Is this normal?

Ripstied · Jul 19, 2015

We've had Kili for a couple weeks now, an umbrella cockatoo. She loves to sit on her Java tree and have us scratch her head and neck. We stay away from her body and under wings. She is in LOVE with my hubbie. Quiet all day and when he walks in the door she starts dancing, clucking, bobbing, whistling, etc. she practically jumps off the tree where she rarely voluntarily comes off the tree for me.
We bring her in bed to watch tv and give her some love at night for a couple hours before bed. She'll let me hold her and scratch her head and neck but it's obvious she prefers my husband. Problem is she never seems happy with what she gets. She wants us to scratch under her wings and she turns her rear to us. Twice now she starts fluffing her feathers out, bobbing, and singing, clicking almost like a chicken, and the she takes a run at my husbands face and tries to peck him really hard (she succeeded once). She then runs off as if HE hit HER! She's all quivery and tense after that as if we're abusing her. Any thoughts?

Anansi · Jul 19, 2015

How old is Kili? Sounds to me like mating behavior. She seems to see your husband as a mate. I would suggest that you discourage this behavior. Don't make a big deal about it, but maybe move her to a stand or something when she starts "presenting" so that she gets a chance to cool off.

You might also want to cut down on her daylight hours and get her to sleep earlier. (Longer days are often a trigger for mating behavior.) And maybe get rid of anything that might be perceived as nesting type areas or material.

I'm not sure when mating season is for cockatoos, (I'm sure one of our cockatoo experts will be able to chime in on that) but this may just be something you have to ride out for now. Just make sure not to encourage it.

Oh, and if she's making runs at his face, you should no longer allow her to be in a position to do so. Cockatoos are sweet and affectionate birds, but the damage those beaks can potentially do to a face is ruinous. That kind of access to one's face is an expression of trust. If she's proven that she can't be trusted, at the moment, with that access, you should make adjustments accordingly. She's only acting on instinct.

Hope this helps.

Allee · Jul 19, 2015

I agree with everything Anansi/Stephen said. Please be careful with your new Too until you know and trust your new friend. Toos are easily overstimulated and even a trustworthy Too can act aggressively in the right circumstances.

Toos are cavity nesters, allowing them to play on the bed or on the floor can trigger nesting behavior which leads to overstimulation and possible aggression.

A good way to redirect a Too's focus is to give him or her something to do/destroy.

It's good to keep a Too's beak and brain busy.

Scott · Jul 19, 2015

Agree with all of the above!

Not sure if there is a specific breeding season; it may vary with local climate.

My three Goffin babies were born in the span of February through May in Southern California.

Ripstied · Jul 20, 2015

Anansi said:
How old is Kili? Sounds to me like mating behavior. She seems to see your husband as a mate. I would suggest that you discourage this behavior. Don't make a big deal about it, but maybe move her to a stand or something when she starts "presenting" so that she gets a chance to cool off.

You might also want to cut down on her daylight hours and get her to sleep earlier. (Longer days are often a trigger for mating behavior.) And maybe get rid of anything that might be perceived as nesting type areas or material.

I'm not sure when mating season is for cockatoos, (I'm sure one of our cockatoo experts will be able to chime in on that) but this may just be something you have to ride out for now. Just make sure not to encourage it.

Oh, and if she's making runs at his face, you should no longer allow her to be in a position to do so. Cockatoos are sweet and affectionate birds, but the damage those beaks can potentially do to a face is ruinous. That kind of access to one's face is an expression of trust. If she's proven that she can't be trusted, at the moment, with that access, you should make adjustments accordingly. She's only acting on instinct.

Hope this helps.

What great advice. Thanks! We have been keeping her up probably late. I notice she gets very animated at night. I thought she was just excited, but maybe that's a clue that's she's tired. Also the last couple nights she nudges her whole body under my bed covers. I thought maybe parrots like that sort of thing, but maybe she's nesting. We didn't pet her much (always only around her head) last night and she was way better. No presentations. It was so sad though! A couple times she would gently take one of my husbands fingers and pull it over to try and get him to rub her! BTW, the breaded says Kili is year and half.

Is this normal?

Ripstied

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Anansi

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Allee

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Scott

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Ripstied

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Must Re-Home My Human!

Does my cockatoo want a "bed"?

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