Baby cockatoo is home!

[jriley]

Well, we're back from our long drive with our new baby umbrella cockatoo, Molly. I'll try to post some pictures tomorrow. I spent the whole morning before going to get her scrubbing her cage and disinfecting all the perches and toys, ugh.

Wow, she's very different than I imagined. I thought from the pictures her owner had sent (taken 3 weeks ago) that she'd be a helpless baby that couldn't perch or get around her cage and that she'd be pretty small. She's huge! Her owner says she's three months old. I haven't held an adult cockatoo in a long time, so don't know how she compares, but she's a lot bigger than I expected. She's definitely all baby, though. She can get around her cage and can perch, but she's pretty clumsy about it. She sometimes tries to leap from perch to perch and then misses but always grabs something before she hits the bottom of the cage.

Luckily for me, she's been doing her handfeeding the past month or so from a spoon, so our first feeding together went well. I ended up wearing about half the formula and it seemed like she didn't eat much, but her crop felt full and she ate well the first five spoonfuls and then lost interest. She seems very healthy and is calm but not lethargic. She is very interested in people and wants to be held. The only thing that concerns me is that her owners smoked in the same room with her and her feathers smell like cigarettes. I hope that being around that smoke as a baby hasn't harmed her. Her first vet check will be this coming week as soon as they can squeeze her in.

She's an absolute cuddle monster. My daughters are so amazed because they were babies the last time we had a tame pet bird. They are so used to Tucci lunging to bite at them that they are having a hard time getting over flinching when she leans toward them to touch them with her beak, but they were thrilled to hold and pet her (the girls are 9 and 10).

It was hard giving up Tucci and Tammy, but I'm very happy with this new bundle of joy. I think she'll be happier, too, since her former owners didn't really enjoy spending cuddle time with her. With a family of six here, her biggest problem with my household will be getting her space. The poor girls just begged and begged to hold her more tonight, but I held firm that she had to have time to explore her new cage and rest from a stressful day.

It's so weird not hearing Amazon screams echoing through the house. It was really weird adding extra perches to her cage while she was in there and knowing I wouldn't lose any flesh while I was messing around in there. I just hope my two green friends do well in their new home and are happy. At least they will have some quiet and less stress from people trying to coerce them into being pets. I miss them, but I also am very glad to have them gone. Tucci has been a source of stress in the household since we first got him in January and it's like everyone in the house has let out a big sigh of relief. We can have a conversation again. We can watch a movie in peace. It's very nice. Guess I'm just not an Amazon type of person. I will always think they're funny and have loads of personality, but this is one species I will not bring into the house again.

Julie

[jimpierce7]

glad to hear she is home!!!

[Tobysmom]

welcome home....glad u are happy with your new too

[tielmama]

I'd love to see a baby. Mine is quite an adult! Congratualtions.

[wildirish]

Having a cockatoo is one of the most enjoyable and life changing things! They can be fun and cuddly, and as they get older they will change. That doesn't mean they don't stay loving, it is just different. If you use the search on here you will find posts about Cockatoo's and hormonal issues!

How is she eating? Buy a postal scale and track it. That will let you know if she is eating enough or if she may need some handfeeding. While some will wean out earlier than others not all do, some can take months. Also with the change of a new home, she may revert back to baby type actions out of confusion. If you need to handfeed and do not know how to with a syringe, simply offer warm mushy foods off of a spoon, it also makes for good one on one time in the evenings before bed.

Good Luck with your new addition.

[GlendaNS]

Awww! Babies are adorable!!!!

Maxie is 9 and still wants to eat like a baby off a spoon. Some fids just never grow up. LOL

Anxiously waiting for pictures!!!!!

[dislater]

Congrats on your new baby, Molly! di

[pinkparrot]

I love u2s yes they never grow up sunni is 10 and still acts like a baby

[CrazyforCockatiels]

Congratulations on bringing Molly home! Can't wait to see her!

[BobbieSD]

Wa-Hoo! More homecomings!