new owner of Lola, a Goffins cockatoo

Hello everyone! I have in a roundabout way ended up with a Goffins cockatoo that I wasn't really planning on having. Her owner surrendered her to a family member and for some reason Lola likes me best so I have become her main caretaker. I don't know much about birds but tend to have a way with animals so am hoping with the help of this forum to become a fabulous bird owner. She really does seem to adore me so I am very optimistic about us becoming a happy couple Our main problem seem to be that she doesn't like any toys so she doesn't have much to amuse herself. I have been experimenting with this quite a bit and it seems like any purchased toy really freaks her out. So far the only things she seems drawn to are my Avon catalog, which she will shred on for awhile, and the shoe laces that are around the hood of a hooded sweatshirt. I will check out the forums but if anyone has any suggestions, please don't hesitate to contact me. Thanks!!

Welcome to the forum! Boy, you have taken on a lot! Goffins are fun Toos but you need to set ground rules. I assume she was never given toys and that is why she is afraid. I would not give her an Avon catalog as the print on the pages are questionable. Rather give her a phone book with the covers torn off. My Umbrella likes his on the bottom of his cage. Others drill a hole and hang them. You start by placing new toys in view but across the room and letting the bird see them. Move them closer every few days. Play with the toys and talk like they are fun. She may just need to learn how to play. What diet are you feeding?

I have all of the food from the previous owner and advice from the previous owner which I am beginning to question. She has a bird seed mix and peanuts from the previous owner. She loves almonds but I only had a few from the previous owner and haven't been able to find almonds in the shell locally. She doesn't seem to like any fruit that I can tell but will eat vegetables, such as broccoli, lettuce and asparagus. She loves her carbs and will go diving down my arm in the kitchen if she sees any kind of carb, she really likes cheerios, dry toast and popcorn. She also likes string cheese. Again, loves her carbs, if I am eating a potato chip she has a fit until she gets a bite. I do tend to have healthy foods around the house so hopefully that will help. Any advice appreciated!!

OK, throw out the peanuts! It is one of the mane causes of aspergullis in parrots! Feed them to the squirrels!
Since she in on a seed mix I would keep her on that but introduce a pellet diet. I feed Pretty Bird Natural Gold and TOPS. Go to MySafeBirdStore - DISCOUNTED Bird Products - Safe & Healthy from a Bird Free Environment. Best prices on the 'net. Same day shipping. Kathie's banner is at top of this page. You can order pellets and several types of nuts from Kathie.
Fruits are good for our birds but veggies are better. Broccoli, Swiss chard, mustard greens, squash, sweet potatoes and carrots. My birds like cooked sweet potato with cinnamon served warm.
A few treats are ok. Plain pop corn a cheerio now and then. Try not to feed human cereals as they contain higher levels then needed of vits and minerals. I do not recommend string cheese. Birds lack the enzyme to digest milk products. Harder cheeses are better digested and offered sparingly.
I make birdie bread homemade and add fruits and veggies to it. You can order Momma's Birdie Bread from Kathie too and add you fresh to it.
It is really important to get her on some pellets and off the seed as her main meal.

I brought home a new goffins a couple weeks ago. I also live with a U2, for a few years, and like you, wasn't looking for a bird!

Sassy, the goffins, loves junky kind of food. If she sees you eating anything crackery or chippy, she's all in! I think you need to be careful with how much salt they are getting. My umbrella 'too, eats very healthy, won't touch some of the things that Sassy seems to crave. I keep a dish of fresh veggies and fruits available to Sassy, in her cage, daily. I'm just noticing that she is starting to try different things from her dish.

Keep healthy food available and the not so healthy stuff, to a minimum, that's how I'm getting Sassy to try new things.

I pulled up the website and found the Pretty Bird Natural Gold - is Lola considered a small bird? Any guess on how many pounds would last 4 to 6 months? And thanks for the info!! I will get rid of the peanuts (which is sad because she loves them) and stop with the string cheese. I have tried snacks for birds that are similar to cereal but she won't touch them. Hopefully once we get settled in she will trust me a bit more.

Order the medium. Just start with about 2lbs to start introducing her.

I see in the description a cockatoo is considered medium, but since she is a small cockatoo, just wanted to make sure small wouldn't be better. Also going to order some bread, I picked the original and Caribbean loaf - any advice with these choices?

ok - got the medium ordered - thanks!

Also ordering a shower perch - our one venture into the shower didn't go so well, but after reading on this forum awhile, I probably tried a little too soon. Thanks for the website!!

Yes, medium is great. My greys are about the size of a goffin. They eat the medium. Those breads are great and you can add any fruits and veggies if you want.

Welcome to the forum and good luck with your new Too!