what toys should I get?

[Ezekiell]

Hi everyone!
So my partner and I have finally decided to get a caique at the end of the year! I’m very excited but I’m also starting to prepare for bringing our new feathered friend home. We’ve never kept this kind of bird before and I’m wondering what kinds of toys I should collect for new birdie? I’ve bought today a binky ball foot toy and a large boing, but what other toys should I look at (ie shredders, puzzle toys)?

 

[bug_n_flock]

We had caiques at the parrot shop all the time, my boss loved their antics(everyone did). For a caique, I suggest a LOT of toys. These buggers LOVE to play. Foot toys are great, also plastic bird safe wiffle balls(the ones in the shop loved rolling their backs and playing with the balls in their feet), newspaper, etc etc etc. Bringing a caique home, I hope you guys like to laugh! Ahh gee, I miss the caiques. Such funny little guys.

 

[Scott]

Not familiar with caiques, but a variety to start is helpful, rotating as necessary to avoid the "boredom" factor. Please check the Toy forum, especially the third "sticky" post listing potentially hazardous items: Parrot Toys - Parrot Forum - Parrot Owner's Community

 

[Crash_Davis]

Mine loves the simple Popsicle toy and I also buy the variety pack on Amazon, switch it up every couple days. She stays busy now....I bought separate parts to make the popsicle toy. She goes after it pretty fiercely and it needs a rebuild every couple days.

https://www.amazon.com/Caitec-Paradise-Popsicle-Sticks-Chewing/dp/B001ODZ70A/

 

[wrench13]

I suggest getting one of each type of toy, like 1 or 2 wood, etc etc. Good luck.

 

[rita1]

my two love anything that they can chew i got them a lovely wooden ladder, they have now chewed that to pieces.
they need lots of interaction with you. they can become very loud when they can't see you. i have two so they keep each other company when i go to work, they also have an avairy, which they go into when i come home from work, they love being outside. really great bird. enjoy your lovely caique.

 

[Ezekiell]

Hmm, I like the idea of starting out with 2 things of each type and going from there. So far Ive got a boing, leather strip ring perch, a binkies foot ball, some wooden hanging chews, a pipe forager, and a buffet ball forager. My next targets are some java perches, foot toys, and a glass water bottle along with some shredders.

I am being very fastidious about avoiding anything with cotton or other such fibres as I dont want the new bird to start out ingesting that stuff. Im lucky because Ive found a number of places in Australia who specialise in making and supplying bird products from sisel, vegetable tanned leather, and natural woods, so I’m sticking with them for the most part.

 

[wrench13]

Water bottles ( like those used for hamsters and the like) are difficult to clean and can harbor bacteria and mold in the pipe and ball **** sections. A water dish s fine & easy to clean and disinfect.

 

[SassiBird]

Water bottles ( like those used for hamsters and the like) are difficult to clean and can harbor bacteria and mold in the pipe and ball **** sections. A water dish s fine & easy to clean and disinfect.

Yes, if you still want a water bottle look at Lixit. They are durable enough to sterilize in boiling water. The smallest is 16 oz. Although, I admit I use a glass hamster bottle. I clean it with pipe cleaners and sterilize with bleach. Rinse very well! I only use it if I'm gone overnight. You have to knock it a few times to get the bubbles out and have a secondary water source in case it gets air locked.

 

[Ezekiell]

I agree on being careful with water bottles. When I was a young kid my parents let ‘me’ keep canaries and we had a plastic bottle dispenser. Now I’m older I swear bacterial contamination from that thing was a major factor in the shortened lifespans of those canaries!

In Australia it’s really hard to get lixit but I’ve found a comparable one by Living World that other bird owners here use that looks easy to clean with boiling water and natural cleaners (https://www.petcircle.com.au/product/living-world-eco-glass-bottles).
Ultimately I want our bird to have another water source other than a dish in case we get home late or it tips it over somehow whilst we’re at work.