Help getting used to new toy (orb)

[sexybirdchick12]

I have a one year old Catalina named George. She is a sweetheart and pretty adventurous. She hasn't even been scared of a new toy before. But obviously this one is a bit different seeing as though it is very big and looks unlike anything she has ever seen. I made the spherical swing from this website: Spherical Swing | A Bird's Best Life

Mine looks like this! (I'm also gonna hang a toy in the middle) imgur: the simple image sharer


She is scared to death of this and doesn't want to go anywhere near it. What are the best ways to get her used to it - because I think she will really like it if she isn't scared, because she has a boing and loves playing on that!

 

[MonicaMc]

Could you somehow wrap it in something, making it a different color?


Maybe, while it's sitting on the floor, put her favorite treats around it?


Or perhaps having it down then walk towards it and reward her for remaining calm. If she starts to freak out, then stop. Back off just a little or remain there. Once she calms down, reward her for being calm. Repeat.

 

[JerseyWendy]

I agree with Monica about wrapping your awesome orb with either some vet wrap OR (and this is time consuming, but SO worth it) wrap it with sisal rope. I've made something like this a while ago, let me see if I can dig up the photos. I wrapped all of mine with either cotton or sisal...hold on....

An orb and swings

 

[sexybirdchick12]

Wrapping it is definitely a good idea! Wendy, where do you buy your rope? I've never found good rope at lowes/home depot. Is there a good place to buy online? Which types of rope are safe/best for wrapping?

 

[MonicaMc]

Lowes has poly rope that you can buy in different colors...

Shop Lehigh 3/8-in x 100-ft Braided Polypropylene Rope (By-The-Roll) at Lowes.com



I had a hoop ball wrapped in the poly rope that someone made for me. (since given it away as I no longer had room for it)

 

[sexybirdchick12]

Oh my gosh, thank you so much. I had no idea that I could use that poly rope. Any idea how much I should try to buy in order to wrap it. Each of the blue pieces are 16 inches long. And there are twelve of them.

Also, is there a particular method to wrapping? How do you get it to stay wrapped without glue? (I'm just guessing that glue is bad)

 

[MonicaMc]

You could use glue in the joints... likewise, you could hold it in place using screws. I've never made one myself so I don't know how much rope!

Two other members did a DIY for the hoopball, so perhaps their threads might help? (although most of the images are gone )


http://www.parrotforums.com/do-yourself/1002-hoop-ball.html

http://www.parrotforums.com/general-parrot-information/488-hoop-ball.html

 

[sexybirdchick12]

Ive read some places that polyethylene is dangerous because it can trap toes and is hard to chew so the bird can't free itself. Is this a concern?


Edit: Although my macaw has had a boing with cotton rope for at least 5 months now and has shown no interest in chewing it. And it isn't frayed at all.

 

[MonicaMc]

Unfortunately, a lot of things we give our birds can be a potential hazard... any kind of rope toy or perch, toys with metal pieces (particularly the hooks and clasps required to hang toys), rattle toys that aren't meant to break home, toys with regular bells on them....


So many potential hazards right there!



You just need to keep an eye on your bird and try to make sure that they aren't trying to destroy certain things. Jayde, my new girl, is a rope chewer! I'm getting to the point where she's not going to be allowed *ANY* rope in her cage if she's just going to chew it apart! Which includes toys.... and many toys are held together with rope. Case in point....

There is some wood chewing, but after chewing it up, she went to chewing on the rope instead. The blocks that are held together with yellow rope - part of those blocks are now gone, fallen to the cage floor.

 

[MikeyTN]

I personally don't like cotton or any string ropes. You can try the natural Sisal rope! Vet wrap would be another option you could try.