Cockatoo, The Best Pet Dinosaur?
ฝัง
- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 26 พ.ค. 2024
- Cockatoos are fairly common pet parrots. There are some really good reasons for this. These are amazing birds! They are also TERRIBLE PETS for most people. Is a cockatoo the right pet for you?
#clintsreptiles #cockatoo #petbird
====
Enclosure: amzn.to/3jF6xTl
Perch: amzn.to/3Z0aulw
Diet: amzn.to/3G2lHJO
Toys: amzn.to/3Vux7M5
Water Bowl: amzn.to/3VArKLr
Aviary: amzn.to/3jyfjCx
Prime Pets: myprimepets.com/
====
"Lutino Cockatiel in Faint Sunlight" by Vedang Narain under CC BY-SA 4.0 commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Fi...
====
Clint is a professional biologist and educator, but above all, Clint LOVES reptiles and he loves to share that love with everyone he meets. Whether you're lover or a hater of reptiles, you can't help but get excited with Clint!
We post a new video every Saturday morning! So stay tuned!
Be sure to SUBSCRIBE: th-cam.com/users/clintsrepti...
====
PATREON: / clintsreptiles
MERCHANDISE: www.clintsreptiles.com/merch
SUPPORT Clint's Reptiles by shopping AMAZON here: www.amazon.com/shop/clintsrep...
Schedule a virtual ONE-ON-ONE with Clint! square.site/book/JYBMZXG2X02F...
====
FACEBOOK: / clintsreptilevideos
INSTAGRAM: / clintsreptiles
TWITTER: / clintsreptiles
WEBSITE: www.clintsreptiles.com/
DISCORD: / discord
====
To contact us for BUSINESS purposes: clintsreptiles+business@gmail.com
====
You guys are so RAD!
====
Fan mail? Yes Please!
Clint's Reptiles
770 East Main Street # 127
Lehi, UT 84043
If you would like to send a LIVE animal - FIRST: please send us an email to make sure we can take it in. clintsreptiles+LIVE@gmail.com
I bought my current cockatoo when I was in my 20's, I turned 60 this year. I can attest to every detail that Clint mentioned. Every person that has met my bird over the decades has said they want one, and every single time I tell them "don't do it" then go on to explain many of the issues as Clint mentioned. If I had it to do again, as much as I love him, I wouldn't. Every aspect of my life has revolved around how to make it work with my bird. However, there are lonely birds in rescues, and lonely people who have time and love to give, that can make a good match. But a cockatoo (or any parrot) is not a good match for a younger person with many jobs, people, kids, and homes in their future.
That's such a long time to have a single pet. I thought my dogs had taken up a significant part of my life... I watch these videos and think, "That's a cool animal. I think I'll get a pet rock instead."
Oh so it’s a better idea to adopt an older parrot…
I did my homework 21 years ago and chose a green cheek conure instead. Still have my little dinosaur 😄
@@chitlitlah That pet rock is easily going to outlive you tho :)
@@chewy99. Maybe. Cockatoos and other large parrots require big investment. These are not a beginner bird and rehoming an older bird means you might be inheriting an animal with behavior problems or health conditions. Maybe they were kept in a cage most of the time. Maybe they were yelled at. They may be feather pickers. They may have arthritis and have pain/ limited movement. It can be even more challenging so most bird rescues are extremely selective about the people who adopt their birds, with good reason. If you know what you're getting into, it can be a good fit, but it's definitely not something I would recommend to someone who has not had a large bird experience before. If you want to know what it's like owning a large bird without actually committing to one, see if there's a bird rescue near you that would allow you to volunteer.
This video makes me think parrots actually do make the perfect pet for an 18th century pirate. They get the freedom to fly around wherever they like but can't go too far, they get to see lots of new people but can always come back to their best friend, and their lives are generally very exciting without being too dangerous (who is going to shoot the parrot?).
It's either that or an undead monky. But the monkey gets shot quiet often. 🙂
Makes sense. The ship provides many many perches, nobody cares about the noise when you compare it with the howling wind or clashing waves, the work on the ship is monotonous and vo stant but at least you don't have to leave for hours every day, poop is not an issue, there is more than likely a swarm of other sea birds around all year long so no one cares about one more, the list can continue
are the cockatoos the reason the quintessential pirate is missing an eye, a hand and a foot?
@@alveolate Pirates and other sailors at the time didn't wear eyepatches because of lost eyes. That would usually just kill them from infection. The eyepatch made it easier to move between the bright upper deck and dark below decks. The patch keeps one eye in darkness, so when they went below, it's already adjusted to the dim light.
(I know you were making a joke, I just like that little factoid. 🙂)
@@jasonblalock4429 super cool fact.
I use to work at a zoo and there were a pair of scarlet macaws. I remember any time keepers would come and go they would need two keepers. One to unlock the combination lock, and another to distract the birds so they weren't looking at the other. Because apparently if we didn't do this the macaws could potentially watch and learn how to unlock a combination lock and free themselves. 👀
So I have a rule, I won't keep a pet that is so smart that they need to be distracted to keep from memorizing combination locks...
that there is a feat quite a few HUMANS couldn't pull off. that is just a bit terrifying.
@@DFX2KX I mean, technically they would not be actually memorizing the number combination. They would be memorizing the process of turning the nob back and forth and use their very sensitive sense of touch in their beaks to feel it unlocking. But it's the same general idea.
@squidward5110 Given some of the articles a casual Google search turned up about cockatoos navigating locks without prior training, I'd say the caution is warranted. The thing that I don't think is stressed enough is that just because parrots can't do middle school math or science doesn't mean they aren't incredibly intelligent with things they're good at.
Some people have heavy duty locks on their parrots cages I believe due to them UNSCREWING THE DOORS (I have seen such in my bird groups... We laugh it off but also...) Literally taking doors off cages....
So your keepers were too stupid to use keys instead of a combination. Typical
I love how Clint brought the politest possible cockatoo on to tell us about how destructive they are.
I think one of the best things you do in your videos is discouraging people from making very poor choices with respect to pets ("Mom, look at this cool baby crocodile monitor!"). Speaking from my own experience, your description of keeping a bird and the difficulties is spot-on and I wish more people would listen. Anything bigger than a conure/budgie/lovebird is going to change your life if you want to care for it properly.
Keep in mind there are more birds than just parrots. I agree any parrot larger than a conure would change your life with proper care, but there are a lot of reasonable pet birds that aren't parrots that are much simpler to take care of.
Agreed
Even some of the smaller birds can still change your lifestyle, such as having to replace all your non-stick, cleaning/freshening products, and some individuals can also be incredibly demanding.
But I completely agree, ask not what your parrot can do for you, but what you can do for your parrot!
Totally agree. And even the smaller parrots can change your life more than some would expect.
I have a cockatiel. His cage is only for sleeping, eating, and toys. Other than that, he's outside of the cage all day. Had to get rid of non-stick pans, many houseplants, make the remaining plants unreachable, hide or get rid of things that could hurt him, installed a mesh on all my windows and balcony, so he doesn't fly off, I have to vacuum and clean the mess he makes multiple times a day, etc. etc.
