Foot toys

[Alika]

I am a HUGE fan of foot toys! I classify a foot toy as a toy that isn't hanging that a bird can kick around, hold in it's foot, or drag to new and interesting locations.

I think foot toys changed Sam's life. She doesn't pay much attention to her hanging toys, but she can keep herself entertained for hours with a good assortment of foot and chewing toys on top of her cage. These can be as simple as cardboard boxes and chunks of wood. I've also made a shredding foot toy by rolling up newspaper and zip-tying it together... she likes that!

www.busybeaks.com has GREAT foot toys.

Even Cami and Beeper like foot toys. Cami loves those bell ball, cat toy type things. She'll roll them around, throw them off her cage, and deposit them in her water.

Beeper likes to attack whiffle balls and empty plastic bottles.

What kinds of successes have you all had with foot toys? If you haven't tried them yet, I highly suggest them!

[The Outlaw]

That's very interesting. My macaws regard anything they can lift as a projectile, so I'd rather tie them down. My zon, too, likes to hold things as does my Ekkie.

My greys like to swing on anything hanging. My quaker just eats all day long and laughs for no apparent reason.

[Casa Amazona]

My 'zons also like foot toys. They have heavy duty plastic balls that they love to shake (even Kiwi) and, of course, always love to have a stock of small wooden blocks to pick up and turn into toothpicks.

[willowbirdy218]

Willow, too loves foot toys and I also highly recommend www.busybeaks.com ! Willow has always liked foot toys, even when he was a baby and didn't know what he was supposed to do with them! Mango doesn't hold the foot toys that he has as they are too big for him but he does like to push them around with his head like a little puppy. I was very tempted to buy one of those cat toys with the bells in them for Mango about a week ago but changed my mind as I was thinking that his beak would get stuck in the holes. Has this ever happened to anyone?

[Casa Amazona]

Originally Posted by willowbirdy218

Willow, too loves foot toys and I also highly recommend www.busybeaks.com ! Willow has always liked foot toys, even when he was a baby and didn't know what he was supposed to do with them! Mango doesn't hold the foot toys that he has as they are too big for him but he does like to push them around with his head like a little puppy. I was very tempted to buy one of those cat toys with the bells in them for Mango about a week ago but changed my mind as I was thinking that his beak would get stuck in the holes. Has this ever happened to anyone?

No, my lovebirds (and all my other fids, as well) have always had those bells and I've never had any trouble with them at all. I do keep them checked to throw away when the time comes and make sure the 'zons get the heavier plastic ones.

[willowbirdy218]

Thanks for the response!!! Guess I will have to give one of those a try and see how Mango likes it!

[Alika]

I haven't had problems with mine, either.

Cami started off having four of those little balls. It was a cheap plastic petstore toy that was actually designed as a hanging toy, but she pulled all the balls off herself and I left it that way since she had more fun with them as foot toys.

Over time, they would start to break a little... and now she only has one left... which is why I replenished my stock at busybeaks!

The ones at busybeaks are built a little better. They are more durable and hard to break apart... perfect, IMO, for a strong little lovie beak.

Beep and Sam have one, too. I've never seen Sam play with hers, but every so often Beeper will attack his and roll all over the floor of his cage with it. He's never gotten his beak stuck, and it's awfully fun to watch! Besides, he gets to take out all his aggression on a toy.

[cfulhage]

Dakota isn't interested in foot toys in the least, and Ollie couldn't really care less as well. She gets distracted too easily, and drops whatever it is she has, and then just never picks it back up again. She, like Outlaws greys, would rather swing like Tarzan from her hanging toys.

[Dustin]

I made a pvc jungle gym thing that has a ladder going up to it for Mojo (quaker) and he has 5 or 6 hanging toys but below for foot toys he has cat balls, a plastic cup a couple bought foot toys, the button fly cut out of an old pair of jeans, paper towel roll popsicle sticks, and anything he can grab below the macaws perches or anything on the floor in general!

Dusty

[Stizby]

And don't forget that some food items make excellent foot toys. Corn on the cob is highly prized by my birds -- it's fun to play with AND fun to eat!