Degree of difficulty - 1 egg

[birdhouse]

This little tub looked like a great thing to load up with fun stuff. This isn't a post about one of those big, beauties we all love to admire on this forum. This is a down & dirty, quick & easy (did I mention cheap ?) foraging toy I hope will amuse Phenix.

 

I had just thought I'd fill it. But I decided to tie some of the pieces for three reasons. Now, it looks more interesting. Everything won't end up on the floor while my fickle fid flings everything looking for a favorite. And while he's busy flinging things, he will have unknowingly created a new hanging toy for himself. Hopefully, it will be less scary because he's already mouthed every part of it.

 

 

 

 

 

[JillyBeanz]

Brilliant! Even I could manage that (I think)! Thanks for sharing - it's a great use of bits and pieces!!!

[birdhouse]

It may take a whole ten minutes away from your next sensational rescue, but I say "Go for it !!"

 

Seriously, there were 3 tubs to the pack. They were all filled & hung in about 15 min. It took me longer than that to post about it because I forgot where I put the silly camera cord. :confused:

[JillyBeanz]

I've got a box in the garage with Harvey's "rotational" toys in - and the ones that he "kills" I throw the bits in the bottom - you have given me inspiration to "create a monster" - well, not really - it'll be a bit leather with some wooden things and beads attached - Harvey probably won't even look at it!!!!

[birdhouse]

That's pretty much how I started. Also, my birds like to watch while I make things. Don't know if it's the process, or they're hoping to get a new toy out of it. Either way, I think it helps to introduce them to whatever I've made.

 

They're interested in almost anything new.

 

And, as we all know, they have a sense of humor.

[Luvparrots]

Great idea birdhouse!!!! Let us know how it goes!!!!

[judygram]

You are so clever and cheap and I mean that in a nice way and what a great idea to put the toys on rope before you fill the bucket with them, you are really getting the hang of having a grey around, thanks for sharing this idea with us. You have won part of the battle of introducing new toys to our greys by letting him watch you make it, makes him curious as to what you are doing so he is intrigued to investigate and viola, success.

[birdhouse]

I whipped up 3 tubs that night. Each got customized with whatever my ekkie, quaker or grey would enjoy. 2 are empty & waiting to be another day's big fun. 1 hangs on the side of a cage, ignored.

 

Can you guess which one ...? That, of course, would be the grey's.

 

He's still on the other side of the cage. He's not growling or cowering, so there's still a very small chance he might eventually accept it. But even thought he watched me fill it with his favorite stuff, the one new part makes it scary.

 

I've had Phenix for 20 years. I guess I've made him toys for 10ish. The one thing I know for sure after all this time ...? How to handle rejection. :cool:

[Guest jamalbirdbiz]

I need toy ideeas for my older greys. anyone gots any.?

[birdhouse]

Phenix likes strings of pony beads & colored wood, cat balls with bells & the drum shaped ones, bells in general & plastic chains. He also likes a nice chain of quick links. If I link a few together, he likes to unscrew them & take the chain apart.

 

A plain old string of wood shapes is really his thing. I get it in bulk, at Jungle Junction in RI & just keep stringing it on whatever. He likes to find smaller pieces that I leave around his cage as foot toys. He also likes the Jungle Talk blocks with the almonds in them.

 

He uses the cat toys as foot toys. He plays hockey on the floor of his cage with the cat balls. He's got my ekkie doing it, too. I have to admit it makes a racket, though.

 

Foot toys get the best reception. I think hanging things are much more threatening.

 

He likes to chew apart or unlink plastic chains. Sometimes, I'll quick link the ends across the lower part of the cage & hang a couple of things in the links of a big chain. He'll perch on the chain & destroy whatever's hanging from it.

 

But I really have to be VERY patient about everything new that goes in the cage. I let him watch me make things. I leave them lying around then introduce them. But I know when I put them into the cage they become scary & he'll avoid that part of the cage sometimes for months.

 

As long as he isn't cowering or growling, I'll wait him out & just show him the toy a few times a week. Then, one day, he just decides it's safe & he usually decides the toy is ok.

 

He's got issues & this is just his way. If I don't let him take however long he needs to accept new things, he would literally just sit around day after day.

[birdhouse]

:cool: Phenix decided to start fishing things out of his tub! I've been randomly moving it around the cage. It eventually ended up on the lowest branch, just off the floor of the cage.

 

When I went to clean his cage last night, I found where he 'd stripped off a couple of the coin holders & demolished a wood shape. He didn't pull things over the edge like I thought he would, of course. Just apparently cut loose whatever interested him.

 

... and it only took him 4 month to do it!!!