Making Cage Time More Fun

[kfinklea1]

Hello All,

I wanted to reach out for some advice regarding my 1 year old pionus. For the most part when we are home he is out and about either on my boyfriend or I or the door to his cage is open and he is free to go in and out as he pleases.

However we all know there are times when our birds needs to be in the cage and not having free range. Our pionus does not seem to like this idea. He calls to be let out and paces back and fourth, even though he can see us.

Any suggestions on how to make him happier in his cage. He has a large cage with lots of toys but I am open to suggestions of different toys or ways to help him cope with cage time.

 

[Tami2]

Hi have you tired foraging Toys? My Grey spends a great deal of time foraging while in his cage.

 

[chris-md]

Tami gave some great advice. Foraging is an amazing way to stimulate them mentally. For a time I had my ekkie only getting his food in cage via foraging. Also pay attention to the TYPES of toys your pionus likes. It may be foraging toys, blocks, shredding toys, beaded toys, rope toys, etc. whatever he likes, provide ample amounts of that.

Also ensure that every corner of your cage has something interesting. There needs to be SOMETHING potentially fun wherever the bird looks: up, down, left, and right.

 

[LordTriggs]

very good advice above, just to add especially at first. Try playing with your pio inside the cage. Put him in there and start bashing some toys about with him, it may show him just what he has to do to enjoy them

 

[ParrotRick]

I am new so this isn't so much as advice as my observations of my Senegal in the short time I have had him. But he really likes his cage and I found out very quickly he loves bells so I bought three new toys with bells, he also can entertain himself for hours chewing bark and cardboard from other toys and swinging from one foot from a hoop. I am making it a habit to buy a new perch/toy every week and swapping them around. I also just started giving him boxes with different clasps to open as puzzles. I also intend to hang envelopes with food in from string so he has to either do some crafty maneuvers or pull the string up to get them and I am sure he will love tearing them up.