My budgies won't touch their toys!

[Skip]

So ever since I gotten my budgies they wouldn't touch their toys. They only played with this one toy that had two stings and balls. They would destroy the strings and and the balls would fall. Other than that, they wouldn't play with any of their toys! All they do is preen themselves.
Can you guys help?

Thanks!

[EleriDragonfly]

My budgies didn't play with their toys at first either, but give them time they will start playing with them I bought 4 toys for mine. One is a set of rings with a bell at the end that they don't play with as much as they do the one with the string of plastic balls that have bells in them. I also have a chew toy made of bird safe materials, it has string and rope they enjoy chewing and tearing up. I also have a tumble toy they enjoying playing with as well.

[Skip]

Thank You for replying!

[EleriDragonfly]

No problem ^^

[cml]

You could also try putting in small fresh branches from parrot safe wood, parrots love to chew on those.

There is a list here that cham linked to in another post:
http://www.birdsafe.com/woods.htm

[ljeanne]

one of my budgies puts his cat ball (with bell) in his water dish every night so he must be playing with ...me.

[GreenWing]

What kind of items get their interest?

I completely understand you, though... I bought Tiki a few different toys and she seems to like the simpler paper toys to bite, tear, and shred. Maybe introduce a simple toy, such as paper toys and see how your budgies like that; if they are really loving the shiny things (like all birds hah!) then maybe try out a toy with a lot of bling.

[allirho]

My budgie was the same way. He wouldn't touch any of the toys at all in his cage.
I've only got one budgie and he LOVES to preen so I make a lot of preening toys out of popsicle sticks and paper rolls with natural types of strings like 100% natural and untreated jute and hemp. I also got some 100% natural raffia. He loves the raffia!

Now he plays with all his toys. Strangely, he doesn't ever touch store bought toys so it's really just a waste for me to buy them now. I think my budgie prefers my homemade toys because they're easier to destroy and less complicated.
My advice: Figure out what sorts of things your birds like to do and make some toys to suit those interests. You mentioned your birds like to preen all day, so maybe make some fun and simple preening toys. Or buy some! Once they get to loving the preening toys they might be more adventurous and try out the other toy types.
Hope that helps!

[laducockatiel]

I have found that smaller birds prefer destroying stuff You don't even need to buy toys, just make some. You can get little plastic containers and fill them with shredded paper and/or treats, you can give them little cardboard boxes to chew up, you can give them string to play with (be careful with string, make sure it is too big for them to swallow), you can make a toy by tying loads of straws together (they will love to chew on that), you can make them forage for food by filling a food bowl with shredded paper and also adding their favourite treats so they have to search for the treats, and loads more. Just make sure the items you use are bird - safe, if you don't know, just ask us lot on the forum.

I have found that my cockatiel prefers homemade toys rather than shop bought toys, because with home made toys, you can make them to whatever your bird likes.

Be adventurous and try everything that is safe for birds!

Regards,
Laducockatiel