Coffee time!!

Having a cockatoo, or any big bird for that matter, is not unlike having a small child. There is very little of a person’s life that does not revolve around a child. It can be hectic at times, chaotic at others. The same is true for a cockatoo. The difference is that a child will grow up and become more self-sufficient. The cockatoo will not. The cockatoo will be demanding of your time forever. And I say forever because the chances are good that the cockatoo will outlive you.

I hate to sound like a broken record, but I hear so often how wonderful my bird is and how people would like to own one themselves. I have to repeat myself often and ask, do you really? Children grow and leave the nest. Dogs and cats are fairly self-sufficient. But a bird, and especially the high strung needy cockatoo species, will always be demanding of your time. They need constant stimulation, validation, reassurance, and good ol’ TLC.

They need constant variety in their diet. Don’t let the store employee fool you. They won’t live long on a bag of bird seed from the pet store. In fact that is the worst thing for them. Nutritional pellets are a must. But more importantly are nuts, fresh fruit and vegetables that you need to cut up, and a variety of healthy starches. That’s not bad. In fact it rewarding. We have three birds all together and one of my first morning chores is food prep. Two of our birds are very appreciative and eat very well. Baubo eats like shit.

I don’t know how to get her out of her bad eating habits. She is offered good food every day but throws it from her food dish to the ground, thus making my dogs into bottom feeders. Yes, we have dogs too, four of them. Baubo turns her beak up at fresh cut fruits and veggies in favor of corn bread, peanut butter, and some nuts like almonds. The majority of her food comes from our dinner plate. She eats when we eat, and when it’s not to her liking then she is SOL. Its pellets and water for her.