What games are you playing?

[ajlinva]

I really hope this doesn't sound to stupid - but here goes! I have had my Grey for two months, he is 8 yrs old and I feel has made wonderful progress adjusting to his new home. He has pretty much only bonded to me and we spend time together everyday cuddling, neck scratching, and he will let me hold his head and kiss his neck while on my shoulder. I really can understand now how they can just steal your heart! His previous owner was an older couple and I am sure that he was treated very well, but my question is HOW DO YOU PLAY WITH THEM! I have tried a few things like, basketball (a small set made for babies), hiding a peanut in cupcake holders (he looks at me like I have lost my mind), little whiffle balls (again, the same look) - I would love to get some ideas on things you do with your birds that they like. I would just love to see him get excited about some type of game or two that we could do together. Thanks, you all are great!

[M2MM]

I play "got your beak" and "tickle the tummy" with my TAG. He also gets all excited when on the back of my easy chair, so I will let him pounce and beak my fingers there. We also do a lot a snuggling and kisses, and I play with his toes, and read children's nursery rhymes to him. He's not quite interested enough in playing fetch and chasing a ball, yet, but it's fun to try to engage his interest. He does enjoy tearing up facial tissues and paper towels, and finding treats wrapped in tiny paper bags. BTW, my TAG is 17 months old.

[HeatherStrella]

I just posted this a couple days ago...I'll just copy and paste it here...

 

Yesterday, I was sitting with Harrison and next to me was a brand new medication tray. You know the ones...they have Sunday thru Saturday on them..they're pop tops and you just put your daily meds/vitamins in the little cup. Well, I thought I'd see if H could pop it open...she did it on the first try. Then I put a treat in it to see if she could get it out..that was a little tougher but she got it out after a few tries. The I held up the tray lifted Wednesdays lid and put the treat in it. I closed the lid then asked her "where is it?" and I kinda moved it closer to her...she got it on the first try...then I set it up for another day she got it on the second try...but the 3rd try, it took 2x to get the third try...not bad, I say. I just thought I'd share my new toy idea. The plastic is pretty flimsy so I wouldn't leave her alone with it...it's something to do together.

 

Followed up with:

Just so you know, I didn't mean that I hid where I put the treat and then had her guess which one, I showed her which one I dropped it in. I wanted to see if she would understand that if she opened the lid, she'd get a treat.

 

Another thing we do is get on the floor with a toy basket/box. We have all kinds of balls/toys that she can grab with her beak or foot. She will throw them around or just empty the box. I'll roll them to her and she'll pick it up in her beak and toss it to me or just toss it around..here and there.

 

After a while, you'll be able to read your baby...sometimes Harrison just wants to sit...she likes to stand on my leg and doze...she'll ask for a "scratch scratch"...I don't know where she got that from but if she asks for it so clearly like that, I give it to her. I'll roll up pieces of paper and she'll unravel it and chew it up...sometimes, I'll hold her up high in my hand and have her kinda 'fly' around the room while still on my hand..make sense, I hope?? We'll do little flips here and there...you know like when she's perched on my finger and I'll make her go upside down...then she kinda flips over...it's hard to explain. If I think of anymore, I'll PM you or write it here. I asked THE same question when I first got her. I had no clue HOW to play...I found it easier if I kinda 'got in touch with my inner child'...lol. I bought her a bunch of ferret toys and other toys that are made for small mammals. I just NEVER leave her alone with them. We play together with those kinds of toys because they are flimsy and she could break them and hurt herself. But, go to the ferret isle or small mammal dept. at PetCo or PetSmart...you'll find small foot toys...wiffle balls (balls with holes in them)...if it's a ball that's hard with no holes or anything, she may not be able to pick it up...also, the small mammal toys are A LOT cheaper than bird toys. I've also gone to toy stores...baby toy stores...after a while you'll know what interests your baby...I've also gone to used kid toy stores....Good luck and have loads of fun!!

 

Heather

[siobha9]

Here are a couple of threads about games we play!

 

http://www.greyforums.net/forums/training/74357-playing-games.html#74734

 

and

 

http://www.greyforums.net/forums/african-grey/73062-what-games-to-play-with-grey.html#73079

[Jane08]

We play fetch with our male grey and he loves it. We use an in door hockey ball and roll it towards him and he throws it back.

 

He also hops on the window sill and runs along it and likes me to chase him and pretend to catch him. I then pick him up and kiss his back and put him down again and he runs off and I chase him again. All the time he is talking away. Sometimes he grabs my finger with his foot and rolls on his side and like to be tiggled under his wings.

 

We also play peek-a-boo. I hide around the corner and peak out at him and say peek-a-boo. He then says it back and then after awhile he flies around the corner to me and I give him a big kiss.

[ajlinva]

OK, I'm off to Petsmart! Thanks to all!

[siobha9]

Happy shopping

[Raposa]

Jenna likes to practice flying to me when I call her, and she likes to take any toy I may have in my hands away from me and play with it. So I take it back, and SHE takes it back . . . She does not like to be petted or cuddled much, although she lets me kiss her head sometimes and recently let me scratch her head/neck a few times, I was so excited! She likes taking a shower with me, and being placed on a towel and wrapped up in it afterwards.