Newbie - Please help us find a bird!!

[The Outlaw]

Additionally, I'm a grandmother. I know how badly I felt when Miss Lily's little quaker bit her for the first time. She was devastated. Worse part was that I had foolishly thought it a good birthday gift. Lesson learned.

With small children, especially, you need to understand the dust issues as well. Too dust, especially from U2s is considerable. What happens when your babies start with allergic respiratory problems? Happens all the time. A few trips to the ER and the real picture starts to reveal. By then, you'll be bonded to the bird and feel incredibly awful when you have to place it, once again. I think you have made a well-thought out decision. I love leopards but wouldn't choose them as a pet if a simple domestic housecat could fill the same space in my heart.

If you decide to keep the bird, we will certainly try our best to help you.

[Vega]

Bustersbuddy, I don't see anyone here saying they are "bad birds" but more-so "not a child friendly bird during puberty". BIG difference in the two. There's also a huge difference in not getting along with an adult that understands and a chlid who will continue to try to build a r/s. Kids are curious. Kids stick fingers in cages. Birds are territorial by nature. Birds have large power beaks to a childs delicate finger.

Birds aren't always aware of their strength and a bite meant to 'correct' their handler can very easily become a bite that leads to the ER. Again, not saying 'Toos are "bad birds", just a bird better suited for homes without small children.

I think it would be less stressful on Peanut to be returned ASAP, rather than to get attached to a new family, only to be rehomed later on. But do think about it first.

[bustersbuddy]

Oh Lord, how did I miss the newborn in the house?!? No, absolutely not! You are right, this is not the household for a big cockatoo that will need as much attention as a two year old child. Having one near school age is one thing, but a little, little child is another completely. How about a cockatiel or a green-cheeked conure? That's a much better choice and much less demanding, time-wise. Be careful with the 5 year old, though. They can accidently hurt a little bird and those little beaks are nothing to sneeze at either!

I hope you have a good resolution to this. I can tell you care about the bird and your children very much and you're trying to make the right decision for everyone. Bless you for having such a good heart and so much tenderness. All will be well for you and the bird.

[Dayna]

I have a cockatoo. A girl cockatoo.

She used to love my daughter. Now she will try to attack her at every corner. Badly.

I cannot have my cockatoo out while I cannot pay 100% attention to her.

My cockatoo is only 1.5 years old. She had no trauma. It just started one day out of the blue. I am sure there is a reason according to her, but she can't tell me what it is.

Just another thought.

I love my girl and will have her much longer than my 9 year old lives at home. But till she goes away to college, she has to be watched like a hawk.

[Monica]

I can't really say this post will help any... however, I'd like to state that when I was 12, was when I first got into birds. Back then, I had only budgies. Then when I was 13, I was given a handraised cockatiel, such a doll but very demanding! About a month after I received the tiel, a stranger gave us a cherry headed conure... She was, and still is, ultimately my bird, since I am the only one who can handle her (at least in this family), trust her enough to let her sit on my shoulder, and give her kisses... however, it didn't start out that way. In the beginning, she bit, screamed, and even mutilated. She had a bad past, and it didn't help that her second home she was truely misunderstood. Heck, she's been with me for 5 years and I still don't understand her! However, she is now very content, hardly ever mutilates, and will only bite if she is displeased with something.

It IS possible to have a large bird in the house with little kids, but I think I'd have to agree with Nancy, that the cockatoo dust could be bad for an infant... on top of that, if all his needs and wants are not met, he WILL scream, and it WILL hurt your eardrums. Some say that ALL birds will bite, or at least nibble. I've been bitten by budgies, lovebirds, cockatiels, various conures, amazons, even a hyacinth macaw (that was just a hard nibble, but it still hurt!). You might be able to luck out and have chosen a perfect pet, however, you still need to take in consideration that beak as well as scream.

I think that if you really wanted to, you could make things work and keep this bird, but in short, U2's do not make the best first birds since they can be very demanding of time, food, and toys.

[Mike B]

Originally Posted by bustersbuddy

Mike, I'm not questioning the validity of their point of view. I am simply stating my opinion of their presentation. It is negative and I find it to be overly so, that's all. No one else had pointed that out and I felt I had the right and a good reason to do so. Constant negativity does not help the birds or their people.

I'm glad you stated your opinion. My posts would've read the exact same way if a male Zon was the bird in question. My concern is for the five year old, the new baby, and the bird. There will be a time when that bird becomes jealous of Mom's time. Whether it be when Mom is feeding the baby, or playing with the five year old. What happens when the bird jumps down, and attacks one of the three.

Mike

[svolk]

Uehling, I just want to say thanks for sticking around and reading through everyone's opinions with an open mind even though they might not be what you want to hear. I've found that people on this board are very open and honest and above all, want what is best for the birds - and also the people who take the birds into their lives. We all do care and we're all here to learn from one another. I'm sure some people might just write off the advice given in this thread and take it the wrong way.

I also wanted to make another point about the dust issue that has been brought up with 'toos - cockatiels are frequently recommended to people because of their good demeanor, but they are DUSTY, DUSTY birds as well. They are in the cockatoo family of course and I knew that they were of the "dust" family when I got Lulu, but I was truly surprised at how dusty Lulu was/is. Just something to think about when considering what bird might be right for your family.

[bustersbuddy]

Thanks, Mike. I might be inclined to think that her 5 year old daughter could learn to be safe around the bird. After all, many large dogs are wonderful with kids IF both kid and dog are trained to respect one another. But I missed the part about the newborn somehow and that is a real problem from many different perspectives. I did withdraw my earlier comments after I saw that.

[Irish]

I guess I got lucky with my first bird--a fully grown, mature adult male Moluccan Cockatoo. Oh, if I'd known then what I know now, I never would have brought him home. But he was a nearly perfect bird--no plucking, no violence, very little screaming--with me. But he hated my children! He was never, ever allowed out when they were in the same room.

This year, I adopted a 6 y/o female U2. She came with a few issues, which expressed themselves over time, including biting faces without known provocation. Nobody here was badly hurt--but we could have been. Then came the allergy to her dust. In the end, that's why we had to rehome that poor bird yet again--I couldn't breathe, and I worried she would eventually have that same effect on my BG boy, Bob.

Personally, I'm not sure that M2s and U2s should even be bred for the pet trade. They are truly complex creatures, and the consequences if their needs aren't met can be devastating and tragic in the extreme--for the bird, and for its family. If you keep Peanut, be aware that they're not an easy bird to read, and that they can turn w/out notice. I would agree with others who encourage you to keep him/her far, far away from your children, especially including the daughter he is obsessing on. For all we know, he might be thinking "mate" when he sees her--and male cockatoos have been known to fatally attack their "wives". Be careful with that guy around your kiddos.

I am interested in hearing the resolution of this story. I pray that whatever happens, happens for the best for everyone involved, clothed and feathered.

[Monica]

Just a side note, Avian Biotech will do DNA sexing for $25.