Nowadays, almost any animal can be a pet. It is totally normal to have birds since they do not need too much care. They are not animals that need as much attention as cats and dogs. But be careful, exotic birds like cockatoos do need special care.
What is a cockatoo?
The cockatoo is an exotic bird that comes from the Cacatuidae family. It is a climbing bird that can be found in its natural habitat in places such as the Philippine Islands or in South Australia. Physically they are distinguished by having white feathers, a quite prominent plume and a black or light colored beak (depending on the subgenus).
They are considered very beautiful birds and, for this reason, in recent years there has been an increase in their purchase and care. Another aspect that has influenced this increase is that, like parrots, they are very sociable. This means that humans can interact with them more closely than with other birds.
These birds live in large spaces and in community when they are in the wild but, as has been verified, they usually adapt well to life in captivity. But, for this adaptation to be satisfactory and the bird to be well, special care is needed.
What is the necessary care to take care of a cockatoo?
Before you start, you should keep in mind that you should not buy a cockatoo as a pet if you know in advance that you are going to be away from home for long periods of time. They are animals that need continuous contact.
Instructions to take care of a cockatoo
- The first point to consider before buying a cockatoo knows where it will live. As we have mentioned before, these birds are used to living in large, open spaces. For this reason, it is recommended that the cage where you are going to have it be very large and spacious. In this way, they will be able to move more freely and exercise. It is recommended that you put a tray on the floor of the cage that you can easily remove. Thus, you will be able to have a cleaner cage, which is a very important aspect for these birds. Make sure to regularly change the dirty tray. The cage should be placed in a space where it receives enough sunlight. Living in places like Australia, these animals are not used to humidity or harsh air currents. Therefore, the place where you place the cage must avoid humidity and air. Cockatoos are often easily startled by loud noises and sounds. Place the cage in a quiet place so that your cockatoo lives happily and without stress.
- Cockatoos are animals that eat all kinds of seeds. Make sure that their diet is based on seeds of all kinds. For example, you can offer corn, hemp, rice, wheat or oat seeds. In addition, you can add dried fruits such as peanuts, walnuts, sunflower or pumpkin seeds to their meals. They also eat fresh fruits and vegetables, so you can put them in their cage for them to eat whenever they want. In the market they also sell a special feed for these animals that includes all the nutrients they need. The water must be clean and fresh so that our cockatoo lives well. You must change the water daily or when you see that it has finished.
- Cockatoos are much more sensitive birds than they seem. Seasonal and emotional changes affect them more than we think. As for seasonal changes, so that it does not affect it too abruptly, we can always keep it in the same room with the same climatic conditions. In this way, we will avoid the impact. Although slight changes will not affect your health. On the other hand, attending to emotional changes, it is in our hands that they do not suffer. They are animals that require gentle and delicate care and treatment. Poor handling, mistreatment, loud and excessive noises or simple neglect can cause great damage to our cockatoo. Treat her kindly. If, on any occasion, you see that your animal is plucking its feathers, its eyes are swollen, it shows apathy, it does not eat or drink, it stops taking care of its plumage or it has diarrhea, you should take it to a veterinarian as soon as possible.
- These birds are capable of reproducing all kinds of sounds with great ease. With patience and time, we may be able to make our cockatoo learn words or some characteristic sounds. The best way to achieve this is through repetition. The bird will associate the word or sound that we want and will end up learning it. This repetition has to be consistent and done every day. When handling the cockatoo, you should do it with slow and smooth movements. They should not be abrupt at all and try to make as little noise as possible. It won’t want to perch on your hand at first, but you can offer it food to do so. Slowly, when she understands that she is not in danger, she will approach on her own and will like to interact with you.
- This species of birds are monogamous. It is an important aspect to select well the partner with whom you are going to share your life. It is important that they get along and are compatible for reproduction to take place. Cockatoos are capable of living with another in the same cage (which is why they live in communities), so it will not be necessary to only bring them together when the breeding season approaches. The first thing we must take into account to make our cockatoo reproduce is to have a cage large enough for both of them to live with space. Make wooden nests favorably influences the reproduction of these birds. These nests are more comfortable for them and help them have greater privacy. Therefore, it is recommended that you make or buy one and put it in the cage. Once they have mated they will have some eggs. The number usually ranges between 3 and 5 for each effective mating. The incubation period is around 21 days. When the eggs hatch and the young hatch, they are born blind and deaf. So it is the parents who are in charge of feeding and caring for them. After about six weeks, the young will begin to see and hear. When two months have passed since the birth of the birds, we can separate them from their parents and raise them separately if we want.
As you can see, taking care of a cockatoo is not too complicated. The most important aspects are described in the previous section. It is very important that you give her affection and that you relate to her as much as possible. In this way, they will grow healthy and strong and you will find in them the perfect companion. They are very sociable animals that will give us great moments of love and affection.
