Ok, here's another cockatoo thread! I thought this one would be interesting, especially for cockatoo owners hence their demeanor and personality.

I've told this story numerous times and constantly make an example out of myself to those I know and those I don't. I'm the person most people cringe at. Three years ago my husband and I walked into a pet store. We walked past the bird section and my husband stopped to look at a B&G. I ended up holding it for quite a while. I even remember being skiddish about holding it. We put it down and said we'd think about it. We asked questions for a couple of weeks and decided against it.

A month or so later we walked back into the same pet store for a pooper scooper for our dog for the back yard. We headed back to the bird section. I believe I was looking at an amazon and admiring how pretty. My husband said, "Hey sweetie come look at this one.". It was Rico, my U2. I wasn't interested and walked away.

Well I ended up holding Rico for 2 hours and wouldn't leave the store without him. Yea, the typical impulse buyer you'd just love to slap. I hate to admit it but I do. Rico was my only impulse buy for a pet, shew!

I went through an emotional roller coaster ride with Rico. Loved him for about 3 weeks. Then I started regretting getting him. The guilt I went through with my dog. My pets have always come first and I've never owned more than 2 at a time, and liked to keep it at one. I felt so guilty as though I abandoned my dog because Rico was taking up so much of my time! We ended up being able to live comfortably and happily together.

I love my birds more than words can describe and my lifestyle reflects my love, but it still doesn't prevent me from telling my embarassing story of how one day I walked into a pet store to buy a pooper scooper and walked out telling everyone I bought a cockatiel.

Now.....welcome to my funny farm.

I may be able to tell you some stories soon Lara (about my first pet 'Too) as I was offered to buy one or two Umbrella 'TOOS today (from a small time breeder) for $700 apiece. I'm still thinking about maybe doing it and either keeping one or both or selling one or both to good homes. Decisions, decisions!?


Btw, anyone know if $700 is a good price for an Umbrella at about 3 weeks old? I never bought any before. If I sold them I would probably need to get about $1,000 each for all the trouble of handfeeding & weaning? Anyone know what they are worth weaned out - to good homes of course.

I for one, do not support purchasing cockatoos or for that matter any birds, because there are so very many birds available for adoption -
That being said, in Baltimore, a young (6 mo) cockatoo is about $1500. A "second hand" cockatoo is about $750. These prices are retail.

Our first cockatoo was Ollie, who was Molly until he was sexed.
He was an impulse buy for us also. My husband came in the house and was like come with me, come with me. Wouldn't tell me why or where we were going, but off we went. Off to the flea market. There is a 10 gallon fish tank were two of the must ugly little things I've ever seen. All squatted down, with pin feathers sticking out all over, all beak and eyes. Ugh! Yeah, right, Ollie became my 46th birthday present. I knew nothing about cockatoos, so I began reading and internetting and on and on. We have raised Ollie to be independent, and not a velcro bird. He is able to amuse himself for hours on end. He eats everything we give him. Doesn't have a huge vocabulary, but talks a bit. My favorite thing that he says is "baby bird" and he says that in a whisper. The funniest thing he does, is say is "hey Sammie" and Sammie says "what". They go back and forth that way for a bit, and then finally the last time Sammie says what, Ollie bursts forth with a big old laugh.

Rico is also very independent and definately the most independent of my flock. He's even my most secure but that could be due to the others being either rehomes or rescues. But there is a definate difference in confidence between Rico and the others. The others are getting there, but I'm not sure they'll ever get to Rico's level simply because Rico's never experience being homeless.

I agree with you. All of the others in the flock with the exception of Sheela who is a scaredy cat, are all the traditional velcro birds. As I read and read when I first got Ollie, I continued to focus on give him now, what you can give him for life, and I knew I couldn't give him hours of attention every single day, so I gave him lots to do to amuse himself. I like that Ollie is independent. He loves to bounce up and down on my arm (similar to the Goffin bouncing) and he is the only one I allow on the floor. He bounces around with crest up and wings spread and totally enjoys himself. He loves to snuggle, but only occassionally.

Nelly is m y Citron TOO. We have been together about 15 yrs. Way back when...I worked in a privately owned bird store and she came in as a 3 month old baby. I did her care and feeding as did others that worked there. Time went by and although she was cute and cuddly did not get sold. I guess she was about 7 months or so and I had my usual days off but when I came back the other people there told me something had happened,they didn't know what but she was very upset!! They couldn't get her out of her cage and if she did come out she flung herself out onto the floor screaming. So I immediately went over to her cage and it was if she breathed a sigh of relief when I opened her door to come out. She would not let anyone near her but me. Well as you can expect with a price tag of $1,700 and not letting anyone touch her time marched on and she was not sold. Finally at about 10 months the owner dropped the price but I could not afford to buy her and he wouldn't let me make time payments. One night I came to work and it happened to be my birthday. Two of our best customers came in and handed me a card. Inside was the SALES RECEIPT was Nelly!!!! They had bought her for me and allthe rest of the girls gave me a big basket filled with treats and toys. Needless to say I rushed over to get nelly from her cage and I am not ashamed to say cried with joy!! We are each others best friend and I couldn't imagine my life without her.

Diana - what a wonderful story! I am smiling from ear to ear...
You know, everyone says the bird picks the person, not the other way around, and it sure sounds as though Nelly picked you.
I'm so pickled tink over this story -
So she is 15 now? Did you have her sexed to determine if she is a she?

Diane, I'm not one who tears up easily but your wonderful story has done it to me. People can be so very kind. She probably has an even more special place in your heart because of the way she came to you.

My first Amazon, Liza Loo, fell in love with me (and me with her) when she was a baby. I couldn't afford her and several months passed. When she was 9 months old my sister and her husband saw us together, realized that she had chosen me and bought her for me. She's been my special dollbaby ever since.

Diane, I love this story. The love the two of you had (and still do) for each other had to be so obvious for customers to be able to see it. Nelly got her wish now, didn't she.