Then, there is adapting my schedule to him. Wanna hang out with friends? Sure, but only after 8pm, because that's when he goes to sleep. Wanna have a party at my place? Sure, but no loud music or noises.
He also needs plenty of one-on-one time with me every day. Playing, training, talking, singing, etc.
Even after all that, this little bird is my best friend. I can't imagine my life without him anymore.
even lovebirds are kinda insane, only male lovebirds are nice and loving. female lovebirds WILL bite and scream and have tantrums all the time.
I was in a bird store and a cockatoo napped on my chest. He was adorable and cuddly. A couple came in and asked if he was mine. I said no so they went and purchased him immediately.
I still hope they knew what they were getting themselves into.
Nope. As someone whose entire career is rescuing parrots I guarantee that bird was either retuned after a week OR surrendered to a rescue after a year
They didn't.
I got called a slur by one at petsmart
@@Superb-man😂
I'm a cockatoo Mom. My current one is my second one (I got her after her previous owner passed away.. she's 35). I laughed so much during this video because it's SOOOO true! Lol. I also laughed out loud at the sugar glider comment as I own them too 😂😂 I also have Conures, cockatiels and lovebirds. I love birds but, they're such terrible pets for MOST people! I never recommend them, even though I love them! ❤️❤️
I've had a love bird, cockatiel, and a dove. Of those I think the dove would make a good pet for the most people. Pigeons are way less effort than any kind of parrot. Might even be easier than cats.
I’ve had three cockatoos in my life; had to rehome two of them. Macaws, conures, pigs? No issue. Cockatoos? Batshit insane…
One of the cockatoos I grew up with once opened a kitchen drawer, grabbed a knife, and chased us around the house with it. I still have a scar on my hand from the fiasco…
Can I ask why you had to rehome them?
@@AzazelsWings to be fair one tried to kill them, they're very chaotic and troublesome to keep
@@kingcandle3955 I think that some people don't study about some animals and when they acquire them they don't know how to deal with them..
@@AnnaRayah unfortunately you have a point, researching pets thoroughly BEFORE getting a pet is incredibly important and i'm afraid not everyone knows that
I would pay good money to see a video of that! 🤣🤣🤣
Clint you’re the Mr Rogers of the pet world, you bring the kind of energy that’s been missing from animal documentaries since the height of Animal Planet with Jeff Corwin and the amazing and gone too soon Steve Irwin, your passion for wildlife is infectious like theirs.
Those are some amazing names you listed. I'm humbled to be mentioned with them. Thank you.
I acquired a rescued a young short billed corella about 4 years ago... I LOVE him..but at 50yo...one of the first things I did was make sure I had a succession of ownership for him... I did not want Elvis to be abandoned as he is quite attached and needs someone who will provide him the time and best diet needs ongoing long after I pass.
I totally agree with this video...not a pet for those who cannot sacrifice time (and money) to give them what they need daily ❤️
Yesss I agree so much
You should do a video on pigeons! They're so underrated and probably way more manageable, quiet, and safe than a lot of popular parrots, and come in all kinds of breeds. They're domesticated, like dogs! They also have a similar life span of 15 years, can be potty trained, and even live alone if you are willing to socialize with them enough! I honestly think they should be the norm over parrots for "pet birds" as they seem much more suited for a house lifestyle and are already non-wild.
Of course like any animal, they definitely have their cons. But I see a lot more pros for them than most other birds, yet they're so obscure as house pets compared to parrots.
I'm going to remember this.
I loved my dove, her chest smelled like fresh pancakes and she never made much noise but was very playful. Very sweet animals, fun to train, and if you get into homing and racing they also come with a built in club/meetup group. Also, rescues are everywhere, ours was a working wedding dove for about 5 years before we got her.
Was just going to say the same. Pigeons are the best pets. They are cheap, can sleep in dog crates, are extremely cuddly when kept alone (because they mate for life), are very docile and have 'soft' beaks so they can't destroy your house, don't need to be trained and don't need toys, and some can live up to 25-30 years even. Since they are birds you do have to throw out all of your candles and non-stick cookware, but are so much better as pets than any wild parrot.
I love pigeons. I thought I was the only one who saw their charm.
I hope to get a fancy pigeon or two one day. They seem much nicer than parrots.
I've gotten to a point where I watch the majority of your "The Best Pet ______?" videos, not to discover potential pets, but because I adore animals of all kinds and love the way you present them. The videos where you're afraid of the animal you're presenting crack me up every time :)
Same, I just watch these for Clint lol.
Yes yes yes! Much thanks from a veterinarian. A majority of medical issues and re-homing events with cockatoos and other parrots are from unprepared owners who could not believe just how much effort they would be.
Mate, there's a reason we've affectionately nicknamed them cockies in australia. Beautiful birds with heaps of personality, but even we know they are a handful without ever owning one.
The buildings are never safe
Yep! They're loud enough outside already, I can't even imagine what a racket they'd be inside!! I love cockatoos (and all other large parrots), they're just gorgeous birds but I would never ever even consider keeping one as a pet. They just need way more than I think I could ever provide, plus keeping something that intelligent as a pet kind of rubs me the wrong way. I'll stick with fish thankyou :)
Except the cockatoo he has on his shoulder _isn't_ an Australian cockatoo. It's from Indonesia.
@@anserbauer309 majority of cockatoos species are still from Australia and thriving, while the Indonesian cockatoos are fewer and declining and nearing extinction
@@randomdude4669 Because Asian cockatoos, like the one on his shoulder, keep getting caught and sold for the pet trade.
I had a roommate with Cockatoos once, and he's 100% correct about their being just like toddlers.
How in the world did you not leave immediately. That'd be a deal breaker
@@SonicBoone56 well, they're still a lot of fun and I didn't have to care for them, so just like someone else's toddlers
my college roommate had one and I needed to buy premium earplugs to sleep past 6am. Drove me insane. He was sweet, but VERY VOCAL. We could also never have parties because Gary would just lose it, go absolutely wacko coo-coo crazy.
Actually in my opinion they're worse than toddlers. Toddlers don't stay toddlers for more than a few. years. And in most cases you aren't gonna lose some degree of your hearing with a human toddler. And this isn't a myth with a louder parrot you're probably gonna end up with hearing loss,just like my neighbor who owned one.
As someone who has owned snakes, lizards, and specifically a Solomon island eclectus and a yellow napped amazon .....I found reptiles MUCH EASIER lol. The opening segment comparing to toddlers is the most accurate description of almost any medium to large bird species I've encountered. Love your content Clint
I always say birds are like toddlers that occasionally let you sleep yet somehow scream louder.
My brother has a sun conure who I babysit once in a while and who boy- there’s a reason I own a lizard that’s all I’ll say.
@@katehuber4974 sun conures are the extreme of conures tho... At my bird store if it's near feeding time and I walk in, combine quakers, all species of conures, and the barely audible cockatiel dinosaur noises (with budgies and other birds depending on the time) and I walk out of the small bird room
@Alteria green cheeks are suppose to be the quiet side of the spectrum, but when they go off boy do they lmao. Any bird can get into trouble and if a person isn't truly prepared they could get a bird thinking they got a quiet species, but end up with a screamer. Mine could be quiet, but they often would demand for attention and would love to pick at the wall despite all the other toys at their disposal. Honestly if one doesn't want noise or want it to be limited they should not get a bird they all make noise. Sun conjures screams are like cockatoos though they are really loud and that I suppose is the difference octave level you want those tantrums to be ^^;
I find dogs too much to deal with I would go crazy from caring for a parrot. Cats are much more my speed.
