Cockatoo never wants to be in the cage

chocobyted

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Hi All,
I recently got a 6 year old cockatoo from a lady that was rehoming him. She also gave me a very large cage (very similar to what is shown here: https://cockatoo-info.com/housing/cage-aviary/).

A few days passed now in this house and the cockatoo is keen on never ever getting into the cage, he snatches food to eat and gets out right away from the cage. Because the door is wide open (shown in the pic on that website) he just gets a hold of the side or the top the moment I am trying to put him inside. I bought a few branches and a rope branch I put at low, medium and high sections of the cage but he has no interested to get on at any of them. He just sits on the top of the large cage - taller than me :( I tried to put cardboxes and toys at top but he just throws them down.

I am very worried when he is not in his cage when I will be out at my work until 7pm tomorrow. I close the door of the room he is in but I feel like he has everything in that room to trash and get himself into dangerous situations.
I tried everything like leaving and hiding treats in the cage and always keeping his water and food in the cage but none of these work. Did anyone have this problem and was able to resolve it?
 

Scott

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Have you determined whether the bird had freedom outside the cage at prior home? Helpful to know whether this is established behavior or something new and less ingrained. In any case, it is not safe having a cockatoo unattended unless proven reliable in bird-proof room. The goal is to provide a welcoming cage with a variety of toys and favorite foods. To help modify behavior, don't offer food outside the cage (during transition) and place favored treats before placing him inside.
 
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chocobyted

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Thanks Scott for the answer. The lady I got the parent from told me after money/parrot exchange that she never kept him in a cage even though she showed me the videos of him in the cage so it is very sad :( I want to keep him in the cage for his own safety and not to find a destroyed room/house.

I closed the door one time he was inside to eat but he made a big fight about it (not stopping to scream) - I live in a single family house but the houses are still close to each other so I opened the door to stop him after 10+ mins of screaming. Do you think I should try again - how long it might take to stop him?

He normally doesn't scream, I got the initial screaming about when I leave the room under control (at least so far) by not responding when he is screaming. But the cage locking seems to be unachievable with this bird :(
 

Melscamp

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Is there a way to bird proof the room? I ended up giving my birbs my extra room so they can be out during the day. I can imagine how frustrated they would be if all of a sudden they were stuck in there.
 

AmyMyBlueFront

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And a Normal Grey Cockatiel named BB who came home with me on 5/20/2016.
Is there a way to bird proof the room? I ended up giving my birbs my extra room so they can be out during the day. I can imagine how frustrated they would be if all of a sudden they were stuck in there.

Make sure there aren't anything they can chew..get those plastic plug things for any wall sockets (like the ones you'd get for toddlers so they cant poke their little fingers in the socket and zap themselves :eek:) Any standing lamps with chords..stereo/tv/gaming stuff out of reach. If they are flighted be wary of curtains/blinds. Hot radiators.. I'm sure there are other things to consider.


Jim
 

itzjbean

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I would start get him trained to be inside his cage more often. Not all the time, but small spurts at a time to get him used to it. It's pretty dangerous to have him out all the time, especially overnight, where there's no telling what he could get into and ingest or chew up or be where he shouldn't.

By training him to see the cage as his safe space, he will learn it's not so bad to be in there. But it will take patience and dedication to do so...

Do you know his absolute favorite treat? You could serve those in ONLY his cage.

I know there are members here that allow their birds to be out 24/7, and they've adjusted their household and their lives to accommodate such situations. BUT for most people with other pets or who work away from home (most of us), having a new cockatoo roam unsupervised in a new house could put him in a lot of danger especially if you leave the house.

Not to mention, should there be a house fire or emergency, you want to make sure he is comfortable getting into the cage or being in it already so you can safely get him out of the house if need be.
 

Scott

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Unless you can dedicate a specific room as his palace and bird-proof to perfection, conditioning him is the key. Treasured treats are helpful. When you place him inside, spending some time reading and talking softly might help the transition.
 
