are you sure what sex the too is?i fostered an adult cockatoo eailier this year and to be honest it was a big mistake
the first month was fine...a great pet although extreamly vocal at times (so hope you have nice neighbours )then 'it' turned....i say 'it' because i was told it was a boy (which the opposite sex to your self is best for bonding so thought not much could go wrong)(but it had not been DNA tested) after the bird had time to settle its behaviour changed dramatically...possiably due to hormones(time of year). but it became very aggressive to women (including myself)...i still have scars from this bird!i didnt have time for the bird (it really is like entertaining a toddler! it couldnt be let out for play on it's own either as they are very destructive...and like to re-decorate!...also try to feed 90% fresh food and 10%dry parrot mix. i unfourtunally had to return the bird as it didnt work out...and i beleive 'it' has now settled in another foster home.

Thanks for that, it all sounds very interesting!

Well, all I know is, this particular bird was bought for their 6 yr. old daughter (that's quite a surprise in itself really isn't it!!!)and they've reared it themselves and it's now 6 years old. She has all the papers too, which I never had with my other bird? I was wondering about the destructive side, as my other one liked eating the furniture too, especially the corners of my nice new tables!!! My previous one was a female, and this is a male, and I know most of them prefer one or the other as an owner, because a friend of mine had an amazon parrot which she couldn't get near, and yet her husband could do anything with the bird! Ours liked BOTH of us though?? Oh dear, you're putting me off slightly here, but that's good, I want all the feedback I can get!

Jack is fine with Bijou, but not when he's in the cage, Jack is always jumping about and sqeaking at the cage, but the second B comes out Jack slopes off, I've got a feeling he's had his nose pecked

I believe you can still have their wings clipped, but it's not something I'd have done myself, you can buy a harness for them with a type of lead so they can be secured, and from what I've read they're pretty good, but I don't have one for B yet. As for vets, proper parrot vets are few and far between, but it does pay to go a specialist

And just remember, try to make sure they haven't been eating chillies just before kissing you that really smarts, a lot B's favurite trick is when I'm preparing his food, he'll rip open the fresh chillies pull a seed out then try and put it in my mouth needless to say I've learnt my lesson with that one

Here's a link to the harness I was on about, they come in different sizes

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/THE-AVIATOR-PA...QQcmdZViewItem

I dont want to put you off...the bird keeping world always welcomes new bird keepers! ...just want to let you know the Possible problems taking on a mature parrot.

Quoted from Parrot-link:

Here's just a few ideas of what to consider when you first go to see a bird with an eye to perhaps buying him/her:
Take time, if possible sit away from the cage and watch, make the visit as long as you can. See how the owner inter-reacts with the bird. Ask the seller to get the bird out and let you see how they get on.

Can the owner give food by hand, is the bird confident and wanting to be near the owner etc?
Is there a battle to get the bird to go back into the cage?

Does the bird look bright and busy (good) or is it puffed up/uninterested (maybe ill).

Look at the droppings in the cage. Are they definite white with dark green/ blackish squiggles (good) or watery and mixed colours (may be ill)? One tip here - a bird that has eaten a lot of fruit or as a reaction to you (a stranger) may do a runny/watery dropping and this is normal.

Does the cage look regularly cleaned? If a bird is out of favour with the owner cleaning often gets reduced to basic bottom of the cage changing.

Are there toys in the cage?
Do they look scruffily chewed and beaten about (good) or brand new but ignored (not so good)?

If your household has children, dogs, cats partner etc ... try and work out if the bird is good with either sex and these animals. Ask if you have to but observation is a much more honest way to find out.

If the bird is friendly and happy with the seller then that is a fair indication that he or she will be the same with you once settled and come to know you and the new home.

Keep in mind one of two 'bad' things could be happening:
The owner may be lying about how the bird is in reality (hence watch and see rather than ask)
The owner may be nervous/upset if this is genuine and a treasured pal is having to be sold which the bird may pick up on and behave differently to normal.

If you handle the bird check how fat or thin it is ... to do this run a finger down the front of the bird (or ask the owner to hold it so that you can). A sharp ridge with no padding either side is too thin. An indented dip with raised pads either side is too fat. This may upset the bird so ask last about it and don't be surprised if the bird doesn't like this handling by a stranger.

Once you are about to leave - hang around in the hall or by the door (anywhere except the room where the bird is kept), chat but listen ... is the bird making a noise once the owner has left the room? Could be a clue to why he/she is for sale - neighbours complaining, contact calls annoying the owner etc.

If you decide to have the bird ... pick the owners brain as much as you can for clues on how to settle him/her with you. Such things as:
Words used to the bird (Step up, go in your cage, hiya pretty one etc)?
Food likes and hates?
Goes to bed when, for how long and is the cage covered?
Showers, feeding - routines in general?
Favourite things?
Hated/feared things?


I really hope this helps!

Thanks Christine, never seen one of those before, that is definitely the answer, I don't like the wing clipping having seen it done once! Too traumatic for a 2nd viewing thankyou!!! Most helpful, many thanks!

and thanks a million to you too pingu!!! I've saved all that in my parrot folder,and printed it out to have a good read. All very interesting, it's been a long time since I owned a parrrot!