My first cockatoo came from a crack house. She barbed her feathers. Some self mutilate. I hope breeding these large parrots in captivity will stop. They're such magnificent creature. They live up to 80 years. We don't keep any other animal as a pet that lives anywhere near this long and we can never provide even close to what they need to be healthy. Cockatoos and macaws fly 1000's of miles a day in the wild. They're little athletes that deserve to be protected. When they start eating their own bodies that should be a sign to humanity to STOP breeding them in captivity. Most large parrots will experience self mutilating, barbing, plucking, vent prolapse and a number of other horrible health effects in their 80 years in captivity. Look up parrots that self mutilate. They'd rather be dead than in a cage. When will we wake up to what we're doing to animals and have a compassionate heart for others!

Ah...this makes so much sense. A friend of mine life's partner passed about 6 months ago. She had a cock a too for over 30 years. My friend said that the poor bird started to pluck and self mutilate himself. The bird passed away about a month ago. My friend is devastated, he lost his life partner and now the bird. The poor bird died of a broken heart.