Shreddable, Food-Finding, Parrot Toy Examples

Hi Chet.
We have two birds, a hand reared sun conure, and an unhandled two year old ringneck.

I purchased your parrot training CD set, but have not applied any of your information due firstly to the seemingly ridiculous fact that a full diet pellet product is not available here in Australia. And secondly, not anywhere have I been able to find information on whether the birds must be in separate cages. Perhaps I have missed it, but would be very interested to hear your opinion.
Many thanks,
Lyn

I bought the toy in the second picture for my sun conure and I hung it in his cage….he wouldn’t touch it. After watching your videos & reading your emails about letting the birds search for food…I took this toy out of his cage, cut it open in the center and stuffed it full of goodies inside and on the outside, I then hung it close to his favorite perch by the kitchen window. He now has a great time with this toy and he has finally found that the toy actually is full of stuff (stuff that came inside) he constantly is now shredding the toy and having a great time doing it….I’m so glad he’s enjoying it now….I thought I had just wasted $25, but believe me it was well worth it. I now look for toys that I can stuff food in….and my bird is much more confident about exploring the new toys now.

Thanks for your info, you have made a huge difference in how we interact with our parrot….he’s happier and so are we!

Lyn, there are quite a few good pellets available here – if you go to the parrot rescue centre’s website they sell some good brands on there and you can have them mailed to you.

I keep a ringneck and a cockatiel together in a big cage without any problems but I don’t know much about sun conures!

I also would like to know if birds should be in separate cages? I believe that I’ve made a mistake, by putting to blue and golds together. Before they use to love me and now that they have been together all they do is attack any body who comes near the cage. don’t know what to do, when we separate them they scream and scream. can you help me? i love them both
Marie

Hi Lyn, I live on the Sunshine Coast and have never had any trouble finding full diet pellets. Hagen make one – just to name one off the top of my head. If you go the the website parrotrescuecentre.com (not sure if there is an “au” on the end) you will find lots of parrot stuff including food. The Centre is on the Gold Coast Queensland.

Hi,
I live in Cranbourne Victoria and did find pellets a little difficult to find. The Australian Brid Company had them but I dont like to buy off them as they gave me some bad advise and I nearly lost my bird. I now get them from a pet stock & produce type place, that caters for all animals not just household pets. You might have to drive for them but they come in a big bag an last a good 6-12 months even with the birds throwing them on the floor etc. Try a place that caters for househld pets, horses, retiles etc

I live in Aus too and we have a great Australian company over here called vetafarm that make great pelleted food and parrot breed specific pellet diets too. I have a Rainbow lorrikeet and they are the only company in aus that I can find that makes a lorrie food with out added iron. Lorries are often iron intolerant. Vetafarm too can be looked up on the net. Good luck.

Hello,

I have a timneh African grey, a rescue, and a blue and gold macaw. I also have observed birds since I was a child. One thing I do with my two birds (who by the way, are so well behaved they do not have cages and my home is very clean) I feed them in the morning and evening. They are dependent on me to receive the food they love. I take pelleted food and soak some in V-8 Fusion juice. I then warm it and they love it besides getting fruit and vegetable nutrition. They have a little pellets in their baskets during the day but they will wait and even demand their loved food by saying “breakfast” in the morning and at night. Perhaps with some or I believe all pet birds, they are more likely to want to interact with us if they need us … like bird parents in the wild. I have found that when they get too independent, they are not as gentle nor as happy.Just look at wild birds and how friendly and brave they will become if they are being feed by us at feeders.

Hey Lyn, unless the birds know each other really well and get along great then they shouldn’t be put in the same cage. Birds can be really terratorial and they could wind up trying to kill each other.
If they play together fine and go into each others cages often then seeing if they like to nap together to start with will give you a good idea of whether they’ll accept being shut in together eventually. Usually it’s a slow procedure and you’ll have to observe their behaviour closely.
My birds have never accepted one another and will attack one another if they get too close. (one is a ringneck.)

lyn, myparrotshop.com.au has fantastic pellets toys and advice, enjoy!

Hi Lyn, surprising that u havent so far found a pellet diet. i live in sydney and my favourite store is Kellyville. its massive and there isnt anything on earth for pets that u wont get there. website: kellyville.com.au. check it by actually visiting the store. i love it.

Thanks !! very helpful post!

i have tryed to order the toys ….but it will not send my order out….i have filled in every thing it says to…..i have tryed several times…..ty Daisy

Daisy that shouldn’t be happening, please contact our customer service via email or phone here; http://www.birdtricks.com/contact-us.html

I HAVE AN AFRICAN GRAY PARROT (NIKO) & I USE HARRISONS BIRD (PELLETED FOOD). MY NIKO WAS ON SEED WHEN I ADOPTED HIM 5 YEARS AGO & I IMMEDIATELY STARTED HIM ON HARRISONS, HE LIKED IT SO WELL AFTER 2 DAYS HE REFUSED TO TOUCH ANY KIND OF SEEDS EVEN AS A TREAT. YOU CAN GET IT AT, http://WWW.HARRISONSBIRDFOOD.COM
YOU CAN ALSO GET A LIST OF WEAR THEY MIGHT SELL IT IN YOUR AREA.

