red breasted cockatoo ?

[Barred Rocks forever]

how long does it take them to mature ?

 

[featherbaby]

What is your past experience with birds? What kinds?

 

[Barred Rocks forever]

well my neighbor has a parrot whos bonded to her that i try to be friends with played with her cockatiel alot ive had hawks chill out on my arms before at a hunting show my 6th grade teacher had a cockatiel who i played with alot and i got about 18 chickens my cousin had a parrot who only liked him and threw spoons at me lol think it was a minature amazon ive been to those big bird houses with paroketes jump on your hands

 

[featherbaby]

You have all the makings of a great bird keeper. Because you don't have direct experience with large (intelligent) parrots, you NEED to read and study up on the basics of nutrition, enriching environment (toys and entertainment), social expectations, training, etc. It is a lifetime project and if you are like most of the cockatoo owners, you'll love every minute of it. Start by going to this site and reading any and all articals that apply to you: http://www.birdsnways.com/cockatoo/articles.htm. There are some very good reference books on Amazon.com (used books are very economical) such as "Guide to companion parrot behavior" which I refer back to periodically. The more you know and understand, the happier you and the cockatoo will be. The one you're getting is still young and will learn many things under your slow and gentle training. Just remember, birds are not at all like dogs and cats who have been domesticated for hundreds of years. Birds are still "wild" in their minds and we have to work around that, cutting them slack when they do something we don't understand (like biting the hand that feeds them.....it WILL happen). Don't overreact. Just calmly put them back in the cage for time out and try again later. Also they do something called "displaced aggression" you need to understand. For example, if he is out on your shoulder and a dog (dangerous predator to him in nature) walks through the room, he's going to bite you. It's a fear/escape mechanism. He's trying to tell you to GET OUT OF HARMS WAY! We tend to misinterpret this as aggression toward us. It's not. There's lots more to learn, keep reading and studying. Oh I should tell you: every time you have your Cockatoo out of the cage, one of you is training the other. HA!!!



Sandi

 

[WoodlandWoman]

Cockatoos are also dustier than some other species of parrots. Not a problem for some people, but you should be aware of it, in case anyone in your house has asthma or allergies to dust mites. Plus, you just need to realize that you may have more of a need to bathe the bird more frequently, get an air cleaner or spend a little more time cleaning.

 

[amyparrotflock]

I agree with what the others have said. I also my suggest a visit to a somewhat conterversial site- www.mytoos.com 'toos can be loud, dusty, and are very intelligent, but fortunately the rose breasted generally (and this one could be an exception) don't get as loud as some of them can.

I think you'll enjoy having him/her, and don't be discouraged if the bird isn't 100%. Many of them go through a lot of homes before they finally find that would accept them and their baggage. It sounds like you are still young, so I would hope that you also think of college plans as many colleges will not accept birds in dorms, will your parents be able to care for it while you go away for 4-5 years or longer?

congrats, and welcome to world of owning parrots. You won't be disappointed.

 

[Barred Rocks forever]

dont worry i have plans if anything bad were to happen only dilema now is that the cage is huge like the size of 4 of those large close able tv stands if u know what i mean so im not sure i want a cage that big lol

 

[ArizonaNessa]

They do need a big cage with tons of toys

 

[featherbaby]

Keep the big cage! They need as much room as possible since they'll be spending a lot of time in there. By the time you fill it with toys, it isn't all that big for the bird. One of the worst mistakes people make is putting them in a small confining cage and they feel trapped and constricted which leads to other serious behavioral problems. You'll want to provide the best environment possible and the large cage is a fantastic start!

 

[Barred Rocks forever]

ok as sooon as i get any updates i will tell you guys