"Beginner" cockatoo

kcarly11

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Aug 7, 2016
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Black headed caique- Diego
Turquoise GCC- Rio
I've handled a cockatoo before and I already have a caique and a green cheek conure that I'm managing well so and I'm ready for another feathered friend! I'm looking into the smaller cockatoos, and I've done a lot of research on the goffins and galah/rose breasted and i was wondering the pros and cons of each and which one is easier to manage. I was told the galah is a good one to start with but I'm looking for people's experiences with them and some other opinions lol.
 

mypinklove

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Apr 20, 2016
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Charlie - 13 yr old RB2
I've got a RB2 and he's my heart but holy cow he drives me up a wall and is a ball of maniacal energy lol. I hear that the personalities are a real toss up with these guys. Mine is an energetic crazy loud screaming loving jealous beautiful smart sassy funny little pink ball of feathers and we love him.


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Hangry

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Jul 12, 2016
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Hi kcarly!

I personally have a U2, so my opinion might be moot, but I think that manageable cockatoos are few and far between. That's not to say that they don't exist, but I think that cockatoo are quite the handful across the board. They can be wonderful companions, but just mentally prepare yourself for a totally life-altering challenge :)
 

Scott

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Aug 21, 2010
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Goffins: Gabby, Abby, Squeaky, Peanut, Popcorn / Citron: Alice / Eclectus: Angel /Timneh Grey: ET / Blue Fronted Amazon: Gonzo /

RIP Gandalf and Big Bird, you are missed.
Frankly, there are no "beginner" cockatoos, only those slightly easier to live with!! I am most familiar with the Goffins and have a family of five. They are beautiful and intelligent little clowns, full of energy and personality. Their well being will demand lots of time, both of companionship and caring for their dietary and housekeeping needs. Life with a cockatoo is a challenging but unbelievably rewarding experience.

I would encourage you to spend time with several cockatoo species, either at sanctuaries, stores, or breeders to determine whether they are a good choice!
 

Jayyj

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Apr 28, 2013
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UK
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Alice - Galah cockatoo
With your previous bird expecience you should be able to handle either species you mention but remember any cockatoo can live for 50 years, so looking at either of them as options 'to start with' isn't the way to view it. If you get a goffins or a galah, get one because you really want that species. If you really want a U2 or M2, start volunteering at rescues and handling those species until you have a feel for whether you could cope with one.

Galahs are less prone to screaming, plucking and violence than the white toos but they're also very sensitive and they need a lot of consistant attention and enrichment if you want a bird like mypinklove describes. If they don't have that they end up nervous, fearful birds that take a lot of work to bring back. Persisting there's no species I'd rather have then a galah but it makes me cringe when they get referred to as a beginner cockatoo - they're not an easy bird, just easier to ignore if you don't want to put the time in. Put the time in and they're incredibly rewarding.
 

AmyMyBlueFront

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Apr 14, 2015
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Amy a Blue Front 'Zon
Jonesy a Goffins 'Too who had to be rehomed :-(

And a Normal Grey Cockatiel named BB who came home with me on 5/20/2016.
"Mine is an energetic crazy loud screaming loving jealous beautiful smart sassy funny little white ball of feathers and we love him."

This EXACTLY my feelings towards Jonesy! I adopted him,after the passing of Smokey,the TAG :eek: I listened to my heart and not my BRAIN! :rolleyes: And I did little to zero research on Goffins,or 'Too's for that matter.

Even tho The Cockatoo Man < that's what he called himself lol> was all of the above,and more,I am ashamed to have to admit I was not prepared for such an energetic,LOUD..."Beady-Eyed Monster"! < That's what I called him!>

I ran out of options with the little guy,and felt like a failure :eek: and had to rehome him. It turned out for the best for everyone. He is extremely happy in his new home,his new parronts love him to bits <even with his screaming and CUSSING> and he loves them...and Amy and I have our peace and quiet back!

I just strongly suggest RESEARCH RESEARCH RESEARCH!


