Thinking about a 2

[Markus]

Hi Everyone,

I've been a member here for a while.. and once again, the bird-bug is active. I'm thinking of adding another bird.

I've been away for the last 6 months, due to a job layoff. Now I'm back home, and working again.

Here's my situation. I'm 26, have 2 kids.. ages 5 and 7. We currently have 2 sun conures and 2 cockatiels. Last year we also had a pair of Nandays that were a rescue at the time.. and have healed (plucked, injured) and are now in a better home.

Years ago I had an Umbrella cockatoo, and also a BW Pionus.

The conures are great... nice to my kids.. love my daughter. But I really like bigger birds. I'm a cockatoo person at heart. I love that white dusty feathered cuddling.

Recently I came across a sulphur crested cockatoo in need of a better home. He's owned by an older couple.. the woman likes him, but the husband is a <explicative> to him. So this bird ends up biting the husband on the ear and finger.. go figure.. you be mean to a too.. and they'll nail ya. I just see this as natural behavior.

So anyways.. I'm really wanting this bird. I have experience with umbrellas. I guess the real question I need answered is how do they compare to sulphur crested cockatoos?

A friend in florida has a lesser sulphur crested that he raised since a chick. This bird is completely awesome, to the point where he rides on my friend's backpack when he goes on bike rides.

Haha, the more I continue this post, the more I'm already convinced I need this bird..

Ah well.. Guess I'll post some pictures when I get him!! thanks for readin!!

[Abby]

I am owned by a greater sulpher. I've also grown up with these guys. I've never net an umbrella so I can't compare, can only tell you what the sulphers are like.

They can magical or complete bastards. Kirri is pretty good. She's not a big screamer, loves my oldest son and she and I get along pretty well. Kirri does live in a large aviary (ie 12 ft by 4ft) and has a stack of chewing opportunities plus the company of our RB2 pair next to her.

They can be prone to plucking, aggression and attention demanding screaming. We've had none of this with Kirri however I have had one that was a plucker and screamer. Sorted out the plucking but the screaming just was not going to get sorted in inner suburbia so she lives with a friend on acreage now still pluck free.

They are loud and sunset and sunrise are the obvious times for expressing themselves. Nothing you can do, they're just being 'toos letting everyone know they're alive. Like the umbrella they live forever as long as diet is adequate and any health issues are jumped on.

Look I adore my sulphers, I just know what they can be like if not managed correctly. Whilst I'm happy to breed a couple of different types of 'toos (RB2's and long bills), sulphers aren't amongst them. There's way too many getting rehomed here in Australia.

Not sure if this has helped.

[Markus]

Thanks for the reply, Abby. I'm happy to see you're not breeding them because of the rehoming situation in Oz. Here in Pennsylvania, USA, we don't have very many, hence not many are rehomed.

Now this question has been on my mind today. It's summer on the northern side of the globe, and I'm wondering about keeping birds outdoors versus indoors. Summer nights can get down to 5-10c. Is that too cold for a cockatoo? or sun conures?

I've been thinking about setting up outdoor cages/aviary for the birds. Is full shade or full sun acceptable for birds? Or should I ensure a mix, as desired by them?

A couple days ago I delivered to a house, and they had Amazons, Greys, and a Macaw kept in outdoor cages. I didn't think of asking if that was just a summer home, or if they stayed there all winter. The winters here get cold. By cold.. I mean a high of -5c for the day.

[DeguMom]

Actually, there are a LOT of parrot sanctuaries in Pennsylvania. Here is a short list, but there are many more than just these few:

Feathered Sanctuary Rescue Organization

Fresh Start Bird Rescue

Lair Of Dragons Bird Rescue Adoptable Birds in Pennsylvania

Jojo the Grey Adoption and Rescue for Birds Inc. -- A Non-Profit Organization

Changez Bird Rescue

PEAC Information: Adoption Requirements

I saw Cockatoos up for adoption at most of those websites. At any rate, that was just a really quick Google search I did, so it's more than likely you'd be able to find a shelter in your state with a Cockatoo up for adoption and in need of a home. Hope this helps! (As you can tell, I am a HUGE proponent of adoption.)

So, I guess I just wanted to say that there are PLENTY of Cockatoos being rehomed in PA. Sadly, they just don't get the publicity that dogs and cats do - but they are there.

