Cockatoo lifespan

Parrots are among the most loved birds when it comes to keeping birds like parrots. So, if you love parrots, especially the crested ones, you must think about getting a cockatoo. But, before getting one, you have to be aware of their lifespan. Because we cannot go for a pet that is not just expensive and will die soon?

So if you are worried about the cockatoo’s lifespan, then do not! Because like other parrots, they are exceptionally long-lived, and they are going to accompany you for years. 

But you have to make sure that you are entirely prepared for such a high-maintenance pet. Yeah! Cockatoos are very demanding, needy. They shed a lot and can be very noisy too.

Let’s learn about cockatoo lifespan by various species of cockatoos:

1. Malukan cockatoo: These cockatoos are similar to umbrella cockatoos. But, they have a tint of pink in their feathers and are not bright white. This cockatoo lifespan is not calculated like umbrella cockatoos, but they can live for up to 70 years. 
2. Goffin’s cockatoo: This cockatoo is relatively more minor and does not live much longer. There is little to no data available about the average lifespan of this cockatoo. However, the data gives us two numbers, Goffin’s cockatoo lifespan can be from 23 years to 60 years.
3. Sulfur-crested cockatoo: This is a well-known cockatoo and is very famous for its appearance. This species also makes excellent pets too. This cockatoo is very renowned in east urban Australia. Like other cockatoos, it can be very needy and demanding too. However, sulfur crested cockatoo lifespan ranges from twenty to forty years.
4. Umbrella cockatoo: These cockatoos are also famous as “white cockatoos.” You will be amazed when you know that this cockatoo is impressive when it comes to cockatoo lifespan. According to the data reports, umbrella cockatoos can live up to 60 years in captivity, while in the wild, the number may shrink up to 50 years. It is mainly because of the infections and predators in the wild.
5. Galah cockatoo lifespan: These cockatoos are very famous in Australia and are known as rose-chested cockatoos and pink-greyish cockatoos. In the wild, they can live for up to twenty years; however, they perform much better in captivity and can live for about forty years.
6. Cockatiel: Cockatoos lifespan can really be a mystery, and for the cockatiel, this is quite true. As they are minimal in size, most people don’t even believe that they are cockatoos, but they are cockatoos. Well, you know, shorter species do not have very significant lifespans giant cockatoos, but this one can live for ten to fifteen years.

Cockatoo lifespan

After the Asian parrots, cockatoos are the most wanted pet parrot species across the globe. These parrots have a very long lifespan. Therefore before making any commitment to bringing this pet home, you should be mentally prepared about all the factors associated with a cockatoo. The most important of them is the “Cockatoo lifespan.” 

Lifespan of cockatoos

Your cockatoos can live for quite a long time, maybe more than you, if you provide them with a healthy lifestyle, clean cage, and a proper and balanced diet. If you are hoping that 5-7 years is enough with this creature, you have to reconsider your opinion. Because Cockatoos like other parrots have a long lifespan, cockatoos, in general, live for 50-70 years and maybe more. Yes! Of course, it is only possible to enjoy a good life away from all the dangers and threats. If you think they don’t have risks in your cage you are in a “wrong thought” cats, dogs and illnesses are all the types of the threats. 

Factors related to the lifespan of cockatoos:

Of course, for any pet, a healthy and a full diet is the key to their health and longer lifespan. Cockatoos will only reach the golden periods of their lives only if you manage to provide them with all the necessities and even luxuries. If you are a beginner and do not know much about the diet of parrots and cockatoos in specific. It would be best if you always were preferring the pellet diet for your parrots. Why? Because they contain all the necessary nutrients and vitamins which your parrot needs. When you give your pet cockatoo pellets, you do not have to worry about the other things like calorie count, whether you are giving them the right food or not. In this way, you get rid of all these worries. 

