Birds and how much bird toys they destroy?

[Saemma]

Who was shocked by the amount of toys your parrot can destroy? How often are you obligated to replenish their resources? Before joining the avian internet community, I used to think the only toys that were available for birds were the ones in regular Pet shops and quite frankly, my parrots ignored those ones.. It took a few months and a lot of experimenting with different toy vendors to understand what type of toys EACH of my 4 parrots enjoyed destroying and attacking. These days I am a better shopper and know exactly what my parrots like so I try to limit my purchases to 2-3 very big ones per year and spend about 300$-$400 per year on items meant to be destroyed. I feel that it's not too hefty an amount for 4 birds. None of my parrots are speedy destroyers, thank goodness!

 

[Bokkapooh]

I remember when I got Bokka(U2, rip) 9 years ago. He loved fabrics and rope toys.

When I bought him his first large wood toy. I gave it to him at night and I went to school and work the next day. When I came home around 6pm the next day. Bokka had destroyed the toy. And my mom also had him out for about 8 hours. So he was only caged in the morning for about 4 hours. I cant believe how fast he went through the toy!

Since then, I havent been shocked at how fast a cockatoo can go through toys. They even destroy touch acrylic foraging toys with ease! Talk about foraging to the extreme.

If I could afford it, my guys would go through a $20-60 per day/every other day.

Which is why my birds have SS skewers for their main source of wood destroyable toys.

 

[gibsongrrrl]

I had no idea I had adopted a feathered wood chipper they will shred 1/4" slats ALL DAY LONG. I love it. It used to kill me when I worked at Dr. B's and people would come in asking for recommendations for toys, but would say "oh he'll just tear that right up" when I would recommend anything with wood. I also did a bunch of experimenting at first, but quickly narrowed it down with Weeble. When I had Gypsy, it took a bit longer to realize she liked small bird toys with knotted leather and beads. Beeper was terrified of toys when I got her, but she's learned from Weebs that destroyables are the best I mostly make all their toys now and order wood in bulk, which helps save a ton of money. I can make the same $12 toy for about $2 at most and make all of them easily refillable.

 

[Saemma]

I remember when I got Bokka(U2, rip) 9 years ago. He loved fabrics and rope toys.
When I bought him his first large wood toy. I gave it to him at night and I went to school and work the next day. When I came home around 6pm the next day. Bokka had destroyed the toy. And my mom also had him out for about 8 hours. So he was only caged in the morning for about 4 hours. I cant believe how fast he went through the toy!

Since then, I havent been shocked at how fast a cockatoo can go through toys. They even destroy touch acrylic foraging toys with ease! Talk about foraging to the extreme.

If I could afford it, my guys would go through a $20-60 per day/every other day.

Which is why my birds have SS skewers for their main source of wood destroyable toys.

I cannot imagine! There must be continuous wood splinters at your place

 

[Sadieladie1994]

I cannot imagine! There must be continuous wood splinters at your place

Now you know how we learned to recycle. If there are big enough pieces left them go in a bucket, basket or some form of rummaging box. Don't throw stuff in the trash, put it in the foraging box. I have vultures here who whatch packages I have and seem to wait to get to them! Large braided rope provides fun walking across, balancing and twist the rope open and stuff a nut in the opened twist. This was my severes favorite activity. She was also a big chewer. If the nut too hard to open, or wood too big she would SHAVE off pieces with her lower beak. She could teach everyone how to read body language and avoid HER bite... That was one sharp beak.

One big investment in high priced items for the year....#300 to $600. Monthly varies...$60 to $150. I need to fit dog toys in the budget also.

 

[Saemma]

Now you know how we learned to recycle. If there are big enough pieces left them go in a bucket, basket or some form of rummaging box. Don't throw stuff in the trash, put it in the foraging box. I have vultures here who whatch packages I have and seem to wait to get to them! Large braided rope provides fun walking across, balancing and twist the rope open and stuff a nut in the opened twist. This was my severes favorite activity. She was also a big chewer. If the nut too hard to open, or wood too big she would SHAVE off pieces with her lower beak. She could teach everyone how to read body language and avoid HER bite... That was one sharp beak.

One big investment in high priced items for the year....#300 to $600. Monthly varies...$60 to $150. I need to fit dog toys in the budget also.

My toys definitely get recycled around here. In fact, each of them will actually take turns at destroying the parts they like best. One of the benefits of having multiple birds around here. If one doesn't like a toy, some other bird will, and destroying the toy tends to be a community effort.

 

[alcmene]

My other birds aren't very destructive, their toys last forever. But my sun conure is a small feathery buzz saw. I was AMAZED at her ability for destruction when she first came home, that a bird so little could tear up so much stuff so fast!

She usually demolishes 2 toys/wk. Her favorites are wood chewing toys. I tend to buy ones for her that are advertised for birds much larger then she is (amazon toys are the biggest hits) or else that number would be more like 2 toys/day!

I'm not sure how much I spend on toys per month. I tend to wait until one of my favorite stores is having a really awesome sale. Then I stock up majorly- like $500 or $600 worth at once. Then I dole those purchases out over time. I've recently bought stuff and have an enormous amount of toys in reserve- 2 huge Rubbermaid bins full. When those start to get low looking, I'll begin watching for sales again. I'm guessing I re-buy maybe 2-3x/yr? That's a complete guess though. I also buy all of her toys as I am the least crafty person on earth and all attempts I've done at making my own toys have turned out to be a total disaster.

