Content

• To step
• Method 1 of 3: Evaluate your lifestyle
• Method 2 of 3: Dealing with cockatoo traits
• Method 3 of 3: Create the right environment

Moluccan cockatoos are loud, beautiful birds that are kept as pets by many people. However, before choosing a Moluccan Cockatoo as a pet, you need to understand what it is like to live with it. Moluccan Cockatoos require a lot of maintenance and are very demanding and needy birds. They can live for over 30 years and they are very messy. They require a lot of time, attention and work when kept as pets.

To step

Method 1 of 3: Evaluate your lifestyle

1. Discuss responsibilities with your family. Cockatoos make good pets, but require a good sense of responsibility. You cannot leave the bird alone in its cage and come and feed it alone. You have to spend time with it on a daily basis. Talk to your family and decide if a time-consuming pet is right for you.
2. Know that cockatoos are wild animals. Although cockatoos are bred in captivity and make good pets, they are not domesticated animals. They will not become tame and they will retain much of their natural bird personality.
   • You can expect normal bird behavior such as screeching, wrecking wood and paper, and throwing food.
   • Moluccan cockatoos are often best off with experienced bird owners, who can handle the noise and powerful beak safely.
3. Make sure you can deal with the cockatoo's noise. Moluccan cockatoos are one of the loudest parrot species you can own. They can produce up to 135 decibels, which is close to the noise level of a 747 airplane! They may not be the best choice if you live with people who may be disturbed by the noise, such as small children. Also choose a different kind if you live in a noise-sensitive area, such as an apartment complex.
4. Be aware that a cockatoo will be a pet for life. Cockatoos live a long time, some as long as a human. This means that the cockatoo will not die in 10 to 15 years, like a cat or dog. You can have a cockatoo for over 30 years.
   • Don't take a cockatoo thinking that you will just give it away when you get tired of it. Cockatoos are social animals that become attached to their people.
5. Determine if you can afford a Moluccan Cockatoo. A Moluccan Cockatoo can cost quite a bit, although it may not seem like it at first. The price of the cockatoo varies depending on where you buy it, but the annual care costs of the bird can be quite high, running up to 1,000 euros or more. This includes food, toys, cage, cleaning products and visits to the vet.
   • Don't take this responsibility if you don't have the money to take good care of the cockatoo.

Method 2 of 3: Dealing with cockatoo traits

1. Expect your cockatoo to be sloppy. Cockatoos can make a mess in their cage. They need lots of chew toys to keep themselves busy, and these can cause a mess both inside and outside the cage. Cockatoos also have a tendency to throw their food, which can end up on the floor. It is not uncommon to find scraps of wood, dust, shells, food, paper and poo around the cage.
   • You can use a small handheld vacuum cleaner to vacuum up the dirt around the cage on a daily basis.
2. Be prepared for dust. Cockatoos produce large amounts of dust and will completely cover your home. The dust, also known as powder, is actually fine, old feathers that break off, collect on the cockatoo, and eventually spread around your home.
   • If you have allergies or asthma, a cockatoo may not be the best option for you.
   • It may help to place an air filter in the same room as the cockatoo.
3. Watch for excessive chewing. Cockatoos love to chew. Therefore, when they are out of their cage, you should keep a close eye on them to make sure they are not chewing items in your home. They can chew on shoes, clothing and furniture.
   • Providing chew toys can help, but it probably won't solve the problem. You should probably just keep a close eye on your cockatoo when it is out of its cage.
4. Know that cockatoos are loud and demanding. Cockatoos are loud birds that like to use their voices. While they can learn to talk, they don't talk half as much as other species and may just screech and scream. They are demanding and needy and will make a lot of noise if bored or not getting enough attention.

Method 3 of 3: Create the right environment

1. Buy a very large cage. Moluccan cockatoos are one of the largest cockatoo species, so you need a large cage for it. Make sure to choose a cage that gives the bird plenty of room to move and play.
   • The cage should be a minimum of 76 cm deep and 122 cm wide, or at least large enough to allow the bird to spread its wings freely in all directions.
   • The cage must be sturdy. Cockatoos like to chew, which makes it easy for them to destroy weaker cages made of plastic. Buy a stainless steel cage.
2. Give your Maluku Cockatoo its own cage. Moluccan Cockatoos can become very aggressive towards other birds, sometimes even killing their partner with their powerful beak. Although quite a social species, it is better to give your cockatoo its own large cage and not try to share it with other birds.
3. Spend a lot of time with your cockatoo. Cockatoos are very social animals, which means they like to spend a lot of time with their people. If you are away a lot or don't spend enough time with your bird, it can become very loud, depressed or destructive. Try to spend at least a few hours a day with your cockatoo to keep it from getting lonely.
4. Place the cage in a common area. Your cockatoo would like to feel like part of the family. To do this, put the cage in a room where your family spends a lot of time. This will help keep the cockatoo calm and reduce the risk of it feeling lonely or depressed.
   • For example, a cockatoo that can see its family will happily play in its cage, while a cockatoo in an empty room may screech, become stressed and pull its feathers out.
   • Keep the cage away from the kitchen as the fumes in the kitchen can kill your cockatoo.
5. Place a mat under and around the cage. Since cockatoos are so messy, it makes sense to buy replaceable bird cage bedding. You can use any type of paper, such as newspaper, kitchen paper or paper bags. The paper will lie flat and will help you check the quality of your bird's droppings.
   • You can also use bird gravel and newspaper pellets for extra protection. Never use wood chips as they are poisonous to birds.
   • You can further protect the floor and area around the cage by laying out protective mats. Rubber mats are a good option as they are easy to clean.
6. Offer lots of toys. Cockatoos need to be entertained, especially if they are alone in their cage. Give your bird plenty of toys to keep its mind and body stimulated. Ropes, swings, puzzle toys, chew toys, feeding toys, and brightly colored toys are all good choices.
   • Give your cockatoo plenty to chew, as cockatoos love to do that. You can buy or make commercial chew toys from bird-safe wood or cardboard boxes.
   • Foraging toys are a good idea. Cockatoos hunt for their food in the wild, so providing them with toys that require them to hunt or work for their food can help keep them entertained.
7. Spend time with your bird every day. Cockatoos have to spend time with their people every day. If they don't interact regularly, they can become neurotic and progress to self-harm to try to comfort themselves. Take your cockatoo out of its cage every day and talk to it every time you are in the same room.
   • Some cockatoos like to sit on your lap while watching television or sitting at the computer.
   • Spend time with your cockatoo's movement to let it retrieve soft objects.
   • Make sure you let the cockatoo out of its cage in a safe area. Any windows and doors should be closed, other pets should be removed from the room, cables should be covered, and any substances harmful to the bird should be removed.
8. Don't let your cockatoo sit on your shoulder or roam the ground. Your cockatoo can bite you in the face if it is allowed to sit on your shoulder. If you let him walk around on the ground, he will consider that his territory and he can become aggressive towards people walking nearby.To discourage general aggressive behavior, make sure your cockatoo is not sitting on your shoulder or walking around on the ground.
9. Set up a playground. A good way to spend time with your cockatoo is to take it out of its cage and place it in a playground or playhouse. Set up this area in a place where you and your family spend a lot of time. Your Moluccan Cockatoo will love this and at the same time spend a lot of time around its people.