I have had cockatiels, budgies and an Indian ringneck over 25 years. My zebra moray eel and coral inside my reef tank can be less emotionally draining. The moray doesn't scream at me or care if I need a few days break (except feeding). Birds are drama queens to the core. They get angry and you can see it in their face. They have very readable facial expressions (something I consider absolutely amazing given I sometimes have a harder time reading people's faces over birds faces).
1) Soooooo…. not a good choice if you’re solely motivated by your desire to perfect your Barretta cosplay. 🤪
2) That poor bird’s sitting there during the intro thinking “Hey! I’m sitting here being so good! Why are you picking on me?” 😂
Great video! Thanks!
Other than potentially getting a cockatiel, I have resolved that I'm just going to make friends with the invasive Quaker parrots where I live. Anything more than that with parrots sounds like a lot, and I'm fine with letting them take away the branches from when I trim bushes and leaving out a bunch of pistachios for them until they decide I'm cool.
Better idea than actually having parrots, however hand raised tiels I'd recommend, but maybe get an older one, they are like dogs, seniors are better (in my opinion)
Also if those birds decide to like you, you should one day open your door, see what they do 🤣
I second that. Unfortunately there are very few parrots in the wild where I live. But there are enough blue tit, wren, robin and crow that slowely acclimate to my presemce. I has gotten to the point where to blue tit fly up to the balcony to demand more birdseed when the birdfeeder is empty again.
About birds, I’d be really interested to see a video from you about pigeons. They tend to get overlooked when people talk about pet birds, but I get the impression that they are actually a lot more suitable as pets than the more popular parrots.
+1
The dove I had for over 20 years was a really easy pet. Very cat-like, but usually quiet, sometimes very affectionate, but did not mind being left alone for days on end. Only needed to change her seeds about once a week, her water every couple days. We trained her to always go back to her cage before pooping.
theyre much better, completely domesticated, very cheap (unless its a show bird or racing bird with a proven lineage), extremely cuddly though wont lose its mind if it needs to be ignored for a short while, weaker softer beaks that cant destroy everything, they like walking on hard surfaces like human floors tables and counters (wild ones used to live all over rocky cliffs), theyre very quiet yet still make the soothing coo noises when being stroked, they can be potty trained OR wear special pigeon diapers, etc etc. Outside of something like maybe chickens theyre probably the most well suited bird to be a pet in the world (though some may think a bit boring i guess)
I have owned cockatoos before. This is spot on. A cockatoo is not a pet its a relationship akin to a parent and child. The effort is worth it if you are someone who is willing to put in the effort
I'm like 2 minutes in and this has to be the most accurate summation of owning a cockatoo. I rescued mine. He's 29. Came with a lot of baggage. We had struggles for the first month. He bled me everyday FOR A MONTH STRAIGHT. And their bites HURT. He's settled in and he is a good boy. He has his moments and mood swings+temper tantrums. So far he has not mentioned the screaming 🤣 which can be a lot! Not mine as much, but I know others that can scream like hours on end. This is not a beginner's pet. Permanent toddler.
So grateful you didn't sugar coat these in the slightest. They are wonderful, funny little guys and one of the worst pets you can get. Only very, very few special people can do them justice. So loud. So destructive. Say goodbye to having nice things, say goodbye to your safety deposit if you rent, say goodbye to be able to go on trips spontaneously. Don't get a cockatoo.
Great info! Pretty much completely accurate. I would add a few things (as someone who's worked at a specialty bird shop for 7+ years)-
1. You mentioned cockatoos are very dusty. If anyone in the household has asthma, the cockatoo will most likely trigger allergies. Even people who aren't allergic can actually develop allergies to their birds. We've been trying to rehome a goffins cockatoo whose parents LOVED her, but her mom developed lung issues and cannot be in close proximity to birds anymore. Three other cockatoos this year have been surrendered just to our shop for similar health issues (and more were surrendered for other reasons)
2. Cuddling a cockatoo all the time can cause horrible behavioral issues. Be careful how you cuddle a cockatoo, as petting them in certain areas or giving them too many kisses can make them hormonal. Not only is it frustrating and confusing for the bird, they will lash out and bite.
3. Having multiple birds to keep each other company is not as simple as buying multiple birds. They will have to start in separate cages, be supervised when together, and you will have to make sure it is safe before letting them live in the same cage together.
4. Cockatoos can be extremely jealous. If they choose you as their favorite person, they may be aggressive to your loved ones or anyone they perceive to be an obstacle to your affection. Unfortunately, sometimes you will have to choose between your loved ones or your bird.
point 4 is true for african greys and macaws too.
almost all of them have some thing where they either hate all men, all women, or people that wear a certain kind of color clothes,
or just everyone except their owner, and it's not really all the clearly related to their own sex either,
it's quite common for female dogs to have some kind of bigger interest in human males too, probably something with pheromones or something, going by how good their noses are, but with parrots, it's not really that easy to see a correlation.
they're just selective like that and very protective of that
especially greys seem to be extremely picky on that one too.
@@dutchdykefinger my late aunt had an african grey (unfortunately my aunt passed 20yrs ago,) and her husband/my uncle STILL has the bird. And that bird ("Bingo,") hated everyone except for my aunt. Still does too. I hope Bingo learned my aunt isn't coming back which is really sad. But something to think about before you get a bird.
As a kid growing up I had a cockatiel and a parakeet. They were really fun to have and seem like they were nowhere near as demanding as larger birds. Can’t wait for the cockatiel video!
That's what I'd love to see, cockatiels are sweetheart 🥰
@@TheJudoJoker yes
Get the right tiel/parakeet(or budgie) and you'll have lots more fun 🤣
Parakeets and small parrots are great, but generally speaking all birds tend to be hell to take care for, compared to cats, dogs and so on.
yes, budgies and cockatiels dont'pluck themselves and they just dance and sing away most of the stress within 15 minutes
it's like they're near impossible to really traumatize really
Just a correction, the species of cockatoo you featured is an umbrella cockatoo. Which is native to Indonesia, cockatoos are a family of birds native to Australia, Papua New Guinea, Philippines and Indonesia.
Yep. I thought it was a weird thing to say when it's clearly _not_ an Australian species.
Woah we got a cock pro ova here!! Everyone point at him laugh!!!
Yep, majority are australian though, but ours are more aggressive and numerous
Oh my God I'm so glad someone said it. Nice and honest video for the most part, but that was driving me crazy when he said Cockatoos come from Australia as if they did exclusively. Some breeds (the best breed) like the Citron-Crested cockatoo comes from the Sumba Islands of Indonesia.
@@Charibaby82 il give him a pass since majority of cockatoos are australian and in large numbers unlike all of the indo and paupa cockatoos which are sadly on course for extinction
I'd love some videos on non-parrot birds. Almost all the TH-cam videos on pet birds deal with parrots (of various kinds), when in reality there are plenty of great birds that are available in aviculture, such as various species of Finch, turacos, mousebirds, columbiformes, some types of pheasant, and ducks!
