If you have already purchased a parrot cage, you may have noticed that there are some other items that come with the cage. Usually these are poles and feeders. In addition to these two mandatory accessories, a budgie's cage should also contain some others. Which accessories need to be placed in the cage, and which ones do not need to be purchased at all?
Interesting ideas for making toys with your own hands
Wire Climbing Hanger
Your pet will like this toy the most. Most cages are not large enough, and such a toy, without taking up much space, will increase the parrot's climbing area.
- You need to hang a hook from the ceiling of the cage.
- Next, three loops are made that cling to each other.
- You can attach some treats for your pet along the entire length of such a vine. Or you can focus only on the lower part of such a hanger and tie treats only at the bottom.
Ropes in the house, aviary and poultry house
In a room where birds can move around outside the cage, hooks attached to the wall should have rails installed. Ropes are attached on both sides. Thus, the suspended rope can be removed when your bird has had enough of playing and is back in the cage.
Domestic budgies will happily play on the ropes for hours, swinging happily. Once they stop climbing the rope back and forth and swinging, it's time to let them rest. Parrots can be locked in a cage and the ropes removed until the next bird walk. The same, but smaller, ropes can be hung in the enclosure.
Before choosing any rope for a swing for your parrots, you should carefully inspect the rope for abrasions, because the bird can get caught in its foot and injure its neck.
Homemade toys for walking
Wrap a treat or toy in wicker material and hang it in the cage. Instead of wicker material, you can use the leaves of harmless plants or pine cones, small boxes that are used to store pills and other similar household items.
Pet parrots will happily play with treats wrapped in a wicker mat and hung from the ceiling of the cage, like toddlers with Christmas presents.
Parrots often prefer packaging to the toy or treat inside.
Balsam wood toys are sold and expensive, but parrots love walnut and they also really like the soft type of wood. By the way, you can buy balsa wood at a store that sells materials for craftsmen.
Willow wreath
- Make a circle of stiff wire and make sure the ends are securely tied. You can also use a hoop if there is enough space in the cage to hang it. You will need from 20 to 50 willow twigs to form a soft and beautiful wreath from 30 cm to 2 m.
- You can remove the willow leaves from the twigs, or you can leave them. Willow branches need to be wound around a wire circle or hoop. This is an easy activity that will take about 40 minutes of your time. The ends of the twigs can be tied with thin wire. The next day, the wire fastenings can be untwisted, the willow branches will retain their shape.
- You can hang treats, flowers or small toys on such a ready-made wreath made from natural materials. If you hang roses, your parrots will happily tear off the flower petals and eat them.
The willow wreath itself will last longer than three months if many threads are woven into it. Smaller wreaths can be made for cells.
Home swing
Any tube with a hole through which you can thread wire or rope is suitable for making a swing where your parrots will happily swing or just sit. For hanging, you can use a rope, chain or plastic chain, which can always be purchased at a hardware store. Birds love to swing. Wild birds swing in trees, a behavior considered natural for pet parrots.
Flowers
Birds love to chew flowers. Many wild birds have only flowers in their diet. If you are using purchased plants rather than from your own garden, it is advisable to rinse them thoroughly to remove any existing preservative or insecticide.
Some flowers are poisonous, such as datura, laburnum and foxglove.
Holly and poinsettia are also not recommended for parrots. In fact, when you treat your pet to flowers, you will soon understand which flower is his favorite.
The best models on the market
On sale you can find stands of various form factors. Some models are expanded horizontally, others are expanded vertically, and others are proprietary solutions for specific cells. The overwhelming majority of brands on the domestic market are ParrotsLab (Russia) and Trixie (Germany).
Best solutions based on consumer reviews:
- Trixie 5659 (42 x 44 x 44 cm).
- PL3037 (40 x 36 x 25 cm).
- Trixie 5655 (34 x 26 x 25 cm).
- PL3023 (40 x 25 x 36 cm).
- PL3011 (40 x 24 x 31 cm).
All these products are made from environmentally friendly wood. The material is properly processed, the accessories are securely fastened, and the stands themselves are easy to maintain.
Recommendations
Toys with tiny parts should be avoided, unless they are made of wood, of course. Some parrot owners, considering the filling of soft toys dangerous, do not give them to their winged pets. In fact, even soft toys can be given to parrots to play with, but you just need to be careful: when the toy is torn and the inner filling comes out, the toy will need to be removed from the cage.
Young parrots really enjoy snuggling with a soft toy, perhaps because it reminds them of the brother or sister they grew up with in the nest.
If you want to keep your birds safe, don't buy anything that doesn't have a "Safe" label or logo on it.
Shy birds
Some pet birds that are new to toys because they are very young will be afraid of anything new and strange.
Older individuals already have experience and therefore can teach younger ones how to play with toys easily and with pleasure.
