dumb question #1

[u2pearl]

I have a few questions, that may sound dumb. Please remember that I am new to the cockatoo world, so I have a lot of learning to do.

So here is dumb question #1.

I have read on many post about having your large birds have run of the house, and also that they eat dinner with you. What do you do about the poop?

[jenseits]

You dutifully wipe it up.

Kidding. I used to have a U2 and he was actually pretty easy to potty train. Just use the site's search function to look up some of the previous threads about potty training.

I know it's a little controversial around here, but I recommend MyToos.com for anyone new to the world of cockatoos (Real Cockatoo Facts! - Powered by UBB.threads™). Some of the members can be a little harsh, but they really have a ton of really useful info based on years of experience. I appreciate that they don't sugarcoat the fact that living with a cockatoo is really quite different from owning a smaller parrot.

[GlendaNS]

My U2 Maxie is perch trained. She will hold it until I give her a place to poop. I don't let her have free run of the house. You never know what could happen. I do have 2 different perch/play areas for her. She shares them with Stella, just not at the same time. I am bad and let her ride my shoulder a lot.

Back to the potty training... Watch your bird and when it has to go, move it onto a safe pooping spot and tell Pearl to "perch" or "poop", just be sure to use the same command. When she goes, tell her how good she is and make over her! They are really smart and catch on quick. They live for your praise and love.

I absolutely adore my Maxie. She is definately not like a smaller parrot. I wouldn't trade her for a million $$$$!!! The mytoos place scared the waddin' out of me. I was scared of Maxie for no reason. My 2 cents on owning a too.... Don't try to make them into something else. Accept and love them for what they are.

[tielmama]

I bet the people who give their toos the run of the house have very chewed up houses! It's not safe in most houses, and a too could eat a whole house. My Whiteboy is not potty trained, but he does not like to poo in his cage or on me. He has to go in his cage a lot, but if he can, he leans his booty out and poos on paper on the floor. If I hold him, he waits until I put him down to poo. He would be easy to train, but I'm too lazy to do it. They can be out of their cages as long as you're watching them, but left alone, it's their nature to roam. Then, it's their nature to chew!

[GlendaNS]

Oh I hate to think... One bite of a lamp cord..... ALWAYS watch your bird when it is out!

I got lucky, Maxie isn't a bad chewer. She just nibbles at stuff, mostly her blankie. She knows what "NO" means, although sometimes, she does things anyway. She always apologizes first, then she is naughty.... Maxie the cable guy. ROTFL!

[jenseits]

Originally Posted by GlendaNS

The mytoos place scared the waddin' out of me. I was scared of Maxie for no reason.

Yeah, the site is a little intense -- I deliberately linked to the forum, not the homepage, because it's a little more helpful to someone who actually already brought the 'too home. You can tell from digging around the forum that not all 'toos are a disaster - most are absolutely wonderful (my 'too was a love) - and the site is great for getting questions answered.