Busy busy cockatoos...

[Cockatoo]

 

<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KleyWD3TqeI" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KleyWD3TqeI</a>

[poka-bee]

Oh, what wonderful mischievous creatures they are!  I didn't see them tossing potted plants off the shelves though..that's what happened to a friend of mine..of course then they got down & dirty chewing the plants into gobby little bits & grinding the soil into the carpet before they started on the dining room table & wood mouldings....   Keep the pics & stories coming, I love birds!  J

[TwT]

what a funny looking chicken  wonder what they taste like  OH I am sorry I am from La!!!! everything has a recipe 

[Cockatoo]

How about cockatoo fishing!

<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0onZJZcHN_g" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0onZJZcHN_g</a>

[BjornBee]

What a great video.

The bird on the bed in the first video, was missing some feathers. Is that a behavior thing where they picked their own feathers? Just wondering.

[vermmy35]

That was great

[Cockatoo]

What a great video.

The bird on the bed in the first video, was missing some feathers. Is that a behavior thing where they picked their own feathers? Just wondering.

That's Tikki.
She came to us neurotic from abuse.
She fine now. 

[vermmy35]

What a great video.

The bird on the bed in the first video, was missing some feathers. Is that a behavior thing where they picked their own feathers? Just wondering.

That's Tikki.
She came to us neurotic from abuse.
She fine now. 

I am glad that their are people out there that will give abused animals a home and a good life after such a hard beginning.  Our dog yodi was abused when she came to us her hind leg and hip were broken from being beaten, but she has been a very good dog and is eager to please.

[annette]

Fabulous music for the video. Very funny in deed!!

[greenismycolor]

Hi Cockatoo

2 days ago I became the owner of a pair of cockatoos. The lady that owned them didn't have time anymore to care for them.  I took it as my good fortune that we had a mutual friend. She called to see if I would like them and of course my answer was YES I WOULD LOVE THEM! I have parakeets but this is my first cockatoos. They seem very healthy, no sign of abuse or any problems so far. Do you have any advice, suggestions from your experience? BTW great videos!!!

[poka-bee]

Congrats on, your new "kids"  Cockatoo would know more but I do know they need lots of attention, mental stimulation.  Most love to be cuddled & will stick to you like a tumor!!  They love to be where you are.  A good balanced diet is most important for any animal, lots of fresh fruits, veggies, grains, nuts, eggs, kinda like the food we SHOULD be eating, not just the seed mixes in the stores!  Each large parrot species has it's own dietary special needs so research is vital for information. Cockatoo probably has great sites for info & suggestions.  Have fun with your new friends & post pics!!!  What type are they?  J

[Cockatoo]

greenismycolor - PolkaBee is right.
Cockatoos are generally love sponges.
They are very clingy and can become an attention nuisance if allowed.
They want to be encouraged to play alone when you're not around.
But they need to be supervised when out or they can be very destructive.
We've had to replace the crown molding many times above the curtains. Ugh.
You'll want to put them on an extruded pellet diet as all seed is nothing but fat.
In the wild they would eat a variety of foods. Including small crustations (tidal shrimp) as Goffins are from Tanimbar Island.
Cockatoos are omnivores, not herbivores.
They'll eat grubs too, but their pelleted food will contain proteins.
You can feed them some scrambled eggs once a week, OH they'll LOVE pasta!
And I do give mine a shrimp when we have them. And a bite of hotdog.
Oh and ribs and chicken wings! 
Expect to share your meals with them. It makes for great feathered companions.






Here is a good source of information.
It's a parrot forum.

http://www.theperch.net/discussion/forumdisplay.php?f=4

[Cockatoo]

You'll love this too.

http://s220.photobucket.com/albums/dd48/screamingcockatoo/Cockatoos/?albumview=slideshow

[greenismycolor]

Poka-bee and Cockatoo

 I had no idea they ate any type of meat! I am understanding that I  have a whole lot to learn, and I appreciate your experience and advice. These were bought as a pair male, and female, when they were very young and now about a year old. The previous owner said that she found  2 eggs once in the food bowl. She also said that the eggs were soft shelled.  They are cockatils, i'll try to attach a photo.

This photo is not my bird but looks exactly the same.
 

[Cockatoo]

Ah Cockatiels.
We have 3.

They'll LOVE pasta!
Only give them sunflower seeds as a treat.
If the hen is laying eggs, she needs a cuttlebone to replenish her calcium.

[greenismycolor]

hey cockatoo
All of the cockatiel food is loaded with sunflower seed, and she seems to LOVE them she picks them out first. What do you recommend? The parakeet food doesn't have any, I've wondered why the difference. The size of the bird and the seed perhaps? just a guess. I think it is spaghetti for dinner

[Cockatoo]

Pelleted cockatiel diet. We buy the Kaytee Exact.
Other brands are fine.
You want them to live a long time, feed them this.
Otherwise they will develop health problems from all the fats.
Like us eating nothing but fried foods.

Oh fix 'em some scrambled eggs in the morning. See how they like those! 

[greenismycolor]

Will do Cockatoo. Thanks again for the info!!

[poka-bee]

My husband isn't happy with the longevity of mine..PA is 17 & Q is a year or so younger.  Sunflower seeds are addicting to them, like candy, fried foods are to us.  I personally don't use the pelleted food as there was too much waste with my little monsters.  They would grind it up to powder tossing it out of the cage for the dog to snuffle up. I do however feed a mashevery day.  It's
1C 15 bean soup or equivelent
1C frozen corn
1C cat or dog food (small bits)
1C rice, I use brown basmati  but as long as it isn't instant
dump beans into pan, add 1 1/4 c hot water, cover let sit for an hour.  Add the corn, rice, dogfood & 1 more cup water.  Bring to a boil (be careful,don't walk off or it will burn & weld itself to your pan.... ) cover & turn off, let sit for another hour or so.  It should be mostly crumbly, not gummy.  I put it in old yogurt containers, enough for 3 days or so & freeze. You can use ice trays or whatever to freeze. I also sprinkle some of the canine missing link on,(cats get it too..) if you also have dogs this stuff is wonderful. Mine do get seed, the Kaytee regular, not too much safflower or sunflower.  Also all the greens, veggie chunks, eggs, cereal..whatever we are eating.  They will also eat chix chunks like Cockatoo said.  You have to keep introducing stuff to them, they can be VERY stubborn, looking at you like you put snakes in their dishes but don't give up!  J

[Cockatoo]

My wife does the "feeding at the zoo" routine here every morning.
We have 18 parrots here. Yes 18. 
So she heats up cups of frozen veggies, makes the colored pasta and gets everyone's water ready.
Then they get a 1/2 scoop of the pellets.