Any transitional toy ideas that are easy going? - Lovie afraid of inanimate objects

[Odysseus]

Hey all,

My lovebird has been with me now 9 days. He has made great strides in gaining confidence and enjoying many new things EVERYDAY but one thing that has never progressed is his fear of inanimate objects.

No, I don't go poking and prodding him with his toys or have ever FORCED him onto one. (I have set him up on perches that took him a day or so to get used to, but never a toy. Left that experience to him.)

I figure my bird is scared of the toys since they are new to him, colorful, and I imagine pretty intimidating to the little guy. Toys that REALLY scare him are the ones that have a bell so they jingle. The balls I got that have the bell inside scare him so much that if I even just pick one up and LOOK his direction while holding the ball he backs away from me like a mugging victim would from a knife.

I understand he is scared and will need time, I am not asking for advice necessarily on why. The fact that it just scares him is good enough reason for me, and I completely have patience for the guy. What I am curious about:

What would make a good transitional toy? He loves my wife's hair, my clothes, fingers although that is a no-no in our house, he loves his millet spray of course FOOD FOOD, and he is ok with metal objects like my glasses, rings, or cutlery. But anything else is pretty scary to him. What kind of toy have you guys found that birds just naturally love? What fits their instinct so well that they warm up to or keep as a favorite? Anything that doesn't have to hang but he can hold or have while playing outside of the cage?

Just looking for something that I can use to earn his trust for the world of inanimate objects NOT attached to our bodies.

See that is it right there: Anything he can transition from us - his SECURITY and comfort zone - and go directly to the "toy" without leaving his comforts he is ok with. Yet, stuff that isn't found on me, or something I don't already like to use he simply won't show interest for. If you are wondering now, "Have you ever tried playing with his toys first to build his interest?" I have tried by putting those things in my hands, or playing with them to help him see that they are safe. But when I have done that, I see his reaction to them and how different it is to anything else I use or touch during the day. They scare him so much more, unlike his confidence when I pick up things like a sharp knife at dinner that he would perch on if I let him. (Not that he knows what sharp knives are of course. )

Any ideas after all this rambling of mine and the following attempts of clarifying it all?

[4HAND]

How about a foraging toy?Something as simple as a crumpled piece of paper with a nutriberry inside.Or you could shove that millet into one of your existing toys.Odysseus,I remember your first post and how you told about a budgie you used to have.I can't help but marvel at how your birdkeeping skills have advanced.Did you ever think in a million years you'd be fretting over this little one so much?
Tena

[CrazyBirdLady]

I have never met a young lovebird that didn't like a toy made of vegetable tanned leather strips and beads/wooden blocks. Something like this Bird toys: hanging bird toy / interactive bird toy with leather

Many birds take a while to learn how to play with toys as well.

[birdlady49]

I was going to suggest the wadded piece of paper too! That's how I got my former breeder African Grey to recognize toys and then gradually enjoy them.

In the meantime, hang the other toys outside of his cage until he's more comfortable (a couple of weeks?), then gradually put them inside. If necessary, temporarily remove the bells if that's what you think frightens him the most.

[ROYJOY]

Shredding keeps them busy. a shredding toy that last a long time, is a roll of adding machine tap. hang it inside his cage near a perch. it will take time to warm up to it, as with anything, but it will be somthing else to do when tired of ringing bells. did you read my last post to your other thread?

[Odysseus]

Day 10:
Now that is a brilliant simple IDEA! :D

Ok, since my birdy's vice is Millet and he is afraid of all toys I want him to play with, I decided to take your advice and make a paper towel foraging toy full of millet. As you can imagine, he took to it right away.



This toy serves 3-4 purposes:
1- A place for me to put him when he wants to nibble on fingers and faces.
2- A toy we can both play with since I am his perch some of the times. (While I write this he is perched on his food dish going town on it by his own.)
3- It is rubber banded to a toy that intimidated him yesterday and has a bell. He may soon not be so nervous to that bell sound.
4- It is a foraging toy and his first that I have been able to get him to play with! WOOHOO!

I think my guy has a GREAT transitional toy to learn about inanimate objects. It's almost certain he is a guy, since the only way to get him to do things is by food motivation.

Thank you, 4hand!!! :applaud:

Now for some bonus footage. This is the violet of the "Violet factor Peach faced lovebird:

[birdlady49]

Ah, what a gorgeous butt picture! Congrats on having that paper towel with millet spray work for you!

[Odysseus]

Originally Posted by 4HAND

Odysseus,I remember your first post and how you told about a budgie you used to have.I can't help but marvel at how your birdkeeping skills have advanced.Did you ever think in a million years you'd be fretting over this little one so much?
Tena

Haha, no kidding! I don't think I ever did, but when I made the decision to get a lovebird I committed to do it right this time. But, like you said, I am fretting so much over the little guy. He really is a part of the family.

Wow! While I took those pictures and posted a response to 4hand I got so many new and great ideas! This is perfect! I know that my guy will need variety so I look forward to introducing him to:

@ Crazybirdlady,
That leather toy is a nice one! I love how simple and focused it is on the leather. THose that I could find around here were so busy and lacking the chewability that one looks to have. For only 6.49?! Wow, I will buy the medium sized one today! Can't wait for it to arrive! Thank you!!

@ Birdlady, (not crazy though like the previous :P)
Thanks for adding your vote of confidence in the paper wad toys. As you can see both of you are right. He liked it very much. At the moment he is up on my neck sleeping between my hoody cloth and me. But, he was LOVING the wad earlier. About toys on the outside of cage, I learned that he was willing to do things out here by the computer with me much faster than on his own. So, he cagetop playpen is now on the computer desk and I am introducing him to his toys that way. The larger in cage toys/perches he is pretty good with. Doesn't spend loads of time in cage so hasn't destroyed them yet in fun, but I think he is more comfortable with those ones.

Will remove the bell if it does keep scaring him, but I am trying to introduce him to the harmless sounds of bells by keeping that foraging toy on a toy with a bell. Thank you too!

@Royjoy, (Always willing to help me Roy! Thank you! )
Adding machine tape? Will he ever get a paper cut if he tries to perch on the sides of it hanging down? Do you fasten the roll like we do with toilet paper and let the paper get pulled down? Or Fasten some paper at the top and let the heavy roll part fall to the bottom of cage?

Foraging toys are looking to be the transitional toy category I was looking for. My wife is getting me a pack of SHREDDABLES today for Sinter Klaas that we celebrated yesterday. I had to work, so we didn't sing and celebrate, but I got her a present.

I will go check your other reply now. (Sometimes late at night while I am at work, I will load birdboard and then get distracted. So the pages of "new Posts" are already considered "old" posts to my user when I get back to logging back in. So, I think that is why I have missed your last two replies. May have to subscribe to my threads and get notices when replies come in.

THANK YOU and THANK YOU ALL!

Enjoy the pics.

[Odysseus]

Originally Posted by birdlady49

Ah, what a gorgeous butt picture! Congrats on having that paper towel with millet spray work for you!

Thank you on both compliments. Now we have two good looking butts in the fam - nope not mine - my wife's and this little guy/girl.

[ROYJOY]

yes, hang the roll like toilet paper. put a piece of cord through it, and hang it loosly from the side or top of the cage, so it will unroll as he uses it.

in your top picture, the toy with the blue bell, with the wooven shreding material, will last about 5 minutes once he gets going, so the paper roll will last a long time and is less expensive than buying those small toys as fast as he will tear um up. it will still be a good toy but the wooven part will be gone as soon a he sees it.