cockatoo eating acacia

[cactuscarl]

Hi all I've just been watching two black cockatoos eating some acacia wood I've seen it before and thought they were probably just sharpening there beak. Then I thought the might be after the dmt as they peal back the bark then start eating the wood but I just watched one start on a different tree and now there are four or five eating little bits of all different trees

does anyone know what they are up to

[naja naja]

Grubs, they are not entirely vegetarian

[Amazonian]

Cockies can be destructive just for fun too. It amuses me when houses are built in an area that was heavily treed and home for many Sulphur crested cockatoos. The residents move in and think its wonderful to have cockies on the balcony to feed seed to....until..... they start chewing the window frames and veranda etc... lol.

[poisonshroom]

Black cockatoos come in and rip peoples trees up here too. They seem to like terminalias and things with soft wood and open structures. Im pretty sure they just do it for fun, because when they are in the trees they basically just chew the branches off and drop them and have a go at the seed pods, but not actually eat them. Then they go down to the ground under the trees and start chewing up the fallen branches and just leave them there

[∂an]

cockatoos are one of my favourite birds, they have so much personality and seem very intelligent. I love it how they walk around bobbing their head and flicking their crest back and forth, making curious squawks. It's sad that many people don't like them as they are perceived as an enemy of crop farmers etc, even by people who have nothing to do with farming!

[PositiveHAL]

punks of the bird world

[Amazonian]

I also find it amusing when a pet cocky is being all sweet and saying "hello cocky, scratch ", and you begin to scratch them, then when you least expect it .... Chomp!!! . I am sure the cockies are thinking, "here we go,another sucker".

I love cockies too, even if they are noisy. I feel terribly sorry for the ones in tiny cages. Years ago, it seemed everyone's Nan had a cocky. ?!.

[Seldom]

lucky this wasn't posted http://www.shaman-australis.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=33152&st=100 or the poor cockies'd probly be tracked down and ferociously brutalised

[qualia]

keeping any bird in a cage is cruel i reckon

[theuserformallyknownasd00d]

I have an Australian princess parrot named Sativa. He's a cool guy and very much does what a cocky does, only obviously within my house! I only got him by default and has only just starte being caged on a daily basis. He's not liking life at all, he used to be free within the loungeroom and was trained to a pirch and play area almost 24/7 unless I picked him up. But then he started roaming freely throughout the house when I was working and really ruining stuff! It was weird cos for 3yrs he happily lived upon his pirch and play stand without straying... Not sure what to do. I know he'll et used to cage but I'm vegetarian an alas I become a sorta hypocrite... Maybe mum&dad will like him (they regularly have him for weeks while I holiday or travel for work..)

Anyways sorry to hijack but the above post really got me thinking and critiquing myself

[Amazonian]

^ Your bird sounds bored. Maybe get it a mate?.

[Sallubrious]

He definitely sounds like he's bored.

They say they are smarter than dogs so he I thinks he's just being inquisitive.

We have a female cockatiel that we got a mate for and they were great until the male reached maturity. He went from a sweet little thing that would sit on your shoulder and give you a kiss to a heat seeking missile that would fly at your face with his claws aimed at your eyes and when he made contact he'd rip a chunk out with his beak.

I'd hate to have a cocky doing that shit.

[Amazonian]

^*laughing

[theuserformallyknownasd00d]

I agree with boredom. There was a time when the hidden sunflowers and mirrors would keep him happy but I guess he's outgrown it.

This w.e I'm gonna find a big stand of native flowering trees to supply him with ample daily as well as cut up a big Tupperware container of fruit and veg for the week... I've just started a very intensive new job (5am-7pm) which will hopefully soon calm down to 730-530 after Xmas.

I think this swing of things is the reasoning behind his boredom.. Before I was workjg regular hours and he was fine but the change is disastrous!

[theuserformallyknownasd00d]

His bond is way to big with me for another bird. I tried it an ended up with two bickering children. The females now residing with my girls lil bro

[Sallubrious]

I agree with boredom. There was a time when the hidden sunflowers and mirrors would keep him happy but I guess he's outgrown it.

This w.e I'm gonna find a big stand of native flowering trees to supply him with ample daily as well as cut up a big Tupperware container of fruit and veg for the week... I've just started a very intensive new job (5am-7pm) which will hopefully soon calm down to 730-530 after Xmas.

I think this swing of things is the reasoning behind his boredom.. Before I was workjg regular hours and he was fine but the change is disastrous!

 

That explains a lot, animals are in many respects like a human with Autism, any change of routine or location ect that seems trivial to us is a major upheaval to many animals.

I've seen an animal behaviour specialist on landline (cant't think of her name offhand) and read about her in books by Monty Roberts (the horse whisperer) that talk about her and she is Autistic herself. She just gets animals and can see things their way.

After reading her insights into animals it really puts animal behaviour in a different light and makes it easier to undestand.