Citron Cockatoo Questions

[Wonderbird]

Hi, so me and my family have been looking at small cockatoos for a family pet. We've narrowed it down to the Citron Cockatoo. I have some questions though. Are they actually as quiet as people say? Noise isn't an issue but I'm just wondering. Are they good at entertaining themselves? How do you keep them happy? I read that not clipping their wings keeps them happy and less prone to behavior problems, so we don't plan on clipping the bird's wings. Is that true? How much time out of the cage do they need? Are they easily socialized or does it take time? Talking ability isn't a concern, we just like cockatoos in general. We've been researching and we know how to prevent behavior issues by not petting below the neck, and I also heard that if you don't shower the bird with attention when you bring him home, they won't expect as much attention out of you. Are they less needy than the big white cockatoos? We're all willing to help out with the bird by the way, and we'd prefer a female as well. Is it true that you can't bring them across state lines due to them being endangered? I think that's all the questions I have for now!

 

[lupe]

HI! and welcome to AA...may I ask what if any experience you have with large parrots?

Citron's are no different than the rest of the Toos. They are just as loud. For entertainment they MUST have a variety of mentally challenging toys, ex: foraging.

There is really no way to keep a cockatoo happy. They belong in the wild, not in a cage. However, a room built for only him and an outdoor aviary is the closest your gonna get. It is my personal preference not to clip my boys wings. He is fully flighted.

It depends on the personality and past experiences of the particular bird as to how it will behave socially. They usually pick one or two favorite people and don't take kindly to others interference. They do not show their true colors until about 3-4 months. Until then, they are usually tranquil and observing.

I personally am glad I have a male as females may lay eggs and that could get complicated with egg binding.

I brought my boy home in Oct. 2012 and he was around 8 months old. I had ZERO large parrot experience let alone for a cockatoo, the MOST difficult of all parrots. Elvis is in his cage for around 7-8 hours while I am at work. Once I get home I take him out of cage, place his harness on and go for a 45 minute walk. This way he can fly and exercise his wings. It is not the ideal situation but it's too late for me, I'm in it for the long haul.

No research will prepare you for the care of one of these complicated creatures. Only hands on will teach you. You will be spending tons of money in toys, food (which will be tossed to the ground) , time invested in ONLY him and possible vet bills which can become astronomical.

I sincerely do not recommend this parrot unless the person/persons involved have years of experience.

I do however wish you much luck. I'm sure others will chime in...hope you enjoy the site...

 

[Wonderbird]

Thanks for your input, I have had cockatiels and have interacted with big parrots at a rescue near me. I might be doing more research and waiting for other people's input, then I will make my decision whether to get something other than a cockatoo.

 

[JLcribber]

Thanks for your input, I have had cockatiels and have interacted with big parrots at a rescue near me. I might be doing more research and waiting for other people's input, then I will make my decision whether to get something other than a cockatoo.

When you say family, just what part of the family are you? If you are the child and the one spearheading this initiative and your family is just going along with it, then no you should not be getting a cockatoo. You have no idea of the complexity and difficulty that this species brings along with it for a lifetime. Your lifetime.

If you are the parent in this family then what you were about to do is have another child. Literally. Every child needs it's own space and a cockatoo needs just as much space as a child. Actually quite a bit more. It will not do well in a cage.

Everyone in the family will need to be 100% dedicated to work as a team to "manage" this bird. There will be times when you want to quit. There are no quitters in this game. This game also lasts 40+ years.

As a Lupe said these birds are not pets and don't belong in cages. Unless you have a lot of experience with birds, understand behavior and Provide a spacious environment, you're likely to burn out very quickly and have a lot of regret. That is the honest truth.

Please choose an easier smaller bird.

This is not about the bird. This is about what you bring to the table.

 

[Wonderbird]

Okay, I guess you're right. What about a Sun Conure?

 

[Sarahmoluccan]

I got into cockatoos by volunteering at a rescue. Is there anyway you could spend more time at the rescue near you? Personally I think the best way is to let a bird pick you and not you pick the bird

I wish you the best of luck with it

 

[Wonderbird]

We only get to go to the rescue every couple of months because it's still a ways away, but maybe we could still adopt a bird from there!

 

[aooratrix]

To my understanding, they cannot legally be transported across state lines. If you and your family are committed to a citron, you'd have to find one in your state.

Suns are loud and noisy. Spend some time with one or find one screeching online before you move forward. No species is perfect and no parrot is truly a perfect fit for the living room. That said, if you are "all in", you can have a parrot. I have 5 (OMG) and have had to make life changes to accommodate them. Most of us here have. Choose a bird that thrills you, preferably one that also chooses you, and that you can see as part of your family decades down the road.

