Sometimes referred to as the "apartment-sized cockatoo".
The Lesser Sulfer Cockatoo will love attention and can be very affectionate. It
can also be a very playful comedian! When it gets excited it will lift up its
crest like an Indian headdress, bob up and down, and even dance. Though they are
generally very docile, they can be a bit more animated than the other Cockatoos.
They can learn to speak and are easy to teach all kinds of tricks. Like
cockatoos in general, they are a very loving type of bird. Affection is readily
accepted and returned in kind. They are a pet that not only appreciates
interaction but requires it and needs a lot of attention from their owners. Buy
a cockatoo only if you can spend a lot of time with it.
HOUSING:
A roomy cage is required unless the bird is to be let out
for extended periods. Many birds can spend most of their time on a play pen or
parrot perch. These birds are good fliers and avid chewers. For cockatoos, the
larger the enclosure you can provide, the better. The ideal size of any bird
cage should be equal to at least 3 flight wingspans of the bird. Anything
smaller is detrimental to the bird unless it has freedom outside the cage. A
minimum size cage to house a small cockatoo is 27" x 27 " x 39" (70x70x100 cm),
which should then be accompanied with regularly outside time for the bird to
exercise. Horizontal bars are important as your cockatoo needs to climb. Keep in
mind that because of the strength of their beaks, cockatoos are able to bend
bars and pop the joints on cages. For additional security on the cage door, a
snap lock is recommended. Your cockatoo is very social and inquisitive, so the
room you house your pet in must be a room that gets visited frequently by the
family. Place the cage at eye level in a quiet sunny area away from drafts.
PERCHES & TOYS:
Provide one or two perches about 3/4' in diameter and
dishes hanging from the side for feed, water, and grit. Try to place the perches
away from dishes so the food and water dish do not become soiled with bird
droppings. Do not use plastic because your bird will chew and break the plastic
and it can become hazardous. Exercise and play are important bird activities for
the physical well being and psychological health of all cockatoos. They are
extraordinarily playful. Cockatoos will play all day long with only short breaks
for rest. Getting out of the cage onto a playpen with lots of climbing branches
is very important for the emotional well being of your pet. These activities
help deter distress and prevent the problems of screeching and feather picking.
Provide your parrot with lots of activities in the form of large link chains,
bird ladders, parrot swings, ropes, fresh branches for gnawing and chewing, and
rotate new bird toys on a regular basis. When a new toy is introduced, your
cockatoo will approach it warily.The bird will examine with caution and observe
it from all sides. Once it has done this, it will accept and play with it for
hours. Cockatoos that have flight feathers will fly if they out of their cage.
If you have a flight aviary, your cockatoo will love to fly between perches
widely spaced apart. A cockatoo that is clipped cannot fly so it cannot use a
flight aviary. It will take about a year for its feathers to grow back.
HANDLING:
The cockatoo is highly intelligent. Their ability
to repeat some words or sounds can be accomplished with repeated training.
Their outstanding ability comes from being great performers! This is
demonstrated by such antics as dancing, playing tug-of-war, climbing, and
shaking. Cockatoos will use "tools", various objects and toys to play and
perform with, such as roller skating. They are very inventive and if toys are
not provided they will use what is at hand. Objects 'at hand' often take the
form of their food dishes and perches.
FOOD:
A Cockatoo diet consisting of a basic large hookbill seed
mix with supplements of sprouted seeds and all sorts of fruits and vegetables is
generally regarded as suitable. Some examples
of supplements are apples, pears, plums, raisons, oranges, bananas, peaches,
carrots, broccoli, lettuce, chickweed, dandelions, and lots more! Do not feed
avocado as it is toxic to birds! Occasional proteins can be offered such as
cottage cheese, bits of cheese, hard boiled eggs, canned dog food, and cooked
meat bones. Stay away from highly seasoned, fatty processed meats. Vitamins and
minerals should not be necessary with a good varied diet except in times of
change or stress. If your cockatoo has a tendency to destroy calcium blocks, as
an alternative, calcium can be sprinkled on their food about once a week.
Give you cockatoo fresh drinking water every
day.
BATHS:
Most cockatoos really do not need to be washed any more
than a cat would. This is because they are extremely clean by nature and preen
themselves regularly. They naturally produce a great deal of dust which aids in
keeping their wings and skin healthy. However, a cockatoo's personal hygiene may
include a weekly shower or bath to get rid of accumulated feather dust. For the
bird, bathing is strictly an individual preference, as in the wild some
cockatoos will enjoy standing in the rain while others will dive for cover.
Bathing a cockatoo in anything other than plain water can change the pH of its
feathers and may lead to troubles such as infections, or parasitic infestations
like mites. A shower can be accomplished with either a hand held shower sprayer
or a hose with a fine spray head and lukewarm water. A bath pan or ceramic dish
12"-14" (30-35 cm) can be placed on the bottom of the cage or mounted at about
39" (1m) above the floor in an
aviary.
