Dirty Cockatoo

[JaxAttack]

Hi everyone

My first post here yay

I have a 5 month old Bare eyed Cockatoo. He is a pleasure and allows anything and everything my partner and I do to him. The only thing is he is a little dirty... actually alot. He loves to roll around on the ground to play. He is fully flighted and plays in the garden aswell when we free flight train him.

He HATES taking a bath. If I spray him with a bottle a bit he looks so upset it almost makes me cry. Sometimes when I shower he will jump on my head and stay there for a few seconds and take off again.

I dont know if he is ok... he does not preen himself after a spray or half-shower? He is such a joy in any other way!

Please help!!

 

[luvmytooo]

Hi , welcome !
Love to see a picture of your cockatoo !
I've always wanted a Bare Eye , I just love them

IMO , I think he is just young and not experienced .
Give him time . But again , it's just my opinion.
I think he does want to participate with you in the shower , but is a bit apprehensive about it. Maybe just spend some time with him in there , not necessarily have to shower yourself , lolol.
This way he finds it to be a fun time with you...I think he will come around soon. Is the spray bottle you are using a fine mist and do
you point it upwards so it falls on him like rain ?
They usually dont like to be sprayed directly , I know my Goffin doesnt like it at all. He avoids me like the plague if I come near him with the spray bottle....but now he sees my other cockatoo enjoys it amd he is learning to like , albeit very slowly

Oh , what's your cockatoo's name ?

 

[Spiritbird]

Just because he likes to run around on the ground does not mean it is safe or advisable. In my last parrot seminar the instructor said not to let the big birds run around on the floor/ground beause it can lead to trouble and also foster bad behavior. I do not know if this is true as I do not let my birds on the floor with a cat in the home.

 

[roxynoodle]

I don't let my parrots on the floor either. Not only do I worry about any dirt, but they can be stepped on or shut in doors. I won't go so far as to say I'm too vigilant to step on a bird because I have stepped on my cat when she suddenly appeared and I didn't realize it. They can also go under furniture or other dark places like cupboards or closets once hormones kick in, and may become very defensive of the new nesting spot they just found, and bite you when you try to get them out.

As for bathing some birds just hate being misted even very lightly. You might offer a very large bowl, or your sink or bathtub. Some birds like to jump into running water in a sink, and others may be happier if you put a couple inches of warmish (not too warm) water and let them stomp around in it and use their beaks to throw it onto their backs. You may have to experiment. My amazon loves showers and being sprayed directly. My conure uses her water bowl. My Grey tries to use her water bowl, but is too big. So when I see her doing that, I give her a large plastic dog bowl I bought just for this reason, and she uses that.

 

[luvmytooo]

I dont let my birds on the floor either..Once you let them on the floor , they feel its OK to jump off their perches and playgyms too . Then you have a huge problem on your hands. Too many accidents can happen when they are on the floor.
Getting caught in between a closing doors , stepped on , chewing on electric cords , other animals can hurt them , and many other risks too.
Sometimes we just dont think about these things when we are caught up in the moment. I'm sure your cockatoo is extremely playful and a real riot to play with , its their nature Just be careful with that little bundle of cuteness

 

[JaxAttack]

His name is Jax

I am very new to the wonderfull world of fids, and in South africa info on cockatoos is scarily low to none at all... So i really enjoy to read all opinions!

Before i got Jax, I read everthing i could get my hands on in books and online. I got everthing from caged and wild toos. One thing that stuck with me is that they feed on the ground. And i can see my baby really enjoys foraging on the ground, and is happy to be there and play there.

I decided to get my home and his room bird-ready. So no cables and dark holes he can climb in. I would rather have a happy bird for 20 years, that follows his natural ways, than an unhappy bird that lives for 60 years. And i am sorry to sound like that, but i belief we do our personal best for the animals and people we love.

As for the bath/showering... I mist him lighty upwards yes...but still no... He runs away faster than lightning. When i am in the shower, he will fly up on the railing and just sit there in one spot and watch me the whole time till iam done.

