Owing a cockatoo will be rewarding. It is much different from having a cat or a dog. Cockatoos require a lot of attention, training and care. If you decide to bring a cockatoo into your life it will be a long commitment. They can live 60+ years. Cockatoos are great companions and will love to cuddle with you. You can teach them tricks and even dance with them. Once you have a bond with your cockatoo it is a very rewarding relationship.

Cockatoos are are happiest living in flocks. If you would like two it is best to get two males or two females so they do not breed. Breeding cockatoos should be left to the professionals as they require much behavioral training at six weeks of age when hand-rearing has begun.

Older cockatoos are great birds also. Most are grateful for the chance they are given. They can be trained but may require longer training sessions, 20 minutes a day. It may take awhile for them to get used to their new owners, new surroundings, new rules and new routines. They may even be depressed for awhile because they miss their old life and owners. Cockatoos bond with their owners very deeply in some cases and need time to heal. Allowing the cockatoo to get used to the new stuff slowly will be much appreciated and eventually you will be rewarded with a loving and trusting companion of your own!

TOYS

Bird toys play a large part in the well-being of your pet bird. A bird without toys is deprived of the stimulation that it needs to stay psychologically healthy. Toys are not an accessory they are a necessity! Cockatoos love toys! They provide exercise and busy work for them. Cockatoos require many forms of social activity. Bored cockatoos will scream, pluck their feathers and can become depressed. Birds are very active and busy in the wild. So as your pet they depend on you to provide fun activities such as chewing and shredding. Providing such activities for busy beaks is a never ending challenge. Birds enjoy chewing and destroying things plus it keeps their beaks in good condition and also exercises their powerful facial muscles! Cockatoos enjoy colorful and fun toys to chew and shred. Toys with lots of color, chewable parts, knots to untie, and various textured parts work best. Always make sure the parts are all bird safe:

• Cotton rope should be 100% natural, unbleached and not cordage
• Any coloring should be non-toxic
• Metal parts should be stainless steel or nickel plated steel
• Wood should be natural & untreated
• Leather should be vegetable tanned & untreated

Rotating toys is important. Move toys around in the cage to different areas to keep them interested. Adding new toys weekly keeps cockatoos stimulated. If they become bored with a toy they may move on to plucking their own feathers! A variety of shapes and materials should satisfy these inquisitive birds. Destroying a toy gives them something to do and deters them from becoming bored. Offer as many different types of toys as possible and rotate often. BUSYBIRD.COM provides toys that contain lots of different parts to shred and various parts to chew. As toys are being rotated, they should be washed and clean before they are put in the new location. Some cockatoos like when you play with the toy and show them the moveable parts. If you make it look fun they usually follow your lead and play like crazy!









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