Quiet 'toos?

[Talven]

Seems like somewhat of an oxymoron but are there any quiet 'toos? I've heard that Galah's are fairly quiet all things considered. When I'm asking about quiet I'm thinking more how often they make loud noise. Also how piercing do the cries get?

The two conures in the house when they really get going is like two hot needles being jammed into my ears but mostly they are quiet. When I had budgies the noise was incessant but the pitch was manageable.

If I could find a 'too that has a tolerable pitch like the budgie but is mostly quiet like the conure my son may allow me to have one. Ngayuk was only here with us a short time but I miss having him about. The smaller parrots are lovely and sweet but they lack the bigger personality of a 'too.

Any thought or suggestions on a 'too that may fit under the description of "quiet" and at the smaller end of the scale?

 

[chris-md]

I feel like I’m being punked here:18:

 

[Talven]

Not so much volume quiet but frequency of noise and pitch that doesn't cut through you like a knife. Although a lower volume than a SC would be nice.

 

[Betrisher]

Galahs are certainly quieter than most cockies, however they will flock call in the mornings and evenings. I'm sure you've heard their shriek when wild flocks fly over. That shriek can indeed make your ears bleed, but as I said: it's only for a while each morning and evening. Sometimes, they'll yell at wild birds if they call out, but mostly they're good.

My poor old bloke rarely called and when he did we all came running with treats for him. My experience with Dominic makes me certain that galahs are the nicest of the cockatoos to keep. SC2s are very, very needy and not great at self-occupation. My corella is easy, but she's very active and also happens to be the noisiest bird I've ever heard. Her flock call makes my teeth want to jump out of my head! Honestly!

The black cockatoos are said to make good pets, but the only ones I've known to become truly tame have belonged to people who totally concentrated on them for long periods. Also, they're kind of out of my financial range.

Major Mitchells are gorgeous and I've known a few really lovely pet ones, but you need a licence and they're every bit as noisy as the other cockies, calling over long distances.

You might consider Alexandrines? I have a pair of those and they're lovely: very confiding and trusting and affectionate (although they don't much like being petted). The hen, Madge, flock calls twice a day. It's a piercing sound, but not as ear-bleeding as the cockatoos. Eclectus are lovely but they do fruit-poos, so that might put you off. Or Rainbow Lorikeets? (Also fruit-poos, though).

Really, it's up to you. If the noise factor is the deal-breaker, I'd probably go with a galah. You'd need to know, though, that you might end up with a vocal one and that might just not suit your son.

Why don't you take him to a wildlife sanctuary so he can listen to the various calls? Try to get there as early as you can, or linger till dusk so you get to hear the flock calls. I know how much this matters, as I've experienced ASD-overload meltdowns with my son. The thing is, yours can probably become acclimatised over time, but it has to be in *his* time, not the bird's.

You don't say how verbal/communicative he is, but perhaps you could negotiate with him to try a few things (eg. visits to breeders or sanctuaries)? I know my own son is often reluctant to experience fairly mundane things and has the capacity to build up irrational fears before the moment. That can usually be defused with some calm conversation, however your situation is obviously going to be different. It's often just a question of exposure over time (although you know that already).

Might it be at all possible that your bird could live outdoors and come in for periods during the day? That's what I do. My birds live in cages on the enclosed deck and I can bring them indoors if I wish. Oh Lord! I can't imagine living with Rosetta bellowing inside! We'd all go mad! LOLOL! I thought Madge was a bit OTT, but Rosetta has brought a new level of skraark to our house.

So, have a think about it. There's no hurry but remember: if you acquire a cockatoo you'll have him for your lifetime and probably beyond.

 

[noodles123]

Seems like somewhat of an oxymoron but are there any quiet 'toos? I've heard that Galah's are fairly quiet all things considered. When I'm asking about quiet I'm thinking more how often they make loud noise. Also how piercing do the cries get?

The two conures in the house when they really get going is like two hot needles being jammed into my ears but mostly they are quiet. When I had budgies the noise was incessant but the pitch was manageable.

If I could find a 'too that has a tolerable pitch like the budgie but is mostly quiet like the conure my son may allow me to have one. Ngayuk was only here with us a short time but I miss having him about. The smaller parrots are lovely and sweet but they lack the bigger personality of a 'too.

