Goffin Cocaktoo

[Tomsde]

We saw a darling Goffin cockatoo yesterday, it was just a hand feeding baby. How are Goffins as pets compared with other toos? Do they require as much time, affection? I love the Goffin, but am afraid it might be too might maintenance with our other 2 parrots.

 

[suncoast]

They are very high maintence birds. First they should never be forced weaned which almost every breeder does so they can get them out the door so they can raise some more babies and the cycle is never ending.

Then almost all breeders do not educate the new parronts about abundance weaning and how important it is for their new baby. And to make matters worse they usually chop off their wings.

Most Too's can take up to a full 2 years to wean if the are not allowed to fledge.

Too's require time with their flock. (They do not need to be cuddled 24/7 according to the popular myth, however they do require more cuddle time than the average baby parrot IMO.)

Think of raising a human baby. They need play time, (in cage and out) school time, folding laundry time, fly time, breakfast time, dinner time, nap time, TV time, ....ect. They do not do well confined to a cage for 8 hours a day.


And just like human fids, the more secure and safe they feel as a baby the more independent and happy they will be as adults.

Here is a link to some guidelines.

http://forums.avianavenue.com/cocka...ble-cockatoo-paraphrased-sally-blanchard.html

And here's Truely's story.

http://forums.avianavenue.com/celebirdy-month/15098-celebirdy-month-march-suncoasts-truely.html


Ginger

 

[4Z Birds]

Agreed. Goffin's Cockatoos are very high maintenance, and have a grating call that can be difficult to live with. That said, I have two, and have rehomed two. All four were given to me. (One was a definate rescue.)

One of the two that I am keeping, was adopted out to a woman who I'm still good friends with, but after three months, "Elvis returned to the building". He is VERY loud, and he became nippy with her. I tease my friend that she was beaten by a marshmallow.

Goffin's are "fun" birds. If a cockatoo can be compared to a two year old, a Goffin's would be a hyperactive two year old. I love them, but they are definately not the bird for everyone. (FYI Goffin's is correct, as if the species were named after someone.)

What are your other two parrots? I hate to discourage anyone from adding another bird to their flock...I might encourage you to check with nearby rescues instead of buying a baby...just a thought. All babies are darling...

 

[Tomsde]

A GCC and a Jardine (see picture below).

I find Cockatoo's intriguing; I'd eliminated that bird from my list for a new flock member because of what I've read about them. I just thought I'd ask because the baby we saw was so sweet; I didn't know how the Goffin compared to other Toos.

We've been leaning towards a Blue Crown Conure for our 3rd parrot (we really couldn't support more than 3 birds--financially and time wise) so I want to be certain that we pick the right bird if we go through with this.

 

[suncoast]

Baby Too's are the most irresistable wonderful cuddle bugs on the planet, then when they grow up in too many cases they are rehomed because they turn into adult birds who bite, scream, and destroy everything in sight. They should not be sold IMO.

Ginger

 

[tammie]

A G2 is not nearly as needy and loud as the larger 2's. Mine is a sweetheart and just loves to be loved on and to get attention. He is also good in his cage as long as he has plenty of toys and foraging things in it. I couldn't have a more sweeter, loving bird than a G2. I also have a 19 yo Timneh, a BrownNeck (Cape), a redbelly and a B&G and the G2 is no more trouble than the rest of them.

 

[suncoast]

He does look like a Sweetie Pie. How old is he? Truely is a very good girl also, but she can peel paint with her vocalizations sometimes. She does not scream for attention or because she's bored, but because she's a sentinel Too and she has to "warn" us that something's out there. She is also a happy screamer.

Ginger

 

[Allessa]

They may not be as loud as a larger cockatoo, but they can get there. My goffins has screaming fits during the day..just being happy. My husband cant stand it. Luckily he works during the day lol

I was told in the beginning that they are not as demanding as the larger Toos. Do NOT believe this!!! Jaden is more hyper than my friends larger Toos and hes very quick to destruction if he knows what he wants. Cunning, smart, knows how to work me..its just like raising a child running around the house with a hammer..except hell never grow up.

I for one, will NEVER own a baby goffins for as long as i live. They are huge cryers. Heres a couple of Jaden...this was between 6-8 months old.

YouTube - crying goffin
YouTube - crying goffins

You may think "cute"...but this was every single day of his life until he hit 2 1/2..then it finally stopped. My husband wanted him gone, he couldnt take the crying but he was patient enough to let that stage pass by. He was not hungry in either of these videos...like a child he was just cranky and wanted to cry. Ive heard males are alot worse than females on this..a friend of mine had a female, and she HARDLY ever cried.

They are just alot of work. As much as i love cockatoos, if anything ever happened to him..my husband would never allow another one. Just make sure youre truly prepared for a commitment like this!

 

[Cynthia & Percy]

Goffin's are as high maintenance as other too's they do not bite as hard hard enough but not as hard as the bigger ones they are tricksters and escape artist I have three two males and a female their stories are in my signature links unless you wish to make a huge commintment to hyper active two year old I would not recomend them I just love mine however but they are rescues and had their personalities all ready developed they are not always and not all are cuddly

 

[Lobby]

I am a firm believer in the saying that a too is a too is a too. Goofy is my baby even though he is now 10 years old. Yes he is high maintenance but he is worth it.

Goofy and Strawberry both came to us as babies from the local PetSmart where all the rules for raising a well adjusted too were broken. And yet they both came out great. They both need more time out than they get but they seem to be happy.

