6 Top Pet Cockatoo Questions

One of the most popular pet birds, cockatoos are mostly found in the Australasian region, including Philippines, Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, the Solomon Islands and Australia. These large birds with curved bills, showy crests, colored tail, crests and cheeks are mainly found in white, grey and black colors.

6 top cockatoo questions answered:

 
1) What are the different kinds of cockatoos? 

Cockatoos that are kept as pets can be divided into larger cockatoo parrots and the small. Some of the popular large cockatoos include the Umbrella, Moluccan and Sulphur crested. The smaller cockatoo parrots include the Bare eye, Rose breast and Goffin’s. The lesser known cockatoos include the Slender billed corella and the Leadbeater. Besides species like Sulphur creasted cockatoo has various sub-species.

2) What is the best kind of cage for a cockatoo?

Since cockatoos are large parrots it would be best to get an as big a cage as you can afford; the cage should be 24-inch-deep by 36-inch-wide cage for a smaller cockatoo and a minimum 30-inch-deep by 48-inch-wide cage for the larger cockatoo parrots like umbrellas and Moluccans. Make sure you stock the pet bird’s cage with bird toys that would encourage independent play and also ward off boredom. It would also be a worthwhile suggestion to rotate the toys in the cage periodically so that the bird is well engaged.

3) What could be a pet cockatoo’s diet? 

It is best to feed your pet cockatoo a formulated food based diet or pellets. This should be supplemented by fresh fruits and vegetables and occasional nuts and seeds treat. Create foraging opportunities and encourage your cockatoo to try out new foods. Offer treats especially during training to motivate the large parrot to do tricks.

4) How can you tell if a cockatoo is a male or female? 

Some cockatoos display visible distinction between the sexes, with this varying from species to species. One of the distinctive differences is that female cockatoos have brownish or reddish brown irises as compared to black irises in males. In most cases the difference is so subtle that only a DNA test can prove its accuracy.

5) How can you keep a pet cockatoo happy?

It is best to provide these large birds with large beaks some toys to manipulate and shred; they should be provided with large toys and branches to chew on or they may develop the behavioral problem of feather picking. It is best to provide them pine cones, safe branches and twigs that have been sterilized to assist the chewing instinct. Pet cockatoos also enjoy foraging activities.

6) What are the diseases that cockatoos contract?

Aspergillosis, a fungal disease that affects the respiratory system and Sarcosporidiosis, an emaciating disease contracted through the droppings of wild animals such as opossums are of great concern; these diseases can be prevented by keeping the bird indoors. In addition cockatoos could be subject to Psittacine beak and feather disease (PBFD), which is caused by a circovirus that attacks the cells of the immune system and cells that produce the beak and feathers. Prevention of PBFD lies in quarantining new pet birds for five weeks or more, with feeding a good diet, reducing stress and keeping the pet’s cage clean.

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