Any thought or suggestions on a 'too that may fit under the description of "quiet" and at the smaller end of the scale?

No- A "quiet" Too is still loud as heck and they all have extreme noise potential (it's part of who they are and it is normal and healthy for them to be super loud at times). I know you have a son with ASD, and the last "too" was a deal-breaker for a reason- do not take this route (you already told me it didn't work with your son and you had a golden opportunity to try things out). Your sulpher crested was likely quieter than most, as it was still young and not that comfortable in your home yet. They get louder around age 5-8+ and their confidence increases their noise (it's not all the time, but it is at least daily, and it can go on and on and on...and on)....Your experience was informative and likely the tip of the noise ice-berg, as he was hardly settled and still quite young- keep that in mind.

A "Too" with a pitch the same as a budgie doesn't exist anywhere in God's green earth...no matter how well-behaved.. It would be GREAT if they existed...but that is like saying, "are there any jet engines as quiet as a microwave?" Sure, some jets are louder than others, but they all sound like jets when their motors are running...and they don't run all day, but sometimes, when a jet takes off, it is unexpected and shakes the entire house (no matter who may be upset by it-- and often jets are hard to stop once that motor gets going). Of course, a jet that isn't fully functional isn't as loud (same with "too" babies) but in proper working order, jets and "toos" are designed to sound a certain way...and comparing the decibels among jet engines is no good when the baseline requisite for your home is something much quieter.

Cockatoos have the voices they have because they need them in nature-- when they make sounds, they make sounds in their voices, not the voice of a budgie....like 25x louder--that's just who they are.

Please don't try to fit a square hole into a round peg.

You gave the one you had up for a reason- just remember that. It is hard on the birds every time they get re-homed. I mean, the bird you had wasn't even sexually mature (I don't think, anyway), so the volume you had wasn't MAX "too" volume in all likelihood and you did a GREAT thing by saving him...I was all for you keeping that bird, but you didn't and there was a reason...remember when I said, "you sure you can't" ? There was a very good reason...and they are known for being some of THE LOUDEST birds out there..again, it may not be 24/7, but at least daily and it can go on for hours.

As much as I love them, I would NOT travel down that path, as you just had an opportunity to do so and decided it was wrong for your family...I think you need to stick with your original decision here-- you decided against it after a trial run and that is fine, but I wouldn't gamble on another and risk hurting the bird if it doesn't work...especially because with a younger bird, it could literally take years before you see its true volume level at adulthood (they mature so late compared to others).

 

[Talven]

Thankfully my son is high functioning ASD and fully verbal so no issues with communication.

I understand that rehoming 'toos is a frequent occurance and it is usally taken as the easy solution to deal with a "problem" 'too. We rehomed Ngayuk for a lengthy list of reasons. The decision wasn't any easy one and one we took a few days to come to it.

The main reason was his quality of life. We took him in as an emergency having never laid eyes on him. Even for a SC he was a large bird. Far more so than we felt we had adequate space for. In our opinion it was not right to keep him in too small a space. My dogs were growling and raising their hackles at him. How would I get him out of his cage without them trying to kill him? I lacked confidence in my ability to tame a wild 'too. Rehabilitating one that has been tame or was hand raised is totally different. The rest of the birds were scared of him because of his size. My son was intimidated by the size of the bird and his beak. Again how could I get him out of his cage? And my son was not willing to deal with the sheer volume of a SC. I couldn't in good conscience keep him trapped in a too small cage for the rest of his life. Personally I think the reasons we rehomed him are reasonable.

What I am hoping to find is a 'too that doesn't have a high pitched piercing voice. Isn't as large as a SC. And doesn't shriek for long periods of time.

We have wild flocks of Galah and Corella fly over the house and roost in the nearby trees so we have some concept of those two types of 'toos. Both in my opinion much quieter than a SC.

Being very loud is OK in short bursts (IE under 20mins) unless it is high pitched. Being very loud for long periods of time (IE 30 mins or longer) is not OK.

If no 'too fits into that category then it's something we will have to deal with and miss out on sharing our life with one of these beautiful birds.

