Favorite Toy, Foraging and Play Stand Forum Topic Please

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jenica1026
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Favorite Toy, Foraging and Play Stand Forum Topic Please

Post by jenica1026 »

Hi all,

I am new here and as I looked for toy ideas for my boys (two lutino IRNs - Rise and Shine - Shine got his ring a week ago and it is still being defined and Rise (I think I can see) has glimpses of red/pink so the verdict is still out but his previous owner who could handle him (I am still earning the right) says he saw a ring forming under his neck feathers so I am hoping I have twin boys - they are from the say clutch and a little over 2 years old as their hatch date was in June 2012).

Anyway, I looked down the various forum topics and didn't find a section just on toys and possibly foraging and wondered why not? Could this be set up so that we could share toy/foraging ideas?

In the meantime, I am posting this under Diet and Housing thinking their toys could be found in their Cage but Play Stand ideas would be great as well as we created PVC stands and now I see someone on-line has said PVC can cause cancer so with our limited space I am looking possible play stand ideas that can fit on top of their cages (bookcase) (please share this as well with pictures and/or links to the play stands - thanks).

Anyway, if someone could set up a topic group heading where we can share favorite toys (or not so favorite toys - it would be nice not to buy something they won't touch - been there done that) and foraging toys and/or ideas - that would be great. Until then, please tell me (us) your IRN(s)' favorite toy and what you do for foraging.

I'll start by adding what I posted about foot toys as someone found a cat toy they could use for foraging and I was trying to figure out what this was (but still don't have a clue - oh, if you post, please try to find a link to the toy so we can see it - thanks):

I know the typically cat toys with bells like this - http://www.pearls.org.uk/4-x-classic-ca ... t-61-p.asp or http://www.aliexpress.com/item/Cats-lov ... 80267.html (scroll pictures underneath to see some more cat bell toys) or http://www.personalised-pet-products.co ... rixie-4099 (this later version I took the drum like toys and flexible drinking straws and cut of about an 1" towards the flex end of the straw and then flexing it like a shepherd's crook I inserted two straws (separately) on each spoke wrapping the straw around the spoke and tying once the straw to the spoke and this can be a foot toy or hung on a play stand (I wouldn't put it in their cage as they string could be used to hang the bird) and mine IRNs sit above the toy and pull it up to themselves and chew on the straws.

I found this ball http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Small-Pink-Gr ... 0803055247 at Dollar Tree and I got 2 for a dollar (I think) even if it was one for a dollar it was worth it - it's a great toy once I put straws and popsicle sticks in it for them to play with.- if you click on the picture it will become bigger and hopefully you can see how I can take half cut drinking straws and I put 2 through the top side to side one way and then 2 the other way and then I take (I think) 11 half straws and put them diagonally around from top to bottom holes. Then I take 6 popsicles sticks and put them in behind the straws (3 on the top and 3 on the bottom) around the top and bottom stagger top and bottom and then I run a string in it (maybe I do the string first) and hang it or you can just use it as a foot toy. They love it!

Another great toy is what I call an octopus - I use a small wiffle ball and string hemp string in it - makes like 30 legs depending on your wiffle ball. I then string cut drinking straws and pony beads on each leg and knot the end of each string and my birds love sitting on top of their play stands pulling it up (or if it's in the cage) and chewing on it. It takes awhile to create it but with as many legs, they can chew for a long time on it and they do - I, also, put a piece of hemp through the call to hand it and I do it in such a way that I can turn the ball upside down (so that the inside legs are exposed) as the other legs get pretty nasty and I have further life to this toy - I hope all this helps. Oh, someone at another website suggested taking a ring (I am assuming like a plastic curtain rod ring that doesn't open - just a ring and larkhead knot (folding the string in half) to the ring and then do as I have done with the wiffle ball. This shows what I am talking about: The octopus is like this http://www.cheepparrottoysntips.com/leather.html see Greengard's Mr. Leather toy and if the stings were longer and then all you do is slip on pieces of drinking straws inter mixed with pony beads and knot the ends or someone used a curtain ring and larkhead knot the center of the strings and put the straws and pony beads on like you see here http://www.cheepparrottoysntips.com/quik1.html see Delta's straw toy.

