with them. This video is a great example of how effective the training courses are and how they are filled with a wealth of useful information for any bird owner. This video is really only the first step in stopping your 'Too from screaming. We highly recommend checking out Chet's curriculum for training your 'Too even further.

For more information about Chet's course, you can visit the Bird Tricks webpage here.

Related Articles:

• The Essential 'Too Supplies Checklist
• The 3 Must-Have Perches
• The Best Food For Your 'Too
• Find The Best 'Too Cages
• Toys Your 'Too Will Love