My macaw won't play with toys.

[Chopper]

I have a 10 years old macaw that won't play with any of the toys that I have put in his cage. I have put wood, a straw mat with crinkled paper in it, a bell, a ball with a bell in it, a bagel tube with almonds and other small toys he can get to. He just doesn't play with any of them. The only thing he does in the cage is run his beak across the bars and talk, scream, yell, etc. When he is out of his cage he climbs to any side that is near a wall and tries to peel the paint off the drywall. THAT is how he likes to play. I don't let him but that is what he wants to do. He ignores any toy I try to give him to replace his drywall play. After a few attempts he will come to the other side of the cage and let me scritch and play with his feathers but not a toy.

He is pretty sweet and gentle with me. He likes to watch me clean the cages but he doesn't play with the paper if I try to play with him. Loud noises don't seem to scare him so I'm wondering if I should get a loud clanging toy for him to play with. Although he doesn't even play with the bells on his toys. But he does love to yell, especially when I first get home and then right before bedtime.

Any new suggestions would be welcomed.

 

[mstomcat65]

I have had Gizmo for 6 months now, he's 16 yo. When I got him he wanted NOTHING to do with toys.... he'd actually run the other way scared. I started him out with popsicle sticks, paper tubes, and small empty food boxes. After about a month I got him some plain wood pieces to hold and chew on. The pieces of wood are getting bigger although he does have his favorite ones and shapes. I just recently got a ball with a bell in it. He's not really playing with it yet, but he's not afraid of it either. I don't think he was given toys in his previous home or if he has seem them before it's been a long time. I don't know that he will be to keen on playing with the bigger toys, but I'm working on the foot toys in hopes in time he will want to check out some bigger ones

 

[Chopper]

He doesn't appear to be afraid of the toys because he will look them over when I hang them on the outside of the cage or put them in his cage. He will also swing through them, over them, and around them. He just doesn't beak them. The one thing I haven't done with him is put in a foraging toy with treats. He won't eat a nut unless it is already broken open for him. If I give him a small toy he will put it in his beak and open his beak and let it drop to the ground. I do not play pick up sticks.

 

[Chopper]

I don't want to complain about this bird. He is pretty sweet. He loves to take a bath. He is very vocal with me and those who come to take care of him or see him. I just think he would be less vocal if he were playing with his toys more.

 

[JosienBB]

Have you tried balsa? I've yet to meet a bird that doesn't like balsa. It's the only thing my lazy hawkhead will play with

 

[Chopper]

He has had one hanging in his cage since October.

 

[aooratrix]

Have you tried balsa? I've yet to meet a bird that doesn't like balsa. It's the only thing my lazy hawkhead will play with

Yucca slices might work, too. Gossamer liked them as they were fairly easy to destroy. Have you tried playing with a toy/foot toy and pretending that he can't have it? My birds ALL want things they think they can't have. As I'm typing this on a laptop, I just had to send Harry flying back to the ring stand as he wants to "play" with the keys. And my phone. And my camera.

He's not actually getting paint from the drywall, is he? That would concern me.

I don't know his history, but it sounds like he didn't have access to toys when he was younger. If that's the case, you'll have to teach him how to play after acclimating him to toys. You might remove all but one of them, too. Maybe a number of them are overwhelming, an embarrassment of riches? Conversely, I have known some birds that had little or no interest, and they were raised well with every advantage. As they got older, they just had no interest. Personally, I find this to be odd, given the foraging required of wild parrots in the wild and the accompanying physical attributes: intelligence, superb eyesight, etc. I would think that an intelligent animal is going to explore something in its environment sooner or later.

 

[Chopper]

I will try taking some out. I'm pretty sure I started with just a couple when I got him because I didn't want to over whelm. He didn't have much in his cage at the previous owners house. Two toys and all of his perches were 3/4" or less in diameter.

I have to correct my first posting. He has never gotten the paint or the drywall off of my walls. He did that at the previous owners home and I was warned about it. I try to keep his cage and stand far enough away from the walls so that he can't get a hold of them.