Lastly, I just give them drinking straws cut in half and they love these as foot toys - they will fold them and chew on them for awhile. I hope this helps someone. Jan
jenica1026
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Re: Favorite Toy, Foraging and Play Stand Forum Topic Please

Post by jenica1026 »

Hi all,

Thanks to all who have viewed my post but I am wondering why you didn't respond by telling me about your IRN's favorite toy. I know IRNs are different and perhaps the toy your IRN(s) like, mine won't but our boys are molting, getting their rings in and screaming a lot. I mean they are not even looking at us screaming for something - they are facing the wall and screaming so I have to think it is do to new feathers coming in (perhaps like a baby teething) or the hormones raging. Right now they are quiet (sleeping) - thank the Lord it doesn't go on all day long but it is bad enough that I would like to find something to keep them busy and distracted such as a new toy - bought or handmade. They have a couple of foraging toys but they don't use them that much - even with peanut in plain sight, they are not continuing to figure out how to get it. So what have you done about getting them to forage and what do you like - homemade or bought. Please point me to web sites via links) to what these toys look like or if you made them, could you share a picture? Thanks, Jan

PS Yesterday between their spritz bath which they love - they put their wings out and lean down and move to get spritz all over with water - and Rise flying around and landing near me which I then offered my hand (still earning the right of trust) and he got up on it without biting hard and though he was leery, he let me tell him what a pretty bird/boy he is and "Hi" and he tested my hand again with biting softy a couple of times and then he eventually flew and I immediately got him and Shine a grape. I, also, think I hear them trying to talk - how long does it take to hear them say a word or phrase once they are working on it?
Melika
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Re: Favorite Toy, Foraging and Play Stand Forum Topic Please

Post by Melika »

Welcome to the forum. :) You might enjoy this topic: http://www.indianringneck.com/forum/vie ... f=3&t=5663

Sometimes, I know for myself anyway, I only have time for one or two actual posts but read through a lot of them. Things like this, which require some time and research, I will come back to next time I am online and have the time for it. So please be patient with us. :)
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InTheAir
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Re: Favorite Toy, Foraging and Play Stand Forum Topic Please

Post by InTheAir »

I meant to link this http://www.parrotenrichment.com/, but realised I was running late for work. That's my excuse for lurking.
I don't know about pvc, I just use natural wood as my guys love stripping the bark and snipping off twigs. Sapphire would chew jute or vetwrap if given access to it, so branches are best for my house.

Nila's current favourite activity is destroying little palm fronds, he is also a fan of small vine balls.
Sapphire just chews up anything in sight, pretty indiscriminately. Vegetables on a ss skewer keep her amused well, she seems compelled to destroy all of them, even the ones she doesn't like. Nila eats his favourites and leaves the rest.
Enrichment in our house is totally a study of one.

One thing I've noticed about foraging toys is that my birds need to have a strong reinforcement history with the toy before they develop persistence with it. When I introduce a new puzzle, I have it loaded so it is immediately available and some in the easiest chamber. I usually have to provide some verbal encouragement to get them working at the more challenging toys. Some toys they immediately take to and others take heaps of time. Nila has a treasure chest that he can't seem to solve unless someone is watching and encouraging him to keep trying. Maybe he is superstitious and thinks it only works when humans are present :wink: Both my birds do better with clear acrylic toys than coloured.

