

For safety, the cage bars should be 1 to 1.5 inches apart and made of strong materials because cockatoos are enthusiastic chewers. Larger cockatoos, such as the umbrella cockatoo, should have a cage at least 3’ W x 4’ D x 4’ H. These temperament traits help to explain why cockatoos are such popular pet birds, despite the challenges they sometimes present.Ī cockatoo needs a cage large enough to comfortably spread and flap their wings, which means their ideal cage size will depend on how big they are. They enjoy spending time with their owners and love to show off and be the center of attention.

Otherwise, they may grow up to be overly attached to their humans and unable to deal with being left alone.Ī well-socialized, well-adjusted cockatoo makes a playful, cuddly, often wildly entertaining pet. Raising a cockatoo correctly is a delicate balance of handling them enough to be tame but giving them enough time on their own to learn to be okay with it. Add in their tendency to express their feelings very loudly and you begin to understand why cockatoos generally aren’t recommended for inexperienced or first-time bird owners. However, they can also be demanding of their owner’s time, are prone to being moody, and can develop behavioral problems if their needs aren’t met to their satisfaction. They are smart, loving, affectionate birds with the right socialization and plenty of attention. Related read: Where Do Cockatoos Come From?Ĭockatoos are known for their unique temperament among the pet bird species.They are highly social, living and foraging for food in flocks of up to 100 at a time. In the wild, cockatoos live mainly in forests of all types, including rainforests. Around 1985, captive-breeding of cockatoos began and today nearly all pet cockatoos are bred rather than wild-caught. In the early 20 th century, wild-caught cockatoos became popular pets among rich Europeans. They were brought to Europe in the mid-1800s, first as specimens and later as pets, by sailors returning from exploring that part of the world. He spent time incarcerated in state prison on various charges, including aggravated assault, grand theft, burglary and attempted burglary and drug-related charges, according to Department of Corrections records.All of the cockatoo species originate from Australia and nearby islands including New Zealand, Indonesia, and the Solomon Islands. Ramallo was arrested several times in recent years on felony offenses, court records show. Only a few of the stolen birds have been recovered, Barbera said Friday. Ramallo now faces charges of armed burglary and grand theft in the Valles case and felony theft in the Lorenzana case. He had since shaved his beard, the affidavit states. Meanwhile, the detective in the Lorenzana case was able to connect Ramallo to that theft. On Saturday, deputies executed a search warrant at his home in unincorporated Lake Worth, where they found several birds and cages and the bowie knife. Last Friday, detectives surveilling Ramallo watched him throw the clothes he had worn during the Valles theft away in a garbage bin, according to the affidavit. Surveillance footage from the nearby 7-Eleven convenience store showed him walking away along the alleyway, carrying a large object, “presumably a bird cage,” the affidavit states.ĭetectives compared existing pictures of Ramallo to the surveillance footage and were able to identify him as the suspected bird thief, according to the affidavit. He left, then returned minutes later in a change of clothes, according to the affidavit. He had a beard and was dressed in a blue “Delicias Bakery” hooded sweatshirt with a glove on his left hand and a gray neck gaiter, a large bowie knife sheathed at his hip. The victim in that case, Dacyl Valles, also saw an unknown man on her surveillance footage, this time in her backyard, where she keeps her birds, and which is enclosed by a locked gate, according to the affidavit. Nearly 70 exotic birds, valued over $10,000, stolen from Lake Worth Beach home
