Umbrella dad newbie

[Berryhill4968]

Hello everyone, I'm the adoptive dad of a 20 yr old Umbrella Cockatto. She was brought into the veterinary practice where my friend works. I had stopped by to say hello and noticed her. I asked what her deal was and found that she had been brought in to be euthanized. She had orinally been brought in a year prior to be euthanized for a prolapsed vent. Dr Duke who has since retired was an avian vet instead with the owners permission chose to perform surgery and try to re-home her. She was brought in nameless by a local breeder and had a troubled past. She was kept in a dark barn and was a breeder bird for 10 years. So the only thing she knew of people was that they fed her and took her eggs. Needles to say she had very little trust for humans and a lot of emotional issues. I know people say to not compare animals to humans. But after having a few parrots I thought about it. They live about as long as we do, they are very very intelligent, live in flocks made mostly of family members and are very emotional, they are a lot like us. So the day we met I was told that she had been through 4 homes In the past year but was brought back each time for aggression and constant screaming. She has been with me for 10 years now. The first year was rough but I won her over and was making progress. That is until the pandemic. I was constantly at home throughout the pandemic. I lived in a home with her and two cats. I'm a hairstylist and worked out of my home so she was used to people coming and going. But with the overwhelming rent increases I had to move and get roommates. This is where my problems began. Klohe now has formed terrible separation anxiety and has become very protective...excessively protective and it seems she thinks I'm the only human being that should be allowed to live and the rest she should exterminate. And that if I am not in her sight that if she screams long and loud enough that I will surely hear her and come running. She has become a complete terror and is making everyone, myself, roommates and cats miserable and has everyone but me terrified of her. Me she adores. But I am at my witts end and am clueless as to what to do. My fear of re-homing is I don't think many would have the patience for her and that she would get abused. And I feel horrible for as none of this is her fault...AAARRRRGGGGGHHHHH.....PLEASE HELP! S.O.S. 911 !!!!!!!!!!

 

[DonnaBudgie]

terror

Hello everyone, I'm the adoptive dad of a 20 yr old Umbrella Cockatto. She was brought into the veterinary practice where my friend works. I had stopped by to say hello and noticed her. I asked what her deal was and found that she had been brought in to be euthanized. She had orinally been brought in a year prior to be euthanized for a prolapsed vent. Dr Duke who has since retired was an avian vet instead with the owners permission chose to perform surgery and try to re-home her. She was brought in nameless by a local breeder and had a troubled past. She was kept in a dark barn and was a breeder bird for 10 years. So the only thing she knew of people was that they fed her and took her eggs. Needles to say she had very little trust for humans and a lot of emotional issues. I know people say to not compare animals to humans. But after having a few parrots I thought about it. They live about as long as we do, they are very very intelligent, live in flocks made mostly of family members and are very emotional, they are a lot like us. So the day we met I was told that she had been through 4 homes In the past year but was brought back each time for aggression and constant screaming. She has been with me for 10 years now. The first year was rough but I won her over and was making progress. That is until the pandemic. I was constantly at home throughout the pandemic. I lived in a home with her and two cats. I'm a hairstylist and worked out of my home so she was used to people coming and going. But with the overwhelming rent increases I had to move and get roommates. This is where my problems began. Klohe now has formed terrible separation anxiety and has become very protective...excessively protective and it seems she thinks I'm the only human being that should be allowed to live and the rest she should exterminate. And that if I am not in her sight that if she screams long and loud enough that I will surely hear her and come running. She has become a complete terror and is making everyone, myself, roommates and cats miserable and has everyone but me terrified of her. Me she adores. But I am at my witts end and am clueless as to what to do. My fear of re-homing is I don't think many would have the patience for her and that she would get abused. And I feel horrible for as none of this is her fault...AAARRRRGGGGGHHHHH.....PLEASE HELP! S.O.S. 911 !!!!!!!!!!

She's so beautiful! I would try to get rid of the roommates before rehoming her. Even if you have to get a part time second job to enable you to afford to live alone. It would be so sad if you never saw her pretty face again.

 

[Jcas]

Has this been going on since 2020, then? Or did you move more recently? Your cockatoo is beautiful and you are a wonderful person to have given her a loving home after she had such a rough start in life. You are right that birds have some similarities to humans, including forming close bonds often with one person. Rehoming her after you’ve had her for ten years would be very hard on your bird.

With birds in general I think there are five very important things to consider with behavior problems:
1. Routine, routine, routine! The more predictable their life the less they act out because they are less stressed.
2. 12 hours of uninterrupted sleep every night. Very important for balancing moods and hormones.
3. Diet. Just like with little kids, feeding birds junk food and sugar can lead to bad behaviors. High quality pellets, seeds and nuts, and fresh veggies; not too much fruit.
4. This one is the hardest, but try to control the interactions between your bird and everyone else in the house. Don’t put her in situations where you know she will bite. Don’t let other people aggravate her or tease her. Have a “ bird free” place so they can get away from her. Don’t let others interact with her when you aren’t home etc.

5. This one is obvious, but make sure she has lots of toys, exercise, and some quality time with her favorite person ( you!) every day.

I really hope you can work things out with your beautiful cockatoo .

 

[djonair]

Hello everyone, I'm the adoptive dad of a 20 yr old Umbrella Cockatto. She was brought into the veterinary practice where my friend works. I had stopped by to say hello and noticed her. I asked what her deal was and found that she had been brought in to be euthanized. She had orinally been brought in a year prior to be euthanized for a prolapsed vent. Dr Duke who has since retired was an avian vet instead with the owners permission chose to perform surgery and try to re-home her. She was brought in nameless by a local breeder and had a troubled past. She was kept in a dark barn and was a breeder bird for 10 years. So the only thing she knew of people was that they fed her and took her eggs. Needles to say she had very little trust for humans and a lot of emotional issues. I know people say to not compare animals to humans. But after having a few parrots I thought about it. They live about as long as we do, they are very very intelligent, live in flocks made mostly of family members and are very emotional, they are a lot like us. So the day we met I was told that she had been through 4 homes In the past year but was brought back each time for aggression and constant screaming. She has been with me for 10 years now. The first year was rough but I won her over and was making progress. That is until the pandemic. I was constantly at home throughout the pandemic. I lived in a home with her and two cats. I'm a hairstylist and worked out of my home so she was used to people coming and going. But with the overwhelming rent increases I had to move and get roommates. This is where my problems began. Klohe now has formed terrible separation anxiety and has become very protective...excessively protective and it seems she thinks I'm the only human being that should be allowed to live and the rest she should exterminate. And that if I am not in her sight that if she screams long and loud enough that I will surely hear her and come running. She has become a complete terror and is making everyone, myself, roommates and cats miserable and has everyone but me terrified of her. Me she adores. But I am at my witts end and am clueless as to what to do. My fear of re-homing is I don't think many would have the patience for her and that she would get abused. And I feel horrible for as none of this is her fault...AAARRRRGGGGGHHHHH.....PLEASE HELP! S.O.S. 911 !!!!!!!!!!

I'll take that baby. I'm hard of hearing so the noise doesn't bother me. I like things loud anyway. If you can't take it anymore she will have a place to go and all the love she can handle. I think Disco would be a cute name. I have a Indian Ringneck and she would love the company.