Help me choose the right Cockatoo

Hello everyone!

So I've had a lovebird for a year now and completely adore her. I also have been adoring owning a bird and would love to get a cockatoo. For some reason, I'm drawn to this species of bird. I have a problem though...
The cockatoo would have to live outside (big covered patio with a lot of family movement). I live in Miami, Fl. I went to a breeder here in Miami which told me they can live outside but at night to be brought in. Is this true?
Also, i don't know which to purchase a Citron Crested or a Lesser Sulphur, please advise as to which would do better in the Florida outside climate.

thank you for your help!

I imagine the weather for the most part would be warm enough. However, there is a chance someone could steal the bird. Also cockatoos can be really loud so that can anger any neighbors you have.

Abigal7 said:

I imagine the weather for the most part would be warm enough. However, there is a chance someone could steal the bird. Also cockatoos can be really loud so that can anger any neighbors you have.

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thanks for the reply. The neighbors won't be an issue at all. thankfully. Yes they can steal her/him but it'd be hard. I think the weather is for sure warm enough. I can bring her/him at night just in case the rats want to bother it.

thanks for the reply.

I used to have extended stays in Florida frequently, and I'd agree that the bird be brought in at night, so you'll have to have a reasonably sized indoor cage for sleeping and for when the weather conditions are unfavorable. Is the patio closed in any way? (Screen, glass, etc.) If not, and even if it is surrounded by screen there's still potential for predators. Birds of prey, foxes, all sorts of things. Where I lived there was a fox that would come right up to the porch when we took the little Manchester terrier out to go potty! They're quite fearless, and a caged or flightless parrot is seen as an easy meal. I don't have experience with housing birds outside, that's just my 2 cents.

Sterling1113 said:

I used to have extended stays in Florida frequently, and I'd agree that the bird be brought in at night, so you'll have to have a reasonably sized indoor cage for sleeping and for when the weather conditions are unfavorable. Is the patio closed in any way? (Screen, glass, etc.) If not, and even if it is surrounded by screen there's still potential for predators. Birds of prey, foxes, all sorts of things. Where I lived there was a fox that would come right up to the porch when we took the little Manchester terrier out to go potty! They're quite fearless, and a caged or flightless parrot is seen as an easy meal. I don't have experience with housing birds outside, that's just my 2 cents.

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All that you've written is very true and things to consider. The patio is open. I never see foxes, even rats for that matter but I do know that the birds can bring them near. The parrot would go in at night for sure, without a doubt. It just can't be inside all the time because of the noise level and the space.

thanks.

If your cockatoos screaming a door ain't gonna stop the sound. They can be heard down the street if they really want to be. A cockatoo can't spend most of its time by itself. Its going to need to be inside to hang out with you guys and socialize unless you spend most of your time on the patio. Or you are going to have one very unhappy cockatoo if it has to entertain itself. Personally, I think if you can't handle the sound you shouldn't get a cockatoo. Or if you live in a place where the sound will be a problem.

Florida has some very unpleasant weather. You are going to have to bring this bird inside at some point. What size cage can you fit inside? I would be worried about all the different bugs and animals that will be a threat or irritation for your bird but I'm sure with the right setup it can be done.

Do you know what it eats? How dangerous their hormonal period can be for you? How dangerous they can be to others if they pick you as their mate? The plucking and mutilation that can occur for a bird left by themselves? The amount of toys they need? How destructive they can be? How much of your time will really need to be devoted to this insanely needy bird? (Even a well socialized too can require a lot of your time.) And that even if you do everything right it can still go terribly wrong? A cockatoo is very different from a small bird. I'm not saying don't do it but make sure you know exactly what you are getting into. The white toos are gorgeous birds but they are also a little crazy and require an equally crazy owner. (Okay an owner that has lost their mind)

My first thought is the python snake problem in Florida.... Between snakes, raptors, rats, foxes, mosquitos, other critters with mites, bugs and who knows what else coming to visit.... No way in heck would I leave my cockatoo outside...