Fear of toys can be overcome with patience. Place the toy in the cage so your bird can see it. In this case, you need to observe the behavior of the parrot, whose body language will tell you that you have placed the toy too close, and because of this it is not very comfortable.
Every day the toy can be moved closer and closer. Eventually, most birds will accept the strange object. Just don't rush.
You can also play with a new toy in front of your parrot. It may take a few days before your bird starts playing with the toy.
Finally, know that your bird's favorite toy is you. Therefore, communicate with your feathered friend more often and devote more of your attention and time to him.
To learn how to make toys for a parrot with your own hands, see below.
In order for a pet budgie to have a developed body, good mental health and live a rich life, it needs various toys. They help care for your pet, establish relationships with it, and teach new skills. These important accessories are sold in special pet stores. If you can’t buy them, you can make them yourself. You will learn from this article about what toys you need to buy or make for budgies, as well as how to make a toy for your pet with your own hands.
Why do you need a harness for a parrot: pros and cons
What is a bird harness? This is the name of a kind of leash that is put on the body of a bird in order to walk it on the street, in a park or in nature outside the city and not risk the fact that it unexpectedly flies away without wanting to.
Many owners are confident that their pet is absolutely tame and will never fly away from them. However, sometimes unexpected things happen (a sudden noise, a cat jumping, a large bird suddenly appearing - a crow, for example), which can frighten your pet and it will fly away from your hand wherever it goes.
There are several advantages to using a harness for birds:
- A big world of new experiences opens up for poultry that is no longer limited by the walls of your home. For her, this is a great pastime and entertainment.
- The opportunity to walk in the fresh air, walk on green grass or along the branches of bushes is both pleasure and improves the health of the bird.
- Budgerigars, African Grays, and cockatiels, as well as all others kept in captivity, have a deficiency of vitamin D, which leads to disturbances in calcium-phosphorus metabolism. Vitamin D is produced in birds' bodies under the influence of sunlight, which is why it is so important to walk them regularly.
However, despite all the significant advantages of a harness for a parrot, many bird breeders express a negative attitude towards it and perceive it as a collar for a parrot, limiting its freedom.
It's all about the mistakes that inexperienced owners make. For birds, any “clothes”, leash, strap, worn on the body are unusual. If you try to force a parrot to wear a harness, it can be deeply psychologically traumatizing for it. At best, your pet will hate this “miracle” and will never allow you to wear it again; at worst, he will stop trusting you. Therefore, it is important to gradually accustom the bird to this accessory and give it the opportunity to enjoy long walks with you.
Watch this video on how to put a harness on a parrot:
What are toys for?
Games are the same essential part of caring for budgies as feeding, maintaining a favorable temperature, bathing, trimming claws, etc. Without toys, the full development of a bird at home is impossible. In addition, playing games together strengthens relationships . And if the owner is not around and the bird is sad, toys are a good way to get rid of the feeling of loneliness, at least for a while.
By plane
Before planning a trip, you must agree with the airline on the conditions for transporting the parrot. When flying within Russia, keeping poultry may be allowed in the cabin. If you plan to fly outside the country, you will have to place your pet in the luggage compartment. All issues must be agreed upon at the stage of booking tickets.
Transporting a parrot on an airplane is a rather dangerous method. Poor ventilation in the cargo area and the cold can adversely affect your parrots. There is a risk of flight delays, which must also be taken into account.
In addition, you will have to collect a lot of accompanying documents: a passport, a certificate from a government clinic, a certificate. It is necessary to additionally microchip the bird and undergo a veterinary examination. Birds from the CITES list - the Convention on the Control of Trade in Rare and Endangered Species of Flora and Fauna - must have official permission to be imported into the country of arrival.
The cage cannot exceed dimensions 45:35:25 cm. Material of manufacture: plastic, metal. The carrier is covered with thick fabric that does not allow light to pass through.
Types of purchased and homemade toys for budgies
A huge variety of parrot games stand out:
- holder for vegetables and fruits;
- for sports: basketball playground, bicycle, roller skateboard, cart;
- various puzzles develop intelligence;
- mirror;
- to hang, climb, climb: rope, ring, ladder, rope, swing;
- with sounds: bell, rattle, rattle;
- contribute to the care of the beak and paws: a wooden, plastic or metal pendant, any figure made of paper or wood.
What toys does a budgie need? Diversity is necessary for full development. Although each type of gaming item listed above has its own benefits, all of them will help develop the abilities of your winged friend and will undoubtedly bring him joy.
Budgerigars love not only to play, but also to chew on something. Often such love leads to the fact that you end up finding damaged things in your home. To prevent a budgie from spoiling important property, it needs to have a variety of paper and wooden toys , as well as chewing toys . Then he will have something to chew on and he will not covet your things.
