Moluccan Cockatoo Cost

The Moluccan Cockatoo (Cacatua moluccensis) or Moluccan is an endemic bird of the Moluccas Islands of Indonesia that is part of the genus Cacatua, family Cacatuide. The Moluccas Islands are known by Europeans and Chinese as the Spice Islands probably due to the highly spicy food in Indonesia. Most of the islands are mountainous, with active volcanoes and a pleasant humid climate.

In the wild, this bird prefers forests up to an altitude of 1000m. It is a species that is slowly losing its habitat and has been under observation since 1989. Trade with this species of cockatoo is prohibited in many places and can only be done with authorization. The number of wild specimens has decreased due to illegal capture.

The Moluccan cockatoo is among the most sought-after cockatoo due to its special intelligence, size, voice, and the need to chew and bite.

How much does a Moluccan cockatoo cost?

The price of a Moluccan cockatoo will depend on many factors, including where you get it from and its age. On average, high-quality birds can cost anywhere between $1,750 and $3,000. These are usually found in avian specialty stores, at bird breeders, or via an avian rescue organization.

According to Birds Now, a popular birds-only classified website, the price of a Moluccan cockatoo ranges from $1,800 to $3,100.

In terms of cost, unweaned Moluccan cockatoos can be purchased for around $1,750 whereas weaned birds are sold closer to the range of $2,300.

Additional costs to take into consideration

Habitat Cover	$25
Habitat	$115
Treats	$5/month
Food	$15/month
Food/Water Dishes	$10
Habitat Substrate	$10/month
Toys	$5 each
Perches	$5 each
Spray Bottle	$10
Mineral Block Chews	$5
Vitamins/Supplements	$5
Nail Clippers	$10
Vet Visits (routine/surprise)	$55 per visit + tests/surgeries, etc

Housing requirements

If you are determined to get a Moluccan cockatoo, then you should prepare acceptable conditions for it and carefully study the issue of bird care.

Given the power of the cockatoo’s beak, ordinary cages, often used to house birds, will not work here because their thin stems will bend quickly. It is desirable that this be a rectangular structure with a size of at least 2 feet x 2 feet x 3 feet, which allows the bird to move calmly around the interior space and to spread its wings.

The space between metal bars should be at least one inch so that the bird cannot stick its head through the holes. In terms of manufacturing material, stainless steel products are the most suitable, galvanized, or lead-containing ones must be avoided because these materials strongly poison the body of parrots. In addition, a reliable lock is an equally important part of a good cage. Most simple designs are easy to open for these birds, so a standard case screw or hook won’t work for sure.

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First of all, you should place several bowls for different types of food inside the cage (it is desirable that the design of the feeders does not allow parrots to scatter food); water container (basic requirements are the same as for the feeder); a wooden rod or rope; a small mirror, a swing or other things that will not let your pet get bored in your absence.

Walking outside the cage is always very important for the Moluccan cockatoo. It is necessary to release the bird from its permanent habitat at least once a day, allowing it to fly or walk around the room for several hours.

Feeding requirements

In the wild, Moluccan cockatoos feed on a variety of seeds, fruits, berries, and nuts typical of their habitats.

Of course, it is very difficult to get all of these when you keep the birds at home, and sometimes even impossible, so domestic ornithologists are accustomed to feeding cockatoos with ready-made staple foods for large parrots, in addition to giving the birds dried fruit, nuts, mineral dressings, fruits, and even eggs.

In terms of vegetables, you can prick from cabbage, broccoli, dandelion stalks, carrots, boiled potatoes, and pumpkin, but due to their high liquid content, these foods should be given in limited quantities.

As for fruits, cockatoos are very passionate about papaya, mango, melon, and orange, and in terms of meat dishes, you can cook boiled chicken or any other boiled meat for your pet, but only in small quantities.

Products that are dangerous to cockatoo’s health include avocado, chocolate, green tomatoes or parts thereof, Rosy berries (including peaches, pears, apricots, cherries), alcohol and caffeine, dried peas, and salty food.

Moluccan cockatoo details

This species of cockatoo is considered the largest representative of white parrots of this genus. Its body length reaches 17 to 20 inches with a weight of 1,71 to 2,42 pounds. The parrot’s plumage is white and pink, sometimes offering a light shade of peach.

Its crest is large (up to 7 inches) and wide; when raised, it indicates the emotion or surprise of the bird. For the owner, this is good proof that it is better not to touch the pet at this time, as there is a high probability of getting a bite.

Both the female and the male have the same feathering, therefore, the gender of the bird is determined by the color of the eyes’ iris: for males it is black-brown, and for females it is burgundy-brown. These birds, like humans, live up to 80 years, although there are cases in which some individual specimens of Moluccan cockatoos have lived up to 90 years or more.

All cockatoos are extremely intelligent birds, which are well suited to training, and remember human speech well.

These pets are quite affectionate and establish a strong emotional connection with their owner, treating him both neutrally and quite aggressively. The parrots can form opinions about any member of the family and it is good if they are positive.

Health concerns

Common health concerns for the bird include feather disease, fatty liver disease, lipoma (tumor), and bumblefoot or psittacine beak syndrome. To avoid these problems the cockatoo should receive plenty of mental stimulation.

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Alec Pow

Alec Pow is a thorough and methodical Financial and Business Analyst with over 15 years of experience in financial statement analysis, Foreign exchange derivative hedging instruments analysis, modeling, and risk management, with a long history of writing for big news publications like Forbes, MSN.com, Washington Post, and many more.