How do get him to like the swing?

[dodgewoman]

Ok do Grey's even like swings? I know my 'tiel doesn't, though he's a bit of an odd duck

Every time I place Roscoe on his he jumps right off again. HE's not afraid of it at all. There are toys on the sides that he has played with a bit but he hasn't play on it yet. It's in his cage. Should I just leave it there and keep waiting for him to play on it or what?

[Nazir's]

I bought a swing that was thirty bucks week one. That swing remained in the cage for months and my CAG never touched it. Whenever I did place her on the swing when returning her to her cage she would screeh... She just didn't like it! I don't even bother any more. Now that I have an Eclectus, maybe he'll like the swing when it's introduced to him. Iris (my CAG) has other things to swing on that she prefers over the swing. She'll use the rope swing boings that hang from the ceiling and all the other round and circular rope type hanging/ceiling perches.
I would remove it and then re-introduce it in another manner. You might want to try it in another location. Perhaps attached to a playstand.

[sassie]

My TAG doesn't like a swing! He prefers to hang off the chains of other toys & swing!

In fact not one of My birds enjoy swings - hum, never thought of that before.

I've had the same results as displayed so far with our TAG as well. He won't swing at all.

In fact, our TAG is extremely sensitive to cage changes as well. He doesn't like to see new things in his cage at all. When we got him, he had spent his entire live (almost two years) in a 24x24x28 cage and rarely gotten out. With just a small mirror with bells on it and a soccer like formation ball thingy hanging in it's cage as toys, a single wooden perch and two feed cups. Actually, there wasn't even room for much else. We immediately placed him in a larger cage 3ftx3ftx6ft - as we felt that the 24x24x28 cage was borderline cruel. We went right out and got a lot of toys in there (at least a lot more than what it's used to).

Now that was back in June. To date, the bird has yet to even explore 1/2 of it's cage. And it's toys gather dust (and we just clean them and place them back in the cage). If we change or remove them from the cage, the bird will get on it's favorite perch (just above the front door) and just not move anywhere, except to get food and drink.

We placed a swing in the cage for about five days and the bird repeated the behavoir of just not going anywhere else in it's cage, except to eat or drink. We removed the swing from the cage and it's activity went back to "normal", which still isn't much activity in the cage but it's more than nothing.

Skoobie Doo (the TAG) doesn't seem to play at all. We take him out everyday and place him on the play gym, and he'll climb down and come waddling over to us climb up the arm of the couch and sit there and wait to be petted, or he'll just sit on top the gym and preen and then maybe eat/drink a bit. He has taken a bath in the water bowl up there as well. He loves to talk, which he won't do in his cage at all if we change or add anything to it.

Anyhow, I've heard from many people that TAGs typically don't like change and don't seem to "play" much. I was wonder if this was hogwash or just the typical norm?

[Nazir's]

Originally Posted by PowerBBS

Anyhow, I've heard from many people that TAGs typically don't like change and don't seem to "play" much. I was wonder if this was hogwash or just the typical norm?

I have a CAG and while I'll agree that the Greys become accustom to and content with what's familiar to them and wouldn't prefer a change, I really believe that it has a lot to do with how they are raised. My CAG has always been introduced to new things and I frequently make changes. She doesn't mind them. In fact, she actually welcomes change on her stand, in her room, and within her cage. I am just sure not to make any changes too drastic. What I mean by that is, I may swap out all of her toys and replace them with different ones but I wouldn't take away all of her toys, paint the walls, and move her cage all at once. Though, it probably wouldnt be that big of a deal for her, I am just considerate of the fact that it could be.

[birdlady49]

None of my Greys (Three of 'em) like swings. They prefer stability.

[Valo's Moirana]

swings are not popular here either - i tried at some point, and there are some swings that valo will go onto, but for the most part they're on the playgyms and only used when he feels like it....
sometimes i guess we just have to respect their dislikes the same manner as we appreciate their likes...

[dodgewoman]

Good point you can't force them to like something.

[sparkysmom]

Both my greys love their swings. Sparky basicly just sleeps on his. But Zappy is downright comical. He gets it swinging from side to side moving his shoulders back and forth to go faster and faster. Sometimes I think he is going to swing himself right off the swing. But it is hilarious cuz you can see how much fun he is having.

[Lisa B]

Mine are real chickens when it comes to swings. A boing, NO PROBLEM but a swing???? Ya would think I was tryin to kill em!