Maiosameru Posted April 28, 2011 Share Posted April 28, 2011 Hi, I'm currently living in an apartment with a large dog and a CAG...and in September, a baby. When we do finally purchase our own house..my husband and I would like to get a cockatoo. We want a bird that is going to be super cuddly and hopefully bond with my husband and child (when he'she is OLDER of course). I personally don't know much about these birds..what they need in a cage or family situations. I have heard some are screamers..which honestly..in a house no one is going to care if the bird gets rowdy at sunrise and sunset. We want a breed that will *hopefully* bond with our CAG. We also would like to look into rescuing rather than getting a baby if possible...I've rehabilitated horses and dogs and cats..and now, a CAG. Its something I love and enjoy doing. What would be a good place to find a bird like this? Also, cage wise and equipment wise, how do they differ from greys? I want to be very well versed before I take on a challenge like this..so..where can I look or read up on them..also any good rescues? Thanks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shelly Yokum Posted April 28, 2011 Share Posted April 28, 2011 I personally would not adopt one in your situation, unless you know its back ground. A too is very loud, but only if you make it from when its a baby. If you give it a lot of attention, for a while then don't it will scream, and possibly pluck its self. You never know the back ground, of an older one. They are not known to give warning bites. When they bite they draw blood. Something to be very careful about around a small child. They also give off a lot of dandruff, that could cause allergies to your newborn child. I would get on as a baby, and let the two grow old together. You always want the biggest cage you can afford and have room for. Cockatoos need a lot of attention, toys hanging and foot toys. WIth a baby on the way, your going to be tired for the first year, and very busy. I think if I was you I would wait, but its your call. I hope this has answered some of your questions. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maiosameru Posted April 28, 2011 Author Share Posted April 28, 2011 I was planning to wait until the child is old enough for school anyway..I can't imagine adding another needy critter to my family in the next few years even. Although I didn't think about not knowing the older birds background..wasn't so bad when I was single, but I would be pretty wary with a child of any age. From the sounds of it..chances are a cockatoo isn't a good choice for us for a long while. Thanks for the info..I had no clue they didn't give warning bites. Definately makes you rethink things lol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
judygram Posted April 28, 2011 Share Posted April 28, 2011 You need to go to this site and listen and read what it has to say, it may make the decision for you, toos are not for everyone and you need to make sure you know what you will be getting into. http://www.mytoos.com/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eshana Posted April 28, 2011 Share Posted April 28, 2011 I used to work at a Petland Discounts. We had a lesser sulfer crested cockatoo named Rocko. He was an outright nightmare. Every time I went into his room to clean it I'd walk out bleeding and bruised. Then some rich guy walked in and paid cash for him and we got a new baby in, a greater sulfer crested cockatoo named Snowflake. Snowflake was a sweetheart! She'd dance with me while I blasted the radio, she loved to snuggle and ride around in my hair, she'd play hide and seek when I was working the floor, absolutely amazing! Of course, I was a part time worker, so I didn't have a ton of time for her. For hours at a time she was left in her cage room, staring out the glass, screaming for us to let her out. Customers shopping used to complain. We eventually made a stand for her so she could sit outside her cage while we worked. A small child almost got her finger bitten off (it was an accident, she was spooked) so we had to keep her behind glass for good. That's just my experience, I'm sure plenty of people on here have cockatoos that are wonderful. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maiosameru Posted April 28, 2011 Author Share Posted April 28, 2011 Yeah, after reading that website..I don't think these guys would fit in very well at all with our family. Sad, but I don't want to get in over my head..I think I'll stick to loving on the one down at the groomers instead ^^ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eshana Posted April 28, 2011 Share Posted April 28, 2011 If you're looking for a cuddlebug, why not a conure? I've experienced so many conures in my life (I've never actually had one, but I've worked with many different types) and every one has loved to cuddle. They're small enough that nips won't take fingers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maiosameru Posted April 28, 2011 Author Share Posted April 28, 2011 hmm...never considered a conure...I don't really know much about them though. I'll see if I can find some info on them. Thanks ^^ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
judygram Posted April 28, 2011 Share Posted April 28, 2011 I have to agree with Shana about the conures as they are cuddlebugs, I have a sun conure that loves nothing better than to ride around on my shoulder when she is out of her cage and loves to snuggle up to me, of course she can be so sweet one minute then turn and bite you but their bites are more like pinches. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maiosameru Posted April 28, 2011 Author Share Posted April 28, 2011 Wow, never seen that in a conure..only experience I have with sun conures was at a free flight aviary as a teenager and I got bit when I tried to get one to step up. Didn't stop them from crawling all over me for food though. Also a sun conure would work in the cage we use for our grey...its a smaller one that we could actually fit into our car when we brought Leo home..since he's getting his uber cage this weekend. I'll definately look into them to see if they are even an option Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eshana Posted April 28, 2011 Share Posted April 28, 2011 There are more conures than just a sun! There are smaller ones that aren't so loud. I could imagine a sun conures loud shriek being a problem for a baby/toddler. A green cheek can be loud, but they don't 'shriek' as much. They come in a lot of pretty mutations, too! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
