New member & owner of an umbrella cockatoo

[Beccy]

Hi, I'm new to the forum & just after some advice about my umbrella cockatoo but il put that in the correct section!

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[Beccy]

After some advice..

Hey, Im new to the forum & new to owning a umbrella cockatoo!
I rescued him from a local animal kingdom as he was being bullied by other cockatoos..
He's so loving, i've had him for about 2 months now and gradually each day he's getting more possessive over me.. to the point if im out of sight hes screaming..
If i go into the kitchen, bathroom, even to the front door.. if he cant see me he doesn't like it! He's not as bad if my other half is in the room with him, but if im alone i can't do nothing!
I understand their very affectionate birds, but like i said, i cant do nothing!
I don't want to have to give him up, i love him to pieces!

When he screams i show him no acknowledgement, when he's dancing around and saying hello i give him fuss.. i just don't know how to make it more bearable?

Thank you in advance for any advice!

 

[Siobhan]

We have a similar situation with Rocky 'Too, who thinks we should be within sight and preferably serving as organic perches all the time. And cockatoos, I'm told, aren't food motivated, so bribing him with a treat doesn't work. Rocky really likes empty paper towel and toilet paper tubes, and sometimes giving him one will keep him busy for a while. He's not nearly as bad as he was at first, but he still has days when he hollers all the time if he can't see us.

 

[Taw5106]

The call he's making when he can't see you is a flock call, checking on you, "are you OK?". You are now a member of his/her flock. Both of you are, so the call is an expectation to let him know you are OK. You are doing right by not responding to him, he has to learn that things are fine, to entertain himself if you or your partner are not right there. I have an Amazon that calls constantly. Sometimes I answer him most times I don't. He can't see me in the kitchen so that's when most of his flock calls happen.

I know more experienced parronts will answer but I hope you are OK and can handle those loud moments, while they can be a pain, in the long run they pay off. I love my fids and we never stop learning each other.

Engaging your too with toys and items to shred will help him learn to self entertain, that's a great activity to keep them busy. Keep those toilet paper rolls going and add more items for him to shred/destroy. They love that. That's a great occupier too, distraction for them to focus on when you are not in the room. Good Luck!

 

[AmyMyBlueFront]

Just about 2 months ago I "adopted" a Goffin's 'Too...never had a 'Too before! I am also learning about them.

I guess I'm kind of lucky tho..he does scream on occasion. Not when I'm out of his sight,mostly at bed time,I think its a hint for me to turn off the tv and lights. :54:

Seems like he prefers to talk then scream,which is fine by me,but his talking can be very loud too..seems like he "yells" more than normal talking lol.


Jim

 

[BellaBella]

We are also new to owning a too and some days she is great. When I am home alone and cleaning she will yell for me off and on. But when she knows we are all there she yells a lot like her I am I now you are there come be with me. She is getting better and we hear HELLO a million times over.

 

[Holly the U2]

DO NOT give into to that bad behavior or he will literally take over your life, he has to learn to play by himself.

When he starts the screaming, don't re-enter the room until he has been quiet for a few minutes, he will soon relate that when he is quiet, wholla you appear

 

[Dopey]

My fids were screaming this morning. I had gone up to take a shower and it got so bad that I went back downstairs and told the two that were doing the loudest and most screaming to stop it. They didn't need to be doing it and it wasn't fair to the rest of the household. (I really feel sorry for my cats sometimes.) The little buggers stopped the screaming and didn't start up again until I got ready to leave the house...letting me know that I hadn't given them their nutriberries today. They do understand and they did listen. Go figure.

 

[Scott]

Beautiful Umbrella, and welcome!