Perch VS Toy Ratio in Cage?

[miya]

Hey everyone, just a question that I've been thinking about lately. Is there a ballpark estimate of how occupied a cage should be in terms of perches and toys? More perches than toys, vice versa, about the same ratio? I want them to have enough to do but I don't want to overstuff the cage either. I can get some pics tomorrow if need be (my little guys are asleep at the moment since it's late), but! I figured it would also depend on the size of the cage. I have my two budgies in a 32"L x 19"W x 64"H.. I think without the stand, it's about 36"H

On this topic too, how often should I do a toy rotation? Should I take out just a toy or two at first to swap, then others later on? Also, do the perches also need to be moved around at some point to give them a "change of pace" or will that just make them antsy? If so, how often should I be doing that? Thanks guys! Hope you all had a great weekend

 

[Lady Jane]

As far as toy rotation goes i let my budgies lead the way. If they start showing little interest in what is in the cage then i change things around. Funny you should ask this today. I was watching Mickey chewing on the platform perches today. I then realized I had no chew toys in the cage. I then got a big vine ball toy from TNT and hung it in the cage. Mickey went right to work on it. So to answer your question i think observation of your birds will be important.

how are you doing?

 

[Mizzely]

I do "musical chairs" - I set up the toys and then I sort of move them around the cage into another toy's position after a week or two. I remove one toy and add another one into the rotation. So each toy really stays in the cage for several weeks, sometimes 2 months, but is moved to other positions. Sometimes location is important and a toy that is ignored suddenly is the new favorite! But every bird is different!

As for perches and toy ratio, I don't have a formula. I put in perches first, make sure no one is going to poop in their water or food, and then just make sure that areas are easily accessible, but still allowing areas where they can fully stretch their wings. Then I add toys in areas that make sense.

You'll learn as you go! It's more intuition and learning what our birds like than anything.

As for perches, I do tinker with them if they are getting pooped on, etc, but otherwise I tend to keep perch placement pretty much the same. However, I do swap out perches as they become dirty or chewed.

 

[miya]

So to answer your question i think observation of your birds will be important.
how are you doing?

I do "musical chairs" - I set up the toys and then I sort of move them around the cage into another toy's position after a week or two. I remove one toy and add another one into the rotation. So each toy really stays in the cage for several weeks, sometimes 2 months, but is moved to other positions. Sometimes location is important and a toy that is ignored suddenly is the new favorite! But every bird is different!

Thanks for your input guys!

I noticed my little guys seemed a bit bored with their toys lately. I'm not sure about other budgies but mine are sooo picky! I did manage to finally find a toy that they really like. It's one of those T-shaped toys, with some little vine balls and balsa wood flats on the main base, and the bottom of the T is a vine perch. They've been sitting on the perch part and tear that thing to shreds! Problem is, they destroy it faster than I can get them a new one - the previous one lasted less than 48 hours They aren't really interested in the vine balls but loved the wood and the loosely wrapped vine on the perch. I'm thinking I may need to try to find more balsa toys then since they loved shredding it. That's the first time I've EVER seen them go to town so hard and fast on a toy!

This morning I did a toy rotation for them. I think it's working pretty well so far? I took out one of their toys and put in this big set of olympic style rings I had bought weeks ago that they haven't played with yet. They're chewing at the rope at the top that helps hang it up (I thought this was gonna happen so I also used a clip to attach it to the cage JUSTTT in case they chewed a hole through the rope so the toy won't fall). I left them alone for a bit to check things out on their own without me hovering and came back to find one of them hopping from a perch onto the rings, swinging around, then flying off.. Then coming back to the top perch to start all over! It reminded me of a little kid climbing up a slide, sliding down, then running back to the ladder to climb back up for another turn I hope I can get at least a photo of it - fingers crossed, since my little guys are scared of my phone!

I haven't shopped around on TNT yet so I'll check that out. Bird toys are a bit hard to find around here so I'm always open to suggestions!
@Mizzely I'll definitely take a look at your shop too, I'm sure I can find some awesome finds for my fids there!

I still have a lot of progress to make with these two - they were pet store budgies so it's been a bit hard to get them warmed up since before me they had no human interaction. They're way more vocal and active now than they used to be and I've finally had the chance to see them playing so at least the three of us are slowly getting there.

As for me.. I'm hanging in there, is the best way to phrase it. Still no luck with the new job hunt yet, which is a bummer, because work has gotten unbearable and they're dumping all the newbies on me to train on top of my normal workload. We had over 20 people quit in less than 2 months, if that's any hint of how bad it's gotten Aside from that.. Eating too much, not working out enough, and financial anxiety. Typical adult woes!

 

[d_msparkles]

I think it varies so much from bird to bird and over time. When Waffle was new, she wanted nothing to do with the bottom of her cage, and now she'll play with her chewy toys down there. I swear she seems to get bored so easily, so I end up putting in a new toy (or two) every week when I do the weekly clean.
And then there are things she's had since day one that will never change--the seagrass mat she sleeps on at night (has been replaced three times just since she came home in May!), her wooden abacus which is next to the seagrass mat, and her big parrot pinata buddy that she snuggles against. She has three perches in a variety of textures that I sometimes move, and lots of hanging things to climb, plus a swing that always goes in the same place so she can do acrobatics to get to her food bowl! And there are ALWAYS chewy toys around the cage since that seems to be her favorite past time. :spinlol:
I forget about moving things around though so I may need to do a better job of that.

Sorry to hear about your stressors. Hope that your birdie buddies give you a mental break from it all. I know mine does!

 

[miya]

Waffle looks so cute! I love her colors

I completely understand what you mean! I think some things just get ingrained in them and never change. My little guys have a soft rope perch set up near one corner of the cage and that's typically where they huddle up together at night to go to sleep. It's been like that just about every single night since I brought them home 2 months ago! I noticed mine liked their little perch swing which was one reason I bought the giant olympic style rings for them. They seem to be having a blast with it and are turning into a couple of tiny acrobats! It's always a great feeling to see them enjoying a toy you bought for them

They really are good at helping with stress. Sometimes all you need is to sit back and watch them bounce around their cage with their toys and the world seems perfect for a while

 

[nu2