In addition to the fact that these birds love to sing, they also like any toy object that makes rustling, ringing, grumbling, melodies, rustling and other interesting sounds. Therefore, a musical toy is a good companion for them.
In order for your feathered friend to have an agile, strong and flexible body, you will need more than one sports toy (rings, ladders, swings, ropes, ropes, etc.).
The mirror becomes the parrot's interlocutor when the owner is not around. Do not forget that using this interesting and useful item on the one hand has serious disadvantages.
If you want your bird to be smart, then you will need puzzles . The principle of their operation is to solve riddles and perform the movements necessary to receive a prize. The prize is a treat previously hidden in the game.
Foraging has different levels of difficulty, which promotes step-by-step and systematic development of your pet's skills. In addition, this feature reinforces already acquired skills.
To diversify the feeding process, so that your pet becomes interested in healthy vegetables and fruits and begins to devour them, holders . We also recommend purchasing or making them.
Toys and accessories for entertaining birds
Parrots are smart and learn quickly. By choosing the right toys, you can help not only the physical development of your pet, but also the mental one.
When choosing toys, be guided by the bird’s natural inclinations and preferred activities.
Parrots are attracted to objects that make sounds. This means that the playground needs bells. Rattles can be easily made with your own hands from any small plastic container - a small bottle, a Kinder Surprise egg. Fill it with dry peas, and the fascinating trinket is ready.
Provide your parrot with a stone for grinding down its beak, twigs and pieces of wood for chewing, and colorful toys. Provide colored boxes, plastic bottle caps, marbles and balls that are easy to pick up with their beak or paw.
Swings, crossbars and ladders are needed for active bird activities. Her attention will definitely be attracted by hanging beads, a carousel, a mirror with a bell, and rings.
How to make a safe toy for your budgie with your own hands?
Spending money to get interesting things for your bird is not a necessary procedure. You can make the best toy for your budgie yourself. For example, give the bird wooden beads strung on a string, or make garlands from pieces of apples or carrots. Also use pine cones or coconut peel. This will all make your feathered friend very happy. Just make sure that food toys do not spoil.
There are other conditions that must be observed so that a toy made with your own hands does not harm your budgie:
- the use of cotton ropes and tourniquets is prohibited;
- after gluing the parts, get rid of any remaining glue on the game item;
- a metal part should not contain toxic substances (mercury, zinc, etc.);
- make wooden games from fruit or soft wood; we do not recommend varnishing or painting them;
- make toys of such a size that on the one hand the pet will not choke on them (avoid tiny ones), and on the other hand they will not get stuck (Refrain from very large volumes. Especially when it comes to things that contain cords).
also possible to use children's toys : rattles, plastic kinder eggs, teethers. First check that these items do not have sharp edges or damage.
About creating playgrounds
play corners or stands for their budgies . Some place such a structure directly in a large cage, while others place it outside it. In any case, thanks to this, the budgie will be distracted from other indoor things. This way, nothing necessary or valuable from your interior will be damaged.
To create a playground you need :
- draw a plan;
- decide on the materials of the parts;
- prepare all parts of the structure;
- carefully fasten them to each other according to the intended plan.
It is recommended to attach the play corners to pieces of plywood that will look like a pallet. They are covered with paper, which is replaced with something clean when cleaning. This detail makes caring for your pet easier.
Parrot in clothes
Parrot diaper (walking suit)
Special clothing for large, medium, and small breeds of parrots, providing protection to the owner’s home and shoulder from spontaneous excretion of feces in the bird. It is recommended to wear it on your pet for a walk around the apartment, on the street, or if necessary, go on the road with him. The peculiarity of this hygienic clothing is that it is sewn taking into account the structure of the poultry breed. Each suit has a special pocket in which a replaceable sanitary pad, such as a cotton cosmetic sponge, is placed. Thanks to this, feces do not come into contact with the feathers and the bird always remains clean. The suit can be equipped with a leash for walking.
Important information
Play accessories should bring maximum benefit to your pet. To do this, follow the recommendations :
- Buy toys that are designed specifically for budgies . If you make them yourself, consider the bird's size . Toys must match the parameters of the bird so that it is comfortable and safe for him to play with them.
- It is necessary to alternate play items, otherwise your pet will get bored with them (you can hide some and take out others).
- The cage should have a lot of free space , so do not place a lot of toys in it.
- When placing play objects, do not forget about safety: the bird should not catch them when moving or get confused in them.
- Wash and clean toys in a timely manner
- Remove broken objects from the parrot immediately to prevent injury.
Suit or harness
Manufacturers do not stand still and come up with interesting accessories for birds. On the Internet you can find reviews from parrot owners about special costumes. These suits are similar to swimsuits or panties. They are worn when letting the pet out for a walk around the apartment and do not want it to stain the furniture. Or when they go on a car trip with the bird.