that’s a little bit stupid to me because when they shred it it makes a BIG mess. i know from experience. and u can bond better with your bird if u hand feed it treats. this is really the only advice that i’ve gotten from chet that’s really dumb in my opinion. if u want something for your bird to wear down it’s beak on, i’d recommend a mineral block or cuttle bone. and to keep your bird interested in it’s toys,just switch in and out different toys into the cage every so often.you can rearrange them too. it works perfectly fine for my parakeet, Ivory, he’s happy and healthy. still…thanks for everything chet, u have helped me alot! -acey

Acey,

There’s more to owning a bird then just building a bond. It needs to be able to entertain itself when you aren’t there. This process helps birds simulate the process of looking for food like they’d have to in the wild… and makes a dramatic difference in their ability to not get bored.

I think simulating the food foraging process sounds like a great idea. I’m going to start trying it immediately. Thanks for the idea!

hi i was given a quaker parrot he does not like to be held or to come out of his cage except when he is in the room by himself i hand feed him all the time so he will get used to me he is doing well with that i know it will take time but if you have any ideas would be gratefull

Pam,
Depending on the age of your quaker and what his past is it could take a long time to bond. Quakers are known to be very territorial and often become cage aggressive. It sounds like you are doing well based on the fact that he will eat from your hand. I have a suggestion. Most quakers are very food motivated. Find a few of his favorite foods such as grapes, pistachios, apple or maybe even crackers. When he takes one from you, let him see that you have more and move away from his cage where he can see you and put the treats on a small plate near you so he will come to you and is rewarded by treats. Keep moving it closer to you until you put the treat in your open hand and he will come to you to get it. It is a process but it will hopefully teach him to trust you. Good luck and hopefully you will develop a strong bond to each other and have many years of happiness ahead.
Renee

Chet,
I think this is a great foraging exercise. I have spent a lot of $ purchasing foraging toys and most of my parrots have very little interest in them. Perhaps I should do something to show them a few times how to get to their treat. I’m sure you have seen the plastic-like foraging toys that I am talking about. You can see through them but the bird has to learn how to get to the treat that it sees. I have actually purchased some of the toys you are showing and the birds like the natural toys and like to shred them but I think hiding treats in them would be great fun for my birds. They make little bird pinatas that have bird treats in them also. I was actually going to make some of those pinatas with toilet paper and paper towel rolls and newspaper or crepe paper and trying some pepper strips, carrots or apple slices. I am home all day with my fids so I am able to keep a close watch and the food wouldn’t be left for too long causing possible bacterial growth.
Renee

Hello,

I have a timneh African grey, a rescue, and a blue and gold macaw. I also have observed birds since I was a child. One thing I do with my two birds (who by the way, are so well behaved they do not have cages and my home is very clean) I feed them in the morning and evening. They are dependent on me to receive the food they love. I take pelleted food and soak some in V-8 Fusion juice. I then warm it and they love it besides getting fruit and vegetable nutrition. They have a little pellets in their baskets during the day but they will wait and even demand their loved food by saying “breakfast” in the morning and at night. Perhaps with some or I believe all pet birds, they are more likely to want to interact with us if they need us … like bird parents in the wild. I have found that when they get too independent, they are not as gentle nor as happy.Just look at wild birds and how friendly and brave they will become if they are being feed by us at feeders………………………………

nouman elahi

Hey pam, you are probably bed time.doing quite well with your quaker by now but still just to let you know. My partner and i both own quakers and they are the best little personalities but as youd know they can get a lil cranky. We usually try and keep them out of the cage most of the day while we are home with time on their own in the corner to play together on top of the cage and lots of interaction with us. But we have found they will get cranky if they dont get a little bit of time out each day. Kikii my quaker will nip at anyone but me if she doesn’t get her time out for a day or so if i have a full long day at work, even when she only gets 20 mins before bed time. When she has had time out during the day she will happily step up for almost anyone. They also love Corn, Snow peas and grapes. Hope all is going well with you and your quaker they are the best.

Hi, I have a rescue cockatiel a little over 2 years old who refuses to touch any kind of pellet foods, I have tried many different brands and many different sizes as well as many different ways to incorporate them into his diet and nothing is working. I would really like to get him off of seeds, does anyone have any ideas?

