Everything You Need to Know About Pet Cockatoos
If you have ample free time on your hands, find large pet birds captivating, and think a feathered BFF would make your life complete — it's time to consider becoming a cockatoo parent!
Cockatoos have sassy personalities, love to show off their pretty plumage, and become socially affectionate birds that form strong, close bonds with their owners. Plus, they're smart! They can learn to talk, find hidden objects, and dance to music.
We learned all about cockatoos from veterinarians Dr. Eric Steinberg and Dr. Gerald Buchoff from the Longevity Veterinary Center in New Jersey. Here's what you need to know about these charismatic pets.
Rose-breasted (Galah) cockatoo perched on a branch.
What Colors Are Cockatoos?
In the wild, you'll find 21 species of cockatoos (which technically also includes cockatiels, a smaller related parrot) hailing from Australia, Malaysia, the Solomon Islands, and other tropical locales in Oceania.
The doctors share that four species commonly become pets and visit their clinic. These include the umbrella cockatoo, sulfur-crested cockatoo, rose-breasted cockatoo (also known as a Galah), and Moluccan cockatoo.
All species of cockatoos have a signature crest, a mohawk-like tuft of feathers on the top of the head. They can raise and lower the crest to communicate. Up usually means they're alert, curious, excited, fearful, frustrated, calling to a flock, or preparing to nip, while down indicates feeling calm, friendly, or approachable.
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Umbrella cockatoo: You can spot these birds by their pure white crest, black beaks, and mostly white body feathers.
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Sulfur-crested cockatoo: This is likely the species you see in pictures of cockatoos. They sport a bright yellow crest against mostly white body feathers.
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Rose-breasted cockatoo: Love pink? These cockatoos have a pinkish-white crest, pink chests, and gray on their backs and wings.
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Moluccan cockatoo: These beauties have soft salmon-white colored bodies topped with bright salmon-colored crests.
Moluccan (salmon-crested) cockatoo showing off his vibrant crest.
How Big Do Cockatoo Parrots Get?
Cockatoos are large parrots. An adult can range from 12 to 24 inches in length, with 18 to 48 inch wingspans and weigh a little over a half pound (300 grams) up to over 2.5 pounds (1200 grams).
When it comes to housing one of these jumbo birds, the veterinarians recommend an enclosure at least three times the pet's wingspan. For example, consider an aviary approximately 3.5 feet long, 3.5 feet wide, and 5 feet tall. This grand size helps to reduce stress and boredom since there's room for the pet to move around comfortably and have ample toys.
Choose a wire structure that's square or rectangular and made of stainless steel or powder-coated steel. Fit it with a minimum of two perches of varying sizes and thickness on opposite ends of the aviary to help exercise the pet's feet. And toys! Don't forget to offer your feathered friend safe things to play with in his habitat.
Sulfur-crested cockatoo playing basketball.
Do Cockatoos Like Toys?
Cockatoos not only like toys, they need them to stay occupied. The veterinarians shared that cockatoos get destructive when bored or neglected. So, bring on the toys!
"First and foremost, it's important to make sure their toys are made from safe, non-toxic material since they're notorious chewers and may ingest small pieces," the doctors explained. "Because they're intelligent and curious birds, cockatoos need toys that provide plenty of mental and physical stimulation to prevent boredom."
Look for toys for cockatoos made from stainless steel, non-toxic woods, rope, pine cones, or rawhide that allow them to solve a puzzle, make noise, move beads, or serve up a treat. Avoid toys with toxic soldered or galvanized hooks, chains, or connectors.
If you're feeling crafty, you can easily make parrot toys using clean cardboard, tissue paper, shredded paper, sisal rope, cotton cord, and more.
What Sounds Do Cockatoos Make?
Cockatoos often make happy sounds. Melodic chirps indicate comfort. They can also learn many words you speak to them, sing songs they hear often, and even dance along if the mood strikes them.
However, there's no way to sugarcoat it: Cockatoos love to make noise, too!
"Cockatoos are notoriously vociferous screamers," the veterinarians shared. "They get very loud when they want your attention and/or when they suffer from separation anxiety. They'll make squawking noises when there's danger nearby, so they make good 'watchdogs.' Lastly, cockatoos will make hissing sounds when they feel threatened."
Sulfur-crested cockatoo eating a yellow flower.
What Do I Feed My Cockatoo?
A cockatoo should eat a diet of 75 to 80% nutritionally balanced pellets and 20 to 25% fresh fruits and vegetables. You may offer high-quality seeds in very small amounts as occasional treats. And cockatoos, like all pets, should have daily access to fresh, clean water.
"Nutrition is commonly neglected in pet birds, and cockatoos are prone to obesity when fed an improper diet," the doctors explained.