Jim
 

LeaKP

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Aug 11, 2014
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The advice is all awesome. I second the motion to go and handle as many toos as you can at rescues, breeders, stores. You may find one in the process that clicks just right or a totally different species makes its way across your path and out of the blue you get the right bird for you.
 
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kcarly11

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Aug 7, 2016
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New York
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Black headed caique- Diego
Turquoise GCC- Rio
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yeah sorry about that, i worded that weird. i meant like which out of all the cockatoos are the most manageable? thank you for all your answers. i know they aren't beginner birds, that's why i put the "" around the word
 

jenphilly

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Oct 15, 2013
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BE2 (Ivory), B&G Macaw (Max), Budgie Group,
Granbirds- tiels; GCC (Monkey & Monster); Sun Conure (Loki); Bare Eyed Too (Folger); Evil Green Monster YNA (Kelly); B&G (Titan)
I live with a bare eye too personally (my Ivory who might one night become an appetizer because she can drive you insane)... lucky for her she is sweet, really lovable and knows to go into cute adorable mode after a cockatoo explosion...

I also have more experience then I wished with being involved with A Helping Wing.

Speaking from both sides of the fence... there is no beginner cockatoo. Goffins can be every bit as difficult to live with as an umbrella. One of the most wonderful cockatoos I ever met was a large Triton. The most vicious cockatoo I've ever met is my daughter's bare eye cockatoo Folger (who many who have been here for years has heard much about). One of funniest and most social cockatoos I've ever met is an umbrella, but she's not suitable to live in a home because she screams in a home situation.

Cockatoos take a very special (and maybe just stinking crazy) part of human personality to live with. I love my BE2, she really is one of the most wonderful, sweet and affectionate birds you could ever hope to have in your home - next breath, she loves to fly and we have high ceilings (14' in most areas), so she has become a wonderful flier. But in flying she found her voice and will often for absolutely no reason, fly thru the house screaming. Other times, she flies and issues the flock warning because her flock (us weird 2 legged flock members) are in danger. What danger you may ask... well the trash truck is apparently one of the most worrisome creatures roaming the earth... and the postal lady, she apparently is a serial killer... the wind blowing the trees around - well heck, the sky is falling... raindrops on the windows either are wonderful friends that she literally talks to or she screams about because we are going to drown.

When I work with adopters who think they want a cockatoo, I share my experiences with Ivory and I always end the same way... if I knew the day my husband pointed her out that I know today, at absolute best, there is a 50/50 chance at best I'd still bring her home. Cockatoos are not easy to live with and tho goffins, bare eyes and galahs are smaller toos, they can have all the same behaviors as their larger cousins. Don't think a small too means a quiet or non issue too.

Absolutely find a rescue near you and go volunteer... spend time working with toos and see (and hear) their behaviors first hand. There are wonderful sweet toos out there, not all are screaming, biting, hormonal or plucking monsters. But, you need to know that even if you do everything right and offer what all the too people tell you will make your cockatoo happy, it can all still go wrong and that bird can for reasons never understood, still scream and tear itself apart. Cockatoos don't follow any rules and they are absolutely the most surrendered bird in rescues. In just this past week, we've had calls from 4 or 5 people looking to surrender their cockatoos :(

Not saying don't get a too... just do all your homework, go volunteer and then do it all over again before you make that decision to bring one home.

Okay, I've babbled long enough...
 

Scott

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Goffins: Gabby, Abby, Squeaky, Peanut, Popcorn / Citron: Alice / Eclectus: Angel /Timneh Grey: ET / Blue Fronted Amazon: Gonzo /

RIP Gandalf and Big Bird, you are missed.
Cockatoos take a very special (and maybe just stinking crazy) part of human personality to live with.

Totally agree with this. Perhaps I am crazy enough to unleash my inner five year old when dealing with them. Funny to play games with them, such as "catch the birdie" with them flitting from cage to cage. Or when they are standing in separate parts of the room, I'll shift my head left to right while making eye contact with each. Within a few seconds they do the same, sometimes gyrating their heads crazily. Then one or more will break into a twirling motion, which I am very happy to join as well!!
 