 

[alcmene]

Upon re-reading my post, thought I should clarify so no one gets nervous:

I am VERY careful to never get toys that could be unsafe for a bird of her size. When I say I buy "bigger bird" toys, I mean the kinds that are blocks of wood to chew (her favorite kind). The ones made for conures have wood that is too soft for her liking or too few pieces and she shreds through them in minutes. If I buy her toys with larger blocks of wood, they keep her busy for a week.

 

[Bokkapooh]

Wow, she is a buzz saw! Never heard of a conure to go through so much wood!

 

[bicmeister]

My birds are picky, and it's so hard for me to predict what type of toys they want to destroy this week or next week. For example, my galah will destroy all wood toys one week and then only touch cotton ropes one week and then only easy shreddables the next...that's why I always buy an assortment of toys all the time....which is great because I love to shop and bird toys/bird stuff purchases have become an almost obsession. I just wish that they would destroy more so I can buy more! Maybe I should get another bird

 

[happykappy]

Call me crazy, but my two tiels are so dainty they rarely destroy, shred yes, or maybe they savor. My bibi never chews or plays. I really want a wood chewer of medium size and great social temperment, suggestions? I want to see bits and sawdust....

 

[Sadieladie1994]

My birds are picky, and it's so hard for me to predict what type of toys they want to destroy this week or next week. For example, my galah will destroy all wood toys one week and then only touch cotton ropes one week and then only easy shreddables the next...that's why I always buy an assortment of toys all the time....which is great because I love to shop and bird toys/bird stuff purchases have become an almost obsession. I just wish that they would destroy more so I can buy more! Maybe I should get another bird

Yes, they seem to go in cycles here as well

 

[alcmene]

Wow, she is a buzz saw! Never heard of a conure to go through so much wood!

I know! She's unreal! She even chews up those toys made of coconut shells. Who ever heard of a conure that can tear through coconut?!

She escaped from her cage one time. The molding on the window nearest her will never be the same.

 

[CStone]

The first paper pinata I put in my 'tiels cage was gone by morning and it wasn't cheap.They love anything that's cardboard or thinner to shred. Occasionally they mouth around on shiny things, but shredding is their passion. They seem to like preening papery or more straw-like materials, as opposed to softer cotton threads, as well. I'm thinking I should learn to fold paper in all those cool, shreddy, pinata shapes so I can cut down on bills. I don't know how all of the members with bigger parrots do it. I'm kind of glad the only sawdust I see is from thin balsa or an occasional popsickle stick.

 

[Mizzely]

It really depends. Gizmo would go through wood and beads pretty easily, but with just Jingo and Koopa my current stockpile will likely last me a long time. Jingo is pretty easy on his toys. Koopa does go through pine and willow pretty regularly. But, with Gizmo gone they have been basically cage free during the day and so they don't play with their toys nearly as much.

I likely won't be buying much in the way of toys or parts for a while.

As for shocked about how fast they go through things - occasionally. But for the most part it seems to be a slow and steady pace and I've only been surprised a few times at how quickly they can dispatch a toy!

 

[tattoosiva]

Manu is obsessed with cork stoppers, I ordered 100 medium sized and spent an hour drilling to put on a refillable SS ring.

6 fit on the ring, hung on the play cart and within an hour, all gone. I honestly thought a 100 would last a few months because of the larger size, this is in addition to the cork stopper planks from MPBT in his travel cage that must be replaced daily.

Lucky for my wallet BH is now obsessed with his avian stainless toys that last forever.

 

[Jenphilly]

My bare eyed too loves wicker types and her favorite are the kabobs shredders. She likes originals and will finish one vetween sunrise and sunset... so much so I only give them toher on a day when we will be out. LLiterally when we get home there is an empty jute / sisal hanging there with shreds everywhere. I can't afford to give them daily. But lately tsken to redoing a sea grass mat daily.

Max on the other hand never realized he should chew wood, unless its a new chair in my 60 day old hightop set!!! But he will shred a roll of paper towels or pile of napkins like no one's business yes he is very weird!!

Ivory mat made yesterday while I drove to goldenfeast with Jeanne for a shelter pickup. ... Didn't look like that 4 hours later

Piles of rollups that everyone loves. Should nuy stock in zip ties!

 

[Chubby jr bird]

BIRDS

 

[CheekyBeaks]

Giacomo can be a very destructive boy when he want to be, big chunks of wood on toys are no match for him, he loves Seagrass matts I tend to cut the matts into quarters and thread into a skewer on top of his foraging ball he normally does away with that in about half a day. Recently I bought a piñata parrot toy, that lasted less than a day And let's not forget the box the order came in



Thankfully most of my birds love natural things from the garden such as native browse, gum nuts and pine cones and bark chewing...

 

[tozie12]

my M2 is the one who took 'toy destruction' to EPIC proportions. before him, i would buy a few toys here or there, parts here or there. once he came here?? i bought a miter saw, drill press, and began buying lumber in 10 foot lengths!

now-a-days, i can buy about $30 worth of lumber 3 or 4 times a year and keep every-birdie in blocks. once or twice a year i buy the more durable stuff like stainless steel, acrylic beads, etc. in the summer i stock up on pool noodles (buying them 10 at a time for $1 each) and use them sparingly thru the winter.... even in florida they arent available year round. then i take the bits that he shreds and wash them with BioKleen Bac-Out for re-using.

money doesnt grow on trees so we have to think outside the box... but pine cones DO grow on trees, so we use those too!