ToysToysToys
Dishes of foot-
Always rotate the toys when you see that some item no longer provides the fun that
it used to.
Each of my parrots has a "toy dish" that is repacked for them each day.
When I return home it has been dismantled, opened, items sometimes destroyed, and
all the hidden treats found...
ParrotBits used to manufacture toys for sale to the public. The benefit of these ideas are reflected in the ‘examples’ links below for any parrot lover to utilise.
Copyright 2004 ParrotBits
____________________________________________________________________
Make your own Parrot's Toys _____________________________________________________________________
Never discard pieces of broken plastic toys. Keep a box or bag of these items for
later use
Keep the inside cardboard roll of all paper towels. (Do not use toilet rolls are
they have been exposed to high volumes of e-
The toys that most parrots seem to favour are the ones that cost the least to make. Hide
a treat in a cardboard ball, or block a small length of tube at either end. The treat
may either be edible -
Tops from spice bottles, small plastic tablet bottles, fancy tops from milk and Yogi sip bottles etc. once they have been VERY thoroughly cleaned can make imaginative toys. Tops from perfumed or scented items should have absolutely no scent left on them before use, and need to be thoroughly washed before use
Coloured Plastic Bottle Tops Cardboard
Some parrots are wary and even frightened of change and new items. Always introduce new toys slowly. Turn the item over in your hand while the parrot is watching you. Show how interested you are, but leave the item at least a meter away from the parrot's cage. Return to the item, and lift it up, and handle it. Do this a few times. If the parrot seems unafraid take it closer to him. Only let him beak the item if he seems unafraid.
Introduce new toys regularly, as parrots soon become bored with their playthings. Rotate toys, as something that may have been quite boring and dull to the parrot 6 or 8 weeks previously can become the favoured toy again.
Always take great care when making toys to check for safety features.
Avoid using any item where a parrot could get a claw caught.
Cable ties are very useful in toy making, but they do pose the risk of a parrot getting a claw caught.
A parrot panics easily if they think they can’t escape, and may break a toe or leg in trying to escape from being caught in a toy. Toys with this should only be used when supervised.
Wire is dangerous for 2 reasons. First there are the sharp ends that can seriously injure your parrot, and secondly it could contain a metal that could poison your parrot. Copper, zinc and other "heavy" metals can kill birds if ingested.
Wooden toys should only be made from "bird safe" trees. This excludes some fruit trees, as their woods contain arsenic at certain times of the year. (peach, plum)
Scrub the wood thoroughly after spraying with diluted bleach -
Never use commercial glue of any description for toys as they are always chewed. Fold, bend, or peg toys. Alternatively use good quality food colouring to dye woods or leather. Only use natural leathers, and ensure that they have not been chemically treated. Branches and wood should not have been exposed to chemical garden sprays and poisons.
Plastic pegs without any metal clip are an all-
Knotted rope may make an interesting climbing item. Use only natural fibre ropes.
(Nylon splinters off to glass-
Small cardboard boxes make wonderful mystery containers. Put a small piece of an old broken toy, or a nut in one, and wedge it between the bars of the cage.
Keep a toy box for your companion parrot, as toys prevent them becoming bored, and a parrot that can play with it’s own toys does not demand so much of your time or attention.