Will def post some photos soon!

 

[osnyder]

I have to say, I know people who allow their birds on the ground too, and I agree with Jaxs' person in that if he loves it, and the owner is making it as safe as humanly possible, it's good. To make up for the dirty bird it produces, practice makes perfect with the bathing He'll get used to it as long as you slowly introduce him to a more intensive stream or spray.

 

[MikeyTN]

I have to disagree with poster like some posters above. By allowing your bird to free roam you will get into behavioral issues!!! They will chew on anything and everything so its not just cables or wires you have to worry about. Paint he would chew off your wall, door, furniture, etc. Then they start to act floor aggression by attacking toes or do a jump attack. It can be very dangerous!!! Its because you dont understand, thats why we give you the heads up. Its a common reason why birds get rehomed because the owners let them do what they want. It does not create a happy bird, it creates a behavioral issue bird!!!

 

[BillsBirds]

Mikey's right, as usual. YOU are the flock leader, and must guide your bird in it's activities. It is unaware of dangers and possible problems. Often, what we think is natural behavior is different now, because they are not living in their natural conditions. I, too, discourage my birds from being on the floor. My cockatiels get "ground foraging" time when I put then in a large storage container, on my livingroom table, with timothy hay, treats, toys, seeds, pellets, and dried fruit spread around in it. That is their favorite place to be, outside their cages.

 

[suebee]

i think you have to find a balance

anyway back to this bathing, let him continue watching you bath, remember they learn through watching, it worked with my nut this way, she wont always bath

an like having a child get your ground rules set up, behavior issues can take yrs to correct, this is from my experience with nut, a small feathered T-rex, some of the issues i caused un-wittingly because i wanted a happy free flying bird, and others she already had (i found this out after i accepted her)

the main rule is, we never let nut burrow about under cushions etc, but she prefers not to be on the floor

but pics please an keep posting up dates

 

[roxynoodle]

I agree certain species do like to ground forage. Merlin really likes being on the floor of her cage, or on a table. You can also use table top play gyms; I have 2 of those myself.

But, yes, your 'Too might start attacking your feet or eating drywall, doors and trim. It is good you don't have any cables or electrical cords.

 

[Pedro]

Hi everyone

My first post here yay

I have a 5 month old Bare eyed Cockatoo. He is a pleasure and allows anything and everything my partner and I do to him. The only thing is he is a little dirty... actually alot. He loves to roll around on the ground to play. He is fully flighted and plays in the garden aswell when we free flight train him.

He HATES taking a bath. If I spray him with a bottle a bit he looks so upset it almost makes me cry. Sometimes when I shower he will jump on my head and stay there for a few seconds and take off again.

I dont know if he is ok... he does not preen himself after a spray or half-shower? He is such a joy in any other way!

Please help!!

JaxAttack, Bare Eyed Corella's are cute little guys & a lot of fun. I used to own one. I only had mine for 1 year as i was unaware i had bought a bird with Beak & Feather Disease. He was very sick when we had to put him to sleep. The point of this is you have described a dirty bird, I am hoping i am wrong but that is the first sign of a cockatoo with PBFD. If you can get him tested at a Vet Clinic for peace of mind.

As far as showering White Too's love the hose. My SC Too follows me around the garden when i am watering my plants. It's so funny when he hogs the hose. Try the garden hose on a gentle spray. He might enjoy a shower in a more natural setting.

Now as far as the comments about Jax being able to forage on the ground, I for one don't see any problem with it at all. My SC2 enjoys playing in the garden every afternoon with me. In fact if we run out of time he gets most upset. So if it gets to late I bring him inside to scoot around the floor & he never chases toes or gets into any mischief at all. However he is alway's supervised & if i have to go out of the room he is put back on his T-stand.

I have to say i have never heard that allowing a parrot on the floor creates bad behaviour. Each & everyone of my baby learn to walk around my house before they learn to fly & it has never created undesireable behaviour. I believe if a parrot is guided in the right direction when young, when boundaries are set there shouldn't be any reason for bad behaviour.

