Playing with Parrot

[LemonandRain]

Hello everyone
I have a parrot who is about, maybe 10 or so years old and he likes to bite on things. But he hates toys, or he’s not interested in them, no matter the toy. I’ve gotten him many, but he doesn’t care for them. Is there a way I can get him interested in playing with toys. Whenever I take him out of his cage, he usually only goes on my arm but I want him to play with toys and things because he seems bored. Any suggestions?


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[wrench13]

Play with them yourself, let him see how much fun they are, he might taake a whack at them.

 

[bigfellasdad]

Enzo is the same. She doesn't do toys she much prefers me playing around with her. She loves exploring too, any open cupboard and she is in, anything new in the house she is over having a look/taste/chew. She enjoys/plays helping with chores as well, that is to say if she sees anything on a work top she will simply throw it on the floor...... hhhm

The one thing she does like to play on is a hanging rope/wood toy, she will fly to it and land quite fast which sends it spinning around, other than this, no toys are even given a second look after the initial explore. Try him in a large baking tray full of newspaper with a few seeds/treats in amongst, Enzo likes to forage like this.

 

[GaleriaGila]

Great input. I think it's wonderful that your bird is so interactive!
What are the things he bites on? Could you find or make toys that are similar?

 

[clark_conure]

you might try this....
lay on the floor put the bird on the floor in front of you, carpet preferred....

and well like I had one of those wire frame ball strings and I took all the balls with the bells in them off it.

As the bird walks around, flick a ball at it, of course not hard... but then another etc. Kind of make him goalie, eventually he will step on a ball to stop it or contain it or pick it up etc..... What everyone before said is correct but this seemed to work for me on stuff. Putting him on the floor was a neutral area while still being close enough for comfort because I was laying down with him.

 

[Soyajam]

Does your bird like to destroy stuff?

Make a note of what those things are made of. See if you can figure out why they like it/them so much. Do they make satisfying sounds? Do they collapse in their beak when crunched? etc.

It's possible the toys you have aren't to their preference. Once you know the stuff they *shouldn't* be chewing but can't resist, you can get toys that are similar.

E.G My bird isn't very much into plastics or hard things. But she loooves things that crunch and shred in her beak. So soft woods, crunchy grass, bamboo stuff, and paper are popular with her. If you handed her a bunch of plastic toys she picks them up and tosses them.