Siobhan

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Apr 19, 2015
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Clyde, Quaker; Freddie, tiel; Rocky, umbrella cockatoo.
Although I adore my Rocky 'Too, here's the thing: Your other birds will get neglected. They will not get the time and attention they get now. You will find yourself devoting the majority of your time to a 'too, because they are so needy and so loud when they don't get what they want, which is to spend every moment with you. They are destructive. The only way to "manage" a 'too is to devote time and energy to him/her constantly. If I had it to do over, in spite of my love for Rocky, I would not have added a cockatoo to the flock. There is not enough of me to go around. They need to be the only bird.
 

plumsmum2005

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Nov 18, 2015
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Lou, Ruby, and Sonu.
Fly free Plum, my gorgeous boy.
I go with Siobhan's comments and I only have a RB2 LOL. They can and are manipulative, destructive, fussy, stroppy, time consuming, messy, very dusty and expensive in my case for Vet care.

The good points, they are clever, funny, loving, intelligent to quote a few. Be prepared, very prepared if you decide to take one on because it is for the long haul not just a short trip down the road.

Plum isn't prepared to share his mum and is doing his best to make sure he stays an only!
 
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Scott

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Aug 21, 2010
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Goffins: Gabby, Abby, Squeaky, Peanut, Popcorn / Citron: Alice / Eclectus: Angel /Timneh Grey: ET / Blue Fronted Amazon: Gonzo /

RIP Gandalf and Big Bird, you are missed.
A counterpoint to some of the common notions about cockatoos....

They are quite needy and demanding in captivity precisely because they are socially gregarious birds. Remove the flock, substitute the human(s) and roll the dice. Some will thrive, others just survive, and many experience multiple homes. Perhaps they are best served in our homes in multiple numbers. Does not necessarily have to be the same too species as I've had G2s befriend M2s and Citrons. Have had as many as 5 Toos of 3 species hanging out together for years without mayhem.

Obviously not practical or even desired for all, bit IMHO it illustrates a root cause of the worst too behaviors.
 

smbrds

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May 17, 2016
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Certainly each bird species is different for everyone, and even that specific bird, even though others have the same birds, can have different personalities. But especially cockatoos, are no exception. Some don't even recommend some or all of them as pets.

The biggest commitment is the longevity, so a plan in place knowing they will outlive you should definitely be thought about. Some birds in general, these days, are just living longer. In very rare cases and no such thing as a beginner bird, some have gotten certain birds as a "first bird" and rolled with the punches. But it's very rare. And sometimes it's the only person they have.

Cockatoos in particular are extremely special birds and shouldn't be taken lightly. With that said, the "most manageable" one from personal experience having been around an M2 and RB2, is the RB2. But they are also still a cockatoo. And manageable can also be subjective. It is true what has been said here about RB2s. Even though they're also a smaller 'too, they can still live a very long life.

There is excellent advice on this thread and information on this forum. The best way is to spend time with each individual bird, but also try not to be lured in by some while also still holding knowledge about them and thinking long term.
 

Georgetheparrot

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May 30, 2016
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Rose-breasted galah
I've had a galah for a few months now, this is the best bird I've ever owned. They have the funniest personality and love humans!
So i suggest you should look into galahs as they are also a good size to start off with too.
 

Scott

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Aug 21, 2010
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Goffins: Gabby, Abby, Squeaky, Peanut, Popcorn / Citron: Alice / Eclectus: Angel /Timneh Grey: ET / Blue Fronted Amazon: Gonzo /

RIP Gandalf and Big Bird, you are missed.
I've had a galah for a few months now, this is the best bird I've ever owned. They have the funniest personality and love humans!
So i suggest you should look into galahs as they are also a good size to start off with too.

You are not alone! Galahs are the only cockatoo some folks might consider!
 

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