Birds Just Wanna Have Fun

The bird toy is an essential accessory for anyone who has a pet bird and in fact you should have more than one toy to keep your feathered friend amused. Birds are incredibly smart and get bored very easily so if you don’t provide them with some amusement they may turn to destructive behavior such as pulling out their feathers. It’s critical to have good toys for your bird in order to provide him with a happy healthy environment.

When choosing toys for your bird, however, you need to take some considerations in mind to be sure you get toys that are a good fit for the type of bird you have. One thing to consider is size. A toy designed for a small parakeet might not be safe for large parrot because his more powerful beak can break off pieces that he might ingest. Alternately, a large parrot toy might hold little interest for small parakeet who won’t be able to use it properly.

The smaller birds like swings and Olympic rings and will actively swing on them having a grand old time. The bigger birds don’t seem to take to swings as much but some of do enjoy them. Ladders are always a popular choice no matter what size bird you have it if your cage has room for them please do include them.

For larger birds a great bird toy is a puzzle or maize toy - especially the ones where you can put something inside and if you fill it with their favorite nut it will really keep them busy. They also like toys that have knots which they can exercise their strong beaks by unknotting and generally any toy where they have to use their mind to figure out how to use is a good choice.

Some birds naturally like to pluck and these birds can enjoy toys that can be preened. If you busy them with these toys they will spend less time plucking out their own feathers. You can buy preening strips made with cotton fabric that will keep your bird busy. Keep a close watch on the toy though if it becomes frayed you want remove it right away so that the bird does not become tangled in the strings.

Birds are much like small children and so it’s no surprise that the play gyms are a very popular toy with any bird as long as you get a size that is suited to the type of bird you have. You can get gyms that are very elaborate with all kinds of things or just ones that have a simple ladder and swing.

As mentioned, birds do become bored easily and that’s why you want to get your pet more than one bird toy. In fact, don’t put all the toys in the cage at once - save some out and when your bird becomes bored with the ones you’ve given him then you can switch up the toys he has with the ones you’ve set aside. Give the ones he’s been using a good cleaning and set those aside until you becomes bored with the ones you just gave him. This way he’ll have an endless supply of new toys for his constant amusement.

Your New Bird Comes Home

Adopting a pet bird can be exciting for you, but it can be stressful for the bird especially if he is a hand fed baby. Imagine being taken from the only environment you’ve ever known and put in some strange place with a bunch of strangers. Sound stressful, huh? Luckily there are some things you can do to help your new baby bird adjust.

Knowing that your new bird was coming, you should already have his cage and accessories waiting and ready. Be sure to put the cage in an area that does not get too much traffic or have a lot going on. You don’t want him to be isolated and away from the family, but you also don’t want a lot of stuff going on around him that can startle and confuse him. Choose an area that he can interact with the family but won’t be startled by sudden movements or loud noises.

Take your bird to an avian veterinarian to make sure he is healthy and get him on a schedule for checkups. The bet will check for contagious diseases, bacterial infections and worms. If you have purchases the bird from a reputable breeder all this may have been done - find out what veterinarian your breeder used and check to be sure your bird is in tip top shape (you might even continue using this vet if you don’t already have one of your own).

Your pet bird can be a bit nervous the first few days and if he doesn’t start eating after a day or so, offer him some spray millet. This stuff is like dessert for birds and this will surely tempt him. If your bird is a newly weaned baby and he keeps making a squalling noise, he may require some hand feeding for a few days.

Pay attention to your new bird, but don’t overwhelm him. Spend no more than ten minutes a time with him. You might want to leave him in the cage for the first few weeks, but if you let him out and he continually flies away and you end up chasing him, put him back in the cage until he calms down. The constant chasing is stressful for birds.

Having a pet bird can be a great experience, just be sure you acclimate him to your home and family properly and you’ll have a new friend that will give you joy for many year