How to Play With a Baby Umbrella Cockatoo

The fluffy baby umbrella cockatoo appears sweet and cuddly to prospective owners at pet stores. When people take their cockatoo home, they often make the mistake of overindulging the birds and raising their new pets to be dependent on them. Avoid hand feeding a baby umbrella cockatoo, and never allow the bird to sit on your shoulder. Allow the bird to play with its toys in an ample cage to ensure it forms its own identity and becomes independent. If you overhandle your baby cockatoo, it may cause the bird to screech or become destructive when you leave the pet alone for any length of time.

Things You'll Need

  • Bird toys
  • Climbing rope
  • Swinging perches
  • Bird treats
  • Chunks of fruit
Show More

Instructions

    • 1

      Place several different types of toys, such as ropes, puzzles, shreddable wood blocks and other chew toys, hanging raffia toys, a talking phone or ball, and swinging perches, in the cage. Place one perch that swings from the front of the cage to the back, and a second perch that swings from side to side. Hang the toys at beak level so they are accessible from both perches. Teach the bird to play on its own. Change the toys regularly so your cockatoo doesn't grow bored.

    • 2

      Play with your baby umbrella cockatoo in an interactive and physical way. Don't put the bird on your belly for long periods of time while you watch TV or have it sit in your lap while you surf the Internet. Take the bird out of its cage several times a day for short periods of play.

    • 3

      Teach the cockatoo tricks. For example, place your hand by the bird's feet when it's sitting on its perch. Nudge the cockatoo gently so it hops onto your hand and say, "Up." Take the bird out of the cage. When you put the bird back in the cage, hold your hand with the cockatoo by its perch and say, "Down." Your cockatoo will quickly figure out that it should step down from your hand and onto its perch.

    • 4

      Use a chew toy or stick to train your cockatoo to fetch. Toss the stick as you would for a dog, and the bird will respond like a dog and bring the stick back to you. Offer your cockatoo a dried fruit chunk or treat as a reward. Place your cockatoo at the end of a bird rope and say, "Climb." Hold a treat at the top end of the rope to encourage the bird to climb up.

    • 5

      Talk to your cockatoo in a sweet, soft voice as you would a child. Greet your bird when you enter the room, and say "Goodbye" when you leave.

    • 6

      Stroke your baby umbrella cockatoo when you play with it. Spread its wings and pet the bird gently. Roll your cockatoo onto its back on a carpet or soft surface. Stroke its belly and play with its feet.