[Abby]

It's been horribly cold here the past few nights, as in frost on the lawn in the mornings. Most of my birds are in aviaries including the GSC2. They have protection at the back to roost and get out of the weather. They all seem to cope including the conures. I just had baby quail hatch last night that the silly mum laid in the unprotected part at the front and the babes all seem fine.

Once you get down to the minus temps, I'm not sure. I've had more hassles with the heat waves keeping birds cool then them getting fussed with the cold weather. Thank goodness for spray systems.

[Markus]

Thanks for the reply, Abby. I'm happy to see you're not breeding them because of the rehoming situation in Oz. Here in Pennsylvania, USA, we don't have very many, hence not many are rehomed.

Now this question has been on my mind today. It's summer on the northern side of the globe, and I'm wondering about keeping birds outdoors versus indoors. Summer nights can get down to 5-10c. Is that too cold for a cockatoo? or sun conures?

I've been thinking about setting up outdoor cages/aviary for the birds. Is full shade or full sun acceptable for birds? Or should I ensure a choice?

A couple days ago I delivered to a house, and they had Amazons, Greys, and a Macaw kept in outdoor cages. I didn't think of asking if that was just a summer home, or if they stayed there all winter. The winters here get cold. By cold.. I mean a high of -5c for the day.

[DeguMom]

As far as keeping them outdoors...Do you have neighbors close by? I think your better bet (if you want them to enjoy the outdoors, fresh air and sunshine) would be to keep them inside, but have an outdoor cage/aviary they could enjoy each day, weather permitting. I have seen a lot of pets kept outside that end up getting forgotten, and parrots are flock animals, and need that daily interaction.

Just looking at things from another angle.

[Markus]

Hmmm... somehow I re-posted? Some security check? idk.


DeguMom: The bird I'm looking at is being rehomed... to my house ;) He's 29 and had a few homes already. Also, PA is a big state. I'm closer to Buffalo, NY or Canada than most of those rescues. I was just saying there isn't an over-abundance of cockatoos here, like Australia. Thanks for posting the links. Actually.. the middle of PA is so rural that people don't know what Craigslist is. We use Pennswoods.net classified ads, which is a local ISP for dial-up.

Abby: I'm afraid I've got the opposite problem. We can have frost in the middle of the summer.. as for the winters, we've got the record for the coldest temperature in the state at -42f (-41c?). Having an outdoor aviary with shelter seems like the best way to go. I'm sure my fids would love being outdoors during the couple of warm months, but winter time they've got to be indoors. Haha, now that I think of it.. when it snows again, I'm going to give the conures a water dish filled with snow, and see how they like playing with it.

So I'm preparing myself for an older cockatoo with a small history of abuse. He absolutely hates the man that was his previous owner. In December, a few days after seeing his former owner, he attacked the husband of the current owner. In his defense.. the husband never cared for him much anyways. Sometimes my birds keep me in line with how I handle my own kids. If I raise my voice.. I'll have 2 vengeful sun conures who love my kids as much as I do. Somehow it all seems to work out and keep it all in check. I'm not very concerned with 2 kids and a cockatoo, just judging by how well they interact with the conures. Maybe I should seek more opinions on this issue?

[Abby]

It's hard to know how he'll go with the kids.

My 14yo deals with our GSC2 really well and he has own RB2 who is great with anyone. Our BE2 is daddy's girl all the way. She's a bit of a nightmare with the rest of us. Our latest rehome, a 35yo RB2 is my girl all the way. She's had a go at my husband and doesn't seem to like the boys.

I think you need to make sure that your other half and the kids are prepared to be hands off if the bird decides he doesn't like them. You'll be looking at a softly softly approach to earn his trust. Lotsa of treats etc.

[mmr]

[QUOTE=Markus;1456088]So this bird ends up biting the husband on the ear and finger.. go figure.. you be mean to a too.. and they'll nail ya. I just see this as natural behavior.

[QUOTE]

You have had a too before, so you are perfectly aware that they aren't always cuddly. U2 differ from the sulfer crested...read, and research! In regards to your comment above, it is NOT natural behavior for parrots to bite! They don't bite in the wild....bitting is a learned behavior from being in captivity!


I could warn and try to alter your thinking in getting a too, but I am pretty sure you already have your mind set on it! I own a U2 and if I knew then what I knew today.would I do it again? I really and honestly can't answer that! Don't get me wrong as I love my ellie to pieces, but the difference between her and my macaw are 500% night and day! She is 100% much more needy than my macaw, not to mention she has horrible jealousy issues with my macaw and sometimes my kids if she sees that "her time" is being taken away!