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Bird Toys
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Birds are highly intelligent animals. They can make great companions if they are properly cared for. Because birds are so intelligent they need lots of mental stimulation and enrichment. Without playtime birds may become restless. Restlessness leads to bad behaviors such as screaming and plucking.
Providing toys for a pet bird can sometimes be tricky though. Birds can be fickle and what one bird may enjoy another won’t. They can become bored with a certain toy as well. It’s a good idea to have several toys on hand and to rotate them about once a month.
Introducing a new toy can also be a challenge. Many birds like parrots are territorial and can be suspicious of a new toy. The toy must be introduced slowly to prevent undue stress to the animal. Start by just having the toy in the room where they can see it. The toy should be placed by people so that the bird can recognize that the toy will cause no harm. Day by day move the toy closer to the cage.
Place the toy by the bottom of the cage but not yet in the cage. The next step is to place the toy on the outside of the cage near the area where it will be hung inside the cage. After a day or two on the outside, if the bird shows interest or no aversion to the toy then the toy may be placed in the cage. The bird should be supervised with the toy for several days to make sure he is not eating or destroying it.
Selecting safe bird toys can be difficult. Severe injuries and even death can result from unsafe toys. Choosing the right size of toy is very important. If the toy is too large the bird could be entangled, conversely if the toy is too small it may be ingested.
Bird toys need to be checked for three things before they are purchased: toxicity, danger of entanglement, and danger of ingestion. The metal in the toys should be made from stainless steel or nickel-plated. No bird toy should ever contain lead or zinc. If the toy is made from wood it should be untreated or dyed only with vegetable dyes.
Chain toys can pose an entanglement hazard. Links in chains may snag toenails or beaks. Chain toys should only be made with C-links or quick links. Rope toys also risk entanglement, if the rope is made from cotton the beak or toes can become snagged. Sisal rope is a much safer alternative.
Birds naturally crave stimulation similar to the activities they would pursue in the wild. Nest building, foraging, and preening are all behaviors they exhibit. Wood toys are good for chewing and building beak strength just supervise the bird to make sure it’s not ingested. Paper or straw gives them a material to shred which simulates nest building.
A feather toy will give the bird a pretend flock mate to preen if he lives by himself. Foraging toys such as puzzle balls will especially stimulate the bird as they look for the treat hidden inside. Parakeets like mirrors and so do some other breeds. Colorful toys will also attract and entertain, especially red, yellow, and orange.
Other toys encourage exercise. Weighted toys such as colorful blocks help build birds’ strength. A bird gym is also good for exercise, composed of several perches, swings, and toys to keep him busy for hours. Large spring-like perches called boings are also a big hit especially among parrots. The birds enjoy bouncing on these perches.
Safety should be the top concern when choosing new toys. Again, supervise the bird with the new toy to make sure the bird is not eating it and to make sure there is no risk of becoming entangled. Soiled toys should be cleaned as soon as possible in a mild solution of hot water with one drop of dish soap. They will need to be thoroughly rinsed and dried before they are given back to the bird.
Bird toys keep birds happy and entertained. It may take some experimenting to find which toy works best with each bird. Don’t give up if the bird doesn’t seem to be enjoying a toy, just try another alternative. Some birds can be very particular and it can boil down to something as simple as the color of the toy. Be patient and with some trial and error a few great toys can be found to keep both the bird and his owner entertained.
