Cockatoo

Cockatoo

Your Cockatoo

Bird: Birds are beautiful pets for all pet lovers. Due to their good looking nature, people are attracted towards birds within short time.

Black Palm Cockatoo
Kingdom:Animalia
Phylum:Chordata
Class:Aves
Order:Psittaciformes
Family:Cacatuidae
Genus:Cacatua, Calyptorhynchus
Taxonomy
Cockatoo
Sulphur Crested Cockatoo

Cockatoo:

Cockatoos also do not have oil glands, but they do produce a fine powder that is the result of the breakdown of special downy feathers. The powder helps to protect their feathers and keep them clean.

The position of a cockatoo’s crest feathers can tell its mood and useful to communicate to their group. Bird changes their position according to mood.

  • Raised feathers indicate an alert, excited, or agitated state
  • Feathers close to the skin indicates the bird is feeling subordinate and surrendered itself
  • Slightly held back crest feathers says that bird is a relaxed one. Relaxed feathers means the bird is eating or resting
  • Partially raised feathers and trap air below the feathers means the bird needs little warm up.
  • Fully raised feathers and exposing the bare skin tells that the bird is ready to take a bath or warm up in the morning after a cool night.
  • The palm cockatoo has a featherless patch of red skin under their eyes. When the bird is excited, the spot flushes from dark pink to orange-red to scarlet.
  • Straight-up crest feathers says that bird is highly curious.
  • Flattened crest feathers says that bird is angry and defensive.

Types: Cockatoo Variations in colour and features

Cockatoos have many mutations and are clearly visible in their feather colour. As per colour, birds can be segregated as

  • Galah (Eolophus roseicapillus): It is pink with grey wings and mostly found in Australia. They appears in rose-breasted cockatoos and can live up to 80 years in captivity with proper care.
  • Major Mitchell’s cockatoo (C. leadbeateri): This type is known for its colourful crest. In pink, with a yellow-and-red band on its sweeping crest.
  • Solomons cockatoo: Grows to 12 inches
  • Yellow-tailed black-cockatoos: feed on wood-boring beetle larvae
  • The bare-eyed cockatoo: This might not be the good looking, but it playful, and intelligent bird.
  • Moluccan cockatoos: These are affectionate birds and like to stay close to their favourite people. They require a person who is home for most of the day.
  • Citron cockatoos: Citrons are quieter cockatoo species and they interact with their people. Primarily white with orange cheek patches. With yellow colour under the wings and tail and orange crest, grey feet and beak.
  • Goffin’s cockatoos: This species require much of daily socialization. If not, they behave in a destructive way.
  • Umbrella Cockatoo: This breed looks with primarily white plumage, and large crest. Colour varies from pale yellow on wings and tail.
  • Slender-billed cockatoos: Species also known as long-billed corellas. Bird is with long beak, small crest, pink above beak and on neck.

Adult hood and Breeding in Cockatoo:

Never allow your bird to breed or mate till it reaches to at least 4 years old. It is always recommended to only allow your bird to produce two clutches a year to save your bird’s health. Early breeding might not results in chicks. Even if chicks are hatched, the parents won’t feed or might even kill the chicks because they really don’t know the parenting. Hen could die from egg binding if she tries to lay eggs too young.

Cockatoo breeding phase and characteristics:

Hen starts egg-laying two weeks after the first mating. Hen’s vent (bottom) swells a quiet larger before 12 to 24 hours of the egg-laying process. Female lays a total of 4 to 7 eggs. If your hen is laying eggs for the first time, then you can see some blood streams on egg while laying. Don’t worry about this as it is quiet common.

Incubation Process in your pet bird:

Candling of eggs:

Tips of checking: 

  • Egg which transmits the light brightly and that egg seems to be yellow when light passes into is considered as an infertile or un-incubated egg.
  • Eggs showing a ring of blood in the egg or a dark dried spot of the shell or faded blood system says that embryo is dead.
  • Dark spot at the large end of egg which is surrounded by outline of blood vessels says that embryo is live and good.
  • Egg showing the bill in air sack says that about to hatch in 24-48 hours.

Parenting in Cockatoo:

Growth and development phases:

Biting reasons such as

  • Fear Biting: never give fearful situations for your bird. Try to avoid those as much as possible. Try to interact with bird in a very smoother way to bring it back to normal state.
  • Hormonal Biting: Normally birds bite during breeding season because of hormonal changes. This can be treated by adjusting the amount of day light to less than 10 hrs.
  • Bite to protect themselves: If the owner has done something which the bird does not like it. The bird might bite to prevent that activity. Try to avoid the attention of bird from that activity or else stop doing it.
  • Biting with Jealous: This is such a kind of cute behaviour from birds of parrot species. If they feel that their owner’s love is shared with any others in a bigger way than the bird, the bird feels jealous and shows that behaviour in terms of biting. Show much love towards your bird.