I don't know much about talking, it hasn't really interested me enough to study so I'm not much help on that front. Nila muttered until he got words right and Sapphire yelled her attempts. It felt like sapphire took forever to learn "What are you doing? " from Nila. I think it was a few months. Nila seems quicker, but that may be because he practises quietly when you aren't near him, ratger than screeching "Whating" in your face for what feels like hours. :lol:


I hope this long winded babbling was helpful. Btw lurking seems very popular on this forum.
jenica1026
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Re: Favorite Toy, Foraging and Play Stand Forum Topic Please

Post by jenica1026 »

Hi Melika and IntheAir

Thank you for responding and your comments. I want to be a good bird owner (or rather a good person who their birds own).

And as you can see I can't do Facebook as I just can't say "cool" (or short phases, etc.)- lol! I am glad to have found this group as I hope you all can teach me from your experience to help Rise and Shine (lutino boys) have the best life. Thanks again for your replies. Jan
jenica1026
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Re: Favorite Toy, Foraging and Play Stand Forum Topic Please

Post by jenica1026 »

Hi MissK and all,

Thanks - it would be funny if I could link you to a "Thanks" but I know of one - lol!

Several of the things I have read suggested baby toys so I went to Wal-Mart and found this
http://www.walmart.com/ip/Bright-Starts ... l/15769601 which I shuck while standing in the middle of the room and both Rise and Shine were "what is it? I want it!" and so I tied to a shoe string of items and hung it on their play stand so Shine jumped over and started pulling up the shoe strings until he got this new toy. He bit on it and looked at it and then dropped it down and pulled it up again - of course Rise was interested as well.

After awhile I heard one bird making a weird noise and looked up to see Shine on the cage top and cage door (it's open with a perch on the top of the door) and he was going round and round with his wings bowed out and talking to this new toy - I think he likes it- lol!


http://www.walmart.com/ip/Bright-Starts ... s/15769608 but then I found 10 (blue, yellow and red) assortment similar to this at Dollar Tree - the boys like taking the rings apart.

I, also, picked up a hamster wheel http://www.walmart.com/ip/Wild-Harvest- ... s/22027189 because of this Youtube video (well, I can't find the video that inspired me but I found these) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O6EMEtWVPJs and https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H5pwI__UYnw and https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HX6Gr3r15Q4 - we have parrotlets and I am hope they will have fun like these parakeets. Jan
jenica1026
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Re: Favorite Toy, Foraging and Play Stand Forum Topic Please

Post by jenica1026 »

Hi all,

I forgot to say that we got a cheap baseball cap at Wal-Mart yesterday as Shine likes biting on the bill of the cap and my husband other baseball caps were just yucky from sweat, etc. so we got a new one just for Shine to play with my husband.

It is sooo cute he bites on the bill and lifts up the cap (pushes it back on my husband's head). Then he will peer down under the bill and look at my husband (he will try to bite his nose so my husband is careful to lean back slowly and not let him get that close) up under the bill - kind of like "peekaboo". I told my husband when we thought Shine was a aggressive female (before his ring) that he was flirting with him.

Well, my husband just stopped playing with Shine (Rise wants to play but Shine won't let him) and put the hat on the T.V. and Shine is hanging on his cage looking for a way to get the hat. When the boys were in different areas of our livingroom, I asked my husband to let Rise have a chance to play bite the bill but within a couple of minutes, Shine flew over to and so even though Rise wants to play - Shine pushes he out of the way.

Well, I just wanted to give you another way to play with your IRN especially if they're not as friend to you like ours aren't yet but we are working on it. Jan
InTheAir
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Re: Favorite Toy, Foraging and Play Stand Forum Topic Please

Post by InTheAir »

:D cute
Sapphire likes playing ball for a hands off game. She has some big ones on the pool table and some little ones that aren't allowed to be on the pool table - they are for playing on the floor. My bf likes to put the little ones on the table when she isn't watching, I don't because if you get caught in the act she looks so annoyed as she dumps them on the floor! :lol: :lol: :lol:
The rules are that you have to watch and cheer while she rolls the big ones around. The little one she throws, pounces on and then throws it and looks at you, then it's your turn to throw it for her.
Donovan
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Re: Favorite Toy, Foraging and Play Stand Forum Topic Please

Post by Donovan »

So do you have trouble telling your birds apart sometimes or is it pretty easy just at a glance?

