Types and choice of toys for a parrot

A parrot is an interesting and smart bird. The owner of such a pet should understand that it is not enough just to close the parrot in the cage - you need to provide him with an interesting pastime so that the pet does not get bored.

These birds are quite active and talkative. They love the attention of the owner and yearn for solitude. It is worthwhile to carefully look at the behavior of the parrot in order to understand whether it needs a particular toy, what shape, size, etc. it should have.

It is worth buying a toy if the parrot:

• likes to climb the curtain;
• can hang upside down on a chandelier;
• often chewing, chewing, or tearing something;
• likes to look in the mirror and preen;
• considers his shadow and plays with it;
• likes to drag an item from one place to another, or even hides it;
• takes things out of a box, drawer, etc .;
• likes to consider something brilliant;
• it is attracted by ringing and rustling sounds;
• holds paw various little things;
• holds and throws objects;
• likes to roll round things;
• unravels the nodes.

In order not to get confused in the assortment of stores, you should know what this or that toy is focused on - the development of intellectual abilities or for a sports pastime of a pet. The main types of toys.

• Feed or developing. These are peculiar puzzles that parrots really like to solve.Often some kind of delicacy is hidden inside such toys, and the bird must, with the help of its ingenuity, get to it.
• Training apparatus. Such toys are needed for the parrot to train its wings, legs and other muscles. These birds, as a rule, skillfully cling, balance, so it is better to equip the cage with swings and stairs.
• The bogeyman. Parrots often chew or chew on something, so it’s better to add special toys to the cage so that the bird does not spoil the furniture and other household items. Such gizmos are usually made of wood and contribute to the development of the jaw joints of the pet. But the term of use of such a toy is short. For budgerigars, for example, you can choose a rattle from an apple tree or pine.
• For outdoor activities. The parrot will surely like all kinds of coils, for example, the penguin on wheels tumbler, which the bird will be happy to roll. Parrots are very active and they need to show their sports skills.
• Musical. If the owner will not be embarrassed by periodic noise, then you can please the feathered pet with a bell or a rattle. And for large parrots, special toys that sound when you press the button are suitable.
• Mirror. This accessory is already considered an inseparable element in the cage. It is believed that a budgie is interested in spending time with his reflection while the owner is not at home or he is busy with household chores. Some experts believe that reflection in the end can replace a parrot with a person, but the owners of these birds do not agree with this statement. In their experience, the mirror only contributes to the development of communication skills in the parrot.
• Cozy toys. To make the feathered friend comfortable and safe, you can add tunnels, various rings with windings and even whole houses to the cage.
• Game stand. Some owners, to please their feathered pets, acquire a whole game complex, where there are ladders, swings, crossbars and other toys. Usually this design is installed on top of the cage or on any surface in the apartment. With a playground, the feathered pet will definitely have no time to be bored.

To make the toy not only interesting, but also safe, ornithologists recommend the following.

• Pay attention to the manufacturer, composition and material. The main thing is safety. A bird can gnaw a toy, and it is necessary that there are no harmful dyes in it. It is worth paying attention to the quality of the plastic (if the accessory is made of it). The parrot runs the risk of choking with plastic if it bites off a piece of the toy. If the product is rope, then it is worth checking whether there are sticking threads. It is important to pay attention to the size of the holes in the toy, otherwise the parrot's beak can get stuck in them. It is better not to purchase toys with small parts, so that the feathered pet inadvertently does not swallow them.
• Don't be limited to one toy. I’ll get bored quickly, so you should buy a variety of accessories. You can periodically change one toy to another or place them in new places. Then the bird will remain interested.
• In the pursuit of diversity, you don’t need to strive to hammer the whole cage with toys. The parrot will simply have nowhere to turn around and flap its wings. The best option for the cell will be two or three accessories.
• Toys must be selected taking into account the size of a feathered friend. If the parrot is small, then it will be difficult for him to play with a large object. And toys for large parrots should not be too small, otherwise they will easily break a thing, without even having time to really play with it.
• Care for the toy is also necessary. The hosts regularly wash items and sanitize them so that organic residues do not accumulate there and mold does not appear. If the toy is already pretty battered, it is better to throw it away.
• If you immediately hang the accessory in a cage, this can cause fright to a feathered pet, therefore it’s better to get used to the new toy first.
• It is important to show the parrot what to do with the subject, how to play with it. Accustoming a bird to a new toy is easy - parrots are great imitators, so the owner should only demonstrate the sequence of actions once. But it’s important not to scare away the bird. For each attempt to show interest in the subject, the pet should be encouraged with a treat.

Toys for medium, small and large parrots can be made from improvised means. But when choosing materials and manufacturing it is worth remembering safety.

How to make a swing.

• It will be necessary to stock up on a wire, a perch, beads or buttons.
• The length of the wire is calculated taking into account the mounting hole.
• After this, two holes for fasteners are made to the bucket.
• Beads or buttons are put on the wire, and the ends of the wire are fixed in pre-prepared holes on the perch at the bottom.
• Then the wire with the beads strung on it is shaped like a circle and the structure is fixed in a cage. Swing is ready!

How to make a bungee with a bell.

• You need to stock up on a rope (five millimeters thick), beads, a metal bell, a perch.
• It is necessary to put a bead on the rope, then make a knot, then put on the bead again.
• At the bottom is fixed a bell and the bell itself is attached.
• The rope is attached on top of the cage. A musical toy for a feathered pet is ready!

How to make a spiral staircase.

• You need to take a plastic bottle (half a liter), sand (suitable for river or sea), rods - five millimeters thick - with pointed ends, a few nuts, a colored wrapper.
• To begin with, the sand is thoroughly washed and calcined in a pan.
• The bottle is pasted over with a bright packaging wrapper so that it arouses interest in the parrot.
• At the bottom of the bottle should be a few nuts for structural stability.
• Further, sand is poured, and the bottle is tightly wrapped in a lid.
• Then, several holes for twigs erupt in the bottle; they should not fall out and turn.
• You can make a rope ladder, using a rope and several wooden poles. Parrots really like climbing stairs to the top and going down.

How to make a rattle:

• such a thing can be made from improvised items, for example, from a plastic container, where there used to be a toy from Kinder;
• several buttons or beads are placed there;
• feathered pets really like the sounds that rattles make, so using such a simple toy you can take a bird for a long time.

See how to make toys for a parrot with your own hands in the next video.