Some Cage Improvements?

[CheckeredTail]

My Maxi Toro has finally gotten super comfortable with us and our apartment, she spends about 5-6 hours out of her cage every day and loves the foot toys we have for her, gnawing wood, climbing around, flying on our heads and such. The only trouble is she really hates being put back into her cage, and while we try to have her out as much as possible, there are some situations where she's not safe being left out such as when we're using the oven, stove, or cleaning.

So far she hasn't engaged much with her toys inside her cage other than one, which is a pretty plain hanging toy of wood shapes. A lot of the time she spends in her cage she just sits around. She'll move to get food or water but not much playing. Not even close to her activity level when outside the cage. We leave music on for her and she seems to at least like that a bit, singing a little sometimes, but I want to make sure she has lots of ways to keep herself busy and happy when we leave the house/can't supervise her.

She clearly LOVES chewing stuff up, wood, veggie tanned leather, woven dried plant material, etc. but she mostly does that outside her cage, and only slightly when inside. I've tried a simple foraging toy, a paper cup folded shut with an almond and a wooden bead inside. She ignored it when it was on the floor of her cage and only went after it while playing outside her cage.

What toys do your pionus enjoy most when they're in their cage? Any tips for helping her feel more happy and stimulated while she's having to deal with her more enclosed space?

 

[hedylarue]

Kody likes these:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B071XJZWCB/ref=ox_sc_saved_title_4?smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER&psc=1

Amazon.com : Prevue Pet Perch Calypso Hide & Seek Bird Ladder, 9" : Pet Supplies

He really loves the second one...the perch filled with paper. He pulls out the paper fast so I stuff it with newspaper every week and he loves shredding it.

Kody actually likes being in his cage for several hours a day....I leave the cage door open pretty much all day and he'll fly to his cage and sometimes he just sits there and does nothing. He'll sit on one foot so I think he's happy and just likes to nap/chill out. When he's unhappy or bored or wants something he complains or yells so when he's quiet I think he's content and his cage time is his resting time.

When we go out of town I put an extra food dish in there and the pet sitter gives him a couple of different foot toys every day. He likes all kinds of food toys that he can hold and chew.

 

[CheckeredTail]

Thanks for the recommendations! She's not gotten too into paper shredding just yet but I'll try that perch and see if she shows some interest.

 

[nightfly]

Of course, my birds like toys that make noise. So I purchased little 'cowbell' things that I connect to the bottom of his toys with a quick-link.
This is what they look like, this is the big one, probably too big for pionus. But you can find smaller ones at other websites.
Amazon.com : Paradise Large Cow Bells Bird Toy : Pet Toy Bells : Pet Supplies


I have this strung along the top of the cage with about 3 inches slack from the roof. Max doesn't seem to like regular swings or the brass rings to swing on, but he'll hang from this toy upside down while he chews it up. I purchased a milwaukee 12v small reciprocating saw, (I already had a drill) and I buy 2x4's and cut them into small blocks and then drill a hole in the middle and dump the blocks into food coloring dye, then mount the new cheap replacement blocks on the same chain of the original toy. The little saw paid for itself in about a year of replacing the wooden blocks on the toys. Here's the toy:
https://www.amazon.com/Super-Bird-Creations-18-Inch-Rainbow/dp/B000FHQLW4/ref=sr_1_21?
keywords=medium+bird+toys&qid=1551713528&s=gateway&sr=8-21

and another
Amazon.com : MEWTOGO Colorful Wooden Block Bird Parrot Tearing Toy Suggested for Small and Medium Parrots : Pet Supplies

And here's the little hand held reciprocating saw. Comes in this older model which is cheaper, but entirely adequate to cut up wood for bird toys.
Milwaukee M12 12-Volt Hackzall Recip Saw (2420-20) (Tool Only - No Battery) - Power Reciprocating Saws - Amazon.com

Batteries and chargers are usually cheaper on ebay; that's where I got all of mine. Chargers usually go for about $20, batteries about $15.

Use 'bimetal' blades. They stay sharp longer. All these are also available at Lowes and Home depot, but probably more expensive.

Hope this helps.