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chocobyted

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Thank you everyone for all your replies! This was the first work day morning and I caught him completely destroying a chair, it wasn't even 5 mins, in the room that he didn't interact with before :(

I somehow was able to put him in the cage by chance but he is picking at all the doors so he might figure out opening one before I get home, I am very worried :( I taped all, I didn't have big enough locks for the cage.

He has many toys in the cage and a favourite blanket he loved going into. He seems to like walnuts more than anything, so every time I am come in I show him that I leave a couple in his cage in the food baskets.

I really want him to be a happy healthy cockatoo and don't start picking his own feathers like other birds I have seen :( I don't think I can fully bird-proof a room unless the door and the walls are also made of metal or something. I had a few budgies that ate through the walls and a cockatiel just loves eating corners of the wall but otherwise pretty good birds - so I can only imagine if he realized he can actually eat that wooden door :confused:

I started investigating whether I should give him to a sanctuary, though he is so cute and friendly except the cage problem that I wonder if he would like it better with a new family than sanctuary - I feel the sanctuary would be the best with his own kind. This is all so sad to me as I wish I had the energy and the time to be able to overcome this as a single person :(
 

Scott

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Large cockatoos are a force of nature and can be quite stubborn. How long have you had him... weeks/months? There is an acclimation or "honeymoon" period, sometimes the best results come following settlement and they feel a part of the family. Umbrella's are among the most re-homed of birds for a variety of reasons.
 

ParrotGenie

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2 umbrella Cockatoos One male named Cooper and female named Baby 1 Little Corella male named Frankie and have 5 Cockatiels three named Male named Pepper, Fiesco for the female and female named Wylie.
Yes with Cockatoos you have to adapt him to stay in cage when your away as they will destroy stuff, they love to chew on wood. Now my male U2 for some reason is the exception. I can leave him out all the time and he well behaved and won't destroy anything, now if my female U2 joins him then he a different bird and will destroy stuff with her and follow what she does. I don't really have to put him in cage as he usually is fine and can trust him outside his cage without having to watch him much. My female U2 on the other hand, you have to watch, if you walk away something getting destroyed? She wait till you are not looking, even know she did wrong? As one time I when to talk to someone outside she decide to chew the wood trim and when she heard me come back up the stair, she flew back to her cage and I saw the wood on the floor. She gave me that sad guilty look? I knew it was her and not Cooper as she been after that wood for weeks.

Cockatoos in general hate being in a cage. I pretty much leave my out when at home as all the birds for the most part get along. The cockatiels stay in a group and never had a issue with my cockatoos even attempting to attack them. They all can fly, so they just fly away, but I do watch them carefully. Plus they go with me pretty much everywhere and let them get some time outside as well, so cages are for night time pretty much, or away and can't take them with, but then I have next door neighbor take them.

The only bird that does not get along is Randy the Macaw, my female U2 baby and her don't get along and they like to fluff up at each other. Yes someone name the Macaw Randy even through she a female? It is the next door neighbor bird and they wanted to keep the name as she knows it already and been named that by previous owner since she hatched. My little corella cockatoo Frankie at first didn't get along with male U2 cooper, but after a couple of months he accepted him in to the flock and bonded to him, so no longer a issue.

My rescued male U2 Cooper and male Cockatiel Pepper.

L315cFQ.jpg
]

A2KRmJl.jpg


Here one of female U2 Baby just today trying to break into the cage.

cHbZrPl.jpg
 
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noodles123

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Umbrella Cockatoo- 15? years old..I think?
Yes with Cockatoos you have to adapt him to stay in cage when your away as they will destroy stuff, they love to chew on wood. Now my male U2 for some reason is the exception. I can leave him out all the time and he well behaved and won't destroy anything, now if my female U2 joins him then he a different bird and will destroy stuff with her and follow what she does. I don't really have to put him in cage as he usually is fine and can trust him outside his cage without having to watch him much. My female U2 on the other hand, you have to watch, if you walk away something getting destroyed? She wait till you are not looking, even know she did wrong? As one time I when to talk to someone outside she decide to chew the wood trim and when she heard me come back up the stair, she flew back to her cage and I saw the wood on the floor. She gave me that sad guilty look? I knew it was her and not Cooper as she been after that wood for weeks.

