he hates toys...

[tacotaco]

Am I the only owner in the world that has a bird who refuses to play with toys?! I've tried buying all different kinds of toys for him, and it seems like he wants NOTHING to do with ANY of them. Of course, while I am at work I don't get to sit here and watch what he does all day, but I see no signs of chewing or anything like that on any of the toys in his cage. I'm almost tempted to get a camera to watch it when I get home lol - I really think he just lays on his blanket all day.
He has picked up some little foot toys (little plastic balls with bells in them, etc) but he will throw them right away. It really seems that all he wants to do is cuddle up with me (which I have no problem with) I just find it odd that he really has no interest in playing with anything.

Has anyone else experienced this?

[Natacha]

Petey isn't much of a player.

He's a 15 year old bird who I don't think really got the chance to play in the past.

After being with me for over a year and a half he's slowly starting to start playing. He's not as big a chewer as the others, but he likes stuff to undo and slide (chains through plastic for example).

It took a lot of time but I'm happy about the progress he's made.

[tacotaco]

Natacha, I can't imagine any bird not being a toy lover in your setup! lol It is like a birds paradise!

[Michael]

Have you considered putting your keyboard, mouse, camera, speakers, perhaps some jewelry in its cage? I'm sure it would be more thrilled to have the same toys you play with

[tacotaco]

that is really true!! he does try and destroy my keyboard and my xbox controller! ahhh noo

[Natacha]

Natacha, I can't imagine any bird not being a toy lover in your setup! lol It is like a birds paradise!

I think it has a lot of how they were raised.
I got my birds used to toys early on. Piper knows how to play but would rather stay on me. But he knows what they toys are for. Same with Shade, although she's much more playful than Piper.

Joey I knew had toys but he didn't play much when I first got him. Now his toys get a beating and he LOVES foot toys!

Zuri I don't think played much either before coming her (circumstances being what they were for him, being moved around a bit), but I got him early on, he wasn't even two, and introduced him to toys and he adores playing with them. I'm quite happy about it.

Petey..there are years of not knowing what toys are for to "undo". But as he's watching the others play, he seems to be catching on the purpose of toys and is starting to explore with them.

[mandyaquawk]

Playing with toys and playing in general in a learned behavior. Parrots in the wild watch their parents, mates, brother, so forth, older birds play with things, and that is how they learn.

I would set aside 10 minutes or so every night, around the same time, and take your bird maybe into your bedroom with a few small foot toys (and for birds that don't play, sometimes toys are downright scary, so start small and simple, a wooden block, a plastic ring, a contact case.....something small and not scary, if they are a bit freaked out by toys), and sit on the bed, and play with the toy yourself, making fun ohhs and ahh sounds the whole time. Once in a while, offer the toy to your bird, and if he reaches out and touches it, tell him hes a good bird and get real excited. Key is to make sure you look like you are having a great time yourself. Keep the sessions somewhat short and if your bird gets bored, try again later. This may take days, weeks, months, depending on your bird, whether he is actually scared of toys, or just doesn't know what to do with them. But like I said, it is a learned behavior, and if the bird is older and nobody ever showed him how to play with toys, hes not going to right away, or ever learn until he is showed how. With patience they will figure it out, and playing is very very much key in metal stability and stimulation, so its very much worth the effort.

[skeetersunconure]

Have you considered putting your keyboard, mouse, camera, speakers, perhaps some jewelry in its cage? I'm sure it would be more thrilled to have the same toys you play with

oh ya! boy whew we had to buy a new mouse after skeeter chewed off the wires and he always picks off the keys on the key board and ripps my moms ear off when he pulls on her earrings which i think is pretty funny haha one day i went to school and i had a some buttons missing on my shirt so i had to use a stapler but that was really funny actually but... im making him a toy that has buttons and rope and play cards and everything a bird would want to chew on and its almost finished!

[kimbo]

i sewed some stuff on a t shirt and chico loves it, have to renew some of the things, bits of rope, reels, buttons.

[skeetersunconure]

hey thats a good idea i saw something on birdtricks like that one day ill get around to it