Rise and Shine.. great names btw
jenica1026
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Re: Favorite Toy, Foraging and Play Stand Forum Topic Please

Post by jenica1026 »

Hi IntheAir and Donovan and all,

Yes, we do have a problem telling the boys apart - right now Shine's ring is coming in better than Rise's but when both didn't have rings - I told the guy who had them that to me they looked just the same except when we first got them that Shine's tail was shorter which you all know doesn't take too long for their tails to grow back in from molting and that Shine acts like an aggressive female - it doesn't matter if I have two of whatever (one for him), he takes Rise's and then I give the other to Rise and depending on what it is, Shine may drop what he has to get Rise's again. So that is how I used to tell them apart except that Rise has a little bald spot on the back of his head so if I can see that (most of the time not), then I definitely can tell them apart. I had read somewhere that head shapes and beak size are another way to tell if you have a male vs a female but obviously, if this is true, I now know why I couldn't tell them apart.

Sapphire sounds like great fun - I love watching the boys play (most of the time independently of each other - unless Shine is trying to steal something Rise has) and it has been funny to see Shine dance and sing for this new baby teething toy (he did it again today). I think I would have to be like your boyfriend and put her little balls on the pool table (hoping not to be caught - I guess I would have my husband distract her while I did it much like we do one of our dachies to distract her when we steal a toy back that she took from her sister - it usually works - she is very smart - lol!).

Thanks, Donovan, for liking their names - Rise and Shine. They came to us named Banana and Banana Split, respectively, which I thought was cute but we called them Banana and Split and I thought when Split starts talking, we didn't want him to mispronounce his name as it could be embarrassing and hard to correct - probably Shine isn't much better but we hope so - lol! Their names are really Sunrise and Sunshine because of their bring yellow color like the sun of course. And when we liked their names and dropped the "sun" - I had to laugh because we had "Rise and Shine" - we just stumbled into it! We really aren't that clever sorry to say - lol!

Back to not telling them apart, if they weren't already a pair when we got them, I would have gotten a blue or green to go with a yellow - I hope we will be able to tell them apart once their rings come in fully - maybe their rings will look different - one can hope. I have heard that people who have twins (identical human babies) or siblings of twins (identical) and a twin can tell the difference between identical twins as they know what to look for. Perhaps they could tell our boys apart - lol! Jan
Melika
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Re: Favorite Toy, Foraging and Play Stand Forum Topic Please

Post by Melika »

Don't worry, as their personality continues comes out you will be able to tell them apart easily! Hane and Tsume were brothers from the same clutch, but completely different birds. They sat, flew, spoke, ate, and even slept differently. Most of the time we could tell at a glance just because of posture. Hane was always super-confident and stood like it, while Tsume was a little more shy so tended to shrink into himself a little more.

Just look for the differences, you'll find them!
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jenica1026
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Re: Favorite Toy, Foraging and Play Stand Forum Topic Please

Post by jenica1026 »

Hi all,

I have a new toy that your IRNs might like. I saw a video awhile back that showed a parrot using wooden clothes pins (without the metal - just twist them apart and take it) as foot toys. So while in Lowe's I pick some up and Rise and Shine really liked these and they last longer than popsicle sticks.

So today I took about 2 - 2 1/2 foot piece of sisal string and tied on half of the clothes pin on it at it's top indention and slipped on a drinking straw that I cut in fourths and then tied another 1/2 of a clothes pin, etc. and then I tied the two ends together making a necklace as such and hung it on their play stand. It was an instant hit!

