NDR - need advice for a cockatoo

[Scootergirl]

I know there are some of you out there that have birds so I'm hoping you can help me.

One of my employees recently told me that she had her pets, 2 dogs and a cockatoo, living all day in her truck because her apartment wouldn't let them have all of them inside. They recently paid the pet deposit and got the young dog to live inside, but they had been sneaking the others inside at night.

I told her I would try the cockatoo at my house. He is 22 years old, in good health, but very attention-needy. He loves to be pet, sit on your shoulder, but he's like a needy cat who is always trying to get you to pet him.

He doesn't talk, which I find strange since he's 22, but he screams A LOT!!  They are not really bird call screams, more like an annoying phone, but it's very loud and the dogs will bark outside whenever they hear it (which makes me nervous that my psycho neighbor is going to freak out again).

Then, last night, I had the bird (whose name is Busch) on my shoulder while I worked on the computer and he started making clicking noises with his tongue so I was making kissy noises back at him and he got really excited and bit me right below the eye.

Later on, when Aaron got home, he had been petting Busch for about an hour and he started doing the same behavior and rolling his head around while clicking his tongue and he ended up biting Aaron on the side of his face.

Did we get him overstimulated do you think?

Also, how do I train him not to scream? Should I ignore him while he screams and give him attention when he gets quiet?

[Pyr Heaven]

Ok, I know nothing about birds, but he is very pretty! And I'm not gonna lie, but I couldn't help but laugh about the clicking noise, kissy noise, then getting bit. I know it's not funny, but I was just picturing it in my head and I couldn't help but laugh! haha Ok ok, sorry.

I hope someone can help you with the problems. Especially the screaming. That would drive me nuts!!!hahaha

[Scootergirl]

Well, if that's the case then Busch is almost normal. I've been sitting next to him all morning and he has screamed out a couple of times, but for the most part seems pretty content. He did scream repeatedly this morning before we woke up (I guess his alarm went off before ours) and a lot last night.

He did scream a lot when Aaron left for work this morning, too.

[People Whisperer]

Well, if that's the case then Busch is almost normal. I've been sitting next to him all morning and he has screamed out a couple of times, but for the most part seems pretty content. He did scream repeatedly this morning before we woke up (I guess his alarm went off before ours) and a lot last night.

He did scream a lot when Aaron left for work this morning, too.

GAWD, it would drive me looney!!! How do you do it?

[Scootergirl]

Oh, don't get me wrong, it is driving me loony. It's just that when he is quiet he seems so nice to have around then he opens his beak and squawks.

The good news is, I posted his plight on Craig's List and got a call about 30 minutes later from a vet intern in Kenner (about 45 min. away) who had a cockatoo before hurricane Katrina and interned last year for a vet specialzing in exotics. He is willing to home Busch for 6 mos. to a year and has an apartment with sound-proof walls!!

I told him about the biting and everything and he seems OK with it. I'd still like to know if it was because he got overstimulated or if I did something wrong, though.

[horsepoor21]

Oooh what a beautiful bird !

Cockatoos are the MOST neediest of all parrots . They are most often the LOUDEST too ! Screaming is normal for a parrot , but to lessen it they need tons of  attention and toys toys and more toys to destroy ! Do you have lots of toys for him ? He needs chewing ones and also ones to make him think .

Also , putting a parrot on your shoulder is letting him be "higher" than you . A bird should always be kept lower then your eyes so they know their place .  Have him only stay on your forearm .

I think the clicking noise you described is his way of saying he's had enough . If he does bite , give him no reaction besides a stern NO , then put him back on his cage .

And how about baths , does he get to take a bath at all ? cockatoo's need baths often as they have tons of dander which I'm sure you've noticed !

Feel free to e-mail me at horsepoor21@yahoo.com if you need any more help ! I love birds and am saving up for my Green Wing Macaw right now .

[Scootergirl]

He has a couple toys and I just put a bowl of warm water in there so he can take a bath. He probably hasn't had one in a while.

Thanks for all the advice. I'll let you know if I have more questions, which I'm sure I will.

