My cockatoo as seen my cockatiels on my hand and shoulders and he as now started to climb up my arm. Yes he is nervous but i can read his mind, he is thinking he should be able to do what my cockateils can do. When he is on my shoulder he looks down at my cockateils as if to say “yes i can sit up here too” This morning i had one cockatiel on one shoulder and the cockatoo on the other and i was dancing to the wiggles.
The cockatoo does not like the cockateils and i would never leave them alone with each other.

Now to the falling. I put her on my hand last week. She has always had a powerful grip but she nearly fall off my hand. I was a little startled at this but did not give it much thought. Today she climbed through an opening of her cage when I was changing her water. She climbed to the top and was kind of sidling around the top to get to the front where she can climb up to a high perch. Because I was leaving the room, I wanted her to get to her perch more quickly. I pushed my hand at her chest. She seemed to hesitate to grab my hand (never happened before but remember she almost fell off my hand the week before) and seemed not to want to get on. I made her get on my hand and noticed how weak her grip was. Normally its a little painful and if anyone’s had a parrot that doesn’t want to get off your shoulder or hand you know how hard it is. I actually had to take my thumb to hold her on. She was wobbly on my hand. I let her get on the perch which of course is thicker than my hand. She seems able to climb around and grip that perch.

I looked at her feet. I’ve had her for 22 years, bought her at a bird store. I did not get her as a fledgling so had to take the bird store’s word that she was a young bird. She has never had any health problems and been to the vet only once. She is starting to look at little older and her feet just look a little “old”. She does need her nails clipped (I tried myself but she didn’t like it) and I’m going to have them done. I was wondering if her long nails are affecting her grip on a small object like my finger. I’ve always hesitated to take her to the local bird store, simply because I fear she will be unknowingly exposed to some bird disease and as long as I keep her housebound she is out of danger of being exposed to other birds and possible diseases. I’m also wondering if she might have some arthritis. These birds live a long time, wouldn’t around 22 years of age be too young. I read of one that lived to 112 years of age and was still alive.

I’ve searched and this is the only website that I’ve come across that gave me any info about birds and falling (and he’s absolutely right – so I don’t want to force the issue and make her afraid to take my hand ever again. I made one mistake and don’t want to make another). This bird is bonded only to me and I’m the only one that can handle her. Other than that she has no behavioral problems – except screaming and mimicking me when I’m on the phone (no plucking, feet biting, prolonged screaming, etc. and I have had to leave her for long periods alone while traveling on business and she never developed any behavioral problems from being left alone for a week at a time for a year.

Anyone know what could be causing this? I will be taking her to get her nails clipped. I think the bird store has a vet that visits. Avian vets are hard to find. I don’t want to take her now because we are going to go on vacation and I want to be able to observe her after the doctor visit.

Any ideas?