Most people not familiar with large
parrots fail to see the “Big Picture
Few people can provide for the many needs of these
special birds. Proof of this is the fact that most parrot rescues are full of
Mollucan and Umbrella cockatoos, and the newspaper classifieds across the
nation are full of “for sale” ads for these birds.
The strangest circumstances can cause these parrots
to become self mutilators or complete terrors to their owners. Lack of
interaction, wrong foods, bad placement, improper cages and many other factors
can contribute to a “problem” cockatoo.
Volumes have been printed in many languages
attempting to resolve these “problems”, and many are helpful. But a lot of
psychobabble has been printed also. So as we continue to read and study
everything we can get our hands on, many Moluccans and Umbrellas (along with
some other’ Too species) continue to self destruct.
The bottom line is that there is much more than
meets the eye when considering a parrot such as these. Many pet stores and
breeders only want to sell birds, and if forced to tell the truth, wouldn’t be
able to sell nearly as many as they do now.
As the popularity of these ‘Toos increase, the truth
is much harder to find. This is why I recommend talking to long term cockatoo
owners. (A short term owner hasn’t had the time to see the end result).Find as
many owners as possible and do your research from places that have no vested
interest in the selling of parrots or parrot products. Also talk to the many
parrot rescues. They will normally give you the real low-down on this species
and you may possibly want to adopt instead of purchase. Do the research you’ll
really need in making your decision to purchase one of these wonderful but
taxing creatures..
BECAUSE....
Like a childless couple that THINK they know what
having children would be like,(but don’t really have a clue until they’ve
arrived),many parrot owners find out the hard way also. Oh sure.....they’re
wonderful and smart and entertaining. But depending on the species, a parrot
can take up more time, cause more aggravation, and completely drive you nuts in
a matter of weeks! That’s why there are so many parrot rescues out there. Is it
the birds fault? Absolutely not! It’s the owners fault for buying something
that he or she hasn’t researched thoroughly. ( and both WILL suffer the
consequences )
Right up front, I don’t think large cockatoos should
be kept for 90 years in a cage. These majestic creatures deserve to be free as
God intended. Now, that not withstanding, I know its just not going to happen.
Also note that I do not accept advertising! Most Dot Com Parrot sites are paid
for by parrot products companies. This means that the site must be pro parrot,
but more importantly “pro ownership” which in turn means that you don’t always
get the entire picture about parrots and parrot ownership. They cant afford to
tell all the negative aspects because they’d lose their advertisers. Heck, I’M
pro parrot, but I’m NOT pro ownership for every Tom , Dick and Mary that has a
few bucks, or who are just bored and are looking for something to do for a
couple of hours a day. There are a few good “sponsored” websites out there, but
you new people don’t have a clue as to which is really telling you the truth.
That’s why I built this site. Start here and use the info I provide to help you
weed out the bad breeders - pet stores - web sites - and the many other aspects
of the cockatoo business.(You’re going to need all the help you can get. )So
with that in mind.......
You and your wife (or if
you’re single) work everyday, but you’d like a nice bird. One that will sit on
your hand, and maybe even talk. You then are looking at something like a
Cockatiel or Quaker Parrot. They don’t mind too much that you’re gone all day,
and don’t need a great deal of attention. But lets say you’ve walked into a pet
store (bad idea to start with) and see a beautiful Moluccan Cockatoo as
pictured above:
In the case of a large Cockatoo,
if you consider them as children then you START to get the big picture. You
wouldn’t lock a child in a cage and go to work, and so neither do you leave
large Cockatoos alone every day. I recommend that someone be home most of the
time before you even consider owning a Cockatoo. They are the most emotional of
all the species. In return for the “cuddles” that you were after, you will be
required to return the favor by spending LOTS of time with them. “Most of the
time” however doesn’t mean 8 hours a day. At the same time, 8 hours a day away
from the house while working is much too long. Dont even try it.(Do you really
have time for this?)
