"I want a bird that is cuddly!"

( Oh God , Here we go again...)

      ~ www.mytoos.com ~

What new is happening at the Parrot Garden?  Lots!  Unfortunately, due to some technical issues on this end, we’re unable to actually give you one of our usual prepared updates.  While searching for material to cover, however, I stumbled across a picture that teaches a lesson – a lesson about cockatoos.

The introductory quote to this blog entry is from the Web site MyToos.com.  I can’t stress enough, how important it is that people looking to adopt or live with a cockatoo, read over the information they provide.

People tend to become enamored with these big, “cuddly” white birds when they first meet them.  In all honesty, cockatoos are very handsome birds, so it’s easy to tell why people fall for their looks.  There’s a whole lot more to them than just that however!

Cockatoos are very playful and curious, which are qualities matched only by their destructive habits and high volume vocalizations.  This behavior is natural for cockatoos and, in the wild, does not pose a problem.  Bring one into your house, however and prepare to soundproof your building and replace drywall and wood trim with stainless steel and concrete. 

Furniture legs can turn to splinters in less than 30 minutes.  If a cockatoo doesn’t like your architectural layout (none of them ever do) they’ll see fit to add a window at ground level or a door that’s only about 1 and a half feet high.  Of course, they aren’t licensed or insured so if you don’t like their remodeling techniques, guess who’s left with the bill?

To be honest, the picture shown here is a fake.  Although he was caught playing with the evidence after the fact, Mango was not the one to initiate the destruction – his pal Sydney was!  Not only can they chew things to tiny shreds, they can also manipulate objects with nearly the same dexterity as us.  This means cage doors and food doors are all viewed as challenges waiting to be overcome.  Give a cockatoo enough time and they’ll figure out some of the most complex locks we can dream up.  Sydney is no exception.

We here at the Parrot garden are rather humble and we can admit when we make a mistake… even if we didn’t realize we did!  One evening Sydney had managed to figure out how to open his food door latches – a problem we’ve since, fixed.  Although their house is pretty much “bird safe” (Well, not counting the wall trim or folding table that is!) there was one piece of equipment that he took an interest in; this radio.

Consider it another lesson learned.  Sydney now gets a larger selection of foraging toys inside and outside of his cage, along with some more “cockatoo resistant” food doors and Mango… well, Mango just enjoys the attention!