 

[MikeyTN]

Pedro,

The problem is when the person have no prior experience it can be a bad thing. Imagine me jumping around running from Java a U2 that gets down on the floor chasing after my toes and do flying jump attack. He does it when he's on the floor, he was allowed in his previous home but not in my house. He find his way to get down anyways. His previous momma told me he does that and she lets him. Now I have a floor terrorist....and the only way for me to get him to stop is by a perch to step up onto. So yes it can be an issue. Especially when the person have no experience.

 

[roxynoodle]

I guess what it comes down to is A) do you have a safe room? I don't. Mine all have furniture, wood wainscoting and electrical cords and B) do you know your bird well enough?

Merlin just wants to cuddle with me nonstop the entire time she is out of her cage. I'm pretty sure she wouldn't attack my feet. I do think though she would go under furniture and possibly get hormonal aggression. I've also been told she will eat the wood work.

Rowdy would not attack me, but she would eat any part of the room she could get hold of.

Pete might get hormonal aggression and even try to get me into a nesting spot with him. This week alone he has hit on Merlin, me and Rowdy.

 

[luvmytooo]

One more thing about Bare Eyes , they LOVE shiny little objects. So if you have any type of staples holding down wires or whatever , he will find it , believe me.
.

 

[Pedro]

But Jax is only 5 months old with no hang up except not wanting a shower. IMO when starting with a baby & teaching that baby boundaries from scratch I don't see that the bird will have a problem. Shouldn't we be trying to head the OP in the right direction on companion parrot behavior so that her bird doesn't end up being a problem bird. We have to be responsible for our birds.

Parrots love drama & i know that from experience. My SC2 for instance will not chase anyones toes BUT if you carry on jumping & squeeling when he comes near as my neighbour does & i might add that she has known my bird for 5 years & only recently she has created this situation between herself & Frosty where as soon as the bird walks towards her she carrys on, cause the bird will see the drama in play & act on it.

Mikey, I truly see where your coming from & some people yes shouldn't have a parrot at all, we all know that by the amount of parrots that are looking for a new home. It's not the parrots fault it's the fault of the owner that creates these monster birds. Then it's the ones like you & myself & most everyone else on this forum that are willing to take on a parrot that has problems & hopefully give it some normallity in it life.

That's why i am a great believer in education, not only on the care & well being of the bird but educating ourselves on the behavior of our parrots because IMO this is where we fail our companion parrots dismally.

Goodness gracious me i have timber & cables & all sorts of nasties a parrot could get hold of but i did say I am responsible & i never, never leave my birds unattended EVER. I really don't think if your an inexperienced parrot owner your going to fail. However you do need commonsense.

 

[MikeyTN]

Java is doing it on purpose! I see it in his action. If he was on a cage or on me, he's good. As long as we have owned birds, we can tell when a bird is fixing to attack. Thats what I see with Java. Because he is only 5 months old, its even more important for him to be taught properly!!!! Most of the time when we get to the problem birds that we take it, they were young and innocent at one point too. But if theres no proper training or enforcement, allow him to do what he want. That's a learned behavior while young!

 

[Pedro]

Mikey do you know who taught Java to be a little toe chaser. You know it's not just cockatoos that display this behavior either, Eclectus love doing the same.

I know when i was a kid my Uncle had a Galah that delighted in chasing us around the kitchen, little did i know then that this bird was acting on the drama we were creating by our screams & running & jumping up on the cupboard so he couldn't get us. As i grew older & stopped being such a sook did i notice he didn't bother us any more. Funny thing was my dear old Uncle passed & i inherited this Galah.

 

[MikeyTN]

Java's previous momma told me that's what he does. No doubt in my mind Java was running that household after I visited....they had him for over 7 years and Java is 10 years old.

 

[Remy]

Can I see some pictures of your cockatoo playing in the garden? I think that sounds adorable.