| COCKATOOS AS PETS- Fantastic Companions But VERY Demanding |
| Cockatoos can make very good pets and wonderful companions to anyone who has the time and love to dedicate to them. They are extremely intelligent, affectionate and attention craving birds. Cockatoos require a big commitment and may not be suitable for everyone. There is a lot to take into consideration before giving one of these amazing birds a home, and you need to have a good think about whether you will be able to provide everything it need and deserves, especially seeing as you and your friend could be together for up to about 70 years or more! You cannot leave a cockatoo alone for long periods of time every day, as they get lonely, bored and frustrated. This is one of the various reasons some birds pluck out their own feathers. Do not consider buying a cockatoo if you are not prepared or are unable to spend at least two to three hours each day playing with, cuddling, exercising, talking to and feeding your bird. Large cockatoos can be extremely loud, the loudest probably being the Moluccan Cockatoo. Naturally they emit a series of screeches and screams, especially when bored or seeking attention. You may find however, that your pet cockatoo imitates your pet dog, telephone or alarm clock! The volume of some of the larger species, make them totally unsuitable for people living in flats, apartments and semi-detatched houses. your neighbours will hate you. Cockatoos are naturally very destructive and if left out of their cage unattended will love nothing more than to chew your furniture and shred your curtains to bits. They are also very curious birds so you need to keep anything that may be harmful to them out of the way and supervise them whilst they are out of their cage to make sure they don’t swallow anything or injure themselves. You need to treat your cockatoo as a companion rather than just a pet. They form very strong bonds with their owners and will love you so much that they may even resent you showing affection to anyone else, be it a family member or another pet. Your cockatoo may even come to regard you as a mate. They are very loving, trusting, entertaining and comical, and if you are able to look after them properly, will be an extremely rewarding 'pet', even your best friend. |
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| Wait! Are you thinking of getting a Cockatoo? Yes, cockatoos can make good pets for the right people. However, there are few perspective 'parrot people' that make a good match for these demanding birds. Before you do anything else, DO YOUR RESEARCH! Read the books, read the web pages and speak to people who own or have owned cockatoos (first hand experience is the best advice you will get!) You might think you can take one on, but can you really? Will you be being fair to the parrot? It's so sad that people don't realise what they're getting themselves into when they buy a cockatoo and sooner or later pass the bird onto someone else because they can no longer stand the screeming, the destroyed furniture, the dust, or they feel they 'don't have the time' for the bird anymore. It's a story I have heard many many times. The poor bird doesn't deserve to be passed around like an object because people don't know what they're doing. I thought I could take on a a large cockatoo but I'm so glad I chose a different species of parrot, because now that I often spend some length of time with Pearl the U2, I have realised how unsuited to that species I was, and how unpopular with my family I would have been! Luckily for me, I hadn't left it too late to realise that! Unlike many people. If in the tinyest bit of doubt, DON'T GET ONE!!!!! Ask yourself- "why do I want a Cockatoo?" because another species may be the way to go. This is a great site that I think anyone who is thinking about buying a cockatoo should visit first. |
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| Pearl the Umbrella Cockatoo may look as though butter wouldn't melt in her beak, but she's noisy, destructive and seeks constant attention |
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