What do you do for daytime entertainment for your birds?

[JonnyG]

As some of you may have seen im due to get my first conure in a few weeks. I have kept various birds, lovebirds e.t.c. previously but this is my first venture into the real parrot world...

I work 9-5 during the week so the bird will be at home alone, I know I can stick the TV on but what are you guys doing and how do your birds find it? I dont want to end up with a bird that sings TV theme tunes and the like...

 

[Pedro]

Don't worry to much they are very good at entertaining themselves. I am sure you have thought about lots of toys among other stuff.

Parrot Enrichment

Some great ideas for you & your new parrot.

 

[wenz2712]

Just make sure you have plenty of toys in his cage to keep him amused while your not there .. I always leave the radio for mine when I go out.

 

[roxynoodle]

Yes, different kinds of toys: wood toys to chew, a rope toy to preen and cuddle with, a little swing. Conures may use their toys for entertainment more than any other bird! I used to leave the TV on for mine, but didn't have cable then. So she was watching daytime soap operas. Well, she learned some bad words that I didn't say, and couldn't figure it out. Then one day I was home sick, the TV was on, and I figured out they say them on daytime TV now. Rowdy is really the only one of my birds that loves TV though. They do also like music so leaving a radio on might be better.

 

[Keinanna]

when i was younger and living with my parents our birds were often left alon eduring the day while we were at work or school and what we did was give them lots of toys and also played teach your bird to talk cds on repeat they are basically a collection of words repeated over and over again so your bird eventually repeats them. now though with technology making it so easy you could probably make recordings of your own voice saying things you want you bird to say and play that and it helps them get used to your voice. for that matter you could record yourself reading childrens stories or singing too.

my conure has his cage open pretty well most of the day as i am home all day and he likes to play in his cage a lot it is pretty funny to see how he entertains himself he has one big wooden toy that is bigger than he is and he wrestles and boxes with it using his beak.

most of the parrots i have had also enjoy sharing your breakfast before you leave so they have some interaction with you before you leave for the day

 

[Customcasket]

My guys have plenty of toys and I always leave my old iPod docked and playing. Poor birds are subjected to Rob Zombie, Rammstein, Marilyn Manson, Nine Inch Nails, and the occasional classical piece. (also Spice Girls :X the keets seem to enjoy them the most)

 

[Remy]

Lots of toys, and rotate them regularly!

I leave my whole music library on random for Puck. He also has his "birdy" playlist, which has calm, fun music on it, plus a lot of bird songs.

 

[Customcasket]

I made them listen to Christmas music last month. They seemed to enjoy it. I always try to leave some kind of music on for them so it's not totally silent in the house while we're out.

I also always switch out toys. I have a basket filled with toys that have been played with that get switched out every so often to change it up. I'll switch Carlisle's toys to Kayak's cage and put Kayak's toys in Carlisle's cage. They both have a rubber ball with a bell inside of it that they keep at all times. They both take out their rage on that toy. Kayak didn't originally have one but as soon as I saw how much Carlisle loved his I got her one. They scream at it and yank on it shaking it around making all kinds of noise.

Insight Activitoys Hol-ee Roller Bird Toy for Parrots - Toys - Bird - PetSmart
They have yet to get bored with that toy. It gets abused daily and its a lot less expensive than other toys that are torn apart within minutes.

 

[Mitchell]

I have to agree with Remy, lots of toys and rotate them faithfully and get new ones on occasion. Before my divorce, I had several parrots (macaw, BFA, ACG, LS Too, and tiels) and they'd keep each other company singing and talking. Now I have a 4 month old baby Eclectus and I clip greens to the cagetop and hang veggie Kabobs from the roof and he loves to work to get the stuff. Put some paper through the bars and they LOVE to shred it to tiny pieces. Get creative and they'll love you for it!