To prevent the pet from dirtying the interior, and at the same time the shoulders of its owners with droppings, these “pants” are put on it. They have a special pocket with replaceable hygiene discs (sanitary pads). Thanks to this insert, the feathers remain clean from feces, like everything else.
If you attach a rubber leash to such a suit, which is often included, you get an excellent accessory for a walk. The costume is easier to put on than a regular harness made of stripes, which must be threaded over the head, which parrots do not like.
Costumes are made for both large grays and medium-sized ones - cockatiels, lovebirds, and there are also very small ones for wavy ones. However, many bird lovers believe that a harness for a budgerigar is more preferable, since it is lighter in weight and it will be easier for the bird to flutter around in it.
If you do not have the opportunity to equip a large aviary on the street or at least let your pet walk on a balcony covered with a strong net, a leash for a parrot is a good option for walking it. Birds need fresh air, warm rays of the sun, and ultraviolet light. By giving your pet all this, you prolong his life.
How to start playing a new game with a budgie correctly?
After purchasing new games, do not place them in the cage immediately. Your bird will probably be afraid of the new thing at first, which will have a bad effect on its psychological state. First, start playing with it yourself in front of the bird. Let her be interested. If she tries to learn a new thing, praise her for it and reward her with some sweets.
Please write which toy does your budgie like best?
Before you get a feathered friend, you should definitely think about the living conditions so that he can live comfortably and pleasantly. A parrot is a sociable bird, but unfortunately, there is not always time to listen to the songs and whistles of a pet. Some birds become sad and lethargic and begin to pluck their feathers out of boredom. Therefore, when arranging a home, in addition to standard perches, drinking bowls, and feeders, it is important to think about an entertainment program. Rings, ropes, bell chains will be very useful. There are also special training toys for paws and teeth.
How to teach a bird to play
Parrots excel at imitation. If, for example, you start fiddling with a bell or launching some kind of interactive toy, then the pet will show curiosity , realizing that if a person can use it, then this fun will not harm him.
This way you can guide the bird through all the game accessories. Birds, just like people, are interested in some things and simply ignore others. You can only find out what your pet likes through experience.
Do parrots need a swing?
The bird instinctively tries to climb higher in the cage, since in the wild it prefers to rest on the tops of trees. In the cage he can sit higher on the swing. The simplest swing for parrots is usually made in the form of a ring or a perch on a rope. To answer the question, here are three main advantages of swings:
- A great place to sleep.
- A favorite toy that can add variety to a bird’s life and cheer up, and many actually use them for their intended purpose.
- An excellent trainer for movement coordination and balance.
How to make it yourself
You don't need to be a carpenter or woodworker, just a little free time and patience. For the simplest swing you will need a stick (about 15 cm long and 3⁄4 the circumference of the foot in diameter), strong thread and scissors. You need to make two cuts in the perch on both sides to secure the thread. And then you need to hang the created structure in the cage. Make sure there are no sharp edges on the wood to prevent your pet from getting hurt by your toy.
Another great option would be products in the form of a ring. You can use an old embroidery hoop, which should be wrapped with rope or rope and attached to any keychain in the cage. If you hang a bell on an improvised ring, it will be even more fun.
Security measures
To make playing not only interesting, but also safe, remember a few simple rules:
- Use natural materials to make swings.
- Place them firmly in the cage to avoid accidents.
- They should not have sharp corners.
- Do not coat products with toxic paint or varnish.
- Do not overfill the free space in the cage, especially if it is small.
- The ropes must be strong so that the parrot cannot chew them.
Remember, if your pet doesn’t like the swing, you shouldn’t leave it in the cage. If you did everything correctly, your parrot will definitely appreciate your efforts.
Which one to buy
Particular attention should be paid to the materials used. There are a lot of low-quality solutions made from mediocre plastic on the market. The latter can emit fumes that are toxic to birds, leading to serious poisoning. It’s good if the product is marked “Eco” or “Hypoallergenic material”. Of course, such carriers are noticeably more expensive, but they cause much less problems.
A large number of air holes is a double-edged sword. Yes, an abundance of fresh air is good, but a draft can cause the bird to catch a cold. The best option is to place the holes on one side, and not along the entire perimeter.
The same goes for review cells. During the hot season, when the sun is especially active, your pet may get sunstroke. Therefore, in the summer it is better not to use plexiglass viewing carriers, but to stick to the classic options.
If the bird will be in the transport cage for more than 3 hours, then you should take care of the feeder and drinker. Otherwise, the stress level will increase significantly.
In the cold season, the carrier must be insulated from the inside, for example, by laying heat-saving fabrics. The parrot should not be allowed to become hypothermic or exposed to critical temperature changes: from hot to cold and vice versa. All this negatively affects the health of the pet.