Screaming: Birds scream much if it is alone. Get another bird to pair it or else put good attention towards your bird. Generally birds love company. The best way is to get it paired. But, this scenario works out if your bird likes the new bird. Or else, it creates many unnecessary problems to both birds. Birds scream much when they realize that,

  • Owner will definitely come to them if they scream
  • Housemates gets irritated if they scream
  • If it is a noisy environment
  • Mate is available for them

Bird’s behaviour in hormonal phase: Adult birds usually be with hormonal impact once a year in the spring. Birds are sensitive to light and its cycles. The light might change the egg laying process too. In this hormonal phase, birds behave somewhat aggressively. The only way by you can control your bird behaviour is by reducing the day light exposure time to less than 12 hrs. This subsided the hormonal levels of your bird.

Don’t allow or encourage your bird to bite. Even if you’ve been bitten by your bird, please don’t show that you are afraid of biting. This will spoil the relation of bird towards you.

Birds always welcomes you if you touch and rub the cheeks and feathers in a gentle manner. Birds love this kind of pampering from their companions. Your bird will be happy spending time with you even if you are not holding him all the time. If your time not permits you for your bird, then at least provide some back ground music or some visuals or some melodious noise or something which is attractive to bird. This makes the bird’s mood better.

Health line of your pet bird:

Birds can’t tell us anything. The only way to find out the sickness of bird is potential signs and symptoms. Birds can carry infectious organisms such as Chlamydia psittaci which causes and spreads a condition called as parrot fever and Salmonella bacteria causing salmonellosis. Salmonella is a bacterium commonly spreads through an infected animal’s faecal matter. The infected bird passes out this bacterium in their stools.

Signs of a sick Cockatoo:

Signs such as red or swollen eyes, persistently closed eyes or sleeping during the day, not eating, runny, bloody or discoloured stools or no stool production are always need to be considered as red flags and need of Vet consultation.

As a pet owner, you need to find the Avian Vet with the details as

First Aid for sick bird before taking to Vet:

  • Ventilate the room enough to avoid the circumstances of toxic fumes and other air toxins.
  • If your bird got accidentally into a household oil, dust the bird thoroughly with baking flour and then gently wipe the oil off. Then sink the bird in like warm water. Use some gentle soap which can remove the oil dirt from the bird. Wipe and allow your bird to dry.
  • Don’t let your bird in hot areas. If your bird shows signs as beak open, holding the wings slightly away from the body, it seems like the bird is under heat stroke.  Take the bird to cool area immediately and use a mist of cool water. Feed some cool water.

Maintenance of your pet Cockatoo:

Bird’s care:

Birds are sensitive creatures that are prone to injury or illness from common household items. Things we don’t often see as dangerous can be deadly for birds. Bird must be taken care from circumstances such as

The best food for your pet Cockatoo:

Fruits of choice for birds such as apple, banana, berries, melon, orange, pineapple and veggies such as cooked beans, broccoli, carrots, cauliflower, leafy greens, peas, soybeans, sprouts, etc. Parrots can eat herbs like coriander (Cilantro), basil, oregano, peppermint, rosemary, ginger.

Foods That Are Toxic For Cockatoo:

These foods are not as immediately dangerous to parrots. However, they’re still toxic in the technical sense. They may lead to health issues if fed often, prepared incorrectly, or given in large amounts. Please don’t feed cold or hot items to your bird. Never please.