Cockatoos in general hate being in a cage. I pretty much leave my out when at home as all the birds for the most part get along. The cockatiels stay in a group and never had a issue with my cockatoos even attempting to attack them. They all can fly, so they just fly away, but I do watch them carefully.

The only bird that does get along is Randy the Macaw, my female U2 baby and her don't get along and they like to fluff up at each other. Yes someone name the Macaw Randy even through she a female? It is the next door neighbor bird and they wanted to keep the name as she knows it already.


L315cFQ.jpg
]

A2KRmJl.jpg


Here one of her trying to break into the cage

cHbZrPl.jpg

Mine is out when I am home but IN if I am gone. The risk is too high---My u2 CAN fly but rarely does...nevertheless, about 5x per year, she decides to climb off her cage and (potentially) get into trouble-MORE if I am not there and she goes looking for me---Generally, she is running around looking for me, but sometimes coming into contact with things that are unsafe. Never just leave your bird out when you aren't home/awake.
Don't get me wrong- she has perches etc--- but her cage is the most trustworthy place if I am taking a shower or something...I always put her on her cage-top and listen closely for signs of movement, as she has tried to come off of it before...and it is dangerous. She is more likely to climb off of her perches, but her cage-top is like a classic stand-by and she doesn't typically run around if she is there---that having been said, it has happened enough that I would never leave the house (unless for 2 minutes or something) without her being locked in---for her own sake.
 
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ParrotGenie

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Jan 10, 2019
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2 umbrella Cockatoos One male named Cooper and female named Baby 1 Little Corella male named Frankie and have 5 Cockatiels three named Male named Pepper, Fiesco for the female and female named Wylie.
Yes they can pick locks. My female U2 baby took a piece of her wood toy shim it down to where it fitted between door frame and lock and opened the door of one of her old cage. Then she also taken the bolts off the food door and bend the hinge part and remove the food door and escape and then she open the doors on all the cages and let all the birds outs? That room was a huge mess that day, thankfully no birds hurt. They are quite intelligent and will figure it out.
 

ParrotGenie

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Jan 10, 2019
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2 umbrella Cockatoos One male named Cooper and female named Baby 1 Little Corella male named Frankie and have 5 Cockatiels three named Male named Pepper, Fiesco for the female and female named Wylie.
Mine is out when I am home but IN if I am gone. The risk is too high---My u2 CAN fly but rarely does...nevertheless, about 5x per year, she decides to climb off her cage and (potentially) get into trouble-MORE if I am not there and she goes looking for me---Generally, she is running around looking for me, but sometimes coming into contact with things that are unsafe. Never just leave your bird out when you aren't home/awake.
Don't get me wrong- she has perches etc--- but her cage is the most trustworthy place if I am taking a shower or something...I always put her on her cage-top and listen closely for signs of movement, as she has tried to come off of it before...and it is dangerous. She is more likely to climb off of her perches, but her cage-top is like a classic stand-by and she doesn't typically run around if she is there---that having been said, it has happened enough that I would never leave the house (unless for 2 minutes or something) without her being locked in---for her own sake.

I locked them when away and can't bring them with, or have next door neighbor take them if she around, then that way they still get attention. When at home I let them stay out and both my male cockatoos will fly back into cage when it time to go to sleep on their own. Frankie will even say nighty night.
 

noodles123

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Umbrella Cockatoo- 15? years old..I think?
I have to use a boat hitch (stainless) to keep the main door locked--- he speaks the truth. Mine also made a tool and used it to unlock her own cage (only to sit there for the majority of the day and triumphantly yell, "HIIIIIIIII" when I walked in...) but still, that is the cute part of what can be a scary situation. Mine puts herself to bed and I get a babysitter who she knows if I will be home past 5:30...she needs it and it sounds crazy, but it is so true.
 

Scott

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Cockatoos are Houdinis, amazing insight and capabilities.

