Senegal Parrot Question

[1MrsMagoo]

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Great deal on your cages. I always try to think like the critters so I can learn to deal with them in ways they'll understand. Knowing the why of biting is very important: Thank you for that....it is very good to know.

 

[Stacykins]

The setup you and your husband are planning sounds like a dream come true for your sennie! Good luck with the project

 

[1MrsMagoo]

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thanks stacykins. While we were up watching chicks hatch in our bator last night....he began talking like he doesn't want to wait. He was saying something about heat bulbs and insulation and going ahead and building the aviary before we start the porch enclosure....which would be GREAT. Fingers are crossed that we aren't too busy and can get it rolling sooner than anticipated. Have a super weekend and thanks for all the input.


Oh, one other thing....what are some good toys that your birds like? Their are so many on the market and I'm just not sure what to get for him????

 

[bagendhens]

my macaws favorite toys, anything that makes noise and wiffle balls!
yup, just plain old wiffle balls.

ive got one in his cage that ive hung from sisal rope, and i shove plastic cocktail straws and the little raffia finger traps through the holes in the wiffle balls, jack love to pull the straws out and shed the finger traps.
he also has another wiffle ball that is just a foot toy, he loves to roll around on the floor of his cage tossing his wiffle ball all over the place. as i type, right now hes on the floor of his cage on his back wiffle ball in one foot, hittin himself on the head with it and telling it 'hi jack jack jack" and making monkey sounds lol

pretty much anything they can pull apart, shred...i get all my bird making supplies from the dollar store lol. just make sure if its dyed/painted its "baby safe"
jack also likes plain paper, the cardboard tubes form the center of toilet and paper towel rolls

the sennies ive met tend to like foot toys, anything they can manipulate with their feet.

oh and a boing, i think every bird should have a boing http://www.birdsupplies.com/Birdie-Boings-p/jptwister.htm
jack and the linnies LOVE their boings! there bouncy and they spin.

also dont be afraid to look in other sections beside the bird section.
jack has a rope dog toy tuggy thing thats hung from one of his perches that he loves to hang and swing off like a vine, some of his toys come from the kids section of the dollar store, others from the party favors section, some of his perches are untreated sisal rope from the home improvment store.

in the linnie cage their favorite toy is 1/2 a coconut shel thats hung upside down by sisal, they use it like a swing, they will both dive one it and flap untill it swings. their other favorite is a simple plastic chain that moves and swings when they walk across it.

i spent alot of time online looking at "bird toys" and realized with a little time i could MAKE most of them for a fraction of the cost...since then every time i go out im on the look out for any fun things that i could make jack and the linnies new toys from.

 

[1MrsMagoo]

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lots of good ideas...and thanks for the link....checking it out right now. I have a ton of craft supplies and a local dollar store; I think I'll follow your lead and whip up some Shiggle toys myself. So far...he does love shredding paper. I put a paper towel in his cage and he seemed to like destroying it....so I make sure he always has one. thanks agian.....

 

[Stacykins]

When crafting your own toys, just make sure that all metal clips and chains you use are zinc free. Zinc toxicity can happen quickly in parrots since they use their beaks to manipulate everything, and ingest it. Sadly, it doesn't take much to cause zinc toxicity, either.

That said, crafting your own toys is so economical! It is a fun activity for you, and you get to see your bird enjoy the fruits of your labor by chewing it to pieces (more often than not, lol!). But that is what they do, they turn stuff splinters more effectively than a wood chipper!