If someone will tell me how to post a picture from on hard drive, I'll show you Rise playing with this toy. Also, I could not make the drum cat toy with drinking straws tied on the spokes fast enough for Rise - he was flying all around me like a dog excited to see his master - lol! I'll post a picture of this toy too if someone tells me how. Jan

BTW, if you are looking for something to do with the metal pieces taken from the clothes pins, here's a few videos - perhaps you have children or others that might like this necklace or bracelet (I was thinking to put pony beads or something on the bracelet:


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RHL_QM42qK0

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HWy5H1uqjI0

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UsKKFMrjuyg
jenica1026
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Re: Favorite Toy, Foraging and Play Stand Forum Topic Please

Post by jenica1026 »

Hi all,

For those who have read my posts on the 4 toys that I make for Rise and Shine before, there is no need to read all of this. I was just curious about my monetary cost for these toys and the up keep to re-make these toys so if you would like to know just look at the bolded title and the bolded cost to create and the cost to up keep. Otherwise, here's the message I have for those who don't know about these toys and their cost (note: I sometimes put the re-make cost first and then my original cost as some of these toys have parts that don't need to be re-purchased):

I just re-created more of the toys I put together and decided to see how much they cost me (my own time is not factored in but other than the octipus I make, these toys don't take more than 5 to 20 minutes to put together and you might be faster than I am so... Here's the cost I calculated (also, if your IRN doesn't like the toy don't think it is a waste because mine will ignore a toy and then all of a sudden see it and love it - like they haven't play with their balls lately but the last few days that's all they are playing with).

Straw/popsicle stick/ball- restock costs is 7.5 drinking straws 7.5x$0.02=$0.15
popsicle sticks 6x$0.012=$0.072 so total is $0.222 cents and my original cost for these balls and the extras was $0.722. I got these balls ( http://www.sourcingmap.com/pcs-dog-pupp ... 27206.html ) from the Dollar Tree for 2 to a pack for $1.00 have use re-used them many, many times so far. I have 8 of these hanging from various play stands. All of these toys I will mention are my IRNs favorite toys except for shoe lace toys I put together with balsa wood (that soft wood) but that is quite costly and various other things that I string on it like the munchy balls, pony beads, drinking straw parts (just about anything I put straws on they love) and other plastic, wood, etc. items)

Cat drum toy needs 12 drinking straws at 2 cents each so $0.24 cents
(I found the drum cat toy on sell with 2 of them in the pack and 2 balls for $2 to$3 and once again I have re-used these cat drum toys over and over as I only have 4 - I am going to seek out where I got them on sale to see if they can tell me where they got them or order more and let you know as I ones I got have a plastic bell inside and not a metal on which I think is safer for the birds)

Hemp cord clothes pin drinking straw toy (necklace) is a yard of hemp $0.1395 cents (if they don't chew it up like they did the sisal string, it can be reused)
Used drinking straws from cat drum toy (possibly ball) so no cost but I would say if you used new straws no more than 6 straws needed so $0.12 cents
4-6 clothes pins at $0.06 each so $0.24 to $0.36 cents
For a total of $0.14 plus $0.12 plus $0.24 to $0.36 or $0.50 to $0.62 cents (if you used recycles straws from the other toys, it's $0.38 to $0.50) for this toy and you might find a better price for clothes pins, drinking straws and hemp cord. So far I have been able to re-use most of the clothes pins and just replace "recycled" straws from the cat toys so the cost for re-used toy has been less than $0.24 -$036 if I had to replace the clothes pins and I hope the hemp cord since it is thicker will not be chewed up like the sisal rope and therefore no additional cost which this but I will let you know what I find out after Rise and Shine gives it their seal of approval - lol!

