Bird Toys: Safety, Therapy, Necessity

Not sure what toy your feathered friend will like? How about what toys are safe? Does your avian companion prefer playing with the package that the toy comes in? Birdbrain has done some thinking on toy safety, types of toys, and who is best suited for which kind of toy.

Important toy needs.

We all know that toys play a significant role in our little feather brains lives. Toys help alleviate boredom, satisfy chewing needs, and generally enrich our bird’s lives. Some parrots develop bonds with their toys. I’ve never known a Nanday Conure to not sleep with its favorite toy. Some mature parrots use their toys to get to “third base”. Others take out their aggressions on certain toys, while they use different toys for snuggling purposes. (My own Painted Conure Crayon uses one toy to block the entrance to her "Happy Hut" when she sleeps. While my Greater Vasa Eve, falls asleep while nibbling on some rope.) So it is safe to say that toys provide a multitude of needs for our friends. This does not mean that every toy is a good one, just because a toy says it’s safe for birds or made for parrots doesn’t mean that it is in fact safe. What may be good for one parrot is not necessarily good for another.

Types of toys

There are many types of safe toys made for birds. Before picking out a toy it is important to decide which toy is best suited for your avian friend. Sizes, shapes, and types of materials that your parrot prefers are important factors in your decision. Is your feathered friend a chewer, climber, or does he or she prefer complex toys or puzzle toys? In general the size of the toy should be suited for the size of the parrot.

Safety

Rings and Loops
There are certain things to keep in mind while looking for bird toys. If looking at a toy with a ring or loop theme, (made out of any material) consider whether your parrot can put it’s head through the rings or loops. Any toy that allows for your birds head to fit into something is always a bad idea.

Bells
Not only can the sound drive you crazy, but many a bird has been hurt by bells. Beaks have a tendency to get caught on the clapper (little piece of metal that makes the bells noise). This same piece has been known to be accidentally ingested by parrots. Then there is the zinc question. What kind of metal are these bells made out of? Our idea on this situation... Remove the bells.

Stained or Painted Wood
Sounds obvious? Not to all companies in the pet market. There are several toys being manufactured for birds by companies that make dog toys. The problem is, does the dog toy company know what is deemed safe for birds? These toys are hand painted and some also use wood stain instead of food coloring. The sizes of these toys are geared towards cockatiels and conures! Both of these birds chew and should not be chewing on paint and wood stain. These same companies make bigger toys for larger birds but they use food coloring? Regardless of the size of toy, no parrot should be chewing on paint and wood stain. Avoiding these types of toys would be a good idea.

Big Bird Toys with Small Pieces
A large toy for large parrots is a great concept to follow. Beware however of the large toy with small parts. Small pieces that can break and be ingested such as plastic beads are not a wise choice. Large toys should have large pieces.

Smart Toys
Smart toys or complex toys are enjoyed by most parrots especialy African Greys. These are toys that involve a little bit of brain power and less beak power. They usually involve trying to take certain shaped pieces out of a larger toy or pulling treats out of a toy. (Round hole, square peg)These toys are usually very durable and can be cleaned easily.

Wood
Wood toys free of paint and wood stain are great for Macaws, Amazons, Greys, Cockatoos, Conures, just about every parrot. Most parrots nest in the hollows of trees that they renovate with their beaks, so chewing is a necessity!

Rope
Some say yes some say no. It really depends on how destructive your friend is. Rope should not be allowed to fray and nails should be trimmed. The biggest worry is that nails will get caught in the rope. Natural sisal rope is ideal and very durable. Cotton rope frays easily so care should be taken if cotton rope is to be used. Care should be taken when placing rope toys in cages as they can be difficult to clean.

Foot Toys
A must! Parrots use their feet to pick objects up for examination or chewing, these toys are made for the inquisitive parrot. These toys can be anything from grapevine rings to wooden balls. The more bizarre the toy shapes the better. Care should be taken with the cleanliness of these toys. If left at the bottom of the cage the can become soiled. If wood toys become soiled bacteria can become an issue.

Natural
Natural toys are toys that do not use food coloring or synthetic materials. These are certainly good toys. Remember to watch for loops or rings, sizes and shapes.

Synthetic (Plastic, Rubber)
Some synthetic toys are good others are not. Acrylic toys are great. They don’t harbor bacteria and are difficult to destroy. Rubber toys are more of a concern. These toys can be easily destroyed and ingested. They also harbor bacteria. These are not recommended.

Food Coloring
This one is of some debate. Some Parrots have had bad reactions to food coloring others have not. Some people believe that food coloring can cause long term health problems. If you feel that food coloring in toys should not be used than look for natural toys.