Sometimes referred to as the "apartment-sized cockatoo". The Lesser Sulfer Cockatoo will love attention and can be very affectionate. It can also be a very playful comedian! When it gets excited it will lift up its crest like an Indian headdress, bob up and down, and even dance. Though they are generally very docile, they can be a bit more animated than the other Cockatoos. They can learn to speak and are easy to teach all kinds of tricks. Like cockatoos in general, they are a very loving type of bird. Affection is readily accepted and returned in kind. They are a pet that not only appreciates interaction but requires it and needs a lot of attention from their owners. Buy a cockatoo only if you can spend a lot of time with it.
HOUSING:
A roomy cage is required unless the bird is to be let out for extended periods. Many birds can spend most of their time on a play pen or parrot perch. These birds are good fliers and avid chewers. For cockatoos, the larger the enclosure you can provide, the better. The ideal size of any bird cage should be equal to at least 3 flight wingspans of the bird. Anything smaller is detrimental to the bird unless it has freedom outside the cage. A minimum size cage to house a small cockatoo is 27" x 27 " x 39" (70x70x100 cm), which should then be accompanied with regularly outside time for the bird to exercise. Horizontal bars are important as your cockatoo needs to climb. Keep in mind that because of the strength of their beaks, cockatoos are able to bend bars and pop the joints on cages. For additional security on the cage door, a snap lock is recommended. Your cockatoo is very social and inquisitive, so the room you house your pet in must be a room that gets visited frequently by the family. Place the cage at eye level in a quiet sunny area away from drafts.
PERCHES & TOYS:
Provide one or two perches about 3/4' in diameter and dishes hanging from the side for feed, water, and grit. Try to place the perches away from dishes so the food and water dish do not become soiled with bird droppings. Do not use plastic because your bird will chew and break the plastic and it can become hazardous. Exercise and play are important bird activities for the physical well being and psychological health of all cockatoos. They are extraordinarily playful. Cockatoos will play all day long with only short breaks for rest. Getting out of the cage onto a playpen with lots of climbing branches is very important for the emotional well being of your pet. These activities help deter distress and prevent the problems of screeching and feather picking. Provide your parrot with lots of activities in the form of large link chains, bird ladders, parrot swings, ropes, fresh branches for gnawing and chewing, and rotate new bird toys on a regular basis. When a new toy is introduced, your cockatoo will approach it warily.The bird will examine with caution and observe it from all sides. Once it has done this, it will accept and play with it for hours. Cockatoos that have flight feathers will fly if they out of their cage. If you have a flight aviary, your cockatoo will love to fly between perches widely spaced apart. A cockatoo that is clipped cannot fly so it cannot use a flight aviary. It will take about a year for its feathers to grow back.
HANDLING:
The cockatoo is highly intelligent. Their ability to repeat some words or sounds can be accomplished with repeated training. Their outstanding ability comes from being great performers! This is demonstrated by such antics as dancing, playing tug-of-war, climbing, and shaking. Cockatoos will use "tools", various objects and toys to play and perform with, such as roller skating. They are very inventive and if toys are not provided they will use what is at hand. Objects 'at hand' often take the form of their food dishes and perches.
FOOD:
A Cockatoo diet consisting of a basic large hookbill seed mix with supplements of sprouted seeds and all sorts of fruits and vegetables is generally regarded as suitable. Some examples of supplements are apples, pears, plums, raisons, oranges, bananas, peaches, carrots, broccoli, lettuce, chickweed, dandelions, and lots more! Do not feed avocado as it is toxic to birds! Occasional proteins can be offered such as cottage cheese, bits of cheese, hard boiled eggs, canned dog food, and cooked meat bones. Stay away from highly seasoned, fatty processed meats. Vitamins and minerals should not be necessary with a good varied diet except in times of change or stress. If your cockatoo has a tendency to destroy calcium blocks, as an alternative, calcium can be sprinkled on their food about once a week. Give you cockatoo fresh drinking water every day.
BATHS:
Most cockatoos really do not need to be washed any more than a cat would. This is because they are extremely clean by nature and preen themselves regularly. They naturally produce a great deal of dust which aids in keeping their wings and skin healthy. However, a cockatoo's personal hygiene may include a weekly shower or bath to get rid of accumulated feather dust. For the bird, bathing is strictly an individual preference, as in the wild some cockatoos will enjoy standing in the rain while others will dive for cover. Bathing a cockatoo in anything other than plain water can change the pH of its feathers and may lead to troubles such as infections, or parasitic infestations like mites. A shower can be accomplished with either a hand held shower sprayer or a hose with a fine spray head and lukewarm water. A bath pan or ceramic dish 12"-14" (30-35 cm) can be placed on the bottom of the cage or mounted at about 39" (1m) above the floor in an aviary.