 

[wrench13]

Hmmm... I think you need to read the responses again, friend. Expecting any parrot to behave a certain way within narrow parameters is just setting your self up for disapointment, and producing yet another re-homed parrot. Its sad. We really try to give honest, real life experience advice to any one who asks,but sometimes it is thrown out the window. There are so many great mid to smaller size parrots that have just as big a personality as any cockatoo, but they all make noise, ervry last one.

 

[noodles123]

That's the thing---sometimes it isn't in short bursts....even for the smaller cockatoo varieties...What you hear in the wild is a snapshot and it is in the open-air (20+feet above your head- imagine it in a tiny home)...Cockatoos are TOUGH and they are known for their noise, particularly.
They are even louder in captivity too - even when just having raucous/wild/fun-time..That having been said, part of living with even the nicest is waiting out multi-hour scream-fests at times (at least initially- and they still scream..)..On top of that, a happy cockatoo is very loud at times- and there isn't necessarily a time-frame on that! POINT BLANK!
Plus, they will all try to get their ways by screaming off and on. In the morning/evening, they will scream 90% of the time-- LOUDLY.

I think you are underestimating the situation, given the noise-sensitivity issue at hand...Neurotypical people find their nerves EXTREMELY on edge when cockatoos get going in house (where echos bounce etc--It can make you feel ABSOLUTELY INSANE...like, you want to start breaking things)...again, a "quiet" cockatoo is still louder than most parrots. I would strongly advise that you consider other species, given your circumstances. A hand-raised one is still going to have fits- and honestly, it's SUPER easy to accidentally spoil a baby and end up in way over your head with screaming in the long-run...at which point, re-homing does even more damage (due to the multi-year bond established prior to the extreme noise issues).

I love cockatoos...I just think this is not a good idea, given the circumstances--- on top of those, they are already re-homed more than any other parrot and based on your recent trial, you know this may be a poor fit...If it were just you and you, that would be different, but you have a family, and I think your expectations sound unrealistic.

You cannot find a too that doesn't have a high-pitched voice--and you will not know that until they make that high-pitched sound, but that doesn't happen right away- that's like saying, I'm looking for a fish that doesn't swim, or a cat that doesn't meow! They have multiple tones (many have lower speaking tones- but the screaming/squawking tones are brutally loud and high-pitched up close), but they can drive anyone to the edge when they get going---even the smallest.. all make crazy loud noises, even if they aren't AS loud as the largest, they still are way louder than anything comfortable and definitely VERY shrill. It is healthy and natural for them to make these ear-piercing sounds!

Consider this: if you get one and it is too loud, who goes, your son, or the bird? The answer is obviously the bird, which is why this is not fair and not worth the risk. <-if it were just you, it might be feasible, but you know your child and family will always come first...and if your wife/husband/partner is like most, they will care for your son above all else. I specialize in ASD and I know what diversity is there, but that doesn't change the fact that the average cockatoo is too loud for anyone..let alone someone with auditory sensitivity...

Re-homing is a bigger problem for these birds than any other and the less of that, the better.
That is no coincidence either- a lot of it relates to the noise levels .

 

[Talven]

I think it's more wishful thinking than expectation. I find that I don't always explain myself the best so I'm just trying to clarify what I was asking rather than disagreeing or ignoring what more experienced 'too owners are saying.

All I was asking is, is there a smallish species of 'too that isn't as high pitched as a say a conure, doesn't go at full volume all day like budgies and isn't as loud as a Sulphur Crested.

It certainly doesn't seem that way although from what I have read on other forums and seen videos of, a Galah is closest to what I'm looking for out of the 'too family. Obviously more research is needed before I do anything which is part of the reason I was here asking questions.

 

[Scott]

I'm quite familiar with the smallest white species, the Goffins or Tanimbar Cockatoo. A gravelly lower frequency scream, more prevalent during early morning and late afternoon hours.

 

[Talven]

No offense but I'm not crazy enough to even consider a Goffin. They need a lot of attention from everything I've read on them. Beautiful little 'toos but certainly not one I would choose.

 

[Betrisher]

Scott, I know not a thing about Goffins beyond the fact they exist. Could you possibly tell us a bit about yours so we can all have some idea about their personalities and behaviours?

AFAIK, Goffins aren't readily available in Oz, although I see plenty of people have them in the US. I s'pose, if someone wanted a medium-sized white parrot here in Oz, they'd go for a corella, but I find myself wondering whether Goffins are as full-on as Rosetta and as clownish? It'd be great if you could share what you know!

