Getting rehomed Too on Saturday

I am adopting a 13 year old Umbrella Cockatoo on Saturday. This sweet boy was raised in the same household all 13 years. His owners' kids have since moved out and gone to college and they find that they cannot give him the attention that he loves and misses so much. They have been keeping him in a room different than one they spend time in and he is lonely.

In my house, I have 2 older children (11 and 13), myself and my husband...2 parakeets and 3 dogs. We will have him in the family room (our house is basically one big room, open floorplan) so he will be around us all the time. There is only a 3-4 hour time period a few days a week where he will not have anyone there. Our house is one where something is always going on so he will be excited to be right in the middle of it!

His owners are really nice people and they have scoped me out and feel that we will be a great fit for Kiwi. Myself, I have researched Toos for years and have wanted one since I was a kid (I am now 34!) so I am so ready. We cannot have any more kids so I announced to the family that this is our new "baby" who will be with us for the next 50 years or more!

I do have a question tho...since this will be a drastic change from his home of 13 years, how do you think he will adapt? His owners seem to think it won't take long but I want to make it as low-stress as possible for him. Any suggestions?

A few months ago, I adopted a 14-yr old sulfur crested too. I just let him do everything on his terms. I opened the top part of the cage that comes down like a platform and let him decide when to come out.
At first he just liked to watch everything and be talked to (and handed almonds....his drug of choice. LOL)
Now, I still let him choose when to come out and hang out with me, and I also have a playstand he can sit on.
So, I would just talk to him and let him make the decisions when to come out. He'll adapt just fine.

We adopted Nic Nic, our Eleonora about 2 months ago.

Every bird will be different, but our guy seemed to adjust very nicely. Like JensFlock said, let him do things on his terms. Our Nic was very shy and quiet for the first few weeks but now he seems to be coming into his own. He has adapted to our schedule well. Mornings he is quite and happy to stay in his cage, evenings is his time and he knows it. This is when he spends time with us, out of his cage.

The schedule works beautifully with our schedules (and our two little boys).

The only advice I would give is, while spending time with him is important, do your best to give him enough of his own time to entertain himself. Another too owner told e to try and NOT spend more time with him when he is "NEW" to the family than you will be able to spend with him once he is a normal part of your everyday. I think this is sound advice.

I adopted my U2 a few years back. She came with alot of history so adjusting was a bit more difficult. She is such a joy and I cant imagine my life without her.

I agree with the above give her time and let her actions guide you. She will let you know when shes ready to join your flock.

Congrats and please post pics

It's been about 6 days and Kiwi has acted like he's lived here forever since the minute he came into the house! The first couple of days it was like having a baby again...whenever I would walk away from him he would scream and we would have to play the game of cover on...cover off....it was like I was up and down all day. (I told my 13 yr old son that he reminded me of him when he was a baby!) Whenever we would pull the cover down, he would be quiet and say his sweet words "Hello...I love you" haha

The screaming is LOUD but we are getting used to it. He LOVES everyone who comes into the house and joins in to get all excited with our 3 dogs. Anyone who enters our house has to be prepared for the very boisterous and loud welcome that they get!

I'm actually very surprised that he has adjusted so well. He comes right out of the cage to me so we can cuddle. Even his owner of 13 years had to pry his beak and claws away from the bars to get him out sometimes. He has never done this with me. As soon as I open the cage he wants to come out and get loved and preened.

In the evening hours he gets really excited and dances/head bangs if you play music. Funny he won't do this earlier in the day.

I love this boy so much, he's just what I imagined having my own Too would be like. Perfect!!

So happy for you...funny how similar your story sounds to my own.
Nic is most active in the evening as well. Loves to dance, bounce and swing around then, but never earlier in the day.

It is also remarkable just how accustomed to a 'Too scream you can become. Nic is super quiet for a 'Too but he still cuts loose once in a while.

The first time he really went off I swear I started looking for Cockatoo recipes on the internet. I NEVER thought we would be able to deal with that sound.

Luckily he only does that rarely, maybe once every day or two...but even when he does we go about our business and it doesn't bother us all that much (it's NOT pleasant by any means, but at least tolerable)...for guests though, it is still fun to watch them jump out of their skins when he screams a greeting at them!!!