Birding Resources

Toys For Parrots

Parrots like to be occupied and can be inquisitive. Therefore it is important to have a good supply of toys on hand to keep your bird amused and entertained. It is also important to make sure the toys are safe for the parrot. First you must consider the size of your parrot. If you have a large bird it can easily destroy a toy that is to small. Also on the other end a toy that is to large for a small bird will not be that must fun. So it is very important to match the size of the toy with the size of the bird. Parrots are versatile when it comes to toys. A ball, a branch, a swing, are all good parrot toys. Go to any large pet store and you are sure to find a large variety of toys to fit your parrots size and imagination.

There are other things to take in to consideration when buying toys for your bird. Avoid toys made from small pieces. These can usually be taken apart by a parrot and there is a possibility the bird could swallow one of the pieces. Also as a lot of parrot toys hang from chains, this is something else that needs to be looked into. There are normally two types of chain links. The first type is a welded link and this is good for parrots. The second is the type that are just squeezed together. This are not good for parrots as they may try to pry the links apart and can injure their beaks or get the stuck between the link ends. Parrots enjoy chewing wood, but not all wood is safe for parrots to chew. Check any wooden toys you plan to but for your bird to be sure they are a safe wood. You can get a list of safe wood of the Internet and use that to verify the wood the toy is made of is safe.

Parrots enjoy preening and grooming, sometimes to the extreme. This can cause them to loose feathers from over grooming and this can lead to an unhealthy bird. A good chewing rope can help your parrot avoid this problem and still give them something to chew on. Care and a watchful eye should be used with a rope as when they become really frayed they can cause problems for the bird. You will need to watch out for their claws getting caught in the clumps of rope, so at that time it would be smart just to replace the rope.

So in conclusion you could say the main rule when buying toys for your parrot is simply to use common sense. If the toy doesn't look safe, it probably is not. If the toy looks flimsy or like it will easily fall apart, then look for something else. Also don't be surprised if your parrot doesn't play with a new toy right away. They can be a cautious bird but their curiosity well soon get the best of them and they will eventually play with the new toy.

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