 

[Kiwibird]

If you think conures are like “hot needles” to your ears, a cockatoo will be like molten lead slowly dripped in. The noise is not just loud, but mentally overwhelming. I grew up with a goffins and he always screamed for at least 45 minutes, often up to 2 hours, in the mornings an evenings, just because that’s what cockatoos do. He woke up around 4am, screaming, every.single.day. He drowns out any phone conversation I have with my parents unless they retreat to the garage/outside (and you can still hear him in the background). He also likes to scream whenever guests come over, when he’s outside in the summer (poor neighbors, and would be a complete no if you live in an HOA) and occasionally just starts screaming for fun (I guess).

I think your best bet in the cockatoo family might be a cockatiel, because they’re small and don’t have the ability to be as loud as even the next smallest species of cockatoo (which I think are either galahs or goffins). Seriously, it takes a very dedicated person to own one of these birds. I think I could handle just about any parrot species, except a cockatoo.

 

[Scott]

No offense but I'm not crazy enough to even consider a Goffin. They need a lot of attention from everything I've read on them. Beautiful little 'toos but certainly not one I would choose.

Scott, I know not a thing about Goffins beyond the fact they exist. Could you possibly tell us a bit about yours so we can all have some idea about their personalities and behaviours?

AFAIK, Goffins aren't readily available in Oz, although I see plenty of people have them in the US. I s'pose, if someone wanted a medium-sized white parrot here in Oz, they'd go for a corella, but I find myself wondering whether Goffins are as full-on as Rosetta and as clownish? It'd be great if you could share what you know!

I have a family of five Goffins, originating from a wild-caught pair purchased in 1987. Three hand-fed offspring later, they form the nucleus of my flock. Goffins are by far my favorite species, beloved for their cuddliness, clownish antics, intelligence, and independence. Personalities vary among the quintet but are notably free of neuroses* and enjoy their time alone. That said, I believe cockatoos are best kept in pairs or small flocks. All of mine with one exception** bond with multiple persons. Three are kept in a dedicated bird-room and never caged. Goffins are superb flyers, nimble and agile. For more details and pics, see attached link to thread in Incredible Journeys forum: http://www.parrotforums.com/incredi...ries-bird-lovers/65252-my-goffins-family.html

*Second born Abby barbers feathers incessantly. Same background, diet, etc as the others, just a bit neurotic.

**Popcorn, the patriarch was separated from mate Peanut due to cockatoo aggression. I rarely handle him and does not enjoy closeness with humans. As you'll read in the link, he's paired with a female Citron. Peanut OTOH tamed nicely and can be handled almost as much as her offspring.

 

[Kiwibird]

No offense but I'm not crazy enough to even consider a Goffin. They need a lot of attention from everything I've read on them. Beautiful little 'toos but certainly not one I would choose.

They do not get easier the larger they get and goffins are actually considered to be one of the “easier” cockatoo species.

 

[Talven]

My opinion on Goffins is based on what I have read on the internet so by no means accurate. What I have read suggests that they must be kept in a flock or at the least a pair. That they need a great deal of attention and interaction. They are not suited to being caged as they need to fly. That out of the 'too species kept as companion animals they are the most likely to develop behavioural issues and neuroses.

This is what put me off Goffins. I am Bi-Polar possibly high functioning ASD and my son is high functioning ASD. I think thats enough behavioural issues and neuroses for one household

I am aware of just how loud a large 'too can get. Umbrella's and similar sized 'toos can get to over 100dB with the loudest 'too hitting 130dB. A 747 hits 147dB for comparison. I fully understand the loud aspect and have a good grasp on just how loud as I used to be a drummer for some very bad garage metal bands. I spent a lot of time at the 120 - 130dB range and have dulled hearing because of it.

While there are a few that get to the 100dB and over there are also others that do not. There are species that like to shriek and carry on all day. There are species that don't. I am asking for opinions on the smaller species that don't hit the very high dB range, don't feel the need to carry on all day and don't frequently use high pitch calls. I also understand that it is down to the individual bird. Every 'too is different.

With what is readily available here in Australia I am limited to three species of smaller 'too. Galahs, Corellas and Major Mitchells. Major Mitchells require a license to keep and are quite expensive not to mention very rarely sold. Not to mention as loud as their larger cousins. So realistically the choices are Galahs or Corellas.

