Every Day Items Make Fun Parrot Toys

Having a pet parrot can both be a joy and difficult at the same time. Parrots, especially Macaws or African Grays are exceptionally intelligent and can become bored quite easily. This can not only cause problems for the bird like picking at its feathers, but also for its owner who has to deal with a cranky bird who seems to want to chew on everything and refuses to stay in its cage to make matters more difficult. Toys are a must-have for anyone owning a pet parrot.

I've had my Blue and Gold Macaw for about a year now after purchasing her from a local pet store as soon as she was weaned onto pellet food and not needing to be hand fed. When she is bored and unhappy she lets us, as well as our neighbors, know it immediately by screeching and screaming at the top of her lungs. When she doesn't get the attention she thinks she deserves every day she will act mean to anyone trying to interact with her - which is a a damned-if-you-do-damned-if-you-don't situation.

Any children's toys made for infants to about age 3 are suitable for your pet parrot. Each bird has its own personality and will react differently to the toys you offer it. Safety should be your main concern - be certain that any toy you offer is safe for your bird to have and not already broken in any way. A natural reaction to something new is to be cautious and when a new toy is introduced your bird might take flight. I have noticed that my bird is very afraid of balls and balloons and will scream and fly, even if in her cage; doing this in her cage is not safe because it can cause one of her wings to become damaged or broken.

A child's plastic bucket or pail is a colorful and interesting choice for your avian pet. They not only enjoy it because the bucket is scaled down to their size, but it is also easy to hold on to, and easy to clean. Although once a bucket is given to your parrot, don't make the child it came from any promises that it will be returned in one piece or not chewed up.

Plastic cookie cutters are a good teaching mechanism for familiarizing your pet with different shapes and colors. Make sure that there are no sharp or pointy ends on the cookie cutter before giving it to your parrot. Also make sure that is has been cleaned off with only water; any soap or cleaning chemicals can make your avian friend sick or worse. Avoid using metal cookie cutters; they are dangerous for your bird to play with and could cause your bird to end up with a nasty cut.

When a pet parrot becomes bored it can cause a lot of damage to itself as well as its owner's property. Toys are also a great way to keep your avian friend busy when you must go out and cannot spend one-on-one time with your bird. Leaving a bored parrot alone in its cage is the number one cause of most preventable accidents. Supplying them with a variety of toys and gadgets will ensure that your bird always has something to do other than picking its feathers and keep them out of trouble.