Octopus - I use a golf ball size whiffle ball which are 12 for $7.56 from here http://www.amazon.com/CSI-Plastic-Golf- ... +ball+size - so $0.63 cents per ball which is a one time cost and this ball could have 26 holes (the ones I use did and I use 2 create the hanging cord) and 24 for 12 strings of hemp cord of say 2' so at about $0.10 per string or $1.20 (I have restrung this hemp cord about 3-4 times thus far and expect to keep doing it - cutting off some from where the knot frase) I use recycle drinking straws from the Cat drum toy, etc. but if I used new straws I would probably use 36 straws at $0.02 cents each for a cost of $0.72 cents
Lastly, I string pony beads on the hemp but if the hemp is too big, I have cut the straws flexible part out of the straw and used that as a bead - just for fun my IRNs. I put depending on the lengths of cut straws about 6-10 per half of hemp cord so around 144 to 240 beads and so for a 1000 bead bag for $3.99
http://www.amazon.com/Pony-Beads-Multi- ... pony+beads the cost would be $0.57 - $0.96
For a total cost of this toy $3.12 to $3.51 - now this toy is labor intensive but you can watch T.V., etc. while you put it together and thankfully it's a toy that will last a long time as you can flip it upside down and let your bird have the inside legs and thus far I made 4 of these about a month ago and haven't flipped the it upside down yet. The cost to maintain this toy would be the cost of additional drinking straws so for $0.72 and your time, it is a great toy for your bird.

Where to find the parts and cost used:

clothes pins 2.98 (Lowes)
http://www.lowes.com/pd_350303-28888-00 ... 174&rpp=32
colored popsicle sticks 1.00 (Dollar Tree) (I think 120 in the pack)
http://www.amazon.com/Craft-Popsicle-St ... cle+sticks
hem rope 64.5 yard 9.00 http://www.walmart.com/ip/Natural-Polis ... d/17354456

drinking straws $2.00 for 100 at Wal-mart like this http://www.amazon.com/Flexible-Disposab ... ws+plastic

Sorry to those of you who think I am beating a dead horse but just thought I would like to see how much we are spending on Rise and Shine toys and as you can see, it isn't much and they are passed out at the moment from all the playing they have done already to day and a busy bird is a quiet bird - lol! Jan

PS These toys are hung on their play stands with a piece of string so they can lift it up to where they are seated and play (as they like to be on the top of the play stands). If you were going to put these in their cage, be careful of how long the string (might use chain) is to hang them as birds have been know to hang themselves if they get caught in a toy and I would hate for that to happen to anyone's baby! Otherwise, you could just use these toys other than the octopus as foot toys - mine make then that when they pull them off the play stands and/or just supervised toys while they are out with you.
jenica1026
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Re: Favorite Toy, Foraging and Play Stand Forum Topic Please

Post by jenica1026 »

Hi all,

You might be sick of hearing about the toys I make but I did say I would update you on the cat drum toy. So to find more for myself, I went back to Pet Supplies Plus and asked about this toy to see if they could order it since they have not gotten any more in.

It turns out that this toy (2 drums and 2 balls - these can be used to make octopi so I must have purchased them originally for the balls and then thought of a toy to make with the drums) is their brand "Missy" and it just says "cat toy" on it. The website doesn't have this toy package listed so if you have a "Pet Supplies Plus" near you, you should hopefully find them.

Our store hasn't had them lately (not been restock for some reason) and they called the other store in town and I was able to get a couple more packages.

Well, I just thought I would update you - oh, and these toy packs with 4 toys were $1.95 so I got each toy for $0.50 and as I say, they are re-useable just add straws - lol! Jan
Donovan
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Re: Favorite Toy, Foraging and Play Stand Forum Topic Please

Post by Donovan »

post pics.. i like new toy ideas.. i have a bird who isn't impressed with anything lately
jenica1026
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Re: Favorite Toy, Foraging and Play Stand Forum Topic Please

Post by jenica1026 »

Hi all,

I finally got a video for you all to see the boys (Rise and Shine) playing with their toys and you can see what I made for them.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EXZiBo_ ... e=youtu.be

Enjoy, Jan
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