Inherited cockatoo

Hey there.

My Grandfather died a couple of months ago and I have inherited his pet cockatoo Snowy. I've never owned a bird before and I have no details about it. I don't know what type of cockatoo is is, the sex, or how old it is. All I know is that he had it for about 3 years and it was already fully grown when he got it.

So I've been living with the bird for a few months now and to be honest, it's not too bad. It screams its head off every morning for about 30 minutes (along with flying in circles around the room) But I can live with that.

I just think it's time I got some decent advice to make sure I'm not doing anything really wrong.

Some details on the birds set up, behaviour and temperament. All of which seem to be the same as when my grandfather was alive. (I have moved into his old house. So the bird has not had to move and all of it;s behaviour is in line with how it was whenever I would visit).

It has what I assume to be a decent sized cage. But it is never in it. My grandfather used to always let is out all day and it would sit perched on top of it. This continues. At night, when I say bedtime and get the sheet that covers the cage, it climbs back inside and stays there until morning where it seems to settle fine. The only time it is a problem is if he's in his cage and I cover it and remain in the room. Then he starts to "click" the bars franticly with his beak as if wanting to get out.

Inside it's cage it has a water bowl and a bowl of "bird seed" that are changed daily. I also give him fresh food such as fruit and veg during the day when he is out and on top of his cage.

He doesnt seem to be a very inquisitive bird. He never explores or really plays. If I try and out toys in his cage it just seems scared and wont go inside, or if he doies he then clings to the side of the cage as far away from them as possible. So basically he will sit on his cage all day. Sometimes climbing back inside for food or water. But that is about it. I have never seen him on the floor or any other surface just looking around or playing.

It is not hand trained and wont be picked up (I know this was the same with my grandad) but he is a big softy. I can go to him and stroke his head/break/chest or even put my hands around him and he will never bite. But if I try to pick him up he will just scream, try and escape and and push away my fingers with his beak. Never with enough force to to be what I would call a "bite" But with just enough to show that he wont be picked up. I imagine if I did try and pick him up he would maybe bite down hard enough to hurt me.

The reason I say he seems half tame though is when Im sat in the room watching tv or working at my desk, he WILL suddenly fly over to me and sit on my shoulder or on my chest. Sometimes just quietly othertimes he then starts to groom himself. And he will left me stroke it and open its wings and play with it. I could "hold it" between my hands... But if I tried to pick it up it would panic and fly back to his cage.

Every now and then I will see it trying to wash its self in its water bowl, I know when it did this my gramps had a green water/mister thing that he would fill with warmish water and spray the bird down. It did this for the first time with me the other night. I saw it splashing water so I grabbed the bottle. It then raced out of its cage up onto to the top and it and kind of spread its wings wide open to let me spray it down.. It seemed to love it... but it was then soaked to the bone and there is no way on earth it would let me pick it up or put a towl around it.. So I ended up just turning up the house heating to make sure it didnt get cold as it dried...

The best way I can describe it is it is super tame but only on its own terms. Sometimes I would swear it thinks I am the pet... Which brings me to the next thing...

Look away now folks.. some might find this a bit disgusting...

But when it comes to meal times and Im sat at the chair eating, he will always expect to eat too. He will fly down and want to actually take food from my mouth. Not in an aggressive way. I think my grandfather let him do this. I don't. So he just sits there frustrated until I end up giving him something from the plate and letting him think he's snatched it and then he flies back to his cage to eat it...

This is probably the biggest complaint I have with the bird. It's just a massive pain at meal times.

I am also worried that is it ever gets ill or injured and I have to go to a vets, it will freak out if I try and hold it/pick it up.

So I guess I'm after some advice. Does behaviour seem weird/normal? Can it be trained to step onto my hand and not freak when I try and pick it up.

Is it normal to leave food inside the cage? This sucker seems to be hungry and eating all day long, be it bird food, fresh food or whatever I'm eating.

Hope you can help.

Snowy

Hello and welcome to our forum! I can't help with all of the questions, but I thought I would give you a couple of ideas.

