Introducing Cockatoo Ellie (aka Goober-Face aka Bugaboo)

A few years ago my mother told me my life was incomplete without a cockatoo. Having had (and fostered) cockatoos in the past, she knew exactly what she was talking about. Also, having fostered cockatoos, I wanted a little baby who knew nothing of pain or punishment, a wholly open young soul that I could abundantly wean and raise on principles of Applied Behavioral Analysis (or, positive reinforcement). Barbara Heidenreich is ever my hero, and it was my aim to have a creature who knew only love, rewards, and praise.

Enter, stage left, Ellie, a Goffin's Cockatoo. At 10 weeks of age she was already spirited, a force to be reckoned with. Confident, bold, and not an ounce of cuddly, Ellie was (and is still) easily the most challenging parrot I have ever encountered. She was smart--not just smart, brilliant, and between three feedings per day, keeping up with her mind was a challenge unto itself.

Now four, Ellie enjoys doing the things I do--she has her own keyboard and her own mouse, her own toothbrush, and she follows me around the house trying to 'help' with everything I'm working on.

Ellie is a darling when it comes to playing with her toys. Many baby birds must be shown how to play with toys, and many older birds don't play with toys because nobody shows them how to. Not so with Ellie -- she jumps in with both feet. Because she needs a variety of toys to play with every day, I often make them for her, switching up colors and materials so she always has new and engaging play activities. She tackles them with every ounce of energy brimming in her little muscles.

I also trick-train Ellie to build her confidence and establish trust. Tricks are her very favoritest games in the entire world and sometimes she refuses to budge from her play stand until we have gone through all of her best parlor tricks. The folks at the Bird-Click Yahoo Group are basically therapists for parrot mothers and every single time I had to figure out how to deal with a problem behavior (screaming, nipping, excessive distraction, EATING THE WALLS) they gave me such good advice and great new ideas for 'capturing good behavior' with treats and ignoring bad behavior--thereby extinguishing bad behavior. They also taught me all of Ellie's 'parlor tricks' and encourage trick training/clicker training to gently curb naughty behavior.

Ellie has learned all of her colors, and a fair few fun tricks, like flipping and turning, kissing and high-fives! I've also been working on teaching her numbers.

 

After four years, Ellie is still a mischievous (and well-loved) little imp. We have mostly negotiated a naughtiness-level treaty: she has toned it down to tolerable levels--and I no longer threaten to cook her. And occasionally, she rewards me with some cuddle time :)