Playtime

[dragon06]

My Senegal, Merlin, is very playful in his cage. He is always biting, chewing, ringing bells, jumping from perch to perch, dunking everything in his water dish and so on. He plays constantly. If he is not playing then he is eating.

However, when I take him out of the cage to play with him, he doesn't really play. I have a playgym with lots of toys and treats on it but if I put him on it he will just stand there, occaisionally turn around and maybe bite a rung on the ladder. Or he will just sit on my lap or the crook of my arm and hang out and get scritches.

He is vocal while inside the cage or outside the cage although he is more vocal inside the cage.

I am just wondering if this behavior is normal. Is it ok for him to spend his out time basically cuddling with me or should I try to encourage more playing.

Unfortunately he doesn't get to be out of his cage all day as we also have other pets and this would be bad...I make sure that I make time for him everyday though.

If I let him out but don't pick him up right away he will run around the top of his cage but that's it.

[sassie]

Some of my birds are the same way. Some really enjoy the down cuddle time with us. Others like My Caique would prefer to be running amuck in her toy piles LoL!

As long as his cage is large enough for him to have lots of different things to get into he should be ok. Not everyone has the advantage of a lot of out of cage time, but at a minimum I believe 1 hours per day is what they need with you.

[dragon06]

Yes he does get at least an hour a day outside his cage. His cage is quite large and has lots of toys...here is a picture...

[sassie]

That is a great cage! I am sure hes enjoying himself inside! He can have some one on one lovin time where he doesnt have to play. Alot of little birds love to cuddle with there owners as much as play!

[Tinker]

I love your cage! I wish I could find a cage that large for my budgie - but that one you have has large bar spacings. I loved filling my budgies cage with toys. He's getting loads more at xmas :)

[ROYJOY]

try keeping him out longer. he will get bored and look for something to do. it worked with my tiki. he just wasnt out long enough to do other things than our normal going over all his tricks and rewarding, some kissing and scritching, all took about an hour. so i left him out longer and when he grew tired of me, he went to the playstands, and started exploring the toys there.

[GlendaNS]

Heck, with a cage that COOL, what birdie in would want to come out to play!!!!