were to get a cockatoo

mr c

My Daughter wants to get a Cockatoo
she is a avid animal lover and has quiet a few already
I was wondering can anybody give me some advice on where to get one or somebody to contact as we would like to do it the right way so any information would be appreciated
She has already researched them and knows quiet a bit on them but im just wondering the best way to go about it
Many Thanks for any advice

Knine

Bird Jungle or Wags n Tails Galway. I have a Parrotlet & my daughter is getting a Ring Neck in a few weeks

AfterLife

Copsewood Aviaries. They're only open on weekends but are very good.

Nody

I think this forum has given me permanent damage because I was expecting this to be yet another backyard dog combo of the week reading the title :P

Nody

Nody wrote: »

I think this forum has given me permanent damage because I was expecting this to be yet another backyard dog combo of the week reading the title :P

Hahaha same!

em_cat

[Deleted User] wrote: »

Hahaha same!

Ditto!

mr c

Many Thanks for the replies
am contacting them now and will update this thread again if I get a result

Kamili

AfterLife wrote: »

Copsewood Aviaries. They're only open on weekends but are very good.

+1 lovely people down there

Bunnyslippers

Just remember a cockatoo can live 60+yrs! I have a rescue goffins cockatoo, she had at least 6 homes before I got her, she screams for ireland and at all times of day, especially if she sees something she doesn't like which is very often, so make sure you have no neighbours.

They can be a nightmare as they often bond to one person and will attack anyone they don't like, mine has given my sister a hole in her ear and plenty of chunks out of her fingers, she'll play cute for a while until folk drop their guard and then pounce!! A larger cockatoo can take fingers/eyes or ears off if in a grumpy mood, which cockatoos are often in and it can be hard to tell unless you really know your bird.

They can take years to settle in and learn to trust their family, my amazon parrot who also screams as his way of singing but it's actually painful to be in the same room as it's so loud, it took him 3yrs before he would allow me to touch him without taking a chunk out of my finger, they are certainly not a pet I'd buy a child.
They also need at least 4 or 5hrs of out of cage time, they are highly destructive - my cockatoo eats wires, furniture, door/window frames, corners of walls etc if you take your eyes off her for a second!

I have spent a fortune in toys, aviaries, food - they need a very good diet, mine are on pellet food, seeds, fruit, veg, palm nuts, nuts, sprouted foods and soaked pulses etc. The toys are a must and need to be rotated everyday as they get bored very quickly, they aren't cheap and mine will happily eat a 20 euro toy in an hour - but it keeps her quiet!! It is basically like having a cranky grumpy bitey reeeeaaallly loud screamy toddler for 60yrs!! They make a lot of mess and create a lot of dust too, cockatoos need daily showers to keep their feathers in good nick.

All in all they are a very very high maintenance pet which you will have for life - so not something to buy on a whim, certainly not for a child as what happens when your daughter gores to college etc - what if you are stuck looking after a bird who hates you!!? And if they get bored you will have something that screams and screams all the time, that's why so many end up in rescues.
Also if you buy a hand reared bird - lovely and cuddly to start with as it thinks it's a person, disaster when it hits sexual maturity at around 2, depending on species, they often hate the person they were most attached to to start with and find a "mate' with another family member - they like to hump your arm/leg etc - not great behaviour for kids!!!;)

Maybe try something small like a cockatiel as they usually live around 16yrs or so, do far less damage if they bite - you're not going to loose a finger to one, they are usually far happier birds temperament wise, plus the noise level is a million times lower!! I would never have gone and bought a cockatoo or a parrot as I know how much work they are, but mine were given to me as rescues and as I work from home and am about all the time I have the time to look after them, a child who is at school all day is not suitable tbh. Please please do the research yourself and look on youtube as to just how loud they are and also all the behaviour issues you can get with them if their needs are not met, they are a huge commitment!!!