Ducky and toys

[Tishrei]

I know you're supposed to provide birds with toys to play with -- and I have and do. Unfortunately, thus far, Ducky doesn't seem to like any toy that I've given him. He'll occassionally chew on wood blocks but not that often. I can't tell you how many different toys I've purchased trying to find one that he likes. I'm tired of purchasing brand new toys to have them remain as brand new toys.

Is he and odd ball or am I doing something wrong. He's a severe macaw -- are there special toys for severe macaws that they particularly enjoy?

[Nazir's]

How old is your macaw?

When I first brought Iris home I worried about her beak because I never saw her destruct any of her toys as so many people had warned me about. However, after some time I noticed that more and more of her wooden toys had been bitten and chipped. She's still not a destructor but she's using them at her own pace. She prefers and just loves bells and shred-ables. She kills her bells and shred-able materials several times a day.

If your macaw is still fairly young, I'd just give him/her some time and introduce the toys in different manners. I truly believe that if your macaw notices you and other members of the family playing with the toys in excitement, they might just capture his/her attention.

Good luck and remember--patients is a virtue.

[sassie]

My severe macaw *going on 8yo* simply LOVES anything with chain (could be rope, plastic, metal) bells & cloth/sheets/cotton things to play with & rub all over her face! Shes a goofy woman :)

[PyscoFalcon]

Give it time. It took Merlin 3 years to work out what a toy was and another 2 years to stop been scared of new one's and to learn to play with them.

It might just be he dosen't know what they are and what to do with them.

[Tishrei]

Give it time.

LOL -- that's funny to me only because I know Ducky and he's comfortable as all get out -- he owns this place and allows me to live here. Isn't he nice?

How old is your macaw?

Ducky is 19 or 20 years old but I've had him almost five years.

I truly believe that if your macaw notices you and other members of the family playing with the toys in excitement, they might just capture his/her attention.

This is really funny in regards to Ducky -- here's why. If he sees me with something that he doesn't want me to have, he takes it from me and tosses on the floor and then stands there and looks at me -- I kid you not. If he doesn't want something, he's not going to play with it and he makes sure I don't either. It's actually kind of funny when he does that.

Anyway, as an update, I read on here yesterday or the day before that some birds like cardboard boxes. So I put a top to a box on top of his cage -- well, he's having fun tearing that up.

Oh boy with the shredded paper -- between him and my pig, this is going to be such joy. What my pig does is take pieces of paper and makes spit wads. She chews up the paper and then spits it out. So I guess Ducky will be providing the paper for my pig's spit wads.

[Whiskers]

Originally Posted by Tishrei

Oh boy with the shredded paper -- between him and my pig, this is going to be such joy. What my pig does is take pieces of paper and makes spit wads. She chews up the paper and then spits it out. So I guess Ducky will be providing the paper for my pig's spit wads.

You have the grossest family.

[Tishrei]

You have the grossest family.

LOL ... well I try and keep the paper away from my piggy but now with Ducky's new toy, it's going to be a bit more difficult.

[Monica]

Tish, my cherry head isn't big on toys either... and Charlie can only beat his toys up... however, they have one thing in common! Both love the yucca Bird Kebabs! They are expensive, considering how much they cost for a toy that can be so easily destroyed... but it's worth it!

Bird Toys: Bird Kabob all natural yucca bird toys at Drs. Foster and Smith

There's also Balsa wood (VERY soft stuff) that would work well if you could find a place that sells it (craft stores might have it but they tend to have strips instead of blocks).

Also, check into popsicle stick toys... or make your own!!!

[Tishrei]

Also, check into popsicle stick toys... or make your own!!!

Thanks -- that's what I'm going to try and do. I'm tired of spending money on Ducky's toys searching for toys that he likes only to have them sit there looking brand new and ignored.

Humph -- I could open a bird toy store for I have a bunch of unused toys.

[Monica]

Noel seems to be amused lately with paper... she prefers easy stuff to destroy since she's not really all that strong. She also likes fresh branches.

Charlie likes the yucca cause he can destroy it (only toy he can), and he's got another toy, just a leather strip with bead type stuff, that he really beats up on! (but doesn't destroy)

It's hard picking out toys for them, cause the ones that are recommended for them they may not enjoy... Even though Noel can chew up pine, she's not really a fan of anything harder than yucca (and yucca is pretty soft! easy to take apart with your fingers) while Charlie can't destroy anything harder than yucca (due to his beak)... I've wasted money on toys for Noel as well! Ended up giving them away to a bird who I knew would eventually enjoy them!

So when it comes to those two, it's like, what CAN I get them that they could destroy? Or at least have fun playing with? Noel doesn't play with toys, but Charlie does. This is why I've been trying to gather bird making supplies! Just need a small hand-held drill with a small bit to dril holes with! And more stuff to put toy parts on and to hang the toys with!