I would love to hear from anyone who owns or has owned either of these species to get first hand opinions on them. Especially if they have had a Sulphur Crested and can give me some sort of real experience comparison. Or could compare them to other medium parrots such as a Princess or IRN. This may be more constructive and give me a frame of reference.

Very likely we won't end up getting a 'too as it certainly seems that even the species that are considered "quiet" are going to be too noisy for my son to deal with. I get that I seem to be ignoring advice. I'm not. I just want as much data as I can get from as many different people as I can. How else do you make an informed decision?

 

[noodles123]

Just remember- "quiet" to a "too" owner is not "quiet" to the average person.
If you get a"too" and it doesn't work out,it will leave emotional scars on the bird. I won't say anything else, as I haven't owned any of those varieties, but the odds of your bird being the exception to the rule (regardless of others' experiences) is very unlikely. The data is in the statistics.

 

[Talven]

Thanks noodles for what you have posted. It has been eye opening and informative and much appreciated.

 

[noodles123]

No offense but I'm not crazy enough to even consider a Goffin. They need a lot of attention from everything I've read on them. Beautiful little 'toos but certainly not one I would choose.

They do not get easier the larger they get and goffins are actually considered to be one of the “easier” cockatoo species.

Last thing- this is absolutely true. The larger the "Too" the more difficult in terms of behavior and noise.

Now I really am done lol...But Goffins (while still being very challenging compared to the average parrot) are likely the "quietest" you will get-- and again "quiet" is a relative term when you haven't lived with a cockatoo for years (they are still VERY loud compared to a budgie or cockatiel--like, VERY loud)...those who have have lived with "toos" for long periods of time often have bizarre standards for "quiet". The neediness and noise only increases from there- no joke- serious as a heart-attack.

 

[MonicaMc]

The smaller toos are considered to be "quieter" toos... a goffins is not one species I would ever consider getting!!! *UNLESS* of course it was a special bird! And I have met only one goffins that would even qualify for that - if I was looking to get a 'too and she needed a home! "Baby" is an extremely sweet, social goffins with an underbite. The rest of them? Freaking crazy birds!!! Just nope! I can agree with the choice to avoid them! LOL

Cockatoos are quite mechanically inclined and need a lot of enrichment, learning independent play and more. If I were to purchase a cockatoo from a breeder, I would want a parent raised, flighted bird. More specifically? A galah! I would not want a bird that thinks it's a little human and doesn't know how to 'bird'! But.... that's me!

I have met a quiet umbrella as well. The poor bird lived in an autoshop for a long time and just destroyed his feathers. He had head, wing and tail feathers... the rest of him was 'patchy'. He just wanted to silently click is tongue and get attention. Very lovable.


So an alternative is looking for an older adult that already has a set personality. No guarantee the bird will be the same in your home, but might be better than going with a chick. That is, if you are dead set on getting a cockatoo. Just be aware of all the precautions that everyone has already given you.


I have an animal that technically, I shouldn't have! And that's a husky! Well, I don't know that he's a siberian husky... or a poorly bred malamute... or maybe a husky malamute mix... and I haven't gotten the DNA done to find out. I got him as an adult, being his 5th owner before he was 4 years old... (he was supposed to be 2...) If you have a husky, you are supposed to have a 6' or taller fence, no small animals, be an extremely active person, etc etc etc.

My front yard has a 4' fence. People like to come by and give him attention over the fence. He likes to put his front paws on the top of the fence and watch the neighborhood. My cat annoys him. He's 65+ lbs, the cat is like 15 lbs... and I'm not nearly as active as I'd like to be. When I first got him, I'd walk him at least 2-4 miles almost every single day, but now I don't get him out nearly as much. A change in jobs doesn't help... but I went from working part time where I could bring him with me to work to working full time with the occasional overtime. There's a possibility that I *could* bring him with me to my work, but considering what I do, it's just not a good idea... (other employees do bring their pups along - just not any that work more closely along side of me)

Considering all the issues I see other husky owners have, I know I got lucky with him! Oh, and I also take him off-leash walking, hiking or running. That's another husky owner 'taboo'! He's currently resting after a long day on the trails!