I think he really needs some toys, but as you have said he is quite scared of them. What I might suggest doing is getting some natural toys, like wood/pine cones etc, so this might be a little less scary for him. Just very slowly introduce the toys, have them sitting in the room, so he can see them but isn't being faced with them in his safe place. Then just move them closer to the cage each day, or have it somewhere where its in clear view, but won't make him uncomfortable. This could get him used to the idea, and not scare him as much when you put it into his cage. Even though he doesn't seem depressed/isn't plucking or anything like that, it will be some good mental stimulation for him and he will be much happier when he realises that toys are fun.

You are doing the right thing by not letting him eat the food from your mouth, our mouths can contain bad bacteria which can be very harmful for birds. Might I suggest you give him some cooked veggies or a little bit of what you are eating (if its healthy) so that he feels he is eating with you, as eating is a social thing for birds in the wild and they like to eat with their flock mates.

Him opening his wings and flapping is a great indicator that he loved his bath. You can dry him off with a hair dryer on the cold or low setting if you have one, they usually love this as well!

Other then that, I can't help you on the other topics, hopefully someone else here will chime in! He looks great by the way!

Welcome....

He looks like perhaps he is a Ducorps Cockatoo...and he looks very healthy, has he been to the vet for a check up (nevermind, just reread your post).

I think since he is friendly, and will come to you on "his terms" I would try sitting in the room and playing with toys that you have gotten him, Cockatoos are very "nosey" and want to see what you are doing when you're having fun......He may come over to investigate.....offer to let him touch/play with the toy.....he may fly away, but after a few times, he may just decide he wants to play too. A great "first toy" might be as simple as the empty rolls from TP or paper towels....our fids love these!

For getting him to step up/let you hold him.....try when he comes over for food....hold the food a little out of his reach with one hand....place the other hand where it will be natural for him to step to get the food....if he steps on the hand....don't move it....just let him sit there.....after a few times try moving the hand just a bit...so that he realizes he's there.....I think maybe he just hasn't experienced these things...so is naturally reluctant to try them.....patience is the key with these guys....

Good luck with him no matter what, he's lucky to have someone who cares enough to ask these questions!

Ditto on ducorps!!! You usually don't see these guys around much anymore!

Also ditto to what the previous posters said.

Now as far as diet, I would suggest a pellet based diet (Harrison's, Roudybush, TOP's, Mazuri....) with seeds and nuts as treats. The soft food portion of the diet should consist of healthy grains (cooked or sprouted - about 30%), healthy legumes (cooked or sprouted - about 15%), mixed vegetables (fresh or lightly steamed - about 45%) and some fruits (fresh is best - berries and exotic fruits also best - about 10%). You could always use sprouted seeds instead of dry seeds, as these will ultimately be healthier. That, and the occasional cooked eggs.


If he loves attention, any way to lure him onto your hand? With Casey, my hand raised cockatiel, I was able to get her to come to me in one of two ways. One, use a favorite treat (millet!) or two, wriggle my finger (an invitation to give her scritches). Millet works almost every single time! If I don't have it, wriggling my finger also works most of the time. With the attention method, I'd just lay my hand down flat (on top of cage surface, for example), then wriggle my finger past my hand and get her to come over. If she accepted, I'd give her scritches, then move my finger above my hand and continue. She would put her head down on my hand and I'd give her scritches. Then I'd move my finger behind my hand so she'd have to put her foot/feet on my hand to continue receiving scritches.

The millet method works basically the same, and even works on my non-tame birds! It's a favorite food, and if at any point they are hesitant, I go back a step!


It's great to allow birds to dry off on their own! It can be a great way to promote preening and helps to keep their feathers in great shape! Just make sure that it's not too late at night and that it's not too cool in your home.


Meal times - what about making a plate of food for yourself, and a separate one for him with healthy things to eat? If he tries taking food from your plate, simply give him something from "his" plate/dish instead?


Parrots can easily consume at least 10-25% of their body weight in food every day. A bird who is active and exercises frequently is more likely to consume more food than a bird who doesn't do much.. so yes, that's pretty normal!