I had to secure an older cage with a long stainless steel nut and bolt. One of my Goffins figured out the process of spinning the nut literally dozens of times to remove and gain access. He used the tip of his tongue to rapidly rotate the nut and had the patience to do so for about one minute until free. Had the presence of mind to stop just before the nut fell off, picked it up with his beak and unceremoniously tossed it to the ground.
 
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chocobyted

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Thank you all again for sharing your experiences!
I was silent last few days trying to set up locks from Home Depot so that he cannot open the doors of her cage - without these locks it doesn't take him even a minute to figure out.

I was able to get him into the cage by not leaving food in his bowls at night and putting the food in the morning and close the door after him when he goes in to eat. My cockatiel is an angel compared to him that knows her own cage as her home and has no trouble getting in by herself.

I have my cockatoo for 4 days now and I really hope he improves in terms of thinking about the cage as his home. He definitely doesn't stay in the cage at night - or if he wasn't angry in the day for that matter :(

I noticed that he got scared of the vacuum cleaner today then I pretended that vacuum cleaner is really scary until he found his way inside the cage. I say "Good boy" when he gets in and he seems to get it that he needs to get in when the vacuum cleaner is out and the cage will protect him. Maybe it will help? I think with their smartness they can easily think if there is no danger, why am I in the cage?

I really hope there is a solution for this, I barely have any time to not to be late for work and earn money to buy him food - only if they understood :(

Attaching some pictures of the Dinosaur (not his real name but he earned it).
 

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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.
Ideally you'll want him to see the cage as security and place of refuge and play.

Gorgeous pics, quick question about the third: Is that a soft piece of metal towards lower left? If so, his powerful beak might break it into small pieces and ingest. Beyond the potential danger of sharpness, it will slowly be absorbed and present great danger, particularly if lead.
 
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chocobyted

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Thank you Scott!!
The metal piece was a toy bell that was on a bird toy for my cockatiel. I though he would play with the toy but instead he crushed the bell and destroyed the bell in no time. I threw it away after that and capturing the pic (such a beautiful face and so much destruction).

After I read more about the metals for birds I am not giving him anything that I don't know what type of metal it is. The locks I bought said Rustoleaum - while the other locks didn't even list the material - so when he bites he doesn't create the metal particles (I hope!).

I am getting him a bird leash to show him outside soon, hopefully if he sees the world is bigger than his room with the cage he will understand that the cage is there to protect him :(
 

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.
Thank you Scott!!
The metal piece was a toy bell that was on a bird toy for my cockatiel. I though he would play with the toy but instead he crushed the bell and destroyed the bell in no time. I threw it away after that and capturing the pic (such a beautiful face and so much destruction).

After I read more about the metals for birds I am not giving him anything that I don't know what type of metal it is. The locks I bought said Rustoleaum - while the other locks didn't even list the material - so when he bites he doesn't create the metal particles (I hope!).

I am getting him a bird leash to show him outside soon, hopefully if he sees the world is bigger than his room with the cage he will understand that the cage is there to protect him :(

The most problematic issue with bells is the "striker." If he really enjoys bells, find one constructed from stainless steel (safest metal) and remove the striker. (they are rarely stainless)
 
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chocobyted

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Hi Scott,
Is striker the clapper (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bell)? I am getting him this bell: shorturl.at/EIMR4 which I hope he cannot reach the interior.

This 5th morning with him was the hardest, I can no longer trick him with food or his treats to get into the cage in the morning to leave for work (I was late badly for a meeting). Even he was hungry from the evening he didn't care.
The only thing that worked today was a water cup with a metal straw (made for rabbit/hamsters to not to chew) that he hates so much he runs after it like there is no tomorrow. I put that in the cage through the bars and tricked him that it is inside. He rushed into to kill it and I was able to close the door and lock it...

Last night he was so happy when my friends came over for my birthday - he even started singing like our cockatiel (when did he learn to make cockatiel songs that just sounds like our cockatiel? :). But otherwise I think he is very sad in the cage during the whole day :(
I think I have to investigate sanctuary options and figure out a good forever home for him to be happy.
 

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