We live in a condo and have two cockatoos, no screaming problem but bare eyeds are not as problematic for that as other toos, and they are quite spoiled. The amount of daily interaction (out of cage) means you would also need to setup your living quarters out there.. Its just my opinion but Ivorys cage is really only for sleeping, she is out all other times unless no one is home which is hardly ever. I don't know how much interaction time you have with your lovebird, but white toos are very demanding and even if you raised a too to be independent and self entertain, you still need hours of playtime with people.

If you could visit a bird rescue and see first hand what happens when a too is not happy... Do a search on this forum for Folger and read the story about a too my daughter(riddick07) just adopted. Literally bringing home a white too is like having a 3 year old child that will never in your lifetime grow up. Toos are wonderful birds but its a huge commitment, noise really should be one of last things on the list, there are so many other considerations above noise....

I am sorry if that sounded mean or too strong.... Just want you to be sure a too is the right choice for your lifestyle today and for where you live.. We have met so many wonderful white toos at the shelter because they were not the best choice for the conditions the owners were in.

Hi. I have a Citron Crested Cockatoo.

If I had listened to every negative thing that people say about Cockatoos, I never would have gotten her. I have had very few issues with her. That being said, I am an EXTREMELY RESPONSIBLE, DEDICATED AND CARING companion and caregiver.....and I would NEVER leave my Cockatoo (or my other birds) to live outside.

I will tell you from what little experience I have (I have only had my Citron for a short time) they are above all else SENSITIVE birds. In order to keep a Cockatoo happy, you will have to forge a bond with him/her, that will involve that bird being CENTRAL to the activity of the family. Cockatoos do not thrive in the periphery. Unless your family spends the majority of their time outside where the Cockatoo will be housed, the bird will suffer. Plain and simple. You're not going to change the birds emotional keel. Its not possible. Additionally, Cockatoos (and other large birds kept in domestic situations) require a great deal of supervision. I will shortly address the (glaringly obvious) threat of predatory and outside dangers, but more importantly you should consider the fact that Cockatoos in particular are cunning escape artists. A Cockatoo left to watch you open and close it's cage will figure out in short order how it's done, and left outside, will have no further obstacles on it's path to freedom. (The many scenarios of what could befall a lost bird are horrifying, especially if the bird is clipped.) Another reason captive Cockatoos are birds which require a great deal of monitoring is because they are CHEWING MACHINES. You will have to provide a profound amount of safely chewable items for a Cockatoo, while insuring that NO unsafe items fall into their reach. Left to it's own devices, the Cockatoo will not always discern between the two. Regarding predators, both animal and human; think of it this way.. would you leave a baby outside un attended on a patio? Think of ALL the reasons you would never do that, and then realize that they also apply just as thoroughly (if not more so) to a bird.

I am not saying you should not get a Cockatoo. I am saying that it would be a very BAD IDEA, which would likely result in a HEARTBREAKING SITUATION, were you to acquire a Cockatoo of ANY species, and house it outside on a patio.

Honestly, if "noise level" and "space" are two issues for you, then a cockatoo is not the right bird. Perhaps you could consider putting off getting one until your living situation is more appropriate for a cockatoo. There is nothing more difficult to bear, for you and a cockatoo, than an unhappy cockatoo.
If you have neighbors within 200 yards, they will be annoyed by your bird being outside.

Coming in a bit late on this discussion, but I'm getting the impression you may have a bit more research to do before considering buying a cockatoo. They can be wonderful birds, but they really are one of the most difficult parrots to own. If you don't have 100% dedication or a whole lot of experience with large parrots, a cockatoo may be a bit much to handle. For starters, while it is nice to let a parrot hang out outdoors in warm weather, they aren't "aviary birds" who will be happy to live alone outdoors year-round, no matter how safe you make the cage from predators. You can have the fort-knox of parrot cages, but its not going to stop the parrot from being lonely. Parrots are flock-animals, and belong primarily indoors with you and your family. Cockatoos especially are attention-needy, and need a good 6+ hour time commitment from you each day to socialize and play with them. Think of them as feathery toddlers. Would you stick a 2 or 3 year old child out in the yard all day, every day and "bring it in at night"? If not, you shouldn't do that to a creature who is as intelligent as a 2-3 year old child. A large parrot belongs indoors, spending LOTS of time outside it's cage with the family every day.