I had a pet duck as a kid, great animal but almost as much work as a cockatoo. She would follow me around all day and was sad when I was at school. She was easy to train to do tricks but potty training her to go outside never worked. She would bite if she didn't get enough attention but while that hurt she wouldn't take any fingers off like a parrot 😅
@@pyrpyr5Wolf interesting story, thanks for sharing! I never said pet ducks were easy, just that I think a duck video would be awesome.
@@neilchace1858 for the right people with enough space and commitment they're amazing pets. I'd love a duck video for sure 😊
They have videos on falcons, chickens, and owls as well.
For every one like Kohaku, there must be a thousand like Max. And that's among the ones we get to see as good examples!
Speaking of Kohaku, I'm even more impressed that Hideaki has 4 birds after finding out cockatoos are very high maintenance.
@@PsycheTrance65 a cockatoo AND a caique. Man is nuts. That’s not even started on lorikeets! Gumi is a mastermind!
Gumi Chan keeps them in line with the wuewuewuewuewue.
I love that this still fits into dinosaur December
NAILED IT! Yours is one of the best no sugar-coating videos I've seen. Great job!
Just got back from getting one of my rescued pteradactyls his regular talon trims and dropping another bill on treats, toys, etc. That doesn't scratch the surface in just this month alone. Had to turn up the volume so I could hear your video since my ears are still ringing from today's "song of his people" on the drive home. He rode in his $400 carrier made to be "cockatoo proof" 😆. Just found another hole in the bite-proof stainless steel mesh. Shocker.
Thank you for being very clear and honest. You covered a lot of ground and there's isn't anything you said that is an exaggeration, except the part where you forgot to add "on crack" to the lifelong toddler description. That unyielding cockatoo affection can easily shift into breeding behavior too. That's always fun 😬. I adore my little flock of rescued pteradactyls, however, I don't advocate for psitticines - including parakeets -being part of the pet trade. The number of hookbills relinquished once they reach maturity is heartbreaking. How dare they behave like parrots?! It is literally impossible to meet their very unique needs. I do my best to make sure that everyday is better than the life they had before coming here. I have an aviary for nice days, but it certainly doesn't encompass acres of jungle. I'm in Ohio lol. Thank you again for stating true facts regarding avian husbandry - especially C2's lol. They're all amazing, brilliant creatures. Well I'm off to go figure out if that's chop in my hair or poop. It's probably poop. Again.
I have three young Amazon parrots that are my life. I just finished constructing an aviary and now we’re working on the second. Thankfully I live in a sub tropical region so they can spend 8 hours outdoor each day year round. I’m seriously considering a cockatoo for my next parrot but I’m still in the research stage. I’m not concerned about the clinginess, as I work from home and spend all my free time with my birds, but I do worry about the biting. I’ve heard a lot of people who say that they’re unpredictable and their bites are worse than that of macaws. My Amazons almost never bite and when they do, it’s always gentle, never breaking the skin. Anyway, thanks for leaving this comment, it’s very helpful to hear from real owners as I make my decision.
Way to get back into classic form! I love these so much!
It felt like a good story arc for Dinosaur December. Thank you so much for your support and encouragement this month. I really enjoy your content.
My gram, who is still quite healthy and well, got her cockatoo Jun as a baby when I was a baby and she has been well cared for the last 26 years, but Gram is worried about what will happen to her beloved bird when her mind eventually starts to go. My parents aren’t going to take her, my younger siblings aren’t as close with gram as I am(I’m the eldest), and she doesn’t trust her other daughter to be able to take proper care of her. As such I have told her that if Jun ever needs a home, I will take her. This video is quite well timed as I just made this offer and am doing research now to prepare for what I imagine is an eventuality
I have a macaw and a grey. Pretty much everything said here applies :) He glossed over dust, but cockatoo (and grey) dust is amazing. So much dust from such a small animal. Any time your cockatoo or grey touches you, it's like being hit with a chalk board brush :)
We have to be careful about the scream training with the macaw. We did clicker training with the grey, but mostly that taught her to make the clicker sound when the HUMAN is doing something the bird likes, and then she expects a treat. More or less, we trained our grey to clicker train us.
We started from scratch, so we had about $2500 in adoption fees for the two birds, $2000 in cages (4'x3'x6.5'), about $150/mo in toys
[my grey is whistling back at the bird in the video, she thinks it is a whistling contest]. Renovating the room we put them in was about $6000. Creating an outdoor aviary so they can go outside in good weather has been another $6000. Vet bills run ~$1000/yr assuming there are no serious issues. Some birds (like hyacinth macaw) start at $20k+ jsut to get the bird, though most of the medium and large parrots (greys, amazons, cockatoos, macaws, eclectus) tend to be in the $2k to $5k range in my part of Canada.
Oh, and something important: you can't just travel with a parrot across state or international boundaries. Some parrots are straight up illegal in some states (looking at you Monk Parakeet). Others are severely endangered in the wild and have serious restrictions on border crossing.
my mother is crazy about these precious forever-toddlers, but they are definitely not a reasonable responsibility for us. So the ppl who make frequent videos of their cockatoos for her to watch and delight in are absolute heroes in more ways than one 😅 Looking forward to the cockatiel video tho! I'm especially fond of those little guys.
Thank you so much Clint for this video. Having a cockatoo is like having a toddler with ADHD for the rest of your life. It's no joke & will change every aspect of a person's life.
I can't thank you enough for this video!! Hopefully this will make people think twice and keep these fantastic birds out of shelters.....
My family used to own an umbrella cockatoo (the species featured in this video). We had him since he was a chick, and he was very affectionate towards my brother. I still remember the time he bit through the iron bars of his cage and escaped into the backyard. Fortunately, we did end up getting him back, but like a month later my folks surrendered him after he nearly bit my sister's finger off.
Sometimes I wonder where he ended up, and if he's still alive. But it's been more than half a lifetime since we had that bird, and for all the ups and downs that was as a kid, I'll never forget Miki.
Personally I would of gave up the child over my parrot 😂
I have not looked and don't remember seeing, but, I think it would be fun to look at lots of other bird-pets; checkens (just noticed chickens is done already), ducks, swan/goose, birds of prey like falcons/owls, and corvids like Ravens/Crows.
Most birds are waaay smarter than we give them credit for. The Caldonian Crow is known to solve puzzles that would give some chimpanzees trouble. :)
As to cockatoos, it's probably cheaper and less trouble to just move to Australia, and set up feeding stations for the wild cockatoos where then you can make friends, but, don't have the burden of 100% all the time responsibility.
He already has videos on the Peregrin Falcon and an Owl as well I think but they're kinda old, He even did the penguin in one.
As far back as I can remember, my family always kept birds. The largest we ever got was an Amazon parrot. Most tended to be in the Conure/Cockateil size range. I've always thought that once I retire, I'd want a Cockatoo. But after raising 3 mid-size parrots myself, I'm thinking I'd rather build a small aviary and get myself a tiny flock of conures.
I knew parrots were a lot to handle, but I had no clue that cockatoos were this much. My wife has always wanted a cockatoo, but I really don’t think it’s an option after this video. Thank you for the heads up Clint.