Might I suggest, if you can afford it, buying another cage with a larger door? He may be afraid of it at first, but it may help with keeping the cage cleaner as well as arranging items within the cage. You may even want to invest in a cage with a playtop so you can try introducing toys to him on the outside of the cage - plus playtop cages typically have dishes for food and water on top!

Add in some more perches (wooden and cotton rope) and maybe start out with some small wooden toys? Maybe even a phone book! Start small and work your way up to larger toys! Look into foraging toys as well! You can even create your own foraging activities for him at home! Cockatoos are typically inquisitive birds, as long as they aren't afraid of something. Get some mini muffin cups, place seeds, food, and nuts inside, wrap it up in a little ball and place into his dish! Start simple!

I wouldn't change to much with him at all. Cage is fine especially if it's only to sleep. His diet needs attention though. Don't feed dry seed everyday. I would like to see him on a more healthy balanced diet.

My SC Too eats just about everything i give him. He has seed but only eats the sunflower so he only gets dry seed once a week & only a smally amount. He mostly gets soak seed mix with fruits & veg chopped & mixed through.

All About Cockatoos - MyToos.com

Do not let him feed from your mouth as our saliva contains bad bacteria that can be fatal to birds. Agree with others, change his diet. Seed is VERY bad for birds, should only be used as treat. Move him to a pellet,fruit and veggie diet. Use seed for treats ONLY .

Cockatoos tend to be afraid of new things such as toys. They don't like changes very much. Let him get used to you for awhile before you start adding more toys. Place the toys to where he can see them then place it within his cage. Over time they will learn to accept new toys from you very quickly. My LSC too was like that but not anymore. Now days if I stick a new toy within, it would be chewed on within seconds of it being placed within the cage. The type of pellets you choose is up to you as pellets are better over seeds any day. But I highly doubt the fat within the seeds would do him too much harm as he flies around the room to get exercise.

he is tame but is afraid to perch(or doesn't know how) if he'd been dropped repeatedly or thinks hands are stable he won't want to stand on them.

Thanks for the advice guys. Lots of reading to do and work to be done it would seem. I am in Manchester in the UK by the way. Any UK owners here? Can you recommend a good place online to buy pellets?

Deant said:

Thanks for the advice guys. Lots of reading to do and work to be done it would seem. I am in Manchester in the UK by the way. Any UK owners here? Can you recommend a good place online to buy pellets?

Click to expand...

Hello, I am in the UK

Here are some good places to buy pellets...

Parrot Supplies - UK Online Bird Shop, Huge Range, Fast Delivery

Scarletts Parrot Essentials - Toys, Cages, Stands and More!

Complete Diets

Parrot,Toys,cages,foods,seed,parrots,birds,

Hi, I'm in the UK too, and I've only had my 'too for four months. Your little chap looks beautiful.

Definately introduce things for him to do. But don't think toy, think 'destroy'. My lad didn't play when I got him. (And he is still terrified of new 'shop bought' toys. I usually hang them on the outside of the cage at first.) The first thing I offered him was a piece of card, and when he gave it a tentative bite I praised him up so that he knew it was a good thing. It took him only a few days to get the idea and I was soon stuffing cardboard tubes with crumpled paper and treats wrapped in cake cases for him. Paper cups are good too, hang them on a food spike or tie with a short length of bird safe string. Load them up with anything and everything. In fact those food spikes are so useful I've got several. Handy for fruit and veg of course but they make toy making easy and are quickly refillable with wood and acrylic beads, knots of paper, leather, envelopes - show him what you're putting inside an envelope and he'll soon get the idea. Toys for 'toos don't have to be expensive - but, having got the idea now, Gwynn also adores the acrylic puzzle type of foraging toy. His biggest favourites are Barrel of Fun and Snack Rack. Expensive but long lasting and worth it for the amount of enjoyment they give him even when empty. Another great favourite with him is a stainless steel nut, bolt and washers.
There you go, more food for thought - have fun and do tell us how you get on!