Healthy produce options for your cockatoo (washed, uncooked, and cut into bite-size pieces) include:
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Apples
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Asparagus
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Banana
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Blueberries
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Bok choy
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Cantaloupe
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Chickpeas, lentils, and kidney beans
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Kale
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Peas
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Spinach
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Strawberries
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Zucchini
Avoid feeding a cockatoo the following toxic-to-birds items:
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Alcohol
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Avocado
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Celery
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Chocolate
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Citrus fruits
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Dairy products (birds are lactose intolerant)
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Fruit with pits (peaches, nectarines, plums, etc.)
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Iceberg lettuce
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Onion
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Processed foods (cookies, crackers, chips, etc.)
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Rhubarb
When it comes to having pelleted food, packaged bird treats, and seed on hand for your pet cockatoo, consider some of these options:
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Kaytee NutriSoft Macaw & Cockatoo Food: This soft-textured, pelleted food mimics the fresh fruits and vegetables cockatoos enjoy finding in the wild. For optimal nutrition, it's fortified with prebiotics and probiotics, Omega 3 and Omega 6 fatty acids, amino acids, and more to support your pet's brain, skin, and feather health.
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Kaytee Exact Rainbow Parrot and Conure Food: Your cockatoo will enjoy these colorful, extruded nuggets formulated with Omega 3s for brain and heart health, prebiotics and probiotics for digestive health, and nutrition to support vibrant plumage and good skin health. As a bonus, this parrot food contains no seed hulls or shells for you to clean up!
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Kaytee Fiesta Macaw Food: This blend of parrot food features various textures and shapes to encourage a cockatoo's natural foraging instincts, which also helps reduce boredom. Your pet will enjoy exploring dried fruit, vegetables, seeds, and grains at meal or snack time.
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Kaytee Fiesta Big Bites Macaw Food: Does your cockatoo love to play with his food? This blend offers extra big chunks of dried carrots, pineapple bites, whole peanuts, shelled pistachios, Kaytee Superfood Granola Bites, whole dried chili peppers, and more for your bird to playfully graze on.
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Kaytee Bird Greens Treat for All Pet Birds: Want to amp up your cockatoo's meal? Sprinkle this blend of dried alfalfa, parsley, kale, sweet potatoes, and chia seed in his bowl. The light, fluffy texture adds entertainment and enrichment to dinnertime.
Man with a sulfur-crested cockatoo perched on his shoulder.
How Can I Bond With My Pet Cockatoo?
To build a connection with your pet cockatoo, offer plenty of love, patience, consistency in routine, and a stress-free environment.
The veterinarians explain that first impressions matter. When you initially bring your pet home, he may become suspicious and try to bite. Avoid sudden movements and let the bird familiarize himself with his new home.
Keep your pet cockatoo away from other pet birds at first to keep their stress level down, or your cockatoo may try to dominate other birds rather than connect with you.
Then, create a daily routine that allows you and your bird to bond over familiar tasks, including refilling fresh water, offering new food, and tidying up the aviary.
"Don't try to pet them at first. Let cockatoos lead. Eventually, they will approach you and will develop a bond with you. Patience is key," the doctors shared.
They also recommend keeping cockatoos entertained with toys (you can play with toys with your bird, like tossing a small ball), talking to them regularly, singing to them, and training them using positive reinforcement.
How Long Do Pet Cockatoos Live?
Cockatoos have long lives — on average 25 to 45 years, with larger species living 70 to 80 years — so plan to make them an integral part of the family with at least one younger family member in his life. This allows the pet to stay with someone familiar for his entire lifespan.
"Cocky Bennett, a sulfur-crested cockatoo, was the oldest bird that ever lived on record. He reportedly died at 120 years old in 1916," the doctors explained.
Cocky and his ship captain owner used to travel in the South Sea Islands' trade route and circumnavigated the globe seven times. After his human passed away, Cocky went with the captain's nephew and eventually enjoyed time in Sydney, Australia, in an aviary on a hotel veranda, where he greeted guests and passersby.
Cockatoos Need Daily Interaction with You
The veterinarians remind us that cockatoos make great pets as long as they get the attention they deserve — and need.
"If cockatoos are neglected, they may develop neurotic behaviors such as excessive feather-plucking, self-mutilation, and extreme vocalization," they shared.
The doctors recommend putting a pet cockatoo on a daily schedule and giving them lots of attention to limit their "destructive tendencies." Your pet will learn when it's time to engage with you and to entertain themselves with their toys when they're on their own.
To keep your cockatoo pet healthy, schedule an annual wellness exam with an avian veterinarian. They will check the pet's weight, feathers, eyes, beak, and overall condition so you can catch any changes in health early on.
Love Big Parrots? Consider a Pet Cockatoo
If you dream of having a large, feathered friend, a cockatoo might just be your dream pet. They're smart and sociable. Maintain a daily routine — including time to talk, sing, and train together — and you're sure to bond with your bird.
Learn more about training your parrot pet to spin around, go to a perch, get on a scale, and more with our expert training content.