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Posted by PHBudgie on March 12, 2003 at 13:44:05:

In Reply to: Would a Macaw or a cockatoo be better for me? posted by BAZ on March 12, 2003 at 12:16:00:

:Hi,
:I'm considering getting my first bird. I am a reptile keep but I have been thinking of buying a macaw. Here is my situation...

:My wife and I both work fulltime and we have a small child. I understand that these birds need a lot of interaction and maybe we can't provide as much as a person who works from home could. I would consider buying 2 so they can keep each other company when we can't.

:What would be better for us to get? a Macaw or a Cockatoo? What are the pros and cons?

:Any advice would be appreciated.

:Thanks

IMHO, alot will also depend on exactly what you want from a companion bird. That said, 'toos are extremely emotionally fragile, and are the most oft given up species of parrot. I currently have two female umbrella cockatoos and a noble macaw (besides the lovie and budgies), so my comparison may not be exactly on target for you.

Of the two umbies, one, Ingrid, is very laid back -- the antithesis of a *normal* cockatoo. She does not scream, she does not chew everything in site. She is thoroughly content to sit on my arm. She is a velcro bird. The other, Angel, is a wild woman. I often refer to her as the Devil's Spawn. She screams when she cannot see me, she has bonded with me thus when my husband is home (he works on the road so isn't home nightly) she is jealous of the time I spend with him chasing him down the hallway or out of a room, she chews everything in site -- baseboard, cabinets, chairs, my boy's game controllers, TV remotes, etc., in other words anything she can get her beak on.

In comparison, the noble macaw, Fuji, who is older (approx 22-23), is rather laid back and more readily forgiving. The only thing they have in common is that they all like consistency, Fuji more so than the 'toos.

I love the 'toos, and I love Fuji. But I must always remember that each of them have their own personality.

Here are a couple of links for cockatoos you might find of interest:
http://www.mytoos.com/
http://www.birdsnways.com/cockatoo/
http://cockatoo.webhostme.com/
http://www.parrotlink.com/cockatoosinfo.html

Good luck, and let us know your decision.

Budgie

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