judygram Posted April 28, 2011 Share Posted April 28, 2011 I know there are many different types of conures and they all may be somewhat cuddly but I love the suns because they are so brightly colored. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maiosameru Posted April 28, 2011 Author Share Posted April 28, 2011 heh the suns are the only ones I've ever heard of. I'm not too picky on how the bird looks..just want one thats well adjusted and friendly Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eshana Posted April 28, 2011 Share Posted April 28, 2011 I'm interested myself. I currently have a 'tiel. By may of next year I will have a grey, but before then I want another bird for my 'tiel to talk to, so I've been debating between a sun and a green cheek...the sun's loud shrieks being the reason I lean green cheek. The shriek is fine in my current location, but I don't want to live in Staten Island forever! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spock Posted April 28, 2011 Share Posted April 28, 2011 (edited) Greetings...if I may, it is hard to judge parrots in general, especially by species when comparing to one and another. When it comes to plucking, Greys are the #1 pluckers. Biting? Your Eleanora, Lesser and Greater Sulfur Crested and Triton TOO's are known to be somewhat bitey where the Citron, not so much. Our Lesser is bitey to me but not Maggie and our Triton, not so much. In the TOO's family that we have worked with over the years, the Moluccan is the noisiest and bitiest followed by the Ducorps. A Bare-Eyed and Rose-breasted are loving individuals as well as your Goffin. Umbrellas or UMBY's are beautiful. Your Red Palm is the sweetest and the best with your Ledbetter being one of the hardest ones to deal with. A TOO is not a Grey. It is far easier, by a million to one, to take an older 'TOO and rehome him. We've done this with many 'TOO's over the years. As far as being over-demanding, that depends on how you take care of them and treat them. A 'TOO needs a routine much more than most parrots. Amazons: Mealy and Mexican Red-Heads are extremely well-behaved, good around young children and this is also a good choice for a first parrot. Conures: Picking a Conure can be like opening a can of worms. Green Cheeks are probably the greatest bet. If you get one that is a Fledgling and hasn't been hand-fed, you can train them easily. They are undemanding. Suns, and Nandays are considered the noisiest of the the Conures. They can be very loving and then very bitey...Mitrerd can be somewhat overbearing and ornery as is Cherry-heads. Conures are very similar in many aspects to your Amazons. Don't judge any bird by one bird. Each bird, as is their owner, different. Each species has similar traits and all these traits can be overcome with proper diet, care and most of all, routine. Jayd Edited April 28, 2011 by Spock Added name Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spock Posted April 28, 2011 Share Posted April 28, 2011 I feel a better choice would be a Half-moon or Orange-front Conure. We have both, including Suns, with our 'Tiels. The Suns are more heavy-bodied and noisy. They kind of drown out the sweet songs of the 'Tiels. Our Suns get along better with our bigger birds, especially Spock. Jayd Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grazrgr8 Posted April 28, 2011 Share Posted April 28, 2011 I've owned an Umbrella cockatoo, very sweet, loveable, etc, but would have those screaming "fits" when I was out of sight. Very stressful. I'm sold on the African birds... I love my greys, but would have a Jardine's parrot again in a heartbeat. They are loveable, pretty, funny, playful and talk as well. They are just the right size, bigger than a cockatiel, smaller than a goffin's. My favorite of all. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greywings Posted April 28, 2011 Share Posted April 28, 2011 (edited) I live with 2 Too's and 3 Greys and I can tell you the Too's are the loudest. I also /volunteer at the local Parrot Sanctuary and work with all kinds of birds to me the Conures are the most likely to bite, hate feeling so helpless but am afraid I could accidentally injure one just trying to protect myself. They are also have the most piercing voices it goes right through my ear and into my brain-painful. Each too is as different in personality and interactions as we all are. Go read some posts old and new at Tooztalk.com for some insight into life with a Cockatoo. Edited April 29, 2011 by Greywings Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Butttaxi Posted April 29, 2011 Share Posted April 29, 2011 You need to go to this site and listen and read what it has to say, it may make the decision for you, toos are not for everyone and you need to make sure you know what you will be getting into.http://www.mytoos.com/ When I read the first post the first thing I though of was mytoos.com David wants a Cockatoo, I think they are great but I wanted to do my research first. I have been to the site mytoos.com a few weeks back and I thought it was VERY insightful and helped a lot. I have also found videos on the screeching to let David hear it prior to him actually getting a 'TOO. I asked him if he could handle that noise and he was pretty confident that he could. I have also told him how much more attention they require and that they can easily turn or more sensitive which can lead to plucking. Don't get me wrong I am not trying to talk him out of it, I would also love one but I just want to make sure we can be the best for the bird. There are already too many birds out there being abused and/or needing a forever home, I do not want to add to the pile. We are not settled yet and we are not about to run out and get a new bird tomorrow. These plans are for way down the road and we own our own home and maybe when we can both truly provide attention to multiple birds but we would like to add at least 2 others, he still wants the 'TOO and I want an Amazon The we will be all set with the talker (CAG), the dancer ('TOO) and the singer (ZON) LOL Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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