Parrots are probably one of the smartest birds, and therefore they constantly need some interesting and exciting lesson. We cannot spend all our time with them, so toys have a valuable function of keeping birds in captivity happy and less prone to developing undesirable behavior, such as plucking, shouting, or repetitive movements.
Unfortunately, for most parrots, the usual way to play is to chew on any favorite item, and if you buy the toys they need, the costs become global. Using a little ingenuity and at the same time receiving a lot of pleasure, you can create toys from household items, natural and improvised materials, while not spending money.
Interesting ideas for making toys with their own hands
Wire Climbing Hanger
This toy will appeal to your pet most. Most of the cells are not large enough, and such a toy, without taking up much space, will allow the area for climbing a parrot to increase.
- To the ceiling of the cage you need to hang a hook.
- Next, three loops are made that cling to each other.
- You can attach any treats for your pet along the entire length of such a liana. And you can focus only on the bottom of such a hanger and tie the treat just below.
Ropes in the house, aviary and aviary
In a room where birds can move outside the cage, on the hooks attached to the wall, you must install handrails. The ropes are attached on both sides. Thus, the cable installed in a suspended state can be removed when your bird has played enough and is in the cage again.
House wavy parrots with pleasure will play for hours on the ropes, rocking merrily. As soon as they stop climbing the rope back and forth and swing, it's time to let them rest. Parrots can be closed in a cage, and the ropes clean up until the next walk of the birds. The same, but smaller, ropes can be hung in the aviary.
Before choosing a rope for a parrot swing, you should carefully inspect the rope for scuffs, because the bird can catch its leg and injure the neck.
Homemade toys for walking
Wrap the treat or toy in wicker material and hang it in a cage. Instead of woven material, you can use leaves of harmless plants or pine cones, small boxes that are used for storing tablets and other similar household items.
Parrots will be happy to play with food wrapped in a wicker mat and suspended from the ceiling of the cage, like kids with Christmas gifts.
Parrots often prefer to pack a toy or treat inside.
Balsam toys are sold and are expensive, but parrots love walnut, they also like soft wood. By the way, you can buy balsa wood at a store selling materials for artisans.
Willow wreath
- Make a hard wire circle and make sure the ends are securely connected. You can also use a hoop if there is enough space in the cage to hang it. You will need from 20 to 50 willow twigs to form a soft and beautiful wreath from 30 cm to 2 m.
- You can remove the leaves of willow from twigs, and you can leave. Twigs of willow need to be wound on a wire circle or hoop.This is an easy exercise that will take about 40 minutes of your time. The ends of the twigs can be tied with a thin wire. The next day, wire mounts can be unwound, willow twigs retain their shape.
- You can hang a treat, flowers or small toys on such a finished wreath from natural materials. If you hang roses, your parrots will be happy to tear off and there are petals of flowers.
The willow wreath itself will last longer than three months if a lot of threads are woven into it. Wreaths smaller in size can be made for cells.
Home swing
Any tube with a hole through which you can pass a wire or rope will be suitable for making swings, where your parrots will happily swing or just sit. For hanging, you can use a rope, a chain or a plastic chain, which can always be purchased at a hardware store. Birds love to rock. Wild birds swing in the trees, and this behavior is considered natural in domestic parrots.
Flowers
Birds love to chew flowers. In the diet of many wild birds are only flowers. If you use plants not from your own garden, but purchased ones, then it is advisable to thoroughly wash them in order to wash off the existing preservative or insecticide.
Some flowers are poisonous, such as dope, laburnum and digitalis.
Holly and poinsettia are also not recommended for parrots. In fact, treating your pet with flowers, you will soon understand which of the flowers is his favorite.
Foliage
If your house is located outside the city and is surrounded by its own garden, your parrot is very lucky, because you will not be difficult to collect dandelions, cut off young willow twigs or collect fresh acorns for birds. In comparison with urban greenery, the foliage outside the city does not contain hazardous insecticides and is not impregnated with exhaust gases.
In aviaries, shy birds are obviously happier when they have the opportunity to hide in green foliage. For city dwellers, there is such wonderful advice as growing your parrot's favorite greenery at home on a balcony, in clay pots. If it is not known where the foliage that you are going to add to the cage of a parrot is, then it is best to wash it beforehand.
In no case for disinfection of toys for birds do not use chemicals, household cleaners or bleach, for example.
Birds love branches. Disinfect sprigs if they have any insects or herbicides.. By the way, snags that were once brought into a house from the beach, for example, will become not only an excellent element of the decoration of an open-air cage or a large cage - birds will be happy to climb them.
Carton boxes
Small cardboard boxes will be a great toy for a parrot. Birds love to play with them. You can make a small nesting box out of a cardboard box, and you will see with what pleasure your parrot will climb it and stay there during the day. Birds will not only hide in such a cardboard box, but also gladly crack and tear the paper.
Books
It does not say that you need to release your favorite birds for a walk in the home library. The best options are an old book or reference book that can be hung in a cage. Your parrot will be happy and spend many happy hours doing the tearing and shredding of book pages.
Recommendations
Toys with tiny details should be avoided, of course, unless they are made of wood. Some owners of parrots, considering the stuffing of soft toys dangerous, do not give them to their winged pets. In fact, even soft toys can be given to parrots for playing, only you need to be careful: when the toy is torn, and the internal filler comes out, the toy will need to be removed from the cage.
Young parrots really like to cuddle up to a soft toy, maybe because it reminds them of a brother or sister with whom they grew up in a nest.
If you want to protect your birds, then do not buy things that do not have a label with the inscription or logo "Safe."
Shy birds
Some poultry who are not familiar with toys, because they are still very young, will be afraid of everything new and strange.
Older individuals already have the experience and therefore can teach the younger ones how to play with toys as easily and with pleasure.
Fear of toys is overcome by patience. Put the toy in a cage so that your bird can see it. At the same time you need to observe the behavior of the parrot, which by body language will tell you that you put the toy too close, and because of this it is not very comfortable.
Every day, the toy can be pushed closer and closer. In the end, most birds will accept a strange thing. Just do not need to hurry.
You can also play with a new toy in front of a parrot. It may take a few days before your bird starts playing with the toy.
And finally, know that your bird's favorite toy is yourself. Therefore, more often communicate with your feathered friend and give him more of your attention and time.
To learn how to make toys for a parrot with your own hands, see below.