Toys to Help Parrots with Special Needs

The Feather Picking Parrot
Rope toys, paper toys and fabric toys are great for this purpose. Basically anything that is soft and easily destroyed works well. Nibbling on a toy that gives the same texture as bird’s feathers has been known to help. These toys should be rotated as to keep the parrot more interested in the toys rather than their feathers. As always it is important to try to figure out why a bird is a feather picker. Is there; a medical problem, boredom, stress, simply a habit, or a Behavioral problem? Feather picking is a very complex problem and can stem from a multitude of different reasons. Toys will certainly help but the problem also needs looked at in a thorough manner.

The Hormonal Parrot
Parrots were meant to breed and create offspring. For this reason certain birds tend to get a little “birdie P.M.S.” for a couple of months throughout the year. For the female parrot this is a stressful time. She may bite when excited or decide that she is going to hate one person that she would otherwise be friendly with. She might also decide that she hates everybody. This type of behavior is not a behavioral problem and her normal temperament will return as soon as she is out of her own personal hormonal hell. However there are toys that can help alleviate the situation. The good thing is that their really cheap! Cardboard boxes, (free of staples and tape!) and some paper tend to do the trick. The box needs to be put a high level and not on the bottom of the cage. (If you put the box on the bottom of the cage you will only make her feel more vulnerable and make her “birdie P.M.S.” worse.) Instead, try putting the box on the top of the cage if it can be secure and the top of the cage is flat. Put some foot toys in the box as well as some crumbled up paper. She can play in the box and destroy it as she feels fit. Using the box will help in alleviating her aggression, bordom ans "P.M.S.".

Who Likes What

When you find yourself staring at bunch of toy trying to figure out what your bird would enjoy the most and you’re not sure consider these tips...

Parakeets, Love birds, Cockatiels, Parrotlets and small Conures tend to enjoy toys with lots of little pieces. Toys with bits of leather, pony beads, sisal rope, and small pieces of soft wood tend to be enjoyed. Most of these birds don’t care for big bulky toys with nothing but chunks of wood to offer. Parakeets tend to be partial to swings while cockatiels for the most part don’t like swings. Cockatiels tend to be a little on the clumsy side and like to have more control over their footing.

Conures, Caiques, Poicephalus parrots (Senegals, Meyers, and Red bellies), large Parakeets such as Quakers, and the Psittaculid group (Ringnecks, Plum headed, Mustache, ect.) like to destroy things with lots of pieces. Toys with wood and leather pieces are suggested. Beads should be of considerable size and made of wood. Rope is another good choice for these chewers. Toys should be a little on the bulky side but should defiantly have various sizes and shapes. Foot toys are recommended for the Conures and Poicephalus as they like to play on the bottom of their cages. Red bellied Parrots like to hide and burrow in things, a “hide box” such as a cardboard box is ideal.

Lories and Loriekeets are not very destructive but are very messy. Because of their droppings it is best to avoid using wood, leather, and rope. Their toys should be easily cleaned. Porous materials harbor bacteria and for the watery mud like droppings of the lories these materials are not good. Stick with acrylic, plastic and other easily cleaned materials such as un-used toothbrushes. Because of their playful nature their toy should hang from the cage and be a moderate length so they can hang and swing from them.

Amazons, Jardines, and Pionus are very active and destructive. They love to hang upside down, swing on their toys and bang them around. These fun loving parrots need very sturdy toys. Wood, acrylic, rope, leather and rawhide are great for these birds. Their toys should be large in size. The toys can have lots of pieces but it is suggested that these pieces should be of substantial size. These parrots tend to like long toys that they can hang from. A 12 to 15 inch hanging toy with various materials is ideal. Some of these ruff and tumble birds also like foot toys. Remember variety is the key.

African Greys, the geeks of the parrot world. While every one else is rolling around at the bottom of their cage, their solving math problems and figuring out how many green to red pellets there are. This is not to say that grays don’t play, they defiantly do but to be satisfied “smart toys” are recommended. Any toy that has a puzzle like nature will do. Material can be any of the previously mentioned except small beads and small ingestible parts. Foot toys are a necessity. Greys should have a constant variety of toys. If your Grey is a recently acquired youngster, offer him or her something new every day. This will keep him or her open to new possibilities. Most older greys don’t except change well, so introducing this concept at a young age is very helpful in alleviating boredom and potential feather picking.

Macaws and Cockatoos are big time chewers. Owners of these companions should think about stock in lumber companies. Needless to say a lot of wood is recommended for these big beaks. Hard wood like manzanita is a good idea. Medium hard wood is also good. Using all hard wood, though longer lasting, can be frustrating for the macaw and cockatoo if they feel they can’t get anywhere with their chewing. Their toys should be large and should not have any small ingestible parts. Cockatoos are fond of leather, rope and rawhide. Macaws like to hang and swing off of their toys, so their toys should be of considerable length.

Making smart choices about toys is important to maintaining a happy health feathered friend. Examine toys closely before buying, and remember just because the packaging says its safe doesn’t mean that it is.