The best description I've ever heard of cockatoos is that they're like toddlers that have a bolt cutter instead of a hand.
I worked at a doggy daycare and my boss had a couple cockatoos. She was the perfect owner for one tho, well knowledged about all animals, single and lonely as mean as that might sound, and lived in a pet shop so she had the perfect place to store the parrots. You can’t put into perspective how intimidating they are tho, sure they might act cute and talk but anytime that beak is near you there is a chance you’ll get bit. I used to have to sweep the floor and the cockatoos would follow me around the whole time If they were out their cage trying to bite my legs. If they were in the cage anytime I tried to sweep under a cage I had a massive beak sticking between the bars trying to bite me or the broom. Not to mention the when they are out of the cage it is the loudest screeching you’ll ever hear, just constant parrot squawking at a 10/10 volume level for as long as they want to squawk which can be hours. I love cockatoos to death but I’d never consider owning one but any chance I ever get to interact with one I’ll take the opportunity.
Have you ever thought about doing a video on owning and caring for Corvids, specifically Ravens?
Considering how intelligent they're supposed to be, I would be curious to know how they do as pets.
I loved this video on Cockatoos and I'm glad that I got to know more about them.
I would love that!
That's the only bird I'd want to see that's not been covered, unless Clint reviews ducks and chickens or a freaking ostrich.
We did a video on chickens already :)
I'd also love a video, as far as I know corvids are very hard to keep, easy to feed, quite sociable but smart and destructive, as in pecking through an inch of wood in an afternoon to dig out the lock on the aviary destructive.
@@ClintsReptiles that would make a great bird video.
As an Aussie, we see a lot of escaped/released pet cockatoos - you can tell because they're usually solo not in a flock and they're extra social and less fearful of people. We have one that occasionally visits us - it's very pointed about telling us what it likes in our garden! Any time we plant parsley, it's mysteriously ripped out and usually deposited onto our downstairs neighbour's balcony! More than once, we've had to knock on their door and ask if we could our plant back please!
In a flock, they're one of the funniest birds ever - imagine a small child trying to do acrobatics...whilst eating...and talking... They're upside down, food in one claw, usually screeching up a storm and often trying to shoo another cockatoo away with their wings. Then times that by about 100 and put it in the most publicly visible place. It is a magnificent and hilarious sight to behold!
I have 6 of them, all adopted. There is a reason why people get rid of them. Their snuggling is because they are not socialized the natural way, and they demand this every day. The mess, destruction, biting and the screaming is not for everyone. They are NOT beginner's pets. They are perfect for someone who is home all day, with nothing else to do but to cater to their cockatoo. Do not have neighbors - their decibel level is higher than any other parrot. And they live for a long time. They are also prone to plucking, and they can get prolapse, which is very expensive to treat - and many people (and other parrots) are allergic to the feather dust, which is very fine and gets into everything. Every new cage lasts a few weeks and then it needs new doors , latches or gates.They can pop locks and cage-bars and destroy your woodwork in minutes.
As a vet with a huge interest in exotics and who sees more and more of them - thank you for your videos. Thank you for not sugar coating the enormous responsibility it is and thank you for underlining that animals like cockatoos and green iguanas are bad ideas for pets for pretty much everyone
I worked at a parrot rescue. They are social, intelligent, and an absolute nightmare. I have a scar from a cockatoo who was surrendered after biting off a toddler's finger. Enjoyed working with them, do not want one in my house.
I have about 40 living outside my house (I'm Australian). They wake me up every morning, hanging off the power lines chirping and raiding trees. They are insanely vocal and cheeky, and it's impossible to not like them. They always manage to work out a way of breaking into bins, even pushing bricks off. Living with them when they're wild is a truly unique experience.
I love your energy Clint!
I live near the Australian Reptile Park that you showed with the shingleback lizard. I recognised the logo on the shirt! 😆
Never had a cockatoo as a pet but we had a flock of wild ones who would stop by our backyard. They ended up chewing through the awning struts above the backdoor, ripped out the flyscreen to my parents bedroom window and then a few of them would lean in through the window and watch TV with my Dad. They are awesome birds but definitely not for the faint hearted. I have had a couple of Rainbow Lorikeets as pets, both were rescues. Custard was a dinosaur for sure. Velociraptor. Needed distraction to get food in her enclosure and the only one she loved was my sister. Jelly was my little gentleman, much calmer and he was quite happy to ride around on a shoulder or sit with you at a table. Thanks for another awesome video.
Thank you for this video, especially your emphasis on how much responsibility and dedication these birds require to keep properly.
When I was a kid I was friends with someone whose parents owned a couple of cockatoos. The birds were very neglected and it made me incredibly sad. I never saw them leave their cages, and those cages were in a walk-in-closet sized room covered in bird dust, so they were extremely poorly socialized. The larger of the cockatoos would let me stroke him through his cage if I was careful, the smaller would hiss and attempt to bite if I came anywhere near her enclosure. Apparently the owners initially took better care of them, my friend told me when she was young the birds were frequently let out of their enclosures and would even accompany the owners on car rides around town (not the safest thing but at least the birds were getting attention and activity). I suspect the owners got tired of attending to the birds' needs after the novelty wore off or after the owners had children.
Animals are a commitment, not a decoration or a toy to be tossed aside when they get boring or when life gets stressful; people need to know what they're getting into and make sure they're capable of providing for an animal for its entire life, *especially* for animals that are high-needs. I am glad to see some other commenters here have changed their minds about getting a pet cockatoo, and I hope anyone who is still interested in owning one will understand how much time and work they'll need to put in to take proper care of these amazing birds.
the great thing about living in Australia is I get to see and occasionally interact with these beautiful cockatoos in the wild without having one in my house (unless i leave a window open)
Thank you so much for being straightforward and honest. The next time someone tells me they want a cockatoo, I'm sending them DIRECTLY to this video. I've owned birds all my life, and I know that I would never be able to own a cockatoo. It breaks my heart that there are so many in the pet trade, because they're absolutely incredible animals. I really feel like there should be laws against selling them in pet stores.
Growing up I had a cockatiel (she lives with my parents as she bonded most strongly to my mom) and this is true even for little birds! Also an air filter can be super helpful if dust makes your allergies flare up. Birds are a lovely pet if you're willing to have your whole life revolve around them. And 95% of the time, even if you think you are, you're not. Rescuing a bird is a good option too :)
True even for little parrots. Doves are much easier. Our cockatiel died after a couple years, but the dove thrived for over 20. She could be just as affectionate, but also didn't mind being ignored for days. Dove feathers are not dusty, and we trained our dove to always return to the cage before pooping, so she didn't make much mess.
My Aussie hubby and his family got a sulphur crested cackatoo in the late 60s, Felix is still alive and thriving! He's in a BIG outdoor enclosure in Australia, and it's probably not even enough!! He has a smoker's cough ( 😉) he picked it up from my father in law that was a smoker, my fil died in the 80s!!! The bird still likes to "cough". They will likely outlive YOU! You do not want a cackatoo! Felix has a great memory and they will choose who they like and who they don't like, you might be one they don't like! Just skip getting one, for the bird's sake!
I'll have you know the best pet dinosaur is Rocco, but cockatoos are certainly up there :)
You did fail to mention that occasionally birbs like to chew on things, like wooden blocks, or literally the wall.