You can make-up the pellet diet to give them a variety like you can add some fruits or vegetables if you like. You can also mix seeds and nuts in their food to provide them with a varied diet. Apart from the menu, you also have to offer them clean and preferably cold water because they have a higher metabolism than humans, so it is better to provide chilled water instead of the hot water. Keep his cage clean to avoid maximum chances of infections, viruses, and bacteria, etc. To keep them healthy, it is also essential that you let them out of their cage for some time to socialize and to interact with humans. In this way, they get happy, which also boosts their health. Vet checkups are a must if you want to keep your pet cockatoo parrot to be healthy and to have a longer lifespan.

Short lifespan of cockatoos:

Cockatoo lifespan, Life is all about uncertainties and accidents, even if you try the best misadventures still can happen, and maybe your cockatoo parrot can fall ill. Sometimes people buy the pet cockatoo from the breeders who were not taking care of them properly. So a poor initial diet can lead to illnesses and infections later on. Do not put such things in the food of the Cockatoo, which can lead to gastro issues. Even something which seems tasty and safer can be potentially damaging to your parrots. These things include chocolate, red onion, apple seeds, avocados, beans, mushrooms, high sodium, and alcohol. Sometimes people not intentionally do that, but they still feed them snacks like pringles, carbonated drinks, etc., which are also not beneficial to the cockatoo parrot and can be contributing factors toward decreasing their lifespan.

Happiness is the key to longer life:

By providing the cockatoos with the right diet, care, and attention, they will accompany you through all the phases of your life. It is essential to keep their mental health stable, which is the leading cause of a kind and healthy life. Putting them in a big and spacious cage allows them to move freely, and they can also exercise properly. As they are social pets and in the wild, they even live in flocks and pairs, so they will love to spend time with you. Giving them socializing hours is necessary to keep your pet interacting with you; otherwise, they will be stubborn and develop biting behaviors. Besides spending time with you, it would be best to let them have some time with the other feathery creatures. Being happy creates hormones that aid in the proper functioning of the organs.

How long do cockatoos live as pets?

In general, parrots and cockatoos will be an excellent companion, accompanying you to the golden ages. They are straightforward to tame and are cute, funny, adventurous, and curious. One can spend hours looking at them and their rich morphology. But as pets, they have needs as well, which can be complicated and you need to understand them properly.

Though having a pet cockatoo is a perfect option for a pet, you must be precise and careful. Why? Because cockatoos have some nervous and behavioral problems which, if not dealt with properly from the start, can lead to severe moods, phobias, and temperaments. A study done on the weaning process of Cockatoos revealed that many behavioral issues like plucking and phobias are mainly due to abusive weaning processes done by several breeders. 

In natural conditions, Cockatoo lifespan, cockatoo babies spend their lives with their parents until the next babies are born, which means more or less a year. They start eating on their own after developing proper feathers, but their parents guide them. Breeders can’t provide these conditions, and hence these cockatoos when grown-up develop issues like plucking, etc. 

Whereas a properly bred and trained cockatoo makes excellent and friendly companions. Cockatoos, as pets do have a lifespan of 70 years. They are incredibly social and loving birds, and they love cuddles. They usually sound like they are saying, “Cousin It.” Affection and love are in their nature, and they will love those who will pet them. Why are their beautiful pets? Because unlike cats and dogs, they are independent and do not depend on anyone to entertain them. Therefore it is also necessary to give them some “Me-time” too.  Do you want to know about the how birds see each other?

Cockatoos can be trained well to mimic and to do different activities. Though they do not mimic the language well, when they talk, they say “Cousin it,” which makes their speech humorous. 

Why do cockatoos live so long? 

Parrots live much longer when we compare their size to the other mammals. Since we all know that bird’s metabolic rate is very high, they also have more upper body temperatures. The glucose that rests in their body is also present in higher quantities. These factors should lead us towards a more quickly aging living organism. But that is not the case with the birds. Since cockatoos can live for 60 years, they surely have developed some mechanisms to lengthen their lifespans.

