On the Subject of Toys

I'm truly amazed by how much information is in Kris Porter's books (from parrotenrichment.com) . I've read through The Parrot Enrichment Activity Book about three times now, and I'm still just in awe with how much information is in them. If you haven't read them, it's worth taking the time to scan them. They're free, available immediately online, and very informative. Plus full of great pictures of birds playing.

The Parrot Enrichment Activity Book
The Parrot Enrichment Activity Version II

The books cover many, many techniques to keep our birdies mentally engaged and active- and a good majority of the toys are inexpensive or DIY.

I love the fact that good toys for our feathered friends are relatively easy to make. And if the toys aren't perfect, it really doesn't matter. It's the act of destroying that Rex loves, not aesthetics.

One of Rex's all time favorite toys is the Parrot Piñata.

Dr. Foster & Smith

It's bright, makes an awesome rustling sound (it flails when he thrashes it around) and he LOVES to shred it. It's closer to the bottom of his cage, so he'll grab the top part with his beak, hold that part with his toes, then beak-grab further down until he has the whole toy at a right angle to the cage walls. I'm pleased that his favorite toy is one of the least expensive... at $1.69, I won't go into debt keeping the nugget away from boredom.