As a little anecdote on what looking after a parrot is like, I wake up to Rocco, when he flies off to bed he flies back if I don't follow. I need to convince him that I am coming back when I go to the washroom. When I open the washroom door he is either standing in front waiting for me, or he flew downstairs looking for me and/or trouble. If I go out he sulks when I get back. When I used to close his cage door (been over a year since I have, although I do close the room door still), he would grab on to it with his feet and flap as hard as he could while screaming. He is rather quiet normally actually, first squawk in weeks was in response to him hearing the birb squawks in this video. I have scars from him disagreeing on things, like me sharing my phone, or a pen I was using, or when bedtime was. Oh, and he is potty-trained, but he also tries to game the system of him getting a treat for going potty in the right place. Little con artist dinosaur :P
My mother adopted a Yellow Headed Amazon parrot from her sister 40 years ago and a Nanday Conure from a friend of mine 30 years ago. Her life absolutely revolves around these birds, all day every day. More of her life has been spent with her Amazon than without it. It’s a noble commitment that most people aren’t willing to make. At her age, 73, these birds will be mine for the rest of my life too.
My female hand reared Umbrella Cockatoo is 20 years old, I've had her since she weaned at 17 weeks old. I'd die for her and she is amazing in so many ways I couldn't possibly list them all. She is very affectionate and gentle, sassy, hilarious, swears like a trooper, trolls us, is destructive and very, very demanding. She certainly changed my life (and my wife's) when we got her. If I'd have known what I know now before I got her, would I have still got her.
No way on this earth.
Fortunately she is under one of, if not the top avian vets here in the UK. She has prolapsed again for about the 5th time due to laying eggs twice a year for about 18 years, so is back at the vets on Monday, likely to be knocked out again to have stitches placed in her vent to stop it happening again (Hopefully). There is a lot of stress that goes with it (for all of us). She isn't like a dog or a cat who are easier to deal with and the treatment will be about £1000. I hope that's all it is but I suspect it's a bit more complicated this time round. The worry is horrible.
The problem isn't what they are like as pets, like noisy, destructive etc. That's something a determined owner will deal with and work around if they are committed enough. It's the problems caused to them by hand rearing. It essentially 'breaks' them, both physically and mentally. They are very hormonal, can and will damage themselves physically and anything can trigger it. And the symptoms of these things can be anything from a spot of plucking to literally chewing holes in themselves.
They are simply too emotional to survive in a captive environment I would say in the majority of cases.
Beautiful birds in nature, as pets not so much. I did a drinking game with water to see how much you said life. Cause I knew that was coming. Thanks for spreading awareness of the needs of parrots and birds. Like when you surrender/rehome a dog or a cat, it's not as devastating when they get used to their new home, but birds NEVER get over it or need alot of help doing so. Surrendering a bird is like surrendering a toddler they don't know why, they just want their mom/dad.
Strongly agreed. Aside from ducks or chickens, domesticated birds come off as a complete waste of time. Imagine if they tried domesticating opossums instead. Or breeding pet arthropods.
@@SonicBoone56 Not ducks, they are terrible. The only thing they think about is water and will do anything to get it even if it kills them. I have had ducks pry the safety lids off heated waterers to take a bath in winter and need emergency warming up in the house on a number of occasions. I keep chicken, turkeys, and geese but will not keep ducks because they are such a pain in the neck.
@@bigsprucerabbitry6238 What about pigeons? Weren't they the first birds ever domesticated by humanity?
And this bird is endangered in the wild
My wife and I thought of owning a cockatoo at one time and started going to bird rescues with the intention of researching for a few years before making the commitment. That quickly stopped when one of the people at the rescue described it as "a toddler that would stay a toddler for 80 years, stands on your shoulder, and poops on your back." I think a parakeet might be better for us haha.
I met a pair of cockatoos at a family friend's house many years ago... I fell in love with them. The exhilarating feeling of having this rather large bird [more so being a young teen] perching on my hand or shoulder and just hanging out with me was a formative memory. That being said, their owner John, was as explicit as you were in this video. "Don't get one, they own you a [bleep] ton more than you own them." THANK YOU for being so absolutely opaque on this incredibly important fact.
These days I have a chance a few times a month to volunteer at a local parrot rescue. While being a newer volunteer there means I'm on poop duty most of the time, I still get my fix of getting to hang out with some incredible cockatoos, macaws, etc. Perhaps some day I could move forward owning a smaller, more sensible bird buddy, but owning a cockatoo is something I would never do without being able to essentially dedicate my life to one... which I can never foresee being the case.
Australian here. We have a big flock of these which hang around our place. They are really curious and come and say hi every day. The brave ones will take an almond right out of your hand.
I'm the owner of a princess parrot and this is an excellent video to anyone thinking about getting any kind of flying dinosaur. Well done Clint!
Looking forward to the cockatiel video!
Would never get one. But they’re so precious. I appreciate this video. I had a conure once and even for them, I did not have enough free time to care for her properly on an emotional level for the parrot. Birds are so incredible.
I'm from Sydney, and we frequently get them around the suburbs. A week ago was heading down the stairs at the local train station, and there were around eleven Sulphur-Crested cockatoos sitting on the railing - they were very quiet, but keeping an eye on all of us, and were totally unafraid. We were all watching them, and they were all watching us.
You are right about the noise though. We sometimes get a group of them (I think a collective noun is a Crackle of Cockatoos), that fly about screeching their heads off. The sound would wake the dead!
My aunt and uncle have a beautiful cockatoo! I desperately wanted one when I was younger, so I spent as much time with Bonita (yeah they don’t get points for name creativity😂❤) as I could!
Until I was put in charge of her for 2weeks when I was a teenager, while my aunt and uncle went on a cruise for their anniversary….
Bonita was chill for about the first 4-5 days (which was previously the longest time her “parents” had ever been gone and left me in charge of her before this cruise)- after that, all heII broke loose.
She totally stopped eating(yes, she went on a hunger strike), she “screamed” almost nonstop and yelled for “mom/dad” (which was heartbreaking), she started destroying everything around the house that she could-and finally, she started ripping feathers out.
After about 3 days of pure Bonita anarchy, they had to end their trip early and pay for a flight back home before the cruise was even over-because I simply couldn’t get Bonita to calm down, no matter what I tried.
Sure as the sun rises, almost immediately after they get home-she starts eating normally, no longer shrieked all day and stopped destroying everything in sight!
I still love cockatoos (and Bonita) but I definitely reevaluated my desire for one after that. 😂❤
That was about 25 years ago and they still have never attempted to take another trip that long again, because they don’t want to risk another Bonita meltdown.
Awesome video Clint. Whenever anyone comes into my store and asks for a cockatoo, I really try to talk them out of it. I spend more time and energy on my moluccan cockatoo than I do on all my other 60+ pets combined. They are insanely difficult to work with but very rewarding. We get soooo many cockatoos in our rehoming room. They really aren't the right pet for 99% of people but they are so, so wonderful for that 1%!
I love these pet rating videos so much! I’ve been watching every week for about 3 years now, and I love the variety that exists on the channel now, but I think these need to stay a prominent feature.
