The Basics:

Their cuddly disposition and impressive ability to talk, as well as their good looks, have made the Umbrella Cockatoo a popular pet. Like many Parrots, the Umbrella is also a demanding pet that is prone to developing behavioral issues when it is not given enough attention. The Umbrella also has a very loud voice, and it is likely to scream at sunrise and sunset.

Cage:

Umbrella Cockatoos should have a cage that measures at least 40” long by 30” wide by 50” high. It is a good idea to have a cage with multiple or extremely secure locks, since these avian Einsteins will devise clever ways to escape. Space between the cage bars should be no more than ¾”. A cage should also be very strong to stand up to the power of the Umbrella’s beak.

CAUTION

In most cases, more space is more desirable for birds. However, when increasing the size of an Umbrella Cockatoo’s cage, the bird’s human companion must be careful to maintain a safe (narrow) space between the bars. The bars of a cage have to be narrow enough to prevent a bird from sticking his head in between. Bars that are spaced too far apart for the bird’s size can result in serious and even fatal injuries.

Positioning The Cage:

The affectionate Umbrella Cockatoo will appreciate having his cage positioned in an area where he can be close to his human companions. However, the cage should also offer enough privacy to provide the bird with a sense of security. So, it isn’t a good idea to put an Umbrella’s cage in the middle of a room, or by a heavily traveled walkway. Instead, it should be in an alcove or in area that has a wall on one or two sides of the cage. As a good rule of thumb, no family member should be able to walk all the way around the cage. The Umbrella’s cage should offer him a private secluded area. For the sake of the bird’s health, his cage should never be in drafts or direct sunlight. If there is a lot of night-time activity in the room that houses the cage, such as a TV going after 9 pm, the Umbrella should be provided with a small sleeping cage in another, quieter room. Another alternative is to have a cage on wheels, so it can be moved to a quiet area at night. It is critically important that the bird be provided with at least 10-12 hours of quiet undisturbed sleep time each night.  The cage can be covered at night. This cover should be washed weekly, since it will accumulate feather dust. An Umbrella Cockatoo’s cage should never be placed in the kitchen, since fumes from cooking can prove fatal. The cage should also never be placed in direct sunlight or draft.

Playthings:

Keep plenty of sturdy wooden chew toys in the cage, since Umbrellas are enthusiastic chewers that love to work things over with their beaks. All toys should be made for large parrots for safety, and should be inspected daily so they can be removed if dangerous. Toys should also be cleaned on a regular basis, and rotated in and out of the cage to keep them fresh and interesting. No mirror toys.

Perches:

An Umbrella Cockatoo needs to have a variety of different perches made of different materials. The perches should be at least 9” long with different diameters. (All the diameters should be around 1”.)  With this heavy bodied bird, the perches need to be well anchored or span the entire width of the cage. The perches serve many important purposes. In addition to providing the bird with an area for standing, they help keep his beak and nails trim. Natural wood perches not only provide a perch, but also a safe thing for Umbrella Cockatoos to chew on. In addition to perches, Cockatoos should also be provided with toys made from wood or other materials that can be safely chewed. A perch should be placed in front of, but not above, food and water dishes.

Play Time Outside The Cage:

Ideally, the affectionate Umbrella should spend the majority of her day outside of their cage, interacting with her owners. Her wings should be clipped by a professional and checked regularly. Play gyms are important since the bird will be spending ample time outside of the cage. Even outside of a cage, the Umbrella still requires many toys and activities to keep her occupied.

Grooming:

Consult veterinarian or literature about trimming nails and possibly flight feathers.

Bathing:

Provide a shallow bowl of chlorine-free water for supervised bathing. Use chlorine-free water when misting bird too. Bath and mist water must be lukewarm to room temperature. Avoid drafts. Remove bath bowl when finished. A lukewarm bath or shower on a regular basis will contribute to the health of an Umbrella’s skin and feathers. This can be done with a mister, allowing the bird to dry in a sunny area of the home.

Diet:

Pellets should make up 65-80% of an Umbrella’s diet. Fresh and washed vegetables should make up 15-30%, and fresh fruits less than 5%. Fruits and vegetables should be rinsed, dried and cut into appropriately sized pieces before being offered to this bird. Seeds, grains and treats should can only be offered on rare occasions. Food should be offered to the bird two to three times a day. Provide additional calcium i.e. cuttlebone during egg laying. Fresh chlorine-free water should be made available at all times. On average Cockatoos will consume about 10 to 15 teaspoons of water daily.

 A Note About Water:

All water given to birds for drinking, as well as water used for misting, soaking or bathing must be 100% free of chlorine and heavy metals.  (Not all home water filtration systems remove 100% of the chlorine and heavy metals from tap water, so check your system's specifications before using it to filter water for your pet.) We recommend that you use unflavored bottled drinking water or bottled natural spring water and never untreated tap water. Do not use distilled water, which can cause severe medical problems, since it lacks minerals that are essential to important body functions.