 

[sunnysmom]

Welcome to the forum. There are many, many birds out there in need of good homes. I strongly encourage you to consider adopting a bird from a rescue. I think the questions about your family are definitely good ones to consider. I wouldn't suggest a minor adopting a cockatoo, although we do have young people on here with larger parrots and they do very well with them. If it is to be a family pet and you're the adult, I would consider the age of the family members. I don't think I'd recommend a too with small children. That said, I do believe in getting the bird that you want as long as you come into it fully aware and educated. Spending time with cockatoos and other birds is the best way to learn what you like. My first bird was a cockatiel. I am currently fostering a goffin cockatoo. I feel like I got very lucky in that I think as far as toos go he is easy. That does not mean he is easy overall, just compared to other toos. He is still loud. And stubborn. And is slowly destroying the woodwork in my house (which I blame myself for not him). He gets up at 6:00 a.m. most days and is very vocal about it. Since he is my responsibility, I get up with him and quiet him down so anyone else in the house can sleep. He is very, very messy compared to my tiel and loves to throw almost all of his food out of his dish. That said, he is funny and sweet and amazing. If you do decide on getting a bigger bird, I would encourage an older one that is past the hormones and puberty and has more of an established personality to give you an idea of what you're getting into.

 

[Wonderbird]

Thanks guys I am a minor but my parents are willing to take care of the bird, even after I told them how loud and messy some parrots can be. I have been researching for almost a year now and I felt like I could handle a cockatoo. I do have one sibling but he was great with my two cockatiels and was old enough to take care of them. Noise from any bird isn't a concern for us so that's why I suggested a sun conure.

 

[aooratrix]

It concerned me that you were so quick to "switch" to a sun conure. Has your family been around cockatoos? Are they familiar with the dust and noise? Are they aware that ANY bird you adopt will need a comprehensive vet exam by an avian vet, not just a well-bird check? What will happen after HS? What are your plans when you graduate? If your entire family is onboard, and aware of quality pellet, toys, cage, carrier, and play gym costs, proceed. And remember: whatever bird you get won't be a cute baby forever. Good luck!

 

[nellysmom]

I have had my C2 Nelly for 28 years! She was given to me as a gift(to long a story to go into now) when she was 9 months old. At the time I was just learning about birds and had interacted with a lot of TOOs. Early on we had established a routine of sorts. I worked long hours but at that young age she learned to entertain herself. Lots of toys foraging toys etc. When I was home she was out of her cage and we spent alot of time together.
C2s tend to be a little more independant than other TOOs but then again... As for screaming;she can be loud but because she is independent it's not constant.
I also changed jobs and living conditions several times but was careful to try and not upset her "routine" as much as possible.
I have to say we learned together and she is just the best bird ever. No behavior problems or feather picking. She loves her cage and when the door is open comes in and out at will. She never wanders so we don't have any destructive behavior.
As for wing clipping I feel that is a matter of choice. Nelly is clipped so I don't really worry about her flying into something or out the door and she is one happy loving bird.
Remember how long they live!!! They bond very closely to their human. So if you were to go off to college there should be someone else who will care for her like you do.
All in all they are work just like any other bird but to me there is nothing like a TOO snuggling up to you for a little love. Good luck

 

[JLcribber]

I also changed jobs and living conditions several times but was careful to try and not upset her "routine" as much as possible.

I have come to the conclusion after all these years that this is the most important secret to looking after a large parrot long term. It's proven itself time and time again.

 

[Wonderbird]

I've been telling my parents about how much care they require, what they need, and why an avian vet is needed, and how much money it takes to own a cockatoo and they've still been on board all this time. I was a little intimidated by jlcribbers explanation about cockatoos so that's why I changed my mind immediately. Sun conures were my second choice after all, and I was drawn to cockatoos because I really loved my 2 cockatiels, and I've seen a Citron cockatoo at the rescue near me (he's since been adopted) and it was love at first sight My brother and parents also like cockatoos, especially the Citron, and they're willing to do what it takes to keep it happy

 

[JLcribber]

I've been telling my parents about how much care they require, what they need, and why an avian vet is needed, and how much money it takes to own a cockatoo and they've still been on board all this time. I was a little intimidated by jlcribbers explanation about cockatoos so that's why I changed my mind immediately. Sun conures were my second choice after all, and I was drawn to cockatoos because I really loved my 2 cockatiels, and I've seen a Citron cockatoo at the rescue near me (he's since been adopted) and it was love at first sight My brother and parents also like cockatoos, especially the Citron, and they're willing to do what it takes to keep it happy

Hope for the best. But PREPARE for the worst or you'll be sorry.

