Tumors

• Avoid problems for your rose-breasted cockatoo by feeding them a healthy diet.fruit image by Edvin selimovic from Fotolia.com
  
  Tumors pose a problem in rose-breasted cockatoos. Avoid this issue by feeding them a balanced diet low in fats. Feeding your cockatoo properly also helps control another problem in rose-breasted cockatoos: obesity. Limit seeds in your cockatoo's diet and instead feed low-fat, organic pellets supplemented with raw fruits and vegetables. Cockatoos also enjoy cooked meat. Give your cockatoo a variety of foods to avoid diet boredom. Exercise your cockatoo daily as part of your plan to prevent tumors and obesity.
  
  

Other Health Concerns

• According to BirdChannel.com, rose-breasted cockatoos are also prone to psittacine beak and feather disease (PBFD), fatty liver disease, worms and bumblefoot. Birds show few symptoms of illness; making regular veterinarian visits are the best defense against problems. Locate an avian veterinarian in your area (see Resources) and take your cockatoo for a yearly check-up to avoid problems. Keep your cockatoo's cage clean to prevent disease. As with any birds, cockatoos have sensitive respiratory systems and so should live in a smoke-free environment.
  
  

Behavorial Issues

• Bored and unhappy cockatoos become destructive. At breeding age, some male cockatoos display aggressive behavior such as biting. Your rose-breasted cockatoo needs attention from you and stimulation in its environment to avoid problems such as feather chewing. Give your cockatoo several hours of the day out of the cage and plan an hour of one-on-one time with your bird. Provide several toys in the cage to capture your cockatoo's attention and rotate the toys often to avoid boredom.
  
  

Owner Obligation

• Rose-breasted cockatoos require a significant time commitment, at the very least an hour and a half a day devoted to care and exercise of the bird. Adequate cage space must be provided for your rose-breasted cockatoo to be healthy and well-adjusted. Costs for cages, toys, vet care and other expenses can quickly mount. Rose-breasted cockatoos can live up to forty years, so make provisions for your bird's care in the event that he outlives you.