I have a rescued Moluccan cockatoo, Kiah (Australian Aboriginal for "From the beautiful place."). I've had her since the Summer of '05. She was an import in the 60s, and was used as a breeding hen for the pet trade, and overbred to the point of bone and beak deformaties. When she was no longer of any use as a breeder, they dumped her, and because she was never socialized, she bounced from house to house. When I got her, nobody could go near her, because she would go ballistic. I did what I do with all my rescues; I set her cage up next to my computer, and fed her, watered her, and kept her cage clean, but other than that, I didn't look at her, talk to her, anything. It was about her observing me. Within two months, she made the decision to approach me and make first contact, and since then she's what we who work with toos call a "love sponge." She's a massive cuddler, will open her wings to give a hug (she was not taught this), and loves meeting most people.
That's the positive. She's also loud. For those curious, Moluccans are capable of being louder than the Umbrella Clint showed in the video. Moluccans are capable of screaming at 135dB, which is only 50dB louder than what can cause permanent hearing damage. They also stomp their feet when they are upset (okay, that's kind of adorable), which is almost always followed by screaming. Like many rescues, she's also a plucker/self mutilator, and wears a styling collar to keep the damage limited to only *looking* like she went through a blender, and not giving her the more damaging effects of having actually met the business end of her built-in one, also known as her beak. With the collar, she only does damage to her feathers; without it, she will tear into her skin.
Basically, while I love my Kiah, and will have her until one of us croaks, I can say this with *total* confidence; you rated them high, Clint.
I know this comment is a year old, but as someone who inherited their grandparents Moluccan, I just had to say it's nice to see someone else who knows what a nightmare these adorable sweethearts can be.
I'm lucky in that mine doesn't self mutilate, but man does she *scream*. She's an extreme cuddler and gets very offended if her contact time is cut short, to the point she screeches like she's being murdered. The moment you go to check on her though?
"tweet. Hello~"
Like nothing even happened! They're a giant responsibility, and definitely not meant to be the type of pet people should just be able to adopt or pick up from a pet store. Luckily I grew up with mine since I lived right next to my grandparents, and I have the flexibility with my work to look after her the way she deserves.
Great explanation, I work at a sanctuary in SoCal we have about 60 rescues we get calls from people wanting to relinquish their birds everyday. I see a lot of cases where people go out and spend thousands buying baby birds only to bring them to us a year later. More people need to watch videos like this before they make such a life-changing decision.
For reference I have an Indian Ringneck, but what you said here is very accurate to my lil guy. Birds are a very niche pet, and not something I recommend to the average pet owner. Usually when people ask about my ringneck I list off the reasons to not get one first, cause they are a lot to deal with on a consistent basis. But for those few who are willing to put the time, effort and commitment in, and can look past all the blemishes, birds make for a fantastic companion that is unlike any other pet. I've had my lil guy for 3 and a half years and he's been life-changing for the better
When you take care of animals perfectly, it's never easy, because you want the best. I have a 30 year old male turtle since 92 and pet prairie dogs since 1997 (today their 5 in the familly) that I have always brought with me on vacation: to the beach; mountain and even in other countries (accessible by car in Europa). For this there is their special house for trips.
The best reward for good care is a very long life (more than 10 years on average), their love and little babies every year.
I love the fact i typed in the animal and "best pet bird" & clint instantly popped up! The "Best pet" series is top tier YT content
I’m extremely glad you’re thorough and explain more cons than pros with parrots. I’ve grown up around parrots my whole life and own a budgie and african grey. My grandma owns rescue 3 cockatoos and I would NEVER recommend one to anyone. I absolutely love birds, but most people have no idea the life altering effects of owning one, and the bigger the bird the more you sacrifice for them. Cockatoos are the craziest bird I’ve ever been around, their screaming and destruction abilities are insane, and their bites have always drawn copious amounts of blood. I’ve only ever been around rescue cockatoos with behavioral issues, and while they’ve significantly improved after leaving their neglectful/abusive previous homes they are very unpredictable. I’ve met cockatoo owners whose pets have never experienced anything negative or come from a prior home and they’re also crazy. I personally think in order to own a cockatoo you need lots of prior parrot experience with large birds and a serious sense to commit. Birds are amazing pets if you can handle them, otherwise they’re definitely not for most people and I would never recommend one unless you spend lots of time with birds before getting one, even "easy" small birds.
Happy New Years Clint I have really been loving Your videos for the past two years and I wanted to Thank You and The Heavenly Father for Helping me learn so much about Reptiles and I Love Birds so much as well and I think You should do Exotic Birds more often as well like The Macaws and Toucans and maybe do Bush Baby’s and other Exotic Animals
When I was a kid I wanted nothing more than to have a Cockatoo. I'm so glad my parents advised against it. I would not have been able to handle it, and neither can most. Really glad you point this out in your videos. Nobody wants to see abandoned animals
Growing up my brother always had a thing about wanting weird pets and annoyingly he hasn’t grown out of it even though he’s 30. Weirdest I would go would be an opossum or a pig. But he always wants something strange like a tarantula or a monitor or an alligator or a raccoon or a skunk or a cockatoo or a Fox. When he was 14 he really wanted a pitbull and that was one of the more normal pets he wanted. And the thing is he doesn’t even live a lifestyle that would accommodate a needy pet very well because he’s always out of the house.
@@Mortablunt The tarantula would actually be great if he's gone a lot since they don't need much attention and their care is pretty simple once you get the basics down.
Thank you for spelling out the commitment. I love cockatoos so much from past bonds of neighbors and friends. But they live sooo long. I feel I am too old at 40 to adopt one. As I would pass before it would.
But, as far as affection goes holy moly. Every time I’ve met one, even if for a second we instantly connect. But, even my neighbors cockatoo expected me to stop and pet him anytime he saw me. So cute and flirty.
The only reason my neighbor was such a good dad was 1. He was a retired and trust fund dude 2. His parents got it when he was a kid and he took over its care when they passed, 3. He did not leave its side and always had it outside to interact with any neighbors and keeping it busy with tricks, changing obstacles/puzzles weekly. That bird was happy as f, but it was his life!
Dude i love your extremely passionate "aura". Like every part of you seems to be screaming "I'M SO EXCITED" for the entire video
Looking forward to the cockatiel video since that is the parrot that sounds right for me.
You should do a video on shoebill storks, they’re unbelievably interesting and are like living dinosaurs
I really don't want a cockatoo but man I really want a friend with a cockatoo who needs me to watch it once and a while for a weak end
My grandparents had a cockatoo that recently died that was older than my dad. I'm nearly 40. They have an extremely powerful bite that demands respect. They can also use that beak as a third foot and do some pretty impressive climbing an acrobatics, its like an intelligent tripod!
Over 28 MINUTES of BONUS content from this video, exclusively for our Stinkin' Rad Fans on Patreon! Patreon is a great way to support Clint's Reptiles AND get awesome extras (including hundreds of other bonus videos)! www.patreon.com/posts/patreon-extras-76451716
Can you do the African grey parrot
Hey just realized, in this video you forgot to mention parrot hormones swings, the clouds of dander, and hard body language reading that comes with cockatoos (although hormone swings go with all parrots)
But you did a good enough job saying they are horrible pets already so🤣
I know some kids that the Terrible Twos lasted until they were a teenager, at which point...they were a teenager.
