Pictures My bird is a potato

[Sweet Louise]

A perch potato. I set the nest camera up fully on her today. I reviewed the whole thing. In 9 hours, one wing stretch, two brief trips to her food bowl. No playing with toys. No foraging. Sitting. Few whistles and chirps. Some preening. Basically, sitting on her perch. I think I hoped I would find her playing, climbing, foraging. Doing things that made her look like a happy bird. She is a good, sweet, gentle bird. But is she a happy bird?

 

[Fritzgerald16]

I don't know about your house, but mine is crazy once we all get home around 3pm. I've recorded my bird as well all day and it's the same, chew a little on a balsa block, eat, drink, nap, preen a little. He seems happy, but is also out of his cage from 5:45am-6:30am then from 2:30pm until whenever he puts himself to bed (usually 9:30-10pm). I think he needs the rest during the day!
I did recently start hiding almonds twisted into a coffee filter around his cage. He does wander around now and get those

 

[Familyof12]

Can't tell what she's got in her cute little foot but she looks pretty content! She's like "what's that? smile?" in the middle of a moment, love the brow arch in the photo. She looks great in your photo and sounds darling and content! Content is the best feeling! She's also extremely pretty!

 

[Sweet Louise]

Can't tell what she's got in her cute little foot but she looks pretty content! She's like "what's that? smile?" in the middle of a moment, love the brow arch in the photo. She looks great in your photo and sounds darling and content! Content is the best feeling! She's also extremely pretty!

She snagged a business card that I apparently didn't need anymore. She shredded it up. Thank you, I think she is pretty cute too.

 

[saroj12]

Mine take a few naps during the day too! They save up their energy for when I get home!

 

[Fritzgerald16]

Mine take a few naps during the day too! They save up their energy for when I get home!

Exactly!
@Sweet Louise she seems very happy and if behavior is good I wouldn't worry too much about it
Does she play with toys when you are home? You could always try "playing" with them to show her what to do if she doesn't!

 

[Sweet Louise]

Exactly!
@Sweet Louise she seems very happy and if behavior is good I wouldn't worry too much about it
Does she play with toys when you are home? You could always try "playing" with them to show her what to do if she doesn't!

yes, she has bells from avian stainless that she loves to beat up on, especially if I am on the phone...she went into her cage to chew on some beads (door is wide open). I think I need to hang some beads on her playstand-that is where she usually
plays in the evening.

 

[KimKim]

I have a potato too He is so easy to care for, cage is easy to clean, toys last a while, doesn't demand attention. Be careful what you wish for
My guy is always more active when we are in the same area.

 

[Alien J]

Just wanted to say that I enjoyed this thread!

 

[cosmolove]

I call it the "calm before the storm". My guys are pretty quiet during the day too only really making noise when we're actually home. When we get home its like chaos comes over them all lol! You could always try changing up the toys more and seeing if that interests her. I try to keep mine busy during the day by foraging toys filled with their favorite treats but they still usually nap lol

 

[SterlingSL]

I have a very active Grey. She's a wild a5s when we're home. Won't stay out of anything, constantly playing etc. The minute she's cage, she's a total bump on a perch. Prior to my wife going back to work all my birds had the run of the house and an outdoor aviary. Then she started back to work 1.5 years ago. I sit at work and watch my Grey doing jack nothing and I know this is not her. So we're building onto our house to accomodate. I can't stand caging them.

 

[Laura729]

My Charlie sounds very similar to some of the descriptions above - it's challenging to find things he will even pay a little attention to while in his cage, but he is SUCH a playful handful when out of his cage (he gets into everything, loves playing with toys, etc.). So I make sure he gets lots and lots of out of cage time, and if I do discover something he's played with while in his cage, I stock up! (And it greatly varies - things he loves playing with while outside his cage will often be ignored in the cage, for example).

One of the wonderful greys at the rescue where I volunteer also loves toys but ignores a lot of them while in her cage, but I've had some success with attaching a small basket inside her cage and filling it with plastic foot toys that she likes and enjoys rooting through while in her cage.
And if there's a treat she loves, @Sweet Louise - a clear acrylic/plastic foraging toy with the treat inside (so she can easily see it), may encourage her to play/forage a bit.