  • Eggplant: Eggplants are a member of the nightshade family. So, it contains solanine, which is a type of poison. In parrots, solanine can cause gastrointestinal and neurological disorders. Never feed your bird an eggplant.
  • Raw Meat: Meat can be fed to birds depends on their size. Avoid meat feeding for small bird species. Can be fed to Parrots as these are considered as omnivorous birds. Meat which is properly cooked is good enough to feed parrots. But, never feed raw meat. Raw meat is host of dangerous bacteria, such as Salmonella, Listeria, E. coli which leads your bird to severe disasters like Vomiting, Nausea, Diarrhoea, Stomach cramps, Dehydration and finally death if not treated on time.
  • Peanuts: As Peanuts grow in the ground, they are likely to contain aflatoxin which has been known to harm the liver.
  • Tomatoes: Tomatoes are not poisonous to birds. But they are acidic. Too much can cause ulcers.
  • Whole Celery Stalks: Celery stalks can lead to dehydration and hypoglycaemia. When left untreated, crop impaction can lead to death.
  • Cassava starch: Cassava is a starch product which is toxic to birds. Products of this component is dangerous to birds.
  • Carbonated Beverages, Alcohol: Carbonated beverages contains sugar, caffeine, artificial colouring and flavouring agents, preservatives. Alcohol also comes under this category. These components are not good for humans itself. How come good for pets. Not at all good. Never try to feed your pet.
  • Fried Food: You should never feed your parrot food that is been fried. It does not matter what extent the item is fried. Neither little nor much fried. Fried food impacts the metabolism of bird. Always avoid fried items whatever the item is.
  • Chocolate and coffee: Theobromine and caffeine comes under category of methyl xanthine’s. For humans, these components can stimulate the brain activity. But, for birds, it can cause hyperactivity, heart rate irregularity, tremors, seizures, and further leads to death. Caffeine is present in carbonated drinks, energy drinks, black tea etc. avoid all products of caffeine and theobromine.
  • Avocado: Every part of the avocado plant contain a fungicidal toxin called Persin. This has been reported as a cardiac toxin to birds. Within hours of time since the feeding of avocado, your bird get worsen with clinical signs like respiratory distress and death.
  • Seeds of cyanide: The apple seeds contain cyanide and should always be removed prior to feeding apple to your bird. The larger the seed or pit, the more cyanide it contains. Seeds from cherries, plums, apricots, and peaches also contain cyanide, so never allow your bird to chew on them.
  • Table Foods: Always avoid table foods such as fat, salt, and sugar. Boiled pasta without addition of salt, cheese, sauce, butter is good enough to feed. Salt intake leads to excessive thirst, dehydration, kidney dysfunction, and even death. Avoid salty foods such as chips and crackers etc.
  • Candy: Candies contains xylitol which is toxic and has been associated with severe hypoglycaemia and liver damage in dogs. Never feed candies to your pet bird or pet dog.
  • Milk products: Birds cannot digest lactose. This component is found in milk and other dairy products. Feeding of dairy products causes diarrhoea. Not all dairy products contains lactulose. For a common man, it is not possible to find which dairy products contains lactulose. So, it is always recommended to avoid all of these.
  • Dried beans: Raw, dry bean are toxic food for birds and considered as poisonous foods for parrots. Uncooked beans contain a poison called hemagglutinin.
  • Mushrooms: Mushrooms are fungus. Some of mushrooms are good protein food for humans but not for birds. Morel mushroom (Gyromitra) is one poisonous mushroom. It is not possible to decide which mushroom species is not toxic to birds. So, it is always recommended to avoid all kinds of mushrooms to birds. Feeding of mushrooms may results in digestive upset for birds and may even induce liver failure.
  • Onion: Feeding of onions on long standing will impact the bird’s digestive system by causing problems such as vomiting and diarrhoea. Sometimes may leads to blood condition called as haemolytic anaemia, respiratory problems and ultimately death of your bird. Some reports in the internet already confirmed the toxicity from these foods.
  • Garlic: Garlic is another ingredient that can’t be given to parrots because it contains Alliin and Alliinase. When the Garlic is sliced, the cell walls are broken and the two compounds are mixed. When combined, they create allicin. This component eliminates pungent odour. Just like onion, garlic also been toxic on long standing. Allicin on long use causes haemolytic anaemia.
  • Stems and vines of Plants: The plants comes under night shade family such as tomato, potato, egg plants, pepper etc. are toxic to birds. The stems and vines of those plants contains tropane alkaloids. It is not possible for a common man to find which plants contains these toxic alkaloids. So, it is always better to avoid the feeding of stems and vines of plants.

Breeding problems in Cockatoo:

Infertile eggs:

Some females can become chronic egg-layers and this trend needs to be discouraged as much as possible just by following the tips as

Egg binding:

This can be noticeable with signs such as

  • Distended abdomen
  • Bird stays at the bottom of cage
  • Distressed bird
  • Large and watery droppings

This egg binding might be due to factors such as

  • Week and thin bird
  • Egg malformation
  • Soft eggs

Isolation:

This is considered as a period of 40 days in which a new bird or young bird should be separated from other birds in order to stop the spreading of diseases from other birds via water and food.

Sleep:

Birds need a good and undisturbed sleep every night at least for 12 to 13 hours. Birds respond to light to regulate.

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