I have been meaning to write for quite a while
now. I also appreciate your website. I would strongly tell
anyone that sold Cockatoo's that they must tell their potential buyer that
it is mandatory to study your website before
they are allowed to buy one. Then they
should administer a test to make sure they have carefully studied thoroughly.
If a person can't take the time to read your website, and they don't
feel they should have to take a test, then they should not buy a
Cockatoo. Everything in your website is true and to the point.
You have an awesome way of educating people about the truth when it comes
to these birds.
Let me tell you how my husband and I ended
up getting our Cockatoo, We went on Friday evening to pet store
just to buy a bird book and a Moluccan Cockatoo
jumped on my husbands shoulder. He was impressed. The bird
would not leave him alone. The employee of the store told us a little
about the birds history. They had just sold him to a single mother
with a 4 year old the day before who lived in an apartment complex.
The bird screamed all night. She said he even acted really upset
about something. Plus all the neighbor's complained and management
told her she had to get rid of the bird or move out. She brought
the bird back to pet store and they wouldn't issue her a refund.
She paid $1200.00 on her credit card. They told her they would resell the
bird for her and when the bird was sold they would give her the money.
My husband called this woman on the phone. I know she had a
heart for the bird. She just didn't
know what she was getting into. And the pet store knew nothing about
the bird. They just wanted the quick cash. They didn't care who they
sold it to, they didn't even know what kind of a bird
it was when my husband and I asked.
We asked how old the bird was and they lied to us, they told us 8
years old and told this other woman that he was 6 years old. Anyhow,
we ended up telling the lady that we would try having the bird for the
week-end and if all went well we would buy it from her. She was so happy
she said that she would even be content with us giving her $800.00
That night my husband and I spent all night
till 3am looking up to try and find out what kind of bird we even had.
We discovered it was no doubt a Moluccan Cockatoo. We spent all week-end
on the Internet getting as much information as we could about this kind
of bird. I am so thankful I came to your website. Previous
to this last owner having him for one night, he had also been passed around
to a few other owners in only the past few
months. While reading your website I
became quite aware of what we would be getting into. I even cried
like I haven't in years when I found out what these birds have gone through
and what they go through. My husband got very angry when he read
some of the stories. It was your website that made a difference in
the care of our new family member we call "MaLuka". We both knew
we had the resources, the patience and love for this bird.
We weren't going to put him through anymore than what he has already been
through.. For one, my husband and I
can't have children, so I knew that
there was nothing to worry about there. We have no cats and only
1 dog. He
is a medium size yellow lab that lets the
bird run the house. We have learned in the past 3 months a great deal.
My husband and I made a commitment to the
bird and to each other that we were in this for life. He would
never again move from house to house and only eat peanuts.
We went right out and bought him the biggest cage we could find. Not Cheap!! The poor thing was living in this small cage that he could hardly get into. We also bought him many toys. We cook for him everyday, and I even made the recipe you suggested. My bird loved it. The pet store told us that they only fed him peanuts. Poor MaLuka..... because he loves fruits, veggies, chicken, and for some reason loves ravioli as well as many other foods. We also bought three books to gain more knowledge about these birds.
The following Monday we took him to our
local avian vet. They gave him a clean bill of health. We have
only been parents to this Moluccan for 3 months and I can tell you now
that they do demand lots of attention. My husband and I are both
animal lovers all the way around, and even sometimes we can get frustrated.
But, like
I said we made a commitment and we will stick
by this bird through whatever it takes. Just to give you some
ideas, my husband said we may as well
shut the satellite off to the TV. We can't really watch it at all
anymore. We have re-arranged our house just on account of this bird
so that he can sleep for 10 to 12 hours a night. Now
the TV is in a spare bedroom, not in
the living room. He sleeps quiet all night, but the minute
he hears that your up he whistles for a few seconds and if that doesn't
get your attention he screams to let us know he hears us loud
and clear. My husband works full-time
while I am just a full time student at college. I have even set up my
classes around this bird so that he is not
home for any long length of time by himself. 4 hours max. Maybe
twice he has gone 6 hours. I have some classes at night so my husband
will be home with him. Two days a week I have classes during the
day from 9:30am to 4:00pm with a 2 hour break in the middle. I drive
home from school (20 miles one way) to feed him lunch, let him play
on his swing that is hanging in the middle of our living room, and
give him some cuddles. At night when my husband gets home he expects
the same from him. He has put holes in our two couches from just
looking away to answer the phone. It's our fault the holes are there
and not the birds. He is only doing what comes natural to him.
