Alfie, My Moluccan Cockatoo's Story

For those who are new, let’s talk about Alfred Cockatoo’s story. Y’all see him as a loud mouth, goofy, sweet, cuddly man. But when I got him, he was missing a few of those traits (loud was not one of them).

I got Alfie after my previous Moluccan Candy passed away at 38. I was devastated. Someone I was friends with in my area who had birds sent me a picture of him and said “he needs placement, he’s currently held in New Jersey.” I saw the photo and just started crying because he looked just like my Candy, just without an underbite (Candy had a full upper mandible underbite unlike munch without a full upper mandible). I went to meet him a few days later.

When I got there, I walked right into the guys place, we waved, and I was directed by pointing to where he is. I went back, saw him, cried, opened the cage, and he instantly melted in my arms. I just cried holding him. His injured toe is the same toe that Candy had an injury to.

Well the guy came back, and he saw me holding Alfie, and he panicked. He’s like “Melanie, put that bird down right now calmly.” He continued to explain how horribly aggressive he is, and how dangerous he has become. His previous owner didn’t even take him out except rolled in a towel.

I had to beg him and sign legal documents for safety to get him out of there. I can’t go fully in depth to the whole story, but he was deemed violent and unsafe for society. But he was mine now.

As time went on, I noticed Alfie was super uncomfortable with males and got very overstimulated very quickly. Through our training, those were eliminated and quickly. 2 months after I got him, the guy I got him from and I went to the same bird fair, and I brought Alfie to test our training. I put him on the guy, and many others, and the guy’s jaw was glued to the floor. He couldn’t believe it was the same bird. He joked and said he wanted him back.

Alfie loves going out and about on his harness to meet new people! I become chopped liver when a new person is around. I still manage his behaviors regarding over stimulation, as with all cockatoos, but it’s very easily managed.