Now, why are they like children?
Because we don’t allow them to be birds! We don’t provide the large outdoor
aviaries that they really need. We don’t keep the environment that allows them
to not bond with us SO tight that they go crazy when we’re gone. These birds
attach themselves so rapidly to humans, that they have earned the name “Velcro
Birds”. Why? Because when all they have is that super intelligent brain and
YOU... cooped up in that house with YOU...languishing in that cage with just
YOU to look at...Then its YOU who must provide all of the birds entertainment
and interaction needs. This is why MOST people should never own one. Because if
you cant provide the above, you are making a child monster. And that child is
gonna be 2 years old for 90 years. How old are YOU now?
Lets talk about upkeep and
quirks: Of course they must have LOTS of EXPENSIVE TOYS (unless you make your
own as I usually do) to keep them busy! They must also have a very large cage.
That will set you back around $800.00 or more. (A cheaper cage is useless!) Note
again: A LARGE cockatoo really needs an aviary, not just a cage, and NEVER ever
attempt to stuff a large ‘Too in a small cage!
YOU COOK FOR THEM! That’s right! Green beans and
corn and carrots and (insert any vegetable here) and brown beans and rice and
the list goes on and on. Then there’s the avian pellets or chows, fruits and
nuts and so forth. Get the picture? Sure you want to do this?
What happens if you get pregnant? More cockatoos are
shoved out of otherwise loving homes due to pregnancy than anything else
(except for divorce) due to the fact that the woman now has a new interest that
she must focus on, and doesn’t need: The demands of 2 babies at once.... The
noise that a cockatoo can make to scare the newborn.... Or the possible danger
of a large jealous bird in the same house with a baby ......Think about these
things just in case you DO get pregnant. In divorce cases, many previous
stay-at-home moms must enter the work force, and many move from a house to an apartment.
This is a double whammy and the bird must go. These are examples of things you
have little control over. So all I’m asking you to do is consider these possibilities
down the road, and try to think about what YOU would do IF... ( Try to have a
“Plan B” in place at all times.)
1. Owning a bird can cost money.
Food, toys, and vets can soon add up. Do you HAVE an avian vet in your area?
2.
Many
birds go through a period of adjustment. They may bite, or just avoid you altogether.
Do you have the patience to deal with this without getting discouraged? It can
take a long time if the birds been abused.
3.
A
parrot can live from 10 to 90 years. It can be a LIFETIME pet. Are you ready
for this? And what will happen to the bird when you die? Think about it!
4.
When
you go away on vacation, who will care for the bird? Many people are afraid of
large parrots. What if the bird gets out of its cage? Can they handle that?
5.
Do
you have the TIME to devote to the bird? Will you be able to play with it
everyday, and maybe let it safely fly? Will the bird have more room than just
its cage?
6.
7.
Do
you have room for a LARGE cage? And what about the droppings here and there?
Mind a little damage now and then to things in your home? It WILL happen, trust
me! (Maybe even LOTS of damage.)
8.
Is
anyone in your family allergic to feathers and in the case of Cockatoos, lots
of dust? (How do you think they stay so white?)
9.
Do
you have other pets in the house? Will they get along with your bird and vice versa?
Cats can kill a bird just with its saliva. Are you willing to risk that?
10.
Parrots
are normally very shy of small children and I don’t recommend giving large
parrots to children period! But if you DO give child a pet bird, are YOU
willing to take responsibility if the child gets BIT or gets tired of the bird?
Its YOUR fault if that happens.
11.
Forget
everything you know about pets when it comes to birds. Many birds are just as
EMOTIONAL as humans. Can you deal with this? Can you deal with your husband/
wife/kids? If not, better steer clear of parrots! (See my behavior Page)
Please people...It breaks my heart to see the end
results of what can happen when a person doesn’t have a clue. And I know that
after all of this, it may be hard to convince you that Parrots are the most
wonderful animals on earth. But they ARE or CAN be....Its all up to you.