Away from home 1 day a week, ok for a cockatoo?

[valerielynn06]

I am away from home 1 day a week for work,sometimes a full weekend. I have been researching the Goffin cockatoo and have found a beautiful girl that needs a new home. But I want to make sure I can provide her the best enviroment possible. She is used to being left while her current parent is at work. Do you think she would be ok with my situation or should I consider a different breed?
~valerie

[Shelby]

What is your previous experience with birds?

Cockatoos are notorious for being excessively noisy, neurotic, demanding, very emotional, and they are prone to a host of behavioral problems such as screaming, plucking, etc., if not worked with very carefully. And they are very dusty birds, so if you have allergies, they will make it worse. I have seldom heard of cockatoos being recommended as pets, and especially not to people who have had little experience owning and training birds. My aunt had a sulfur-crested cockatoo who was never aggressive but was VERY demanding of attention, deafeningly loud, and they could never keep her from getting bored for very long. (I admit they didn't trick train her, but it always seemed like she was one step ahead of everything they did.) Cockatoos are birds that require lots of patience and dedicated training. There are great cockatoo companions out there, but they are the result of countless hours of work.
Consider taking in a cockatoo very carefully.

In response to your question, birds need fresh food and water at least twice a day, but preferably more frequently. No matter what species of bird you consider getting, you will need somebody to take care of it while you are away.

[liz]

Our feathered babies can get used to a schedule of your being away at work all day. You will have to provide enough enrichment to keep it busy and active while you are gone. Changing some of the toys daily and adding foraging stuff will help.

Though I am home all day every day, I have mine near a window with a wild bird feeder outside. The activity out there amuses them a little. The squirrel really excites them. They all watch when he is there.

If yu are gone for 24 hours you must have a caregiver come in. You can also set the TV and radio on timers to turn on and off so he believes someone is home. If you have an answering machine you can call home to talk to him. (I did this for my cats many years ago.)