Hello, I wanted to say that reading these posts may have saved both me and two lovely umbrellas from disaster -- I had no idea these birds required so much time and could be so loud. Saw these birds available for adoption at a gas station and my instinct was to save them - then I listened to the clip and don't really think I'd like all that screaming. I work a lot and have dogs who are also very needy and I'm not sure the two types of pets would be compatible or that I'd have the time to properly give them what they need. Maybe in my next life I'll have more time. Instead of adopting them, I'll pray they find a worthy home. Thanks for all the great information.
From my own personal experience, I would reccomend an Umbrella Cockatoo. They are very loving and easily tamed, love to spend time with you and are all around a real laugh! About the noise...well, I'm Australian and I've had flocks of Cockatoo's at 6am wake me up nesting in the trees in my yard, so maybe i'm used to it! But for many others it's almost eir piercing, I will agree that they are very loud! But very worth it!!! They are an absolute delight! I hope this has been helpful and look forward to hearing what you do Good luck!
From my experience I have owned both Moluccan and Umbrella they
were both as loud.I found the Moluccan to be very demanding and needed too
much of your personal attention which was impossible to do especially when you had other obligations.As it turned out because of my asthma the 5 Cockatoos had to be rehomed.Cockatoos aren't for everyone and more research should be done by anyone looking to own one.They are definately a lot of work.
We have had him about a month or so. He is loving, and sweet and cuddly and a ham. He is only two, and I have no idea about his history as he was left at a bird shelter.
He is also neurotic, tapping, bobbing on his dishes to make noise, squeals like a pig to make noise when no one is paying attention and on and on. And, as everyone before me has said, he is a screamer. He is not a morning and night screamer as I read before I bought. He is a "I'm throwing a temper tantrum"! screamer. "You aren't looking at me" screamer. "You're not talking to me" screamer. It is hard to know what his history is like, and whether or not he was rewarded for this behavoir even in a negative way prior to being in our home.
We just ignore him when he does it. And when he is quiet, we reward it with interaction. But, if he wants to be a freak, nothing is stopping him.
Remember that there will be times when you are on the phone, or watching a movie, having dinner, or what have you that he/she will completely destroy with the most high pitched, ear piercing-I'd rather hear an air horn-kind of screaming.
I cannot at this moment fathom 60-80 years of this. And now, it is my reality. So! Think HARD before getting an UM or any parrot for that matter. They can come with "baggage" too.
We will continue to "ignore" the behavoir and hope that he stops when he learns there is nothing "in it" for him. But, it may never stop too....Fingers crossed! Lol Even being consistant is a lot of work. CONSTANT!
Good luck!
I recommend going to a parrot sanctuary, both of these birds are not great pets at all. Only 1 out of 50 or so people is able to properly meet the needs of these birds, MOST cockatoos people buy, end up being rehomed between ages 3-10years of age.
Books that are a MUST:
Barbara Heidenreich's Parrot Problem Solver(the best of the three)
Nikki Moustaki's Your Outta Control Bird
Barons guide to a well behaved bird #3!
I agree that people should go to a sanctuary or a rescue.Now as far as making great pets they can be unpredictable at certain times.I was mauled by one of the U2's I took in over 8 years ago.Though I rehomed all 5 Cockatoos which included a M2,2-U2's and 2-G2's due to my asthma I recently took in a U2 named Henry to foster(hubby does all the care.)Each bird should be treated individually because they are all not the same.It takes someone special and with lots of patience as well as time and understanding to own a Cockatoo.They ARE NOT for everyone!
Two weeks and a day after adopting a female Umbrella, named Gabby, (5 plus years old). I have found that she is very gentle and does not bite (unless she gently "preens" off the scabs left by Scooby, my other male Quaker adoption).
But she has plucked off all of her major feathers, wing and tail but not the minor feathers, down or from the breast.
She talks and says quite a bit. And in the morning she says, "Gabby, Gabby, Gabby is up." over and over till the covers come off her cage. She is not a large U2, but seems smaller than most that I have seen. (But then again without the tail feathers and wing feathers it is hard to tell)
During the day she hardly makes a sound, except when she says something and then laughs. Her laughter is very nice, and quite human sounding. When the sun goes down, then she belts it out for about 20 min before she gets back, usually on her own, into her small cage.
But having her only 2 weeks and using a borrowed cage, with a play area on top, she uses it for sleeping and when I am gone for 4 or 6 hours. And overall she seems comfortable in it. Previous owners at the shelter had a huge cage for her. It was 6' x 3' x 4'. Whether that was the cage she was originally in I do not know, but from what I was told she wanted to be outside most of the time and was only let in for sleeping. They had another cage that they gave me that she was also kept in for several weeks and that one was really way to small. 19" x 19" x 24"
What did she do during the day? Stay on top, only going into that small cage and also the larger one when she wanted food. But then out again when she was full. There was nothing for her to do up there on the cage top. She just sat there, pacing the bars. And she cannot fly away because her major flight feathers have been plucked down, but the shafts not pulled out so when I stroke her wings it feels like I am stroking a cactus.
Now the cage I have borrowed for her may be too small but larger than the small 19" x 19" x 24" one that she had. The cage I have now is made by CAL CAGE. It is strong and well made the bar spacing is right, but it measures 24" x 24" x 20" interior and it has a play area on top. She seems OK with it so far, though she does not know what the playpen is for. She is so shy and skittish. But when she is outside she usually hangs on to the door, or perches on top of the door and shreds some whte pine wood toys that I made for her.
She is a very nice bird, and have had over these two weeks no problems with her-- yet... Maybe she is just looking to find my weaknesses, and strengths before she shows her real colors, and all hell breaks loose. (She was given up to an animal shelter for a reason.) From what I have read, things can happen with U2's So, I am mindful of this.
She seems to be very interested in Scooby my adopted male Quaker, and he in her. But there is no way that I will allow them to be in contact with each other. So during that hours that I am gone from the house I bring the cages closer together so that they can see each other. I also turn on the 35" TV so that they can see it and hear human voices.
So far so good with Gabby, but...
She hates to take a bath, and I have tried several times over the last two weeks. Lift the spray bottle and she goes wild screeching in terror. She will retreat to her cage and cower. I suppose someone must have punished her with a spray bottle.
So what I have done is I spray myself first. "See Gabby, it is ok. See..."
But when I point it toward her or even above her so that the spray rains down she screeches, cowers, hissing and striking out.
So what I now do to get her wings and tail wet is to spray my hands with bird bath spray solution, then stroke it into her wings, tail and back.
She allows that, but when she feels things getting wet... She puts up some resistance.
It is frustrating, because I know that she is a very good adoption with great potential. She loves to be cuddled all the while clinging to her cage, but is not willing to step up off of it and on to my arm. Eventually she will lighten up so I am not too concerned about that.
It is just that I have to find a way to get her over her fear of water and baths, because I know that this is probably the main reason for her clipping off her feathers. Tomorrow I will try misting her and then give her a reward, just after.
Anyone have any suggestions with regards to what I have written?
Here are my questions:
1) Cage size currently 24" x 24" x 20" with playpen on top. She seems to be OK with it for sleeping and the 4 or 6 hrs she is in it each day. And I have taken notice that there are no plucked feathers on the bottom tray, so that is good. Big or small cage, she likes to be outside clinging to the sides or on top.
2) Water, and baths. What would be the best method to get her to accept it?
Re: moluccan or umbrella?
Instead of adopting them, I'll pray they find a worthy home. Thanks for all the great information.
Re: moluccan or umbrella?
They ARE NOT for everyone!
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