Bored!!

[Kaskoo]

Kasko is allwayys bored and half asleep! (his wings are clipped) I've tried alot of the things that were on the forum:

-Straws: completely ignored it..and gave me a 'are u crazy' look

- knotted string: he had tons of fun..but his beak got stuck in it once so i cut it off..

- mirror: totalllllly freaked

- swing: scared to death of it

-kids hulla hoop: did a crash-landing

- plastic ball: ignores it

 

What can i do!? I still have somethings i need to try like checking out dogs and baby toys..hopefully they will work.

 

Any advice?

[Jane08]

I know this sounds crazy but when I give our greys new toys I actually show them how to play with it and what to do. I start off by making a big deal over the toy and play with it myself and make it look like I am having fun with the toy. Say if it's a ball I sit on the table and throw it up and down, roll it across the table etc. They then get curious and really want to join in or have the toy.

 

So our male stands on the table and bashes the ball with his beak and runs after it sort of like he saw us doing it.

 

It does take a lot of time figuring out what toys they like though and they only way to do that is to try everything that you can. Unfortunately they all don't like the same thing. Our male plays ball and our female hates playing ball, she prefers to sit and chew on something, like my hair tie that has a metal piece in it.

[danmcq]

Hi Kasko,

 

First, you must let your Grey become accustomed to different objects, before he will ever want to explore and play with them. This can take 3 or 4 days.

 

As Jane stated, you can also show your Grey how to play with the toys. Bat the plastic ball around a little after he is used to it. He may just start running after it and batting it around himself. :-)

 

They also like very simple things. Throw some wadded up paper, newspaper etc. on the cage floor. They love to bat them around, attack them and shred them to pieces.

 

The also like empty toilet paper rolls to shred and play with.

 

You'll get there, it's just trial and error until you find what pushes his HOT button. :-)

[darth_mint]

My Nicky took a while to learn how to play too. I got him interested by making toys in front of him and letting him watch the whole process - I'd take a toilet roll, stuff a couple of almonds inside, scrunch the ends up and add some felt strips while he peered at me with SUCH a suspicious expression. Then I rattled the almonds inside it for a while, and suddenly he wanted it like anything! (and one hour later there'd be an unholy mess of shredded cardboard all over the place :laugh:

 

If playing with it in front of him doesn't work, you can put it down casually somewhere near him, not near enough to be threatening but where he will have some difficulty reaching it (make the little darling work for it!) and just leave it there for him to investigate by himself. It may take a while for him to start wondering about it, but he'll remember your messing with it and get there eventually B)

[darth_mint]

Oh, and try playing music to him! I was playing Michael Learns To Rock to Nicky this evening and he cocked his head to left and right to hear it, then started trying to whistle along...very very out of tune, but it's the thought that counts :lol:

[Suzzique]

If he is only a year old and sleeps alot I would be worried. Take him to an avain vet to make sure that there is nothing wrong. Sleeping all the time and lack of interest in anything could be a health problem. After you know he is healthy then everyone has given you great suggestions. Alex loves whole rolls of toilt paper. It makes a great shreder! Alex loves to "help" me make his toys! He has as much fun getting into all the parts as he does with the finished toy.

[judygram]

Different greys like different things but do check the baby section of stores for toy ideas, a lot of them are suitable for greys and safe, much less expensive than made for bird toys.