Should I get a cockatoo?

Hello, my name is Nicole. I am 17 years old. I have a GCC and two Cockatiels. I know A LOT about birds! I research about them all the time! And I always research before getting another one. I was really wanting a Sulphur Crested Cockatoo, or a Rose Breasted Cockatoo. I wasn't sure if one was better than the other, or if it was a bad idea altogether. I am homeschooled and have a lot of time on my hands. I spend a lot of time with my birds that I do have. I already know that Cockatoos require a lot of time and attention, and I have the means to fulfill that. If anyone could give me any advice, that would be great! Thanks.

i don't suggest it. I know you have a lot of time right now, but do you have plans for college? Marriage? Job change? What will you do if you fall in love with someone who is afraid of big beaks, or who your cockatoos HATES? Not just "I won't sit with you" hate, but "I will scream down the house when I see you, and do my best to actually violently attack you never I get the chance!"? And if that bird bites you for being near that person?

What if you end up with a job where you work long hours, and no one is home to care for your bird who is used to seeing you al the time, and he begins to pluck or self mutilate?

I'm not saying don't get one, I'm saying that 15-25 years old is a time of upheaval and changes that you have no way to predict. The people you live with will change, the amount of money you have will change, the place you live will change, the amount of time you have will change, so it is not an ideal time to be adding another parro, especially one one that is one of the species who most often ends up with major emotional problems. I love cockatoos, but you asked for advice, and I'm giving you the advice someone should have given me at your age. It would have saved a lot of heartbreak for me and my pets.

Hello Nicole! Welcome to the forums! We're happy to have you here. We'd love to see photos of your GCC and your cockatiels. What are their names?

Cockatoos are magical creatures but extremely challenging to care for, even for experienced parrot guardians with the best of intentions. Of the two you mentioned, the Rose Breasted would probably be a little less challenging than the Sulphur Crested, they tend to be less demanding and have more mellow personalities.

Before you make a decision to adopt a Too, please consider their very long life span and visit some of the larger shelters in your area if possible. If there are no local shelters, do your research online. Most of the rumors about Toos are sadly true, that's why so many find themselves in shelters. It's hard to find a larger Too that hasn't been rehomed several times.

If you are one of those people that adore Toos and can handle all that comes with caring for them, hold on to the idea until the time is right.

Of the two species both can be challenging but galahs have a far better reputation for being more adaptable to changes in circumstance and less prone to screaming, plucking etc. The white toos have a fearsome reputation for behavioural issues. Socialising is a big deal as well and you'll need to get the bird used to having new people about.

There's no way I would have been able to cope with a bird in my late teens and early twenties but I don't want to automatically say it's not possible for someone else to do so. You need to think carefully about what in your life might change and how having a bird that requires several hours of interaction a day is going to impact that. That means education, jobs, relationships, travel, family. There's a lot that will change in your life over the next ten years and there will be sacrifices if having a large parrot is something you're determined to do.