Cockatoos
Cockatoos are generally one of the best family oriented birds. They are soft, love to cuddle, and very social. They can learn to talk, although they are not the clearest speakers of the parrots. Some have a large vocabulary, while others do not. They can easily be trained to go to anyone, and love to do tricks just to make their owners laugh. Cockatoos need out of the cage time with their owners on a daily basis, as do all pet parrots. Because they are so social, they consider themselves part of your flock of humans, and they can get loud in their demands to come out and play with the family. In the wild, cockatoos are ground dwellers, so when they are out, cockatoos are often on the floor following their family around the house. I had a Moluccan that would follow me upstairs, talking to me the whole time.
We raise three types of Cockatoos:
- The huge, friendly Moluccans
- The beautiful, curious Umbrellas
- The small, playful Goffins
Moluccan Cockatoo
Moluccan Cockatoos are the largest of the white cockatoos. As with most cockatoos, they can live to be 60 years old! They weigh close to one pound as adults, and are about 20 inches from head to tail. They are dimorphic in that the adult male has very dark eyes (almost black) while the adult female has a reddish iris. The hen is often larger than the male. These striking birds have a soft pink colored body with vibrant crest feathers of an orange-red. When a Moluccan displays himself, he is quite breath taking!
Moluccans are extremely intelligent birds that should be offered a variety of mind challenging toys, lots of wood for their strong beaks to chew, and a very well made cage to house them. They are very friendly pets, and if worked with from a young age, they can have a wide vocabulary. Their talking voice isn’t the clearest, but their ‘cuddle’ factor keeps them near the top of the family friendly pet list.
Moluccans produce a fine powder daily. Baths by a spray bottle or a shower are a must to keep the bird’s feathers healthy. Plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables should be offered daily to keep them healthy.
Even though these beautiful birds are quite hard to breed in captivity, and they are on the CITES endangered list, they are available for purchase in the US.
Umbrella Cockatoo
Umbrella Cockatoos are the most common pet cockatoo in the states. Their inquisitive natures, loving personalities, and beauty have made them favorites for many years. The Umbrella is smaller than the Moluccan - about 17 to 18 inches. Their coloring is all white with their crest and under pinnings of their feathers yellow. When displaying their crest there is yellow on the back side, and white on the front.
The Umbrella is a “good pass around pet”. They love to be loved, and need to be an integral part of the family. They like to chew, tear apart, and play with all sorts of toys. Giving them a variety of wood, acrylic, rubber and paper helps to keep these active birds occupied. As with other cockatoos, these guys need to be bathed often, and need a variety of foods offered.
Goffin Cockatoo
These pint sized cockatoos are full of energy, and are very intelligent! They are loyal to their owners and make affectionate family pets. They are the smallest cockatoo, so they can be very nice pets for someone who wants a cockatoo, but doesn’t have the space for a large bird. The cage requirements for a Goffin should be 30 X 30 X 30.
The crest of a Goffin is smaller than the other cockatoos, and stands straight up whenever excited. Their coloring is white also, with rosy patches on their cheek areas. Some Goffins actually have a light pink cast to their feathers.
