What do I do with playstands?

[TinyTimneh]

okay ,okay, i know sounds like a stupid question. but really, what constitues a good playstand, what do i put on it and how to i get my TAG to use it? he'd spend a lot more time out with me if i knew how to just get him to sit and play (instead of 45 minutes or so of us just sitting together he could have skritches time for let's say 30 minutes and then out time for at least 3 hours), without the usual result of him just sitting there and plucking furiously because i'm not paying attention or something, despite me giving him all kinds of toys and things to do beside me. I cannot continue the nightly hour of one on one time like that, i've work to do so he really needs to learn to just hang out and play by himself in my presence.

how do i build a good playstand and teach him to use it, also, being that all of my birds are clipped and probably unfortubately will remain that way if i had the small birds waaaay on the other side of the room on a hanging gym or something and the TAG all the other way across the room on another hanging gym is this advisable? Is it safe? I don't want anyone to get hurt but it would be the optimal way for everyone to get the few hours they deserve.

[Suzzique]

You can make a fun playstand out of pvc pipe you get from the hardwear store. I just redid Alex's today so will get a few shots of it in the next day or so. He also has a play area that is hung from the cealing. I will get some pictures of that as well. Try and figure out what kind of toys yours likes then give him ones with lots of that kind of thing. I make 95% of my birds toys. Sometimes it will take a few days but once they get use to seeing it most will want to check it out. Though Alex loves anything new. He will even get really excited and make a sound that shounds like OH OH OH OH. It's to cute! Also do you allow your bird on your sholder? If so just let him rid around with you while you work. Alex loves this. I can sweep do dishes ect. He gets mom time and I get my stuff done.

[TinyTimneh]

I've never had a problem with Jacko getting aggressive towards me when he's on my shoulder but he never seems to be able to get a good grip on my shoulder and just ends up flapping and trying to not fall so i don't bother, also, he's aggressive towards other animals and if i hapepn to walk by another bird's cage he will sometimes dive off my shoulder to go after them.

I've heard that PVC isn't good for their feet so i'm hesitant, plus it is slippery so I really don't want Jacko getting spooked and then slipping and falling, especially from a hanging gym.

[Suzzique]

No there is nothing wrong with the pvc. I cover mine in vetwrap so gives a good grip. Alex loves his playstand. This is the third time that I have done his stand sense I got him. The nice thing about the pvc is that you are only limited by your imagination. Here are pictures of the first and second ones that I did. I will try and get one of the new one sometime tomorrow.

 

[danmcq]

Wow!!! Those look like Parrot Disneylands. :-)

 

Very nice and great concepts for building BIG FUN into a playstand.

 

Whats with the "Dumb Test" links imbedded in your photos? Kinda strange, but fun. B)

[Lyric]

Suzzique, does Alex climb on the net in the first picture? I see those climbing nets all over the internet (so expensive in my opinion!) but I didn't know if my grey would like climbing on one or not. Your playgyms look really nice- you did a great job!

[Talon]

Suzzique, I love them! IS the second one on a table? It looks like its up so high.

 

 

I too would like to know more about the net. I bought one for greys, and it's huge! I have yet to use it, it's outside on my deck. I have no where to put it...

Dan's right, it does look like Parrot Disneyland!!

 

:woohoo:

[Suzzique]

Alex has loved both stands. I redo them on occation to keep things interesting for him. Both stands are free standing. The base is the same just the top changed. I will take a full picture of the new one. It is quit high as Alex is flighted and goes up to the top of the shades all the time. So I made the stand high enough that he can get onto his playstand from them. I made the net myself. He loved it when it was just the vertical part he would clim up and down. Once I added the horizonal he totally ignored it. It is all pvc pipe nothing is glued so it is easy to take apart and redo.

[cdelatorrejr]

Suzzique... I think getting your TAG to play on it is something learned. Most of our feathered friends would like to be with their owners all the time. You may try experimenting with various toys to hang on your playstand. If it has a base, you may want to get some blocks so s/he can climb down grab one and just start gnawing. This is what my TAG, Bobot, does. S/he usually stays on the stand for about 15 min. at a time, loses interests and flies off somewhere else in the house. I'm trying to encourage more time on the playstand by returning Bobot to it often.

[Suzzique]

OOPS you got me confused with TinyTimneh. Alex (a cag) spends most of his day on his play stand. He is very independent. I did not teach him to play on his stand. He is very curious about anything new. Also when the pictures were taken I had just finished the stand and had not yet got most of his toys back up. It is TinyTimneh that is having problems with her timneh. But birds are smart and can learn very quickly. You could show him how fun it is. Also if you want to think about the sholder riding. Just like anything else it takes practice.

[Suzzique]

Oh ok here are shots of Alex's redone stand as well as the play area's above both cages. Please know that do to being redone I have taken down all of his toys which were all in need of redoing. So he only has a few up right now. The stand is not totally done I ran out of stuff for covering and I plan on adding a swing. I will take more pictures once I have toys done and up for all to see. Oh and the link in the pictures is from the fact that I use imageshack to host my pictures.