When he hears water he has to be right there with you. When I do
dishes he has to sit on the counter and watch. In the shower he has
to hang out on the curtain rod. (He gets right
in with my husband, but not me).
After dishes are done and cleaned up about once a week or so he expects
to be showered down with a spray bottle. Oh, he loves it.
Then I have to blow dry him because he loves that too.
While doing my homework every hour, (I have
gone two hours), but I have to stop and play with him a while or
he lets out a flock call (I think).
So we play a game we call "sock" on the couch. We throw it to one
end and he hops over and throws it back to me. We have to go back
and forth for about 20 minutes. Then he decides he
needs more cuddles. He is a full-time
job. But, I can tell that he is a very happy and content bird.
As a woman I have had a harder time dealing
with him than my husband has. He really trys to dominate me sometimes,
to the point where I have to get a perch and put him on that to transport
him to his cage. He has destroyed all the locks on both cages.
The little one and the big one. We have had to resort to pad locks.
It's inevitable that you WILL get bit by these birds especially when they
are excited. I have been bit many times
and my husband has too, but not as many
as me. We have learned as time has passed. We now know when
he getting ready to bite. So we don't get bit much anymore.
These are not birds for anyone if they have children.
Buy a cockatiel. If someone does get
these birds they must be devoted for life. We have already set up
a caretaker for this bird if something should happen to me and my husband.
These birds are like children with special
needs. They must be taken care of constantly and not ignored.
They need to be an active part of your life - everyday. Three times
my husband has made him a gym to play on with
toys hanging from it. But, he
just gets a great thrill out of destroying them. So he just keeps
making new things for him. Toys for these birds are not cheap.
About $50 per toy if you want it to last for a week or two. But,
they always need something to do.
He loves to go outside, but he won't
let us put a bird leash around him. And we don't want to risk anything
happening to him even though his wings are clipped. The pet store
assured us that with time a persistence we
could get that leash on him, but that
was just not the case. We will never go back to the pet store where
we originally got the bird. We don't recommend them either.
It's clear that all they want is to make a sale and
that they don't care about the well-being
of their birds.
I spent days researching his ID band on his
leg. I found out through the USDA that he was imported here to the
U.S. in July of 1987. So he is at least 15 years old. We love
MaLuka as if he were our child. We would love to build him a big
fun aviary outside so that he could play during the day. But,
that is not possible at this point.
He has already withdrew most of our savings.
Our whole lives have changed since getting this bird. If anyone thinks
about getting a Cockatoo they should beware. They can be very loud,
demanding, expensive, and you MUST be in it for life.
You have to promise to LOVE the bird no matter what the situation is or
what you are
going through. I worked at a animal
shelter for sometime so I always knew that animals were important.
But,
the M2 is very special and important.
They needed to be treated tenderly at all times. They have real emotions
and feelings. Oh, and one more thing. I pray for my bird
everyday. I ask God everyday to keep him healthy
and happy and I ask God to give me the wisdom
on how I should deal with the bird. I will be devastated if he
ever starts to feather pluck. But,
I would have to deal with it if it came up. But, everyone should
pray for their bird, as they would their children, if they
believe in prayer.
I am sorry I went on for so long. I know
you have a real heart for these birds and I wanted to tell you the story
of how we ended up getting ours. The
pet store didn't even have a name for the bird. I know if we hadn't
rescued him that eventually he would have
gotten really depressed. We have given him a good home. Some
people feel we spoil him, but they just don't understand the Moluccan
Cockatoo.
Keep up the good work with you website !!!!!
I admire your honesty and devotion. I even have it listed under
my favorites and refer to it often Thanks
for all your helpful information.
Wendy