So, my bird is not a shredder...

[jayebird]

So our little GCC is not really prone to shredding or chewing. He just doesn't seem to be the "destroyer" type bird that so many toys seem to be geared towards. I was planning on trying to get him some softer wood (so it might not discourage him as much as his harder toys) and some of those vine ball things and try those out. I have the Shredders woven paper woven through his cage bars and he picks at it from time to time but I think it'll take him at least a month at the rate he's going. He just doesn't seem interested in chewing. I sometimes worry about the condition of his beak, but he does have a lava stone that he uses from time to time and a sandy perch he rubs his beak on so I'm assuming that'll at least prevent beak overgrowth.

But I was also wondering if you guys have any other suggestions of enriching toys? He likes to chew softer things, like tee shirts and leather. He also love love loves to preen my hair and his own beautiful feathers. I've been looking around on tons of websites, but maybe you have some good toy suggestions or ways I can get him more interested in chewing things?

Thanks!

[entrancedbymyGCC]

Scooter started out being very nondestructive, but then he discovered paper! Try weaving some paper through the bars, or just holding a small piece and let your bird shred it. From there, Scooter has gone on to be much more of a chewer, although he doesn't like hard, big blocks particularly. He like those bird kabob things, and thin, soft wood pieces. He particularly likes shapes with points, like triangles, and very thin disks. Mostly I'm making my own destroyable toys these days. ALthough I bought him one recently that had corrugated cardboard sections and he totally enjoyed shredding that in 24 hours. Empty TP tubes (w/o glue) are also a hit.

Scooters very favorite toys are both noisemakers -- he has a bell enclosed in a rubber geodesic dome-thingy that he uses to ring as for the butler and he also uses as transport around the cage! He has a little orange acrylic saucer with beads in it that he loves to hate and attacks regularly when it is in his cage!

He also enjoys balls as foot/chase/throw on floor toys when he is out, and he likes pill bottles. We washed a couple of empties well and put plastic beads in -- he likes noisy toys.

[Giantmoa]

Rainbow likes to chew those small birdie pinata's and palm shredders. She also like balsa wood and birdie kabobs because they are so easy to shred to bits.... She'll chip away at wooden foot toys as well but'll completely ignore most hanging toys. One thing that really got her chewing was a wooden hutch similiar to this:

which I put on top of her cage and she chipped away at surprisingly quickly for her. whicker baskets most likely work just as well..

funny enough my tiel was far more distructive than my gcc is

[TheNzJessie]

try Michaels method of wooden pegs not sure if there soft enough but i watched a video of truman and kili having a good time with half a wooden peg each

[wicanwitch]

hi my african grey loves to nibble at babys dummies [soothers] he hasnt bitten through them but i think he just likes the texture of them i have pinched all my grandaughters baby rattles [she has grown out of them lol] and he loves to nibble them to i have also plated some scraps of brightly coloured material together which he loves to perch on and nibble at. hope this is helpfull
wickanwitch

[jayebird]

entrancedbymyGCC - How do you make that pill bottle toy? Turns out I've just come by one and I'm willing to try anything

[entrancedbymyGCC]

Take an empty pill bottle (small, like the prescription kind), wash it out and let it dry. Put 2 or 3 beads in it (sorta pill sized ones) and put the lid back on. That's it! Scooter likes to roll them around a table and throw them around.

[jayebird]

I haven't got a chance to make the pill bottle toy yet, but we got him this: http://www.amazon.com/Super-Creations-F ... 499&sr=1-4 and he looooooves it. It's a kind of wicker/vine thing and he's very into it He also seems to like the really kiddy colorful plastic parakeet toys like this one: http://www.amazon.com/Super-Bird-Creati ... 574&sr=1-5 He's also starting to be more interested in his "shredders" paper and I've been tying bits of corrugated cardboard to his cage bars with jute rope that he hangs out next to and chews.

--- So just in case anyone else has a GCC that doesn't seem to want to play with toys, try these things!

Whatever keeps him happy! Of course, I have to find more and more toys to switch out of his cage and decorate his playstand with Never ending shopping fun!

[gizmo101]

with the pill bottle you can drill a ole on the lid and on the bottom and put sting or something kinda like elastic (if you go with elastic put a plastic tube around it to stop them eating it)
with the lastic they like pulling it and letting go and watch it bobble around a while. tie it to the top of the cage and there you got a toy they love
if they lose interest put a treat or two inside and they will get playing again
also try putting plastic keys or bells on the bottoms as most gcc s like noicey toys

[MandyG]

I'm going to have to try some of these ideas! Pele (Gold Capped Conure) doesn't seem to know anything about toys. I've bought a couple (she only came with 2!) and she has no interest in them despite me playing with them with her.