Birds Need Entertainment
As any owner of a pet bird knows, toys are vital to their happiness. Many pet birds love to play with toys — and love to destroy or chew on anything that comes their way. If they don’t have a constant supply of toys to play with, they can become grumpy and stubborn on a daily basis.
That’s why it’s incredibly important to make sure your pet bird always has the best toys to play with.
Bird toys, regardless of what kind they are, are great for your bird’s everyday life. Not only do these toys allow your bird to have fun, they also provide much needed exercise (great for the more active bird breeds) and mental stimulation. Having a proper supply of toys at the ready for your bird also prevents them from growing bored; when they grow bored, they’ll be grumpy and stubborn.
A lot of stubbornness and behavioral problems actually stem directly from birds not receiving enough stimulation, both mental and physical. Health problems can also stem from a lack of stimulation, which is definitely not good.
You can buy all of these at your local bird store or animal store. If you don’t have one in your local area, you can always check online on a variety of sites that specialize in birds and bird toys. The best big store options are always PetSmart or PetCo, or the store where you bought your pet bird in the first place! Amazon is also a great way to get plenty of toys for your bird delivered straight to your house.
Exercise Toys
Keep some exercise toys in your bird's cage as a way to keep them active and entertained. From fun swings to ladders they can climb up on, exercise toys will help them move around and get some physical exercise in for the day.
Foraging Toys
Foraging toys make your bird work for its food, just like he or she would if they were out in the wild. These toys normally have food stuck in them, and your bird has to solve puzzles and forage for their food or treats. All types of birds, regardless of the size, love these types of toys. Stick a treat in one and then head off to work! Your bird will definitely be occupied for a while!
Comfort Toys
Birds like physical contact, something some people don’t know. In the wild, birds are naturally together for a reason. Pet birds are no different and they like to have something they can cuddle with — even if that something is a nice little hanging bed they can crawl into. This really helps de-stress your bird, and can also give them a sense of comfort and security they might not have otherwise.
Chew Toys
As you probably already know, birds love to chew. To make sure they don’t start chewing things they really shouldn’t, make sure you always have some basic chew toys around to keep them occupied.
Preening Toys
A lot of times preening toys are ropes, or items that look like ropes. Birds like, and need, to preen — and if they don’t have something to do it with, they’ll end up feather plucking from boredom, which is never good. By making sure they have some preening toys and rope around, they can satisfy their preening need whenever they deem fit.
Shredding Toys
Just like chewing, birds love to shred things. Again, might as well make sure they have toys to satisfy this need. You don’t want them shredding things they’re not supposed to shred! Birds love to destroy things, and giving them a toy they can easily shred will leave them feeling quite satisfied with themselves.
Climbing Toys
Birds are happiest when they can be as active as possible. Climbing toys let them release all that pent up energy and enthusiasm. Birds love ladders and ropes they can climb on and hang off of, as well as balls they can perch themselves on.
Noise Toys
Certain birds (mainly parakeets) absolutely love to have toys that make noise. It should be noted that some other breeds of birds might not like noisy toys. Whether it’s bells they can play with or some type of musical toy, birds will be sure to keep themselves entertained.