Cockatoo lifespan, Flying saves them from predators and also helps their bodies to be healthy. It has been observed that those birds which can fly at higher altitudes and fly for specific periods live longer lives than the birds which cannot fly.  

These large birds like Macaws and cockatoos have developed, which can reduce the damage level caused by high metabolism or ROS ( Reactive oxygen species). Surprisingly cockatoos can also manage the waste and damage which is caused by excessive oxidation. These are all the factors that make cockatoos, macaws, African grey parrots, and other birds belonging to Psittaformes to have longer lifespans. 

Is a Cockatoo a good pet? 

Currently, 21 species of cockatoos are known to science. Among them, the most famous which people like to have as pets are Malukan, Goffin’s umbrella, sulfur-crested cockatoos, and bare eyed. However, all cockatoos have a standard feature, which is they can move their crest except cockatiels. 

Cockatoos, as pets, have a very vibrant personality. They are lively and friendly. Affection is their in-built property. But that means you have to spend more socializing hours with them, and if you don’t have much time, then cockatoos may not be the right pet for you.If you cannot give them the care and attention they need, they may develop some severe nervous issues. They become shy and do not interact with humans, biting, and plucking are also some common misbehaviors. Their vocals are very strong, too, and can pierce your ears too. They are very adventurous and love to sneak and play with the toys. They are larger parrot species, so, therefore, are not suitable pets for younger children somehow. The skin of babies is very fragile, and the firm Cockatoo’s beak can hurt it. 

Cockatoos are not as expert as some other parrots, but their vocals are very jolly and exciting. They are more likely to copy sounds instead of the language, and they can mimic almost every sound. Yet their mimicking capabilities can enhance with the time and with proper training. 

Most owners like colorful species of parrots. However, cockatoos are not vivid and usually have white, black, and grey colors. The majority of species have a glitch and some splashes of yellow, pink, and red on their heads and tails.

They also have a bright color around their eyes, which make their eyes more prominent. Palm cockatoos have red-colored rings encircling their bare eyes. They are not dimorphic means to differentiate between males and females is difficult. You can’t superficially examine and tell which Cockatoo is a male and which one is a female. 

Cockatoos also need a big cage to open up quickly, Cockatoo lifespan, a balanced diet, exercise, and socializing time. Therefore, keeping in mind factors, as mentioned earlier, you should make any decision if you are going to buy a cockatoo pet for yourself.

White cockatoo life expectancy

White cockatoos can live for 30 years in the wild, but they live much more when kept as pets. In the cage, they are safe from the threats and predators they face in a wild environment. In captivation, with proper care and diet and allowing them some time outside of the cage will lead your Cockatoo to a longer lifespan of almost 50-60 years. Yes! In captivity, they live double their wild lives. You have to look for several factors even when your Cockatoo is safe and in the cage. Factors like diseases, illnesses, infections can reduce your Cockatoo’s life. Therefore vet visits are a must. 

Moluccan cockatoo lifespan

Like other cockatoos, Moluccan cockatoos are also quite friendly,Cockatoo lifespan, and they love to live with you as pets. Moluccan cockatoos love to be cuddled, and therefore they will want your maximum time. Why is this parrot more desirable from other cockatoo species? Because they have brilliantly colored salmon pink wings with a vibrant crest. The average lifespan of this species of parrots is 70 years. Therefore they need a strongly committed companion.

Goffin cockatoo lifespan

These are one of the smallest sized cockatoos. They hardly reach the length of 12 inches and can weigh about 30 ounces. As they are small, they give a fuller and chubby appearance compared to other species of cockatoos, yet they are anatomically and generally the same.Cockatoo lifespan, Like all cockatoos, they do have a crest which they can move while they feel threatened, excited, or happy. The lovely feathers just pop up on their head and give them a unique look. These cockatoos can live up for 40 years old, so keep that in mind while having a Goffin cockatoo.