bird toys

surferdon · Post by **surferdon** » Thu Apr 20, 2006 1:30 am

OK well i havent been on this site for some time, i wanted to really get used to my bird's behavior before i asked anymore questions. So I have had my Dude for 6 months and he / she just turned 1 and no offense most of the time i find my bird to have almost no imagination, dare i say almost boring. Dude rarely plays with his toys or does much more and stand there and look pretty. We get along well i steps up gives me kisses but doesnt play. I get at least one new two every two weeks or sobut cant find any he likes. I also try to use random things like news paper, toilet paper rolls and bits of twain. nothing seems to work. Suggestions please, or is this noraml behavior?

berrynice · Post by **berrynice** » Thu Apr 20, 2006 1:38 am

They hav different personalites. My green is sociable, outgoing, bossy and has been known to tug my sleeve for attention. The blue is a bird who is really cautious by nature. My sons Lutino that he got yesterday is not hand raised just wants to check out everything and is all over him already. 3 IRNs same family, all very different. Just keep trying but don't break your bank balance while you're at it.

Angelface · Post by **Angelface** » Thu Apr 20, 2006 4:08 am

pony beads!! very cheap and you can string them on some thick wires and twist etc. I made Ravi a 'ladder' it has wooden hamster chew bits, with pony beads in between each dowel. I used thick wire and on the end attached a bell I found off another toy. I always look for bird toys on clearance esp if they are broken, you can get them really cheap!! and then I take them apart, re-organize, or just use the chain sometime! and then make new toys!

some birds just don't like toys though!! bongo had a cage full of them...and he hated every single one of them! he'd unscrew the clasps and watch them fall and then that was it! but ravi on the other hand loves her toys, and every time I give her a new one she goes gaga over it!

buy a selection of toys and make sure they are returnable haha and let him pick out his own!

elaine · Post by **elaine** » Thu Apr 20, 2006 5:28 am

my 5 month old has different moods. Sometimes i think there is something wrong with him and he just sits there on the perch looking pretty, not really interested in anything seems like he's just happy to look and stare, other times he is all over his toys in, on and around his cage and playground.

Ed Loschi · Post by **Ed Loschi** » Thu Apr 20, 2006 11:04 am

From reading these posts and knowing my pal irn for three years it is more and more evident to me that these birds show a very wide range of behavioral patterns. They all have unique characters and amazing adaptability...it is great to watch and learn.
When I got Bebe his cage didn't have anything interesting or challenging for him. So I bought stuff for him, it took a long time (6-months) for him to show interest in simple toys with bells. Now he has a ritual bell ringing session every morning when he wakes up and at dusk when he puts himself to bed. He loves toys that generate a sound when he plays with it.
Here is another thing. When I first got him I got him a rattle too...yeah a baby rattle: it is plastic and has 4 hollow spheres with beads inside, the spheres rotate on an axis in a frame; the frame then also rotates around a handle. The thing is brightly colored has alot of moving parts and makes noise.
I kept that rattle thing in his play pen for nearly two and a half years and Bebe wouldn't give it a second glance, heck he was afraid of it for a few days initially!
Anyway now just in the past 3-4 months he plays and loves on that rattle. If I touch the rattle he goes bonkers, he prances and preens for it, if I move it he follows it and defends it and rolls it around. It is quite the sight.
He has fixated on it now. It'll be interesting and fun to watch. I think this is a seasonal phase for him and he's showing off mating behaviors.
Here is something to try, I did it with Bebe and it was a comedy show.
Get a child's wind-up toy that walks and makes noise and let the bird interact with it.

surferdon · Post by **surferdon** » Sun Apr 23, 2006 10:02 am

wow that wind up toy should be fun. But toys in general are very hard because my dude is afraid of something new even food. Also What are ponybeads? ok thanks a bunch!

silvercloud · Post by **silvercloud** » Wed Apr 26, 2006 8:28 am

Have you tried fresh SAFE branches. My Sunshine loves a good chew on them.

DarinA · Post by **DarinA** » Wed Apr 26, 2006 9:45 am

Try some everyday items. Jade loves the lids off of water bottles, just watch the soda lids because they have the plastic insert inside. He loves a lid off of a hairspray can, probably his favorite, he likes to fill it in his water bowl and drop it and watch the water splash out. The lid is pretty big and he will drop his little lids in to hear the sound. He will also fill it with the corn cob bedding on his playland base and drop it on the floor. My wife says he only enjoys this after she vacuums, makes you wonder too.

Jade · Post by **Jade** » Wed Apr 26, 2006 4:21 pm

My chooky prefers everyday things rather than specific bird toys. He is very happy with a ball (marble to basketball size), wine cork, pegs, plastic cutlery........

I give him an expensive approved bird toy and it just sits alone in the cage completely ignored and untouched.

Dani03 · Post by **Dani03** » Wed Apr 26, 2006 4:32 pm

Jade...your lucky you can play with Chooky like that. Prinny is terrified of anything that rolls on the ground. I dunno why...silly Prinny

Dani and Prinny

Jade · Post by **Jade** » Wed Apr 26, 2006 11:06 pm

I never thought of that! I just always thought all of them enjoyed playing with balls and things. I knew it, of all the birds, I get the weird one. Just jokes, I love him to pieces, he is just a definite personality and can try my patience on more than one occasion!

red192 · Post by **red192** » Wed May 03, 2006 7:19 pm

I have had more luck with wooden pieces from the crafts dept, some hemp twine, baby toys, wooden alphabet blocks, than I did with bought toys. But something mine loves, I take a pine cone, wash it really really well and let it dry, and smear it with pnut butter, and roll it in dried apple, bird seed and such, bake it about 10 mins on low heat,,,,,Scarley will then have a field day for about 2 hours. It's a toy and treat. She gets one about every two weeks. My weekends off.

Ringneckmom · Post by **Ringneckmom** » Thu May 04, 2006 2:32 pm

Mine will try just about anything and they like the plastic wiffle balls also. One of my girls will get mad at something and go down and throw her ball around the cage and then stomp after it. One of my boys likes to pick them up and drop them out of the door of the cage and watch them hit the floor.
One thing that is a real favorite for them is stuff they can destroy. They like the birdie pinatas and also the Shredders that you can find in a roll. They can will tear up the Shredders almost immediately.

darkcloudchild · Post by **darkcloudchild** » Thu May 04, 2006 4:45 pm

Mine LOVE the bird pinatas, the Shredders, and the Bird Kabob. I bet I go through one of each of those about once every two weeks. My female demolishes the Bird Kabob, and will chew on it for hours at a time.

They both like popsicle sticks too. They have one tore up in a matter of minutes.

julie · Post by **julie** » Thu May 04, 2006 5:05 pm

indie goes for pegs.he likes to throw things around it seems to amuse him and us.he likes to drop things so we will pick them up for him its almost like throwing a ball for a dog except we are his pet that he is getting to fetch.