Parrot Toys — What are they for?

Some birds become dull and lethargic, others begin to fumble and sort out feathers (which turns into a very bad habit and often causes self-plucking). Fun toys are the answer to the above problems. By providing your bird with hours of entertainment and exercise, you help your bird stay fit and healthy through toys. As a pet in captivity, birds do not have the opportunity to fully do what they do in the wild. When observing wild parrots, it was noticed that after the priority of collecting food and sleeping, play time comes in second place. In the wild, parrots are very active and playful. They are engaged in stripping the bark, biting off twigs and leaves, followed by tossing, swinging on vines and vines. And we should not forget that our pets in this respect are no different from their wild counterparts. Playing with toys is a vital substitute for natural behaviors such as foraging, building a nest, and interacting with a pack. Toys perform several important functions:

“In young birds, playtime is part of the learning process in which birds begin to identify textures, colors, and shapes.
It also helps develop coordination and agility. Interaction with various objects at a young age helps the bird to become self-confident.

“Toys provide an outlet for natural aggression and an opportunity to expend energy through exercise. Toys can also help redirect aggression from owners to other objects.

— Changing toys improves mental health and gives the bird a sense of independence, making it self-sufficient. Birds provided with many toys are less self-centered and exhibit less negative behaviors such as: self-pinching and self-mutilation, screaming when not paying attention, fear of unknown objects, aggressiveness towards people, damage to property.

Focusing parrots on themselves, without providing conditions for exercise, entertainment, comfort — will lead to boredom, depression, poor physical and mental condition.
The bird should have a wide variety of toys. It is also recommended to change them weekly to stimulate curiosity and prevent boredom.

How to choose the right toys for a parrot?

When choosing toys, you should always remember that bird toys are much more than just toys!
A toy must meet the needs and interests of your parrot. It reflects to some extent his personality. The key to choosing the right toy is observing your bird. After all, each bird has a preference for certain materials, colors, textures and shapes. Always keep this in mind when observing how the bird interacts with toys and other items in the house. Perhaps your bird likes:
✅ Chew, nibble, preen, play with a shadow, dig through boxes or take apart toys
✅ hang upside down or climb curtains
✅ hold objects in the paw or throw them
✅ tear and shred paper
✅ solve puzzles
✅ make holes in fabrics or untie knots
✅ shiny items
✅ play with bells or other objects that make sounds.
Answering these questions will help you choose a toy that matches your bird’s preferences and interests.

chewing toys:

Gnawing is the main activity of birds in the wild, especially during the breeding season when the birds are actively nesting in tree trunks. It is imperative that birds are provided with wooden chewing toys at all times. Wood toys will provide your parrot with hours of chewing and chewing pleasure. Do not be upset that the bird destroys them. This means that they are beneficial to her. For large parrots, toys made of hard wood are suitable. Soft toys such as pine, vine, apple tree, etc. are perfect for small parrots. A good and useful chewing toy is obtained from sepia, or as it is also called, “cuttlefish shell”.

Training toys:

People use a lot of simulators so that all the muscles of the body receive a load. The same applies to birds. Pet birds are in great need of a variety of exercise toys that will train muscles in various parts of the body. Various types of swings will perfectly develop the ability to balance, and ladders, nets and ropes will make the bird move more and develop tenacity, strengthening the strength of the fingers.

Mechanical toys and manipulator toys:

Birds are very intelligent and curious creatures. Many of them really enjoy untying knots, turning nuts and bolts in cages. Puzzles and toys that require manipulation should be challenging enough. They will stimulate such birds to think and train the body.

Filled toys:

Toys with paper or fabric, rope filler are suitable for birds who love to constantly touch and pull the feather, preventing or distracting them from this very bad habit.

Paw toys:

The paw of a parrot can very skillfully take and hold small objects. These are small, lightweight toys that a parrot can manipulate and chew on. Such toys develop paw dexterity very well and the bird gets a lot of pleasure from gnawing and chewing.

Comfort toys:

In the wild, birds often contact their relatives, cuddling up to them while sitting on branches or in a nest. In a cage, some birds, especially when they are alone, like to snuggle up or crawl into something soft and cozy. This reduces their stress and gives them a sense of security. This type of toys includes various rings with thick and soft windings, pipes-tunnels.

Choosing a safe toy. Materials for toys.

The safe play of a parrot depends entirely on its owner. Choosing the right toy is one way to help keep our birds healthy and safe from injury.
There are several factors to consider when choosing a safe toy for your bird:
✅ Suitable size
✅Materials and design
✅ What kind of toys does the bird prefer and the style of its play.

Any toy can be dangerous if the size is not correct. For example, a toy intended for a small bird often contains components that may present a choking hazard to large birds. Conversely, toys designed for large birds may present a pinching hazard for small birds. Small, brittle plastic parts may be ideal for a small bird, but are easily shattered into sharp pieces by the force of a large parrot’s beak.

Wood:

Birds are constantly nibbling and chewing. And wood is a great material to meet these natural needs. Parrots most often play with wooden toys. Wooden toys are meant to be destroyed. Some bird owners may be frustrated by the destructive activities of their parrots. However, we must accept that nibbling and chewing is a natural instinct that is vital to the psychological and physical health of the bird. And if you give your parrot only acrylic, plastic toys, believe me, they will find another, more expensive, way to satisfy their needs (doors, furniture, etc.). It is important to know which wood is safe for your bird. For the manufacture of toys, both soft and hard woods are used. Birds are able to distinguish colors, so the color makes wooden toys more attractive and interesting for birds. Manufacturers usually color the wood with food or vegetable dyes. Do not buy scented wooden toys. Flavorings often contain fruit sugars, which are an ideal breeding ground for bacteria, and the scent will encourage birds to ingest pieces of wood.

Ropes:

Only 100% natural fibers must be used in toys. These are cotton, hemp (jute), sisal, hemp. Synthetic ropes and ropes should never be used as they can cause serious injury and cuts due to the strength of the threads, if the bird gets tangled in them, chewed such threads can become “needles” inside the bird. Bird owners are required to check rope toys daily. And if they are very disheveled, then you can cut them or throw them away altogether.

Chains:

Chain links should be well soldered, not have pointed joints, “burrs” and cracks. Make sure the link sizes are adequate for your bird. If the link is very small, then the bird may break fingers or paws stuck in it. Long chains are also dangerous, as active play can cause the chain to wrap around the bird’s neck.

Plastic in parrot toys:

When buying a toy with plastic components, the bird owner must consider the quality of the plastic. You should not buy toys made of thin, brittle plastic, because when they break, sharp cutting edges are formed and, if accidentally swallowed, this can lead to ruptures and injuries to internal organs. Plastic toys intended for small parrots should not be given to large birds.

Rings:

When choosing a toy with rings or plastic chains, make sure the rings are large enough so that the bird’s head cannot get stuck there.

The topic of toys for parrots is no less important than the topics of nutrition and feeding of parrots. Some owners can spend hours playing with their birds, teaching them to speak, sing, whistle. But still, most owners work and their pets are forced to be alone for hours. Sometimes the cause of boredom is a lack of attention from a person. Let it be half an hour a day, but the bird will understand that she is not alone, that she is needed and loved.