New 'too advice

[aubs1220]

I knew this was going to be an issue, and a lot of work, so I'm not surprised lol. Kasper is a 14yr old male Umbrella who I just took in as a rehome yesterday. He had not gotten much attention in the past several years and even less in the past several months (new baby). At my home, he now lives with several dogs and cats, me, my husband, and our 1 1/2yr old son. Busy house! So I know he's going to have an adjustment period. Any advice to curb screaming (my husband would appreciate that one - doesn't bother me any lol), get him socialized to where he can be out with us and be pet (I believe the old owners were nervous around him- he had gotten uppity around puberty). Or any in general advice about Cockatoos would be helpful. He's my first one!

[Umbrella21]

Hello. Glad you had the heart to take the poor guy in. I also have an Umbrella. The easiest thing for me to do when I got her to get her acclimated around our other pets, was to just sit with her, and let the animals in one by one. Maybe let one dog in first, wait a few days, then introduce the next, and repeat the process. That was the easiest way for me. About the screaming, I still have not figured out how to help that subside. It is just what Cockatoo's do. Hope the advice helps!!

[pennyandrocky]

i agree with the previous post cockatoos scream there's nothing you can do to stop it that's why rescues are full of them. you can ignore them when they scream and that can help them do it less but there's no way to stop it completely. i would let mya play with my fingers before i tried petting her it made her trust my hands were not going to hurt her, she's a rescue too.

[aubs1220]

Thanks for the heads up. I want this to work, so maybe if I can switch his screaming times from 5:30am to sometime during the day while we are at work, that would help lol. But he's got a lot to get used to, and so do we!

[Pricey_boy]

if hes screaming at around 5:30 and it wakes you up try giving him something fun to play with or to forage because at that time he is going to be very exited and has to get that energy out and whats the best way? flapping and screaming. if your bird is flighted then keep a couple perched in the room let him out to fly

[aubs1220]

That's the other problem, is that they didn't do much fresh food with him either, so far he likes grapes. I know to just keep trying all different foods in all different forms, so I'm prepared for that. But until his diet is more varied, what should I do other than his normal pellet?

He has tons of shredding material (cardboard, paper bags, brown packing paper, shreddable toys etc) all over his cage, and I just put in a recycled phone book) plus his normal toys.

I've been looking through the toy thread for more ideas, but any specific ideas would always be appreciated!

[Pricey_boy]

no one can really give specific ideas birds are like people, all birds will have different preferences with food, toys, and people just keep experimenting until you find things he likes

[Pajarita]

LOL - I might as well tell you now that you won't be able to change his screaming schedule. My two U2s ALWAYS made their calls both in the early morning and the late evening. It's not a learned behavior, it's instinctual. They are calling to the flock to congregate and eat together. The only way to shorten the duration of the calls is to feed them right then and there.

I admire you for getting a non-social U2 with a little baby but I would caution you to be extra careful, their beaks are VERY powerful and they can bite off a baby's nose, finger, ear, lip, pierce a cheek, arm, leg, etc with no problem before you can even say Jiminy Cricket so don't let the baby anywhere near the bird. And they can fly out to attack - as well as walk over (real fast, too) to bite feet so don't lower your guard.

My U2s (as well as the LSC) were seed junkies but they transitioned without a problem to the diet I give all my birds and all toos love fruit so you should have no problem. Just keep on insisting, eat breakfast with him/her (not your breakfast -never feed a bird human cereal- his breakfast), keep on insisting and, for good measure, keep on insisting. I've had birds that has taken me five years to get to eat a rounded diet but they slowly but surely did.