Cockatoos are the best pet birds. They’re an amazing middle ground: they’re bigger than budgies or conures, so you don’t have to be quite as worried about losing them. At the same time, they offer the same sass and ability to talk as a larger bird, like a scarlet macaw.
If you can’t handle a good temper tantrum or two, though, cockatoos are absolutely not for you. On Sunday, May 26th, one pet cockatoo showed off his bratty side with a dinosaur toy, and it’s just too funny to miss out on:
@barney_westcoastcockatooDinosaur down the stairs!!! 🦖😂 #barneythewestcoastcockatoo
Barney the West Coast Cockatoo is actually pretty strong for this one. That dinosaur toy is no match for him!
Related: Cockatoos ‘Jump’ with Happiness During Sweet Interaction with Robert Irwin
Barney’s account amy be called “the West Coast Cockatoo,” but that’s just because he’s a cockatoo who happens to live on the West Coast. He’s actually a Citron Crested cockatoo, named for the beautiful orange color on his head. A citron is a yellowy-orange color.
As he should, Barney is enjoying some time outside his cage. He’s a lone bird, which means he needs to spend tons of time with his humans to avoid getting lonely. It’s also important for him to stretch his wings and legs, and walking around on the floor is a perfect way to do that. Especially when he’s walking the stairs to fetch his own toy. What a little genius!
What toys do Cockatoos like?
Barney may love his toy dinosaur, but that’s probably not something most of us would think to give a bird. Typically, cockatoos enjoy toys like:
- Toys they can pull apart, shred, and nest with (cardboard boxes with strips of paper inside are great!).
- Plastic toys they can “chew” with their beaks.
- Anything that makes noise; bells, cymbals, tiny drum sets…
- Foraging boxes (which you can easily make yourself).
- Puzzle balls with treats inside.
Cockatoos are highly intelligent birds, and they need lots of enrichment to thrive. If possible, they should be allowed to do little “flying” exercises: you can have them fly to you, then move and do it again. They should also get some outside time, if you can. They do well in carriers, strollers, or even with special harnesses.
As far as human toys go, there’s no reason why you can’t give your bird some of them, like this dinosaur. If you’re going to, you should just make sure the toy doesn’t have any small pieces that could break off: they could be a choking hazard. Barney is thriving, and your bird could, too!
