Sulphur Crested Cockatoo

[PhilK]

Hey all - exam time is here and as usual I have been spending it as best as I can to avoid studying - all surfaces and floor of the house spotless, the bird getting better toys and foraging than ever before, herps with spotless cages, constantly doing the washing, checking APS etc hahaha

One night when cooking a long dinner (to avoid more study) my house mate had on Animal Rescue and there was a 50 year old cockatoo on there with his elderly owner - she was getting him someone to take over when she died. Anyway it was quite a sweet story and it got me thinking about cockatoos.. I really love birds and as my girlfriend will probably end up with my GCC, I have been thinking of others. An eclectus parrot is on my wish list, but I have also always wanted a cockatoo. I wanted a Major Mitchell cockatoo but after some research have found they are much better suited to aviaries than companionship so turned my attention to sulphurs.

What are sulphurs like? Does anybody here have them? The only one I have experience of is bloody noisy and bloody bitey, but he is kept horribly so I am not going to take him as an example.

Feel free to post photos too!

Thanks guys!
Phil

 

[cosmicwolf4]

I had a sulphur Crested called Swampy, he was an awesome bird and followed me everywhere. He was noisy, but as long as I kept him company or left the tv on when I went out he was fine. He never bit anyone and loved being scratched, even liked kids.
When I moved, I put him out in an aviary till I got everything unpacked thinking that he would be safe, but some idiot broke the chain on the gate and let him out, we think he was either stolen or got scared away.
I would have another one in a second if I could, they are just the best birds.

 

[PhilK]

Sounds great! Got any photos of Swampy?

 

[cosmicwolf4]

I do somewhere, but they are all still in boxes somewhere, we downsized from a 4 bed house to a 2 bed unit and just don't have room now for everything, except the animals lol
He could have flown away anytime he liked before we moved, his wings weren't clipped. I used to take him out for walks with our dogs and he would toddle along with us and only fly when he was getting to far behind, he usually flew onto my shoulder when he got a bit tired though and his favourite pastime was to share a glass of wine with me and pull all the keys off of my keyboard, then throw them at me if I ignored him lol

 

[xxMelissaxx]

I'm waiting on my little Eclectus at the moment...should be picking him up in about 4 weeks and cannot wait! If you get an eclectus - let me know! I'll need someone to exchange training tips with.

Can't help with the Cocky - never kept them, though they are beautiful birds.

 

[Darlyn]

Very intelligent birds. I grew up with one.
He used to sit on my skirt/waist area and go every where with me. He copied humans coughing
and when my sister bought a volksie, he coughed when she started it.
He could have a chat and be excellent company, unfortunately a fox got him.
As a pet I highly recommend. But like a dog they need company.

 

[cosmicwolf4]

Very intelligent birds. I grew up with one.
He used to sit on my skirt/waist area and go every where with me. He copied humans coughing
and when my sister bought a volksie, he coughed when she started it.
He could have a chat and be excellent company, unfortunately a fox got him.
As a pet I highly recommend. But like a dog they need company.

Swampy used to mimic the phone so well that when he rang we went to anser the phone, he also barked like each of the dogs and would then tell them to stop it. He could copy my voice and say "wanna go in the car', my dogs would go ballistic then because they thought we were going out lol
They do need company or they get very destructive, they are like puppies and children, only smarter and get bored easily, so lots of toys and the tv when no one is home. I used to save the toilet roll centres for him, collect pine cones and leave drink bottles around as well as balls, bells, ladders and even a rope tied to the top of the window that he could climb up and down on.

 

[Addam]

I have always loved cockatoos they seem like so much fun, big birds are just amazing! I mean who doesn't like big bird from playschool and he's 8 ft tall! Point proven, I knew watching that show all those years ago would come in handy

 

[PhilK]

Thanks for the replies guys. Melissa are you getting a male or a female? I know I definitely want an eccie, but don't know when - after or before the cockie is the decision I'll have to make

 

[xxMelissaxx]

I'm getting a male, I like the look of them more than the female...

 

[Kristy_07]

Hey, Phil. Getting a cockatoo is no small commitment, as you would know. They often become attached to just one or two people, and can show definite signs of emotion and stress if they're separated from those people. As others have said, separation anxiety can be a big issue with them. The obvious thought is that you're 22, taking on an animal that could live until your in your 70s! You're yet to finish uni, unmarried, and (probably) haven't finished your travelling experiences. What do you do with the bird when you decide to do your 2 mths backpacking in Europe? Or if work takes you overseas? Or what if the love of your life and future wife is terrified of birds? :shock:

I'm not really saying any of this to pull you down in your decision. But, taking on an animal that will get extremely attached to you for the next 50+ years would be a decision that would probably be easier on you, but more particularly the bird, after you had gotten through the next few years of study, travel, moving back to Bris(??), and you're in more of a position to "settle down", at least a little bit

My cousin had a Sulphur when we were growing up - it absolutely loved him (not too fussed on anyone else). Went everywhere with him as a kid, destroyed multiple rental houses when he was a bit older, and sat on a perch in the corner of the room at his wedding ceremony. He died 7 years ago at age 27 of cancer - the bird went into massive depression once he was gone, sulked, stopped eating, and died itself within about 4 months (yes, they took it to the vet etc before it died).

 

[PhilK]

Thanks Kristy, good honest feedback there. I had thought of all those things and understand the commitment of a bird!

I should have mentioned I don't plan on purchasing anything until I have at least graduated and got a full time job (I have no money anyway!) so yes it will be a fair bit off in the future before a cockatoo or even a dog which I also want. Done a fair bit of travelling so I won't be backpacking anywhere but I may well decide to work overseas for a year or two and yes obviously a bird or dog will have to wait until that's finished.

I already have a bird though, and a bunch of herps, so I already have the problem of going away with animals here..

 

[Kristy_07]

Yes, I know that you would understand better than most. But, it's worth pointing out the obvious when it comes to the animal's welfare - cockies seem to be one of the most commonly sad stories, I reckon. They are often neglected once the novelty runs out

I'm probably pointing it out because I'm not so far around the next corner in life to what you are, and I was just lucky that I HAVE met the love of my life, and he was willing to look after all the animals while I went to work overseas etc. But, it was still bloody expensive to board the 2 dogs when he came to visit :shock:

Even I am starting to look at whether a bigger parrot is an option, since I've always been taken with them, too. But, like you, have decided that I need to sort out the career path, and a house, and this pesky wedding stuff BEFORE I go ahead and take on a 'Too Good luck!