[Ali]

This will be no help at all, just so you know. I'm chiming in to say that those big ol' birds totally freak me out. They are really scary, and those beaks are powerful. I would never hold one of them on my arm, much less on my shoulder! You are brave and kind. Good luck to Busch!

[Tazz]

I Lost my Blue and Gold McCaw last year due to old age:( BUT, I can tell you the behavior you described sounds an  awful lot like the mating ritual! The biting is the  result of unsatisfied results.

Cockatoos are very sweet birds, but they are very needy! They demand tons of attention and generally like to be the only bird in the house. Get some wooden blocks for him to destroy (and he will!). I used blocks with holes in them and filled the holes with treats to keep BG occupied. My bird loves fresh fruits and veggies!

Good luck!

[horsepoor21]

Wow , your bird died of old age ? How old was he , over 70 years ?

[Tazz]

He was a little over 60, nearest we could figure. He belonged to my great grandmother originally so this was our best guess with our limited memories.

[GrumpyBunny]

I only have a little experience with birds, but I have lived with a Pionus and a Goffin's cockatoo in the past, and worked with cockatoo's and macaws in my Sea World days.  Everything suggested sounds right to me - cockatoos are super needy.  We had a Moluccan cockatoo at work that would scream constantly if you weren't petting him.  He ended up plucking himself really badly.  Don't give him any attention for bad behavior, and reward the good.  If you think he might want a bath, maybe you could see if he would like to go into the shower with you.  Our Pionus used to shower with my ex-husband all the time.  Just keep him out of the direct stream of water and don't make the water too hot. Or too cold. (Helpful, huh?)

[Scootergirl]

Wow!! That's all such great advice. Thanks everyone. He is peacefully sleeping now (it's 11:47pm), but when Aaron got home earlier he called me and all I could hear was Busch screaming in the background - and that was after he had played with him for an hour.

Poor Miles the cat is totally freaked out.

I feel even worse for Busch, though. I'm not letting him go back to living in a truck. Now, if I could just help her find placement for the 12 year old arthritic sheltie mix...

Anyway, once again, you guys are wonderful.

[brandon]

Melissa can probably chime in here with more info, I won't say once a screamer always a screamer, but you won't break that habit anytime soon. 

We don't a cockatoo, we do have 2 B&G macaws though, and we've managed to finally get Cookie out of his screaming habit by giving him a room of his own with the other B&G.  His problem was our quaker would screech and it would drive him batty and he'd scream.  Away from the quaker he is a totally different bird.

I would never let a cockatoo on my shoulder.. sorry, just me, but they seem to be the worst parrot of any for serious facial bites.

Unfortunately anything done with birds to change a problem behaviour happens very slooooooowwwww llllyyy.  We adopted the 2nd B&G about a year ago, we are her 5th home and it really has taken all of a year for her to come out of her shell more and trust us more.  She still does not like or tolerate me very well, but she is getting better (might take years), but she does like a cuddle with Melissa now.

Oh..... something that works around here for more quiet time, we feed warm mash with a spoon (err... Melissa does), the full belly and some play time to stretch the wings usually makes for a sated and quiet bird.   Warm oatmeal with some veggies and maybe a bit of peanut butter to make it more palatable would work great in a pinch, I bet he/she would be a lot more sedate with a nice full crop.

Beer, Cereal boxes, newspaper weaved in the bars of the cage some sticks from outside (I can send you safe trees list if you want), magazines hung from the top, toilet paper roll, adding machine roll,  anything he can tear up is a great to get some of the excess energy out.

Good luck if we can help in any way give us a hollar.  I personally think that Cockatoos are one species that don't really make good pets in the long run... with a lifespan of 80yrs and their excessive neediness they just aren't independent enough for life as a companion animal, seems like most of them end up going crazy as they get older from boredom and lack of stimulation.

[brandon]

PS: I think the 2 bites you mentioned were due to over-stimulation like you said.. He bit the face because the face is the "other bird" because he was probably sexually stimulated after an hour long petting session.  Birds are kinda weird with that stuff.. I won't go into all the details, but ours do odd things at times with their toys, perches, etc.. 

It was either that or his way of saying.. ok, I've had enough now, I'm tired and need to go to my safe place wherever it is.

Again.. just my 2 cents.