Since 2008, birds must be kept at least in pairs. We've been searching for a while for a companion for our cockatoo, Tsuki. Recently we were asked if we would adopt a cockatoo needing a home. Here is a photo of our newest family member.

He never learned to talk or fly but he is tame (photo was taken sitting on hubby's shoulder) and he whistles. Hoping in time he learns his name (Paco) and will learn to fly.

Nice! The little thing looks cute. Let us know how he goes

By the way how many animals do you have?

We have 3 dogs and 2 parrots.

I would like to have a parrot as well to sit on my shoulder but i think with cats in the house i would be pushing my luck

We have made a new friend here who has a cockatoo that is 50 years old, I had no idea they lived to be that old. How does your cockatoo like the new guy?

My Great Aunt Bernadette had a cockatoo.

She was renowned for it throughout her neighbourhood.

Possibly. But until we are sure how the other pets will react to him, and just how tame he is, he won't be spending too much time on anyone's shoulder. We had Tsuki, our first cockatoo, before we had dogs. Tsuki has an interesting relationship with the dogs, she throws them food, she knows all their names, she talks to them all day and she likes to check out their dog toys. She can walk across the floor and the dogs ignore her. It is very unusual. She won't go to sleep at night until she has said goodnight to Hana who is her favourite of the dogs.

Paco will need time to get used to his new environment. He has his own cage. He loves cardboard, looks like we won't have anything for recycling anymore. Apparently he really loves to chew his perches.

Congratulations on the new addition! Paco looks quite the character...

(Showing my ignorance of all things cockatoo... could he learn to talk at this stage, or does that need to happen when the bird is young?)

Wishing you all much happiness together - oh, and I think we will need regular photo updates.

They can live a very long time though many don't and in some cases, no one really knows how old a bird is. There was an article in Birdtalk magazine a few years back where they interviewed owners of elderly cockatoos. Tsuki is 8 years old and she talks a lot. I can only imagine what a cockatoo of 50 has to say.

I am definitely known in my village.

That is such a funny and endearing story about Tsuki and the dogs. I too know nothing about birds even though some mallards and young swans take bread cubes from my hand at the lake. Are cockatoos toilet-trainable?

We don't know his age, it is a complicated situation, but he is younger than 10 we think. He whistles, makes a sound like blowing kisses and he said something tonight be we have no clue what. I think he can learn to talk but time will tell. Tsuki doesn't stop talking, so perhaps she will teach him. So much depends on the environment. Tsuki barks like a dog.

Funny you should ask. I've got a green streak on my back today.....Tsuki was sitting on my shoulder.

Here is the update. Things were going okay with Paco. He is really noisy, makes a beep sound all day, similar to the sound from a smoke sensor but all day, and I mean, all day. Tsuki told him to be quiet when the phone rang. He chewed through his first perch, it fell to the bottom of the cage leaving him nothing to stand on. There was a loud crash and Tsuki said "uh-oh". so I gave him a new one, a much harder wood, and he has almost gone through that one. All the other safe wood to chew on I gave him he demolished in no time at all.

But last night he became vicious, attacked my hands and my husband tried to help and he got him much worse. There was blood everywhere. He is anything but tame, which is what we were told. We were told he would sit on your shoulder all day. We have not let him anywhere near our face. But actually I think we don't know enough about him.

What we know is that in May the bird was taken from its owner by the Tierschutz. Legal proceedings began and the definitive decision was made last week that the bird is not to be returned to its owner. We don't know the bird's age, he has no ring, he is presumed to be male (by eye colour, not by DNA test) and we have no veterinary records though he was seen by a vet when he was taken away. He was deemed healthy. We were told he was taken away as he was being kept with snakes and spiders.

Since we had just one parrot, and since the new law parrots are to be kept in pairs, (though not necessarily in the same cage when they have not been raised together), the agency responsible for rehoming him considered us. Since the new law was passed about keeping parrots in pairs, we have made it known that we are looking for a companion bird and that is why we were chosen.

Well all I can say after this experience is that our Tsuki is not unhappy being alone, and we are quite happy to keep things this way and keep our fingers. Fortunately none of our wounds from yesterday required sutures but they are extremely painful with profuse bleeding and bruising. There is enough information on the internet on cockatoo bites for anyone who cares to search.

Since the adoption was a trial one, he is going back. There are many cockatoo forums where this action would be frowned upon but we feel we have no choice. Looking back to the day when we picked him up, I think we should have wondered when he bit the person who is taking care of him when she was trying to put him in the travel cage. She used a spray bottle to get him to keep his distance. That is no way to train a bird. Clicker training works with birds. I have trained Tsuki using positive reinforcement. (treats). The spray bottle can be used to keep a bird's feathers moist if a bird bath is not available.

There is no way we can get him back in the travel cage today so we will have to transport him in the big cage. This is going to be quite the exercise.

So sorry to hear this, Mrs D - but look on the bright side: Although it didn't work out as you had hoped, you have discovered very important information about Paco, and that information will be a big help in finding him a suitable situation.

Cyber hugs all around.



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One thing that worries me about the new Tierschutzgesetz:

While keeping 'social' animal species in pairs or groups is a good idea for the general population, there are always individuals who are exceptions: those who cannot live with their own species, and those who could, but are happier without. Does the law allow for these exceptions? It seems that if an individual is quite happy with it's human (or canine ) family, is it really in the animal's best interest to add a conspecific who might disturb the equilibrium? I worry that the law seems to be a bit too broad here.

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(OT, but... I've just been reading about clicker training birds - fascinating stuff!)

I was wondering the same thing, since Tsuki is surround by 3 dogs and 2 humans, why should she need to have someone from her own species? I would believe that she gets enough entertainment from that busy family! If the parrot was alone in the house, I would understand that the law would apply in those cases.

But apparently Tsuki is far away from isolation!

Thanks. I needed those hugs. I really did feel badly today taking Paco back. I managed to get him into the travel cage. He seemed happy to be back in familiar surroundings.

I too worry about the law, we have some nosey neighbours who know we only have one parrot. But that can also be the case if someone had a pair of parrots and one died. They can practically never be paired with a new partner. Probably we need to get a pair of birds and then they can all keep each other company.

Tsuki is not unhappy, she never had a partner. Indeed she has companions, and she really isn't lonely. When she feels lonely, she calls for the dogs or she yells "Mom". She listens to music and she watches TV - her favourite show is Friends.

I already love her!

Maybe the law could be applied only to those parrots that think that they are parrots(!)

LOL!! Just your luck, a parrot that speaks Walliserduutsch!!