 

[cassiesdad]

Hope for the best. But PREPARE for the worst or you'll be sorry.

I have a saying that closely resembles that one. I used it in my sports background, but it works very well in just about any life situation...
"It's best to over-estimate your foe than under-estimate them...because it's easier to adjust downward to the situation than try to catch up to it"...

Like I said, it works in just about any situation you can come up with...

 

[JLcribber]

I've been telling my parents about how much care they require, what they need, and why an avian vet is needed, and how much money it takes to own a cockatoo and they've still been on board all this time. I was a little intimidated by jlcribbers explanation about cockatoos so that's why I changed my mind immediately. Sun conures were my second choice after all, and I was drawn to cockatoos because I really loved my 2 cockatiels, and I've seen a Citron cockatoo at the rescue near me (he's since been adopted) and it was love at first sight My brother and parents also like cockatoos, especially the Citron, and they're willing to do what it takes to keep it happy

Hope for the best. But PREPARE for the worst or you'll be sorry.

And it's very difficult to prepare for something you know nothing about.

 

[nellysmom]

I have come to the conclusion after all these years that this is the most important secret to looking after a large parrot long term. It's proven itself time and time again.

+Thanks for that John. I've had people tell me that's the worst thing to do but it works for us and as I said Nelly is happy and healthy.

 

[melissasparrots]

I really loved my 2 cockatiels, and I've seen a Citron cockatoo at the rescue near me (he's since been adopted) and it was love at first sight My brother and parents also like cockatoos, especially the Citron, and they're willing to do what it takes to keep it happy

My main question is why are you referring to your cockatiels as past tense? Most cockatiels will live to be 15-25 years old.

Cockatoos generally make lousy family pets. They choose favorites and the ones that are not "the chosen" tend to feel left out and disappointed. Which is bad because feeling disappointed tends to reduce commitment to the bird and the left out person is likely to be the most vocal about getting rid of the bird when problems start happening. Also, a cockatoo is a lot to leave on your parents when you take off for college. My parents took care of a couple of cockatiels when I went to university but two 'tiels are a whole lot less trouble than one cockatoo. If cockatiels are comparable to an average house cat in terms of time and commitment, a cockatoo would be comparable to a slobbering 200lb mastiff. A cockatoo will become an integral member of the family. Its voice will be heard in all family conversations. Sometimes forcing the rest of the family to step outside in order to continue the conversation minus the cockatoo. The cockatoo will require time for snuggling, some rearrangement of furniture for play areas and to keep the bird away from valuables. Your valuables will be chewed and you will see the marks of a cockatoo in every room of the house. Be it feather dust, poop on the floor or chew marks on the furniture or wood work. Cockatoos are absolutely awesome and they can be successful in families IF everyone has realistic expectations. However, the realistic track record indicates that many people that thought they were up to the task were not.
My parents had a wild caught lessor sulfur crest(very close relative of citrons) when I was a kid. We had cockatiels first and my parents decided they wanted a more grown up bird. The cockatoo lasted a few years before they got rid of it. It was just too much bird for them and they are not the type of people that are prone to getting rid of pets. However, I had cockatiels through most of my childhood and the same birds well into adulthood. One bird was with me for over 20 years. Personally, a home without a cockatoo is not a home. However, many people are not like that after the first few years. The first 5 or so years of cockatoo ownership can be rough.

 

[melissasparrots]

I have come to the conclusion after all these years that this is the most important secret to looking after a large parrot long term. It's proven itself time and time again.

I have only the most basic sketch of a routine. Most days they are let out sometime in the evening. Not every night, and the amount of time varies and it might be any were from 12pm to 12 am or maybe even into the very early morning hours. They get toys. At some point in the day they get some type of fresh food, but they could get it in the morning on a weekend or after 4pm during the work week. Mine do pretty okay without a very strict routine. I seriously wonder sometimes if the routine is more to help keep the human sane.
I will say, my goffin's was covered every night at her previous owner's house. She still seems to think she should be covered at sun set and I don't cover my birds. I've had her for I think 5ish years now. Routines are hard to break. I've found my wild caught birds to be more sensitive to routines however they are all raptors and that might just be a different deal entirely. However, it may just be that my captive breds pets started out life with minimal routine and they adjusted to it. I suspect it might be part of socialization during the baby phase that makes for a bird that can handle a shifting routine vs. one that can't.