When you order a bag of Birdtricks.com organic pellets it comes with a recipe (via video featuring Chet and Dave) that teaches you how to get your picky bird to eat the pellets. You can order here; http://www.birdtricks.com/store/food.html

Hi!
I have a Quaker, named “Peppermint” (Peppermint Candy is his favorite thing!) after he removes the wrapper and chews on it for a while, he puts it in his water and makes “TEA”. Everything else goes in his water to make “SOUP!”
He is a happy Bird who loves to sing “Old McDonald,” “Jingle Bells,” and “Jesus loves me.”
(Often he sings Jesus loves Jingle bells, Eee III EEEE III OH!)
He does not like conventional Bird foods. (What Mama is having will be just fine for me, Thanks”)
I raise a garden, so my Birds get a variety of organically grown fresh vegetables. I also give them baked potato, cooked beans, and rice.
I pick seed pods from various types of grass from my yard, and grow Giant Sunflowers, and Alfalfa.
(I raise Cockatiels, with 3 adult pairs, Three Babies, and an older Female Lutino with a crippled foot. (Her first flight ended disasterously on the top of my Friend’s Senagal’s cage.)
There is a cup of conventional bird seed in each cage. (That keeps people who visit from thinking my birds are not being fed!)
I’ve tried many varieties of pellets for my birds, but they use them for Ammo to throw at the Dog and Kittens!)
I guess mine are spoiled!
This morning, I fixed skewers with Yellow and Zuchinni Squash, Turnip, Carrots Cantelope, Apple, and Cherry tomatoes, and hung them in each cage.
Later, they got leaves from several types of Lettus, Cabbage, kale, spinach, and turnip greens . Before “Birdie bedtime”, we had air popped popcorn.
My Youngest baby (Lutino) Cockatiel will be a month old, Sunday, He made his first flight, today! (Rather precocious, I think!)
He is hand fed with a diet of commercial Baby Formula, mashed potato, rice, eggs, steamed carrots, and suitable soft foods from my plate.) and he is still being fed by his parents, too.
THey were also my “Hand Fed Babies, so they think I am supposed to help feed their babies!)
Mine seem to be healthy, and Happy, so I’ll not worry too much about what they eat!
CJJ

Hi Chet,
I adopted a 10 yr old yl nape that was actually sold me as a breeder and I feel as though I adopted him because he turned out to be the best pet. not nippy at all and very loving to me. The problem is he won’t eat any pellets at all. I have tried crushing them and putting them on his fresh food and that doesn’t work. I am so afraid to leave him for a day because he really depends on me for his food. He eats breakfast and dinner with us. what ever we eat he eats plus he gets fresh fruit and veggies and beans in the morning and afternoon.. He also will not play with any toys, I have them hanging everywhere and he won’t touch them. I have had him for about a month and have only seem him once try to chew on his perch
can you please help me
thanks alot
Donna

My cockatiel is very comfortable on his cage. He gets stressed if I move him 3 feet to be on the coffeetable. He also refuses to step ever unless there is millet available for a treat. He’s never been forced and he has only received yummy treats when he does comply. Advice?

Heather,
Have you tried lowering the height of his cage? Birds generally feel safer (and higher in the pecking order) when they are up higher. Maybe a mobile stand/perch might encourage him to come & play away from his cage’s roof?

Hey, I was given a business card from my mother w/a free sample of a shreddable toy for my green parrotlet DEWEY, Its called SHREDDERS natural woven palm leaf bird toy. I put sunflower seeds into it and Dewey just loved it.
They say that they are manufacturers of Fine Earth-Friendly Bird Toys. The prices seem good to me, but I,m not sure if the toys are like the ones Chet has mentioned in the past. So maybe somebody could check out the web site and let me know if I should start spreading the word about this place or not. Thank you
go to( Planet Pleasures.com) any feedback would be appreciated.

Yep, we use a lot of Planet Pleasure’s toys in the Bird Tricks toy line, among other naturally made and safe toys.

I am “babysitting” for a sun conjour. She is terrified when you put any toy into her cage. I am afraid to leave it in the cage for sefveral days at a time as she just hangs unto the side of her cage and trembles. Any ideas? Thanks. Barb

i get so mad and hurt with frankie iv’e hadhim in trainning 16 wks now im stilling ready th book looking at your tapes he is in some ways doing better with me not th way i want him…. when my 26 yr old daughter comes in from work at 6pm i get so hurt he will do eveything she tells him to do and will even follower her walking beside her… i dont understand he wont bite her at all!!!!!!!!!! he will alow her to pet her at any time he gets so excited when she even drs up in the drive way as if he already knows ts he…. i have a very tender heart with ppl animals ex. this guy knows where to hurt me the most my heart he will not stop bitting me day i get him out i have to set and talk with him for 30 min or more to earn that trust he wants one time he got my he charged me and got my foot and im telling you he would not let go he has strenth i feel like an eagel and im telling you he wouldn’t let go he help on for dear life with my foot im not scared of him im a pretty tough cookie i have a farm but this has been the worse ive ever been threw and nothing is working he is evil with me i love him i show him no fear at his best time is when i feed him ive cried and prayed for him but like i said he will do more when my daughter comes in what do i do sell him am i wasting my time with frankie?

im sorry i didn’t tell you what kind of parrot he is a yellow nape i dont want anymore food that i ordered from you iv’e done everything for him to eat it he is that goffy its just a waste of time and money my daughter said he is bypolar are they?? i dont want to sell him i had hope things well get better and i hope it does im not a quiter………… but when he see’s her he will spread is beautiful colourful tail and fluff so beautiful and acts just like ray charles in is dance only thing missing is a pair of sunglasses..lol he can be a doll i love frankie he picks up words so easy i just dont understand him at all!!!!!!!!!!!!!! ty mrs yount