Choosing a Pet Cockatoo: Deciding if an Exotic Bird is the Right Pet for You

Whether it's due to their mischievous antics or their affectionate and fun-loving personalities, cockatoos have won the hearts of bird enthusiasts around the world.

Many people consider them the best avian pets, but the fact of the matter is that they can be difficult to raise. They’re large birds who expect their love to be reciprocated.

If you're thinking of buying a cockatoo, then you'll need to ensure that you've prepared yourself for all of the challenges you're going to encounter along the way.

These birds crave human attention and demand a significant amount of time and commitment. Anyone who ignores their cockatoo will soon find out how annoyed they get.

Like all species, they can be prone to anger and jealousy, which can lead to nippiness.

It can also affect their mental health and well-being, manifesting as stereotypies like head bobbing, pacing, and feather picking (called feather-destructive behavior).

Sometimes, cockatoos require medical attention due to their susceptibility to certain infectious avian diseases like psittacosis (parrot fever), Aspergillosis, Polyoma, and Giardia.

Regular vet checks ups will be needed to keep a pet parrot healthy and illness-free.

Care Considerations for Cockatoos

Raising a cockatoo isn't like raising a small bird-like budgie or a lovebird.

As larger birds, they can live upwards of 75 years so you'll need to be absolutely certain you can care for them for a long period of time. Rehoming parrots affects their mental health.

Their diets often include pellets, vegetation, seeds, fruit, nuts, and insects. They eat first thing in the morning at sunrise and before they go to sleep at sunset. Of course, you can give them a few snacks during the day or use food as a training reward.

Cages for cockatoos must reflect their size and movement. If you’ve got a large species of cockatoo, you need a cage that’s 36 x 48 x 48 inches with 1.25-inch bar spacing.

The cages should be equipped with a range of items, ranging from food and water bowls to toys to perches. All parrots liked to perch in elevated positions to survey their territory.

They're also super-intelligent birds that’ll appreciate challenging toys and interesting tricks. Obviously, clever animals like parrots are more likely to grow bored.

Cockatoos, like all parrot species, need to chew to keep the length of their beaks optimal.

Parrots’ beaks comprise of beta-keratin, which must be worn down through continued usage. For example, opening hard-shelled nuts or chewing on a cuttlefish bone.

The Financial Side of Owning a Cockatoo

The costs involved with buying a cockatoo can be a surprise. You can expect to pay anywhere from $2,000 to $4,000 for a cockatoo from a specialist breeder.

Some species are uncommon or rare and could cost significantly more, like the black palm cockatoo (goliath Cockatoo).

Those who adopt a cockatoo from a shelter will of course pay less, but you'd need a lot of luck to find one that way. Also, some have behavioral problems due to poor treatment.

Considering the cost of food, toys, vet fees, etc, some pet owners will spend as much as $500 a year to care for these beautiful, characterful birds.

Many owners will also have to make sacrifices in other aspects of their lives to keep their birds happy and healthy.

For example, cockatoos can't be left alone for more than 8 hours, and that often translates into scheduling other activities around their birds' whims.

Traveling can be quite a challenge, with some airlines putting restrictions on the transportation of exotic animals.

Anyone who works long hours may lack time to care for such a high-maintenance pet bird. If so, you’ll need a friend or family member to check in regularly.

Reasons a Cockatoo Could Make a Good Pet

There are many reasons why you'd want to buy a pet cockatoo.

Cockatoos are gregarious birds and quickly become attached to people who take the time to get to know them and meet their significant care requirements.

Whenever a cockatoo grows attached to an owner, it'll show love and affection. For example, they’ll perch on your shoulder and nuzzle against your neck.

While their natural call is often described as a harsh and atonal shriek, some cockatoo species can learn to mimic human speech when trained.

Owners who talk to their birds may find that they end up with a really impressive vocabulary. Cockatoos are fast learners in other ways, too.

They take great delight in figuring out the solutions to puzzles and might even start playing tricks on you if you spend enough time with them.

Best of all, their longevity means that you'll have a friend for life due to their human-like life expectancy. Few cats and dogs live for more than 10-20 years if you’re lucky.

Although they demand far more care and attention than many pets, owning a cockatoo is always fun, interesting, highly rewarding, and challenging.

Always consider if you have the time and resources to care for one. Like all relationships we have on life’s journey, you only get out of them what you put into them!

(Devdiscourse's journalists were not involved in the production of this article. The facts and opinions appearing in the article do not reflect the views of Devdiscourse and Devdiscourse does not claim any responsibility for the same.)