😂😂😂
I feel very blessed. I adopted a 3 year old G2 a few months ago. I’m his 3rd home. He’s feather destructive but I’ve been seeing far less feathers in his cage and room. He destroys the wooden toys I’ve given him. He explores but never destroys anything I’ve not provided for this purpose. His cage is never closed and often their bedroom door is wide open. He’s a picky eater but I just keep offering a variety of things and he’s tasting much more than when he arrived. He rarely screams and when he does, it’s apparent he’s just expressing himself vocally and it’s not from distress or boredom. He’s very respectful with his beak. He is also allowing my hands to interact with him even though he’d never been handled in his previous homes. He asked for preening his first night here and preens my eyelashes when he’s showing affection. He’s such a lovely little dinosaur and nothing like I expected. I was fully invested in raising a problem child for the rest of my life but as it turns out, his previous owners were the problem….not him. 🫶🏻🇨🇦
I have already heard many of those things from "Makers Muse" he 3d printed puzzles for the Cockatoos visting him. and the biggest lesson was: They will try the destructive approach first, then second and third. Only if that completely fails will they try a little of something else.
Oh, I forgot to mention how that fits in with the highly intelligent part. Well, the problem is it works. They have an amazing destructive potential. with their strong beaks
I had a cockatoo named Blondie a few years ago. We had to give her away because we had to move. She was the sweetest bird I’ve ever had, and I’ve had quite a few birds. Blondie would sit on my shoulder and play with my hair using her beak. Once, she actually fell asleep on my shoulder!
I had an African Grey more than ten years ago. They are very similar to Cockatoos minus as much snuggling. I can tell you first-hand, it rivaled the care and attention required by my human children.
I was told by a buddy it’s basically signing up to take a six year old psychopath with a chainsaw for a face into your house.
@@Mortablunt It's not that bad, but you definitely need to devote HOURS per day to them. Mine use to break things more frequently when I wasn't paying enough attention (like rip the buttons off my keyboard that kind of thing). I didn't keep him caged, when I was home, I allowed him flight as well to navigate the house. It was good at climbing and enjoyed curtains. It was definitely a time intensive pet. If you ask how much one of these birds is, you don't really want one, because you must LOVE this bird. So thousands of $$$ should be nothing for you, as this is a must have for you.
I love birds...
but only if other people own them LMAO
I've tried keeping parrotlets and lovebirds when I was a kid and later as a young adult but man... the screaming, biting and pooping would drive me to tears sometimes. Cockatoos are on a whole different level and as awesome and majestic as they look, I could never imagine keeping one.
Yeah people tend to give love birds the wrong impression. The name “love bird” is very misleading and used for marketing purposes when in fact those little guys are very angry and territorial
Parolettes are also VERY noisy birds from what i heard. Personally I’d only want to own a Cockatiel or Green Cheek Conure
@@bobaparadise9419 Honestly I could see myself getting doves, chickens or quails at some point. But for the moment I'm more than content with my lizards, frogs and snakes c:
Such an underrated TH-cam channel, so much detail and effort goes into the content and it really shows. I hope more people start viewing this amazing content.
thank you for this! it breaks my heart how many unwanted parrots sit and wait out their lives in cages... they aren't good pets at all! the only time they should be in human care is at a sanctuary for surrendered birds, like you mentioned, or if you are some rich person who doesn't have to work and have a big property and lots of other big parrots. anything else is just not enough IMO.
It would be cool to hear your opinion on less common pet birds like European starlings. They're invasive in the US and therefore have little protections or restrictions. I've heard that they can be pretty good pets. Especially if you find captive bred chicks.
I'd also love to see a video on starlings one day. Most people don't realize what amazing little birds they are! Aside from all the usual difficulties that come from owning a bird (constant anxiety about air quality, several hours every day dedicated to interaction and enrichment, the need for a very versatile avian vet, etc), they do tame down pretty well. But I don't know how I feel about captive breeding considering how prolific and invasive they are already...honestly every spring there seem to be rescued, imprinted nestlings that need a permanent home, and I can't imagine there's much difference between a captive bred and hand-raised starling.
European starlings are also amazing mimics. They can perfectly imitate pretty much any sound, it's insane.
Yes as a bird owner I cannot recommend enough NOT buying a bird. Some people cannot or will not change their entire lifestyle for their bird, which is necessary. It is A LOT of work and if you aren’t willing to do it, your bird will suffer immensely
especially falconry. people think its easy but its like a full time job
We have a 3 year old cockatoo called Cotton
He is an amazing bird and lots of fun and games
We love him dearly and is a part of the family
When Clint was like "If you're watching this... They're not" and I already knew it wasn't a pet for me but I enjoy the review
Is the flying human toddler with a can opener on its face the right pet dinosaur for you?
No...probably not.
Lol...watching the beginning of this and forgot one of your categories was "Upfront Costs." I'm in the process of adopting my first reptile (a crested gecko) and I have probably already spent about $800. Maybe more...
What did you buy to end up with $800 of cost ??? 💀
What did you get? $800 is insane.
Cage - $180
Background - $50?
Branches - $50?
Substrate - $7
Food - $8
Isopods/springtails - $50
What else? A mister and timers? Vet bills? 🤔
@@maskedmonster Let's see...the gecko cost $200 with shipping. The enclosure was maybe $200. Then, I basically went back and forth to a couple of pet stores about a million times deciding between branches and fake plants and vines and water treatment and misters and bowls, etc. THEN, I decided to go ahead and do the bioactive thing after all, so I bought a bunch more stuff online. I definitely spent more than I could have spent, but I still think I would've been in at over $500 (with this particular gecko because of his cost) if I hadn't changed things up at all.
You hit the nail on the head with this one. We had 2 cockatoos growing up. They are very social, loud, and destructive when they escape their enclosure. We had them for about 25 years before we gave them to a couple bird enthusiasts. The female we had started laying eggs about the time we rehomed her
I remember as a child I was at a second hand store with my mother and while looking around I heard "Hello?". Being young and maybe a bit dumb, I followed the voice and found the owners Cockatoo at the back of the store. The owner was awesome and I got to sit there for a few hours petting and cuddling with this bird. His name was Casper. Good childhood memories.
A bratty toddler that can fly and has a bolt cutter for a face is definitely not for everyone
Not even recommended for bird lovers lol
Are chickens the best pet dinosaur?
Wait he did that video already 🐔
the whole time i was just watching the bird on your shoulder
he looks so comfy and i love the beak crunching birds do when theyre sleepy
Lol. I loved that intro! I have no interest in getting one but enjoy watching videos about them.
I have a friend who has one and he says he can't wait for his cockatoo to pass away from old age! For context, my friend is older and retired. He and his wife wants freedom from taking care of his cockatoo. They love him, but they just want a break especially since they're getting older! At the same time, he and his wife know that they provide the cockatoo with the best life possible and don't want to surrender him. They're just tired of the burden that comes from owning one. They've had this cockatoo most of their lives and from what I understand this is the cockatoo's 2nd home. My friend is a wonderful parrot parent, but even parents need a break. And unfortunately cockatoos live for a VERY long time!