I wish I could remember where I read this but somewhere that Goffin's are considered the second most intelligent toos. Bare eyed being the smartest. This is very easy for me to believe, Goofy is an escape artist to say the least and an expert forager. I never have to show him how a toy works he figures them out very quickly on his own. He also bores very quickly of toys and needs them rotated often.

 

[Tomsde]

Thanks for all your insights. I have decided to simply treasure the birds I have for the time being; they both are young and I would like to work more with them and possibly teach them tricks. A new birdie, though tempting, would just divide my attention away from Connie and Ollie. I spent an hour playing with Ollie this afternoon, he is smart and funny and Connie can be sweet and cuddly. A Too, for me at least, would be a better choice for a single bird household where I could lavish all the attention it wanted on it without competition from other parrots. I admire those of you who can keep a house full of parrots, they are all so attractive, so loving, so cute. In my case, at least for the the time being (we also have a dog), less is more. My desire for another parrot was most grounded in the idea that Connie needed a friend; but the other half is only attracted too larger, more intelligent, and more needy talking birds. If I could simply get another GCC, I'm sure I can handle that--but not something as high maintenance as a Too.

 

[Sadieladie1994]

They may not be as loud as a larger cockatoo, but they can get there. My goffins has screaming fits during the day..just being happy. My husband cant stand it. Luckily he works during the day lol

I was told in the beginning that they are not as demanding as the larger Toos. Do NOT believe this!!! Jaden is more hyper than my friends larger Toos and hes very quick to destruction if he knows what he wants. Cunning, smart, knows how to work me..its just like raising a child running around the house with a hammer..except hell never grow up.

I for one, will NEVER own a baby goffins for as long as i live. They are huge cryers. Heres a couple of Jaden...this was between 6-8 months old.

YouTube - crying goffin
YouTube - crying goffins

You may think "cute"...but this was every single day of his life until he hit 2 1/2..then it finally stopped. My husband wanted him gone, he couldnt take the crying but he was patient enough to let that stage pass by. He was not hungry in either of these videos...like a child he was just cranky and wanted to cry. Ive heard males are alot worse than females on this..a friend of mine had a female, and she HARDLY ever cried.

They are just alot of work. As much as i love cockatoos, if anything ever happened to him..my husband would never allow another one. Just make sure youre truly prepared for a commitment like this!

Oh my, he sure needed security. Have goffin, lsc timor and RB2. All came as babies and none cried like this. LSC was female and the other 2 are male's. None cried at all. When I helped hand feed at the bird shop the U2's were like this after eating and it lasted about 15 minutes but even then it was not as persistant as this and they were younger. Not quite sure what is going on with your baby.

Peggy

 

[JLcribber]

I am a firm believer in the saying that a too is a too is a too.

My favorite saying.

 

[Allessa]

Oh my, he sure needed security. Have goffin, lsc timor and RB2. All came as babies and none cried like this. LSC was female and the other 2 are male's. None cried at all. When I helped hand feed at the bird shop the U2's were like this after eating and it lasted about 15 minutes but even then it was not as persistant as this and they were younger. Not quite sure what is going on with your baby.

Peggy

I have heard some cry Peggy, but none have EVER come close to Jaden when he was a baby. I even knew friends/breeders that had babies and said theirs was never that bad. Someone commented on one of my videos that every once in a while shed get one like him in her batch. She called them the "fat one" because it would just cry and cry. The funny thing is he was the most confident bird when i went to get him (i had a choice between 3). Hes much better now..him being fully flighted helped alot with him emotionally. But the first 2 years stunk lol.

 

[4Z Birds]

A GCC and a Jardine (see picture below).

We've been leaning towards a Blue Crown Conure for our 3rd parrot...

Oops, duh...I guess I didn't pay attention to your signature...
A BCC seems like a good choice as an addition to what you have.

I am a firm believer in the saying that a too is a too is a too.

...hmmm....I'm not sure I believe that...Yes, there are similarities, but the differences are vast between species, sexes, and individuals.

My RB male is relatively quiet, talks, and is easily entertained with wood to chew. Aribe is not cuddly, likes to be near you, but not on you. He loves to interact, but is not a velcro bird. The way he struts, I call him my "pink pidgeon". For a cockatoo, he's fairly low maintenance.

This year I have placed three cockatoos, a Goffin's, a Citron, and a female U2. I have two U2's of my own, but the little girl I placed was one of the neediest (and loudest) U2's that I have met. Her new home allows her to be the superstar with the attention divided with only one other bird (a Goffin's). She's doing great!

If I were to set up a room of toos that I know, I guarantee that a visitor would not guess which one has sent three different people to the emergency room.

This particular U2 male could offer a rude awakening and challenge that saying.

 

[Thugluvgrl187]

They are my dream bird (that is within reach eventually down the road). I love their personalities and that they like a lot of attention.

 

[Tomsde]

I love the RB Cockatoo, but the $1800 price tag is a bit more than I can swallow unfortunately.

The 3rd bate continues; the Blue Crown does seem as if it would fit in with you well.

 

[4Z Birds]

I love the RB Cockatoo, but the $1800 price tag is a bit more than I can swallow unfortunately.

Aribe (a-ree-bay) was nine when I bought him, so I paid a second hand price (much less). His owner had passed, and he was raised well. He's a gem, but very different than what I expected. He's a great bird!

 

[Tomsde]

From what I read, the RB has a different type of personality than the white cockatoos and is more closely related to the cockatiel according to one web site.

 

[Kristy]

they turn into adult birds who bite, scream, and destroy everything in sight.

So true, I do love my Toos but my entire life revolves around them......