How to Care for Your Pet Cockatoo

There are 18 species of cockatoos, a bird that is native to parts of Australia and Indonesia. They range in size from 12 to 20 inches in height and all display a distinctive crest. The cockatoo can live over 70 years. Loving and highly intelligent, the cockatoo thrives on attention from its owner. The bird requires daily interaction with its human family to remain happy. Shoving a cockatoo into a corner and ignoring it could cause the bird to pluck its feathers, scream incessantly or bite. The cockatoo must have a dedicated owner who will give the bird the one on one attention that it requires.

Things You'll Need

  • Cage
  • Non-toxic newspaper
  • Ceramic or stainless steel water and food bowl
  • Commercial hookbill seed mixture
  • Commercial hookbill pellet mix
  • Snap lock or padlock
  • Perches
  • Outside perch or bird playpen
  • Parrot toys
  • Pan
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Instructions

    • 1

      Provide a large cage for the cockatoo. It should measure at least three times the bird's open wingspan in width. The birds do best with adequate room to climb around and move. Ensure that the cage has horizontal bars so the cockatoo can easily climb. Only use a cage that has been manufactured for a parrot. The cockatoo's powerful beak can bend or break bars of weak cages.

    • 2

      Attach a snap lock or padlock to the front door of the cage. Most cockatoos can open unsecured cage doors with their beaks or feet.

    • 3

      Place one or two perches into the cage. Use all natural wood perches that measure 3/4 inch in diameter.

    • 4

      Affix ceramic or stainless steel water and food bowls to the side of the cage. Most parrot cages have a special spot to place the bowls.

    • 5

      Locate the bird's cage wherever the family spends the majority of its time. The cockatoo enjoys watching its human family. Place the cage in a location that is free of drafts and away from any heater vents. Consider placing the cage where the bird can see the television and look at a window.

    • 6

      Place a wide array of parrot toys into the cage for the cockatoo to enjoy. Locate an outside perch or parrot playpen by the cage so the cockatoo can enjoy free time each day away from its cage. Perch play pens usually provide multiple branches on which the bird can climb and exercise.

    • 7

      Line the bottom of the cage with non-toxic newspaper. Clean the cage daily to remove fecal matter. Wipe down the cage's bars to remove any feather dust that may accumulate on the cage's surface.

    • 8

      Feed the cockatoo a commercial large hookbill seed mixture. Also provide a commercial hookbill pellet food mixture. Free feed the cockatoo daily. Give the bird fresh, clean water every day.

    • 9

      Supplement the cockatoo's diet with fruits and vegetables. Most cockatoos will also relish cottage cheese, a cheese chunk, cooked meat or a hard boiled egg.

    • 10

      Bathe the cockatoo weekly. The feathers of the cockatoo produce dust, which the bath will help control. Place a pan with lukewarm water into the bottom of the bird's cage. Most cockatoos will jump right in. Some cockatoos even enjoy taking a weekly shower with their humans.

    • 11

      Scratch and stroke the cockatoo daily. The bird will relish the physical contact, which will also help the bird's feathers come in. In the wild, the cockatoo lives in large flocks and the members groom each other every day.