Umbrella Cockatoos are very good pets to have. They are considered one of the most affectionate and loving birds.
Why do Umbrella Cockatoos keep laying eggs? An Umbrella Cockatoo will keep laying eggs until she finished the breeding cycle. Sometimes, she will lay eggs that are not the right size to hatch, and it is best, as the owner, to keep the eggs with her, and if they do not hatch, she will more than likely push the eggs away or eat them as a meal.
If your Umbrella Cockatoo is laying eggs a lot, the chances are that it is not being handled right and is having emotional issues.
If your bird is laying a lot of eggs, you might be able to stop this by petting the bird on places not on the chest, back, or close to the tail. It is best if your bird is laying a lot of eggs that you pet her only on the head.
Another problem that can cause an Umbrella Cockatoo to keep laying eggs is the weather. When the warm weather comes, it can cause your bird to lay more eggs, and even if it is winter and the home is warm, the bird can keep laying eggs.
Fresh foods and feedings other than bird food can contribute to egg-laying as well as a lot of exposure to light. If you have any of these things happening, you should try to stop these things because excessive egg laying is not good for the health of your bird.
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How Often Should My Umbrella Cockatoo Lay Eggs?
Most Umbrella Cockatoos will lay eggs once or twice a year, and then sometimes they will not lay any eggs for a couple of years.
What Should You Do if Your Umbrella Cockatoo Lays an Egg?
If you have an Umbrella Cockatoo and she has laid an egg, do not remove the egg from the cage. The best way is to allow your bird to lay on the egg.
If your bird keeps laying eggs and wants to sit on them, you should let her do that until she is no longer interested in sitting on them, and then this is a time that you can remove them from the cage.
It can take up to 21 or more days for the Umbrella Cockatoo to lose interest in sitting on her eggs.
How Old Will, an Umbrella Cockatoo, Be Before It Lays Eggs?
An Umbrella Cockatoo can lay eggs anytime between around five months of age untill they past 10 or 11 years of age.
If your bird is laying a lot of eggs, you need to try to figure out what environmental reasons are causing her to lay so many eggs and to stop it so that it does not cause your bird to get sick.
Do All Female Umbrella Cockatoos Lay Eggs?
Yes. All-female Umbrella Cockatoos will lay eggs, but not all of the eggs will hatch. Some of the eggs will be very small, and you must leave the egg in the cage and allow your Cockatoo to sit on it until she loses interest.
Once your Umbrella Cockatoo finishes breeding, then it should not lay eggs again for a long time.
How Do You Take Care of an Umbrella Cockatoo?
Umbrella Cockatoos are very social birds, and they want to have owners that will be companions for them. Umbrella Cockatoos need to have time, and they need to have their brains stimulated on a daily basis, and so if you do not have a lot of time to spend with them, they will not make a good pet for you.
You need to make sure that your bird gets a lot of exercise, and you spend at least two hours a day with it. You can also give it toys that it can chew on, and this allows the bird to exercise its beak as well.
Toys in the cage can keep your bird from being bored, and it is important that you switch them around so that they do not get bored with the toys, and you can use them to stimulate their minds.
Can You Eat an Umbrella Cockatoo Egg?
No. The Umbrella Cockatoo egg is so small that it would not help you to eat it. Sometimes the Cockatoo will eat its own eggs so that it can get the protein that it needs.
You can make sure that your bird gets protein like it would get in nature by giving it small amounts of pork or giving it bird food that contains eggs.
Do Male Umbrella Cockatoos Lay Eggs?
No. Male Cockatoos will want to mate when they reach a mature age and will try to do this with objects in its cage, but only a female Cockatoo can lay eggs.
How Often Should You Bathe Your Umbrella Cockatoo?
If your Cockatoo were in nature, it would get a bath each time that it rains. Since your Umbrella Cockatoo is in captivity, you have to make sure that he or she is clean. You can do this by taking once a week and giving your Umbrella Cockatoo a shower.
The best way to do this is to make sure that the water is not squirting too strong because you do not want the water to pull off the Cockatoos feathers or to hurt it.
Sometimes, an Umbrella Cockatoo will be afraid of too much water, and if this happens, make sure that you only use a small stream and use one that sprays easily. You can hold your Umbrella Cockatoo while you are showering it, so it does not get afraid.
You can tell if your bird is enjoying the shower by if it spreads its wings or seems like it is trying to get more water. Your bird should not get completely drenched during a shower, and it should only last between a couple of minutes up to around 15 minutes.
Do I Need to Dry My Cockatoo After a Shower?
Most Umbrella Cockatoos will air dry and be okay with this. It can take up to a few hours for your bird to completely dry after a shower.
Some people like to let their bird sit by the blow dryer to get extra dry, and many birds enjoy this. Make sure that your blow dryer is not very hot and that the air is not going to hard.
If your bird does not get dried by the blow dryer, make sure that it is not close to a window or in a draft until it is completely dry so that it does not catch a cold.
Can My Umbrella Cockatoo Lay Eggs Without a Mate?
Yes. Cockatoos can lay eggs without a mate. They can do this when they are not supposed to breed, and this can happen if your bird is stimulated by the environment.
Here are some reasons that a Cockatoo is laying eggs without a mate:
- Too much light.
- Too much food.
- Warm weather.
- Dry Climate
- Lack of food.
- Too much petting.
- Stress
What Are Some Problems with Excessive Egg Laying?
There are some health problems that can come if your female Umbrella Cockatoo is laying too many eggs, such as:
- Calcium Depletion
- Weakness
- Blindness
- Fractures of Bones
- Fragile Bones
- Seizures
How Can I Stop My Umbrella Cockatoo from Laying Excessive Eggs?
There are some different things that can be done if your bird is laying a lot of eggs. Here are some things you can do:
- Take out toys that are over-stimulating such as mirrors.
- Give the bird vitamins and calcium to their diet.
- Add a mineral block.
- Spend time with them so that they are not depressed or stressed.
- Give them a balanced diet.
- Put the bird in darkness for over 12 hours and then the rest daylight.
- Do not overstimulate by petting.
- Change the surroundings of the cage.
- Ask the vet about hormone therapy.
If none of these things seem to work to stop your bird from laying excessive eggs, you need to take your Umbrella Cockatoo to the vet. The vet might be able to come up with some different types of therapies or ideas in order to get her to stop laying eggs.
Since excessive egg laying can be dangerous for your bird, pay attention to the habits of egg-laying, and see a vet as soon as possible if you see strange activities from your bird.