There are all sorts of toys on the market for our companion parrots such as swings, foot toys, trick toys, hanging toys, bells, and easy-to-chew-and-destroy toys.
It is vital that parrots have toys to play with to keep their minds active and occupied. Stress caused by boredom in parrots is very common, and lack of entertainment can cause a bored bird to develop some severe behavioral problems.
Parrot toys can be fairly inexpensive and you can even make your own. Custom-made toys for your pet bird are an especially good idea when you know exactly what your bird likes.
You can make more complicated designs if you’re creative, but remember to make sure the materials you are using are not harmful to the bird (they will not ingest anything poisonous to them) and that the toy cannot injure them (by getting their feet caught in it or hurting themselves on sharp edges, etc).
Making toys for your parrot
Bird toys are pretty expensive for all that they are, which is some wood, some cord or leather, and a little bit of plastic. While some toys are designed for a bird to play on, most are designed for a bird to play with, that is, to chew.
Most parrots are big chewers. Toys to hang on are great, but toys that can be ripped apart are better, and toys that can be hung on and ripped apart are the best. But don’t forget, for such a smart bird as a parrot, teaching them new things to do can be just as fun for them as a new toy!
And for you, it’s a good way to develop positive interactions with your pet. You may think that petting their head is all there is to it, but your bird is really paying a lot of attention to you and would LIKE to learn things from you. You are your bird’s flock leader, after all! So take advantage of this and train your bird to do things that amuse you, like fetching and playing dead.
Hand-made cheap toy ideas for your parrot
Try ripping up long strips of plain paper and weaving them in and out of the bars on your parrots’ cage. Your bird will have plenty of fun pulling out the strips one by one and shredding them into pieces. A flattened toilet roll tube provides lots of chewing fun too
Many parrots that I have met seem to have had a fetish for toothbrushes. Possibly because they’re easy to hold and they like the texture of the bristles? I don’t really know, but when you finish with your toothbrush, hand it over to your pet bird
When my Grey is out of his cage and starts getting ‘fidgety’, the best and pretty much the only way I can keep him entertained while my back is turned to give him something to get his beak into! He will spend ages ripping things to pieces.