Cloacal prolapse is frequently seen in psittacine birds, particularly cockatoos and African grey parrots (Psittacus erithacus). A 5-year-old female sulphur-crested cockatoo (Cacatua galerita) and a 7-year-old female white cockatoo (Cacatua alba) were examined for chronic cloacal prolapse. On initial presentation to the referring veterinarian 18 months earlier, both birds were treated with either a purse-string suture or vertical mattress sutures across the vent. Because of the chronicity of the conditions, incisional and rib cloacopexies were performed on both birds. Although recovery was uneventful, intestinal obstruction developed in each bird within 1 week after surgery. The sulphur-crested cockatoo died before surgical intervention, and necropsy revealed entrapment of the large intestine between the rib and incisional cloacopexies. An attempt to correct the entrapment was made in the white cockatoo, but the bird died later because of adhesion formation and reobstruction. To prevent intestinal entrapment after surgery in similar cases, we recommend that proper tension on the cloaca be maintained during rib cloacopexy and that the space between rib and incisional cloacopexies be eliminated during closure of the celiotomy.