My new Timneh Grey never plays with toys.

Williamsong

New member
Nov 19, 2014
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South Beloit, Illinois
Parrots
Yellowsided Green Cheek Conure~ Baby/Blue Front Amazon~ Cookie/Timneh African Grey~ Dezi/Normal Green Cheek Conure~Petri
Dezi has plenty of toys in her cage but she never seems to play with any of them, I have shredding toys, bell toys, foraging toys, rope toys, everything but the never seems to be interested. How can I get her to play more ?



 
I don't have experience with greys yet, but I remember that none of my birds wanted to play with toys for a while when I brought them home.
My rescued conure, Phaedrus, is still very apprehensive about toys and will very rarely play with them.

Greys are normally pretty suspicious of new things, like toys and cages, so I'm guessing your grey just needs more time to adjust.
How long have you had Dezi?
 
Greys love boxes and egg cartons (unused of course) so give those a shot! Also try adding a couple extra perches so she can get to her toys more easily because that could definitely be a problem as well. You can also try playing with the toys yourself or with her to show her how fun they are!

She could very well just be nervous as well as Lullx said. She'll come around I'm sure!
 
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I don't have experience with greys yet, but I remember that none of my birds wanted to play with toys for a while when I brought them home.
My rescued conure, Phaedrus, is still very apprehensive about toys and will very rarely play with them.

Greys are normally pretty suspicious of new things, like toys and cages, so I'm guessing your grey just needs more time to adjust.
How long have you had Dezi?

I've had Desiree about a month now
 
I don't have a grey but as a rule my parrots have taken awhile to play with their toys but look out once they do. They rip them apart now.
 
Try hiding food in the toys. I have the one with the wicker colored balls. Sammy didn't want to play with it until I shoved a nutriberri in one--then he seemed to understand it was his to destroy,
 
if it has been a short amount of time, just give it more time.

It can take awhile for them to be completely comfortable with their new surrounding. One day you will come home and just find something completely shredded, then you will know she is comfortable now
 
May I suggest starting off with 'natural' toys? Some Greys (especially those who haven't had a wide variety of toys) are reluctant to play with colorful objects.

You could try wedging an empty paper towel thingy in between the cage bars. Rip some pieces off first, so some are only dangling loosely.

Natural wooden toys...perhaps like this one? (Yes, believe it or not, my GW was terrified of 'normal' toys for quite some time, but this one got him going)
http://www.parrotforums.com/do-yourself/27060-natural-toy-macaw-amazon.html

Lastly, and most importantly: MANY congrats on Dezi! She is BEAUTIFUL!!!! :D
 
My grey LOVES leather...any toys that are put together with leather strips are his absolute favourites. It took Justice awhile to start playing as well, but now he will chew up anything we put in there.
Dezi is gorgeous and I love her name:)
 
My CAG was very picky about his toys. He LOVED bells though. Anything with a bell on the bottom was destined to be his favorite.
He hated natural colored fibers or anything large. But colorful he generally took to. Or wooden.
I had to play it by ear as to how he got introduced to it. Sometimes it
Would have to stay outside the cage but other times I could just hang it inside depending on his body language.
Chiquis big toy that she seems to be playing with when I'm not around is one I had bought Sydney and he never accepted it so I had put it away in the closet.

Sounds like Dezi might just be overwhelmed. Did you try taking out a couple and leaving like two? That way only two in the cage to get used to.
 
Strangely, our Grey is highly suspicious of new toys INSIDE his cage, but anything OUTSIDE his cage is irresistible! I bought him a rope & dowel bridge yesterday, and put it in his cage in an area he's had trouble navigating.

Well, I was thrilled with it! Reno, on the other hand, won't go near it, goes far out of his way to go around it, even to the extent of going out through the top of the cage & scaling back down the outside, rather than step on that scary thing just inside the main door of his cage.

*Sigh*.

He'll eventually start using it, I'm sure, but in the meantime I feel so...unappreciated!:rolleyes:
 
I can't add a thing to the excellent suggestions you've been given. I just wanted to say Congratulations! Dezi is a real beauty!
 

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