Also, you can have no neighbors for 100 miles, but that doesn't mean YOU'RE going to be "unaffected" by the noise just because the bird is outside. Trust me, doors and windows make no difference when it comes to a cockatoo on full volume. My parents have one of the smaller cockatoos (goffin) and let me tell you, that itty bitty pigeon-sized bird makes a screech that sounds like nails on a chalkboard amplified to a 1000 decibels. You can hear him 2 blocks down the road from inside the house, further when he's out on the patio getting sunshine. In addition to being excessively loud, he is excessively destructive and highly intelligent. You could not imagine the amount of damage a creature that size can do, and he's not even neglected, he's well loved and out of his cage all the time. He once disassembled his cage from INSIDE, enough to escape and tear up the house (turned the stove on and pulled all the knobs off, flung mail everywhere, ripped all the couch pillows up, flung any decoration he could move, let the other parrots out of their cages to join in the fun, he is a little crap-head lol). My dad thought he got burglarized when he got home, but it was just the bird having a few hours of unsupervised destruction. And he is a small cockatoo, the bigger you get, the more "deviousness" you will get. The truth is, very few people are ok with the natural and normal behavior of cockatoos. My parents are in fact the ONLY people I have ever heard of who have had their cockatoo for more than 10/15 years (they've had him 39 years). Plenty of people have other species of parrots that long, but it's very very rare people have cockatoos for a long time because they have natural tendencies that do not mesh in the average home. Not saying it doesn't ever happen, but more cockatoos are destined for a lifetime of misery than a lifetime of happiness in domestic homes. Many cockatoos are destined to pluck themselves bald and chew holes in their chests because they are bored and do not get enough love. Most cockatoos will go through 7-10 homes in their lives. Most have a complete change from cuddly love-sponges as a juveniles to rather vicious to anyone but their perceived mate as they hit sexual maturity. PLEASE do A LOT more research before you get a cockatoo.

IF you just want a pretty white bird(s) for an outdoor aviary, why not get a couple doves? Obviously, you would still have to look into the predator concerns, but those kinds of birds are much easier care and a million times more suited to living in an outdoor enclosure with little to no human interaction than a parrot.

I'm also late to this discussion. I have an Umbrella cockatoo and I have to agree with all the excellent advice in the above posts. Adopting a cockatoo is like adopting a child and living with one is not for everyone. If noise is an issue for you then a cockatoo is not the right choice. Even a happy cockatoo flock calls. They are super emotional and super intelligent. They need an expensive balanced diet to stay healthy. They need a constant supply of toys and foraging opportunities and above all companionship. They need a lot of exercise and time out of their cages and they can't be left unattended. Please do some research before you choose a too. There are a lot of reasons that sanctuaries and rescues have so many of these magnificent birds. I don't mean to discourage you but I think you could find a better fit for your situation. Has anyone mentioned the three pronged beak or cockatoo bites that cause nerve damage? They love puzzles and can figure out almost any lock. Our boy has custom locks on his feed doors so he can't escape his cage at night. It can be such a rewarding experience but it also requires, patience, dedication, and understanding of the species. That said, I wish you luck with your decision.

I would say the best cockatoo for your situation would be a cockatiel (or a pair of them, if they have to live outside away from the family). And no, I am not joking...they are cockatoos (just mini ones!), but require less space and make far less noise than their larger cousins. They are absolutely lovely and undervalued little birds. Give them a chance if you haven't yet.

LambLion,
Not going to tell you what to do.. Bottom line is if you do not want this bird to be the center of your family joining in every daily task (as a child) then he will be a very unhappy bird.

We did all our homework before getting Butchie, and we were sure we could provide a good home for him. (He's 25yo) I can't lie though, it's been really hard for us (and him) because we can't really give him enough out of cage time when the others are out. He's a love and can be the sweetest bird on earth, but he can also go into fits where he bites and screams loud enough to be clearly heard down the street with all the windows and doors closed.