I haven't tried playing keep away with him lately but I did at first. He had no interest. He will watch me play keep away with another macaw but just does not join in the fun.

I have not tried yucca slices. I will look those up.

 

[Chopper]

I have the yucca already in his cage.

I was hoping that bagels would be an answer but he already has those.

 

[MiniMacaw]

My macaw only likes shreddables right now. So like the palm flowers and vines. I buy him toys for a medium size bird (though he's a blue and gold) and he loves those. He is still intimidated by large pine and most wood really. But whenever I put a new palm item in there he goes to town happily tossing it around and chewing it up. He also likes the vine balls...the smaller ones because again he isn't so confident in toy playing yet.

 

[Chopper]

he doesnt touch any of it. small vine wreaths he hasnt touched and they have been in there for three months or more. he doesnt even touch the loofah. he has tiny card board stars on his tree and he ignores them too. popsicle sticks he just drops right away. keep the ideas coming because it helps. i must tell you he is also a very clean eater. he does not throw his food.

 

[MiniMacaw]

My severe macaw is the oddest bird. He ONLY likes his dinosaur toys. They're little wood toys with golf balls attached. I have bought him a huge variety of toys and that is the only thing he actually plays with. Every time I see them go sale at the rescue I buy every last one lol. I think sometimes (all the time lol) macaws are just stubborn about their toys.

 

[Chopper]

ohhh i guess i just havent found the right toy yet. i feel so bad for him though because i would think he would be bored.

 

[aooratrix]

You need to take the long view. Your bird is not going to just embrace toys in a short period. Apparently, the bird doesn't see toys as enrichment. If you're patient, and keep at it, he will...someday. Parrots don't accept change quickly. Have you tried adding machine rolls or phone book sections? Be creative and keep at it.

 

[Mizzely]

Have you tried to hold some toys or pieces and actively play with them? My Hahns needed me to do that for a while before she really played with toys by herself.

 

[aooratrix]

Tamale corn husks are another item your B&G might appreciate in time. I have to say that Harry, my BTM, demands creativity on my part to keep him happy. Your bird will be good, hands-on practice for the day you bring a BTM home.

 

[mstomcat65]

You need to take the long view. Your bird is not going to just embrace toys in a short period. Apparently, the bird doesn't see toys as enrichment. If you're patient, and keep at it, he will...someday. Parrots don't accept change quickly. Have you tried adding machine rolls or phone book sections? Be creative and keep at it.

Gizmo didn't go for the adding machine rolls but give him a phone book and he's in heaven lol

 

[Chopper]

You need to take the long view. Your bird is not going to just embrace toys in a short period. Apparently, the bird doesn't see toys as enrichment. If you're patient, and keep at it, he will...someday. Parrots don't accept change quickly. Have you tried adding machine rolls or phone book sections? Be creative and keep at it.

I don't think I have tried the adding machine rolls.

Have you tried to hold some toys or pieces and actively play with them? My Hahns needed me to do that for a while before she really played with toys by herself.

He sees playing with another macaw and her toys but I haven't sat down and played with a toy in front of him alone.

Tamale corn husks are another item your B&G might appreciate in time. I have to say that Harry, my BTM, demands creativity on my part to keep him happy. Your bird will be good, hands-on practice for the day you bring a BTM home.

I have not tried tamale corn husks. I thought BTMs already new how to play. It's not finding enough toys for them that is a problem.

Gizmo didn't go for the adding machine rolls but give him a phone book and he's in heaven lol

He doesn't like newspaper or card board. I was hoping he would peel the card board but he didn't even touch the box I put in there. Maybe he just likes a clean cage.

 

[JLcribber]

Any new suggestions would be welcomed.

He doesn't know how to play with toys. It's up to "you" to teach him whatever he needs to know by "example" (This includes food/eating). Get down on the ground and start playing with toys with him and peak his interest. Any changes you want to make in his life are going to boil down to "your" effort to change it. Not his.

 

[Chopper]

Got it.