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Thanks guys for the tips and insight and the warm welcome. It's really fun to be able to talk to people who actually have some of these birds. So, tell me about this flappy flap game. I tried it with Winter and he got so excited (but no flapping) that his crest went up and he started some very loud vocalizing. With wings spread. he was bobbing and dancing and shouting " rah rah. blah blah. "get off the phone !" . Don't know where that came from.( probably previous owners ) SO instead of flapping, we did a few rounds up the stairs... does that count as exercise for him? I would think a bird with a wing span like that would LOVE to fly... Hmmmm..... not fledged? Whattya think?He seems to prefer walking. Does that count?
Also.. he seems to want to run strangers off the premesis. He lunges and acts really scarey ... even when HE is the stranger. I took him to work for a change of scenery... He wasn't very nice to anyone. Should I just keep putting him into unfamiliar situations to build his confidence and get him used to change? Or will that cause fear aggression?
Thanks everyone

I think it is a good thing to have cockatoos have more new situations.

Wendell really does not like people much other than me. He seems to take an active dislike to some people the instant he sees them.

He really can be super friendly, and demand affection. That seems normal for these!

He is now over 12 years old. He will be a teenager in a few months, I had him with me since he was 75 days old.

LOL sounds like he likes the flappy flap game, he just has his own special style! LOL I would watch just how excited he does get though. If you think he's getting to wild, and too full of himself, cool him down a bit, cuz if he's a biter, he'll nail you, an it could possibly be in the face. NO GOOD. But, dancing, and flapping, and yelling is a happy cockatoo...just don't let him get overloaded.

Here is how we play the flappy flap game. Yogi sits on my hand, and I quickly move my hand up over my head. He holds on while he flaps and flaps his wings while I'm holding my hand up there. Or, you can drop your hand really quickly to achieve the same result. (If he doesn't flap with just one movement, do it several times quickly, but stop and hold once he starts) Yes, they will yell while you do this. Umbies always yell when they're flying.

Walking or climbing stairs won't get the same cardio result. It's good to flap him until he is actually breathing a little heavy. You'll see his chest moving up and down.

Some folks have found that doing this has helped the long time plucker to grow some feathers in places that hadn't seen feathers in quite some time....good blood flow!

Isn't this FUN!