Live With a Moluccan Cockatoo



Moluccan Cockatoos are very high maintenance birds. Read this article to learn how to live with them. This animal requires a serious and lifelong commitment. Do not get one until you research them completely.

Steps

  1. Be sure your home and family is willing to accept the responsibilities and needs of the Cockatoo. If you wish to cut down on the dust, make sure you have an excellent air cleaner in the same room and plan on a small shop vac for daily cleanups of debris thrown from the cage. Note it says " cut down ". Cockatoos produce large amounts of dust and your home will get coated with it. Running the vacuum and / or dusting daily is pretty common with the Cockatoo species. They produce that much dust. Allergies or asthma ? Consider a different species.
  2. Buy a very large cage and try to get one with a play gym on the top. Place the cage against a wall (unless you have a chewer) and never in front of a window where the bird cannot find some privacy and seclusion. Keep the cage where the bird can see family members interacting and feel like they are part of the action but in an area away from the kitchen and fumes.
  3. Plan on buying lots of toys or making them. Cockatoos love to destroy things, chew up old socks, and their bright minds need to be stimulated all the time. Rotate the toys every week to keep their interest.
  4. Pay attention to the birds. These are not birds that can be left 8 hours a day with no human interaction. They become neurotic and can resort to self-mutilation to try to comfort themselves.
  5. Good training early on in a bird's life will ensure continued acceptable behavior later on when the hormones kick in. Make sure you allow them time to amuse themselves and not indulge their constant need for attention. These birds aren't called 'Velcro' birds for nothing!
  6. If you go out, leave a radio or the TV on so they have something to listen to and watch. Tell them you are coming back and will see them in a little bit. They understand a lot and have the intelligence of a 2 year-old human.
  7. While some learn to talk well, they generally are the clowns and love entertaining you by dancing, flapping and swinging with loud abandon. Their vocal range is wide and can be heard halfway down the block, so have understanding neighbors that have been allowed to get to know the bird when you take it outside. If you live in an apartment, do not even consider a Moluccan. With a yell capable of reaching 130db, your neighbors will ensure you don't stay long.
  8. If you plan on taking your bird outside, buy a harness or travel cage. Wing clipping is not enough.

Tips

  • Get a cage at least twice as big as the animal's wingspan. If you cannot afford a huge cage, you are not ready for this bird.
  • Mollies love to play with you outside and have a nice bath from water sprayed up in the air and allowed to fall like rain.
  • Because they use powder, not oil to clean themselves, they need to be bathed often. Do not use soap, and be sure he is nice and warm afterwards.
  • Learn about their proper diet. Never give a bird a seed diet. This is like feeding your child peanut butter as their only food. A seed diet will cause liver damage and terrible behavior problems. A balanced diet includes fresh vegetables, fruits, whole grains, and yes some meats from time to time.
  • Keep your Molly's cage clean. That means clean and scrub the water and food bowls every day.
  • If you have a job and have to leave the bird for more than 3 hours at a time, provide it with plenty of entertainment options.
  • These birds occasionally bite to tease and to get your attention, but they can also become aggressive out of jealousy, so be prepared to spend regular, quality time interacting with your bird.

Warnings

  • A Molly can give you quite a bite. It is painful and can be a deep gouge. You must be deeply committed to this remarkable animal which could possibly outlive you.
  • While not for everyone, those that love boisterous joyous behavior and a bird that lives to be with you and your family might find that a Moluccan Cockatoo is the perfect bird.
  • Never use Teflon cooking pans in a home with birds. The Teflon gives off fumes when overheated and can kill birds within minutes.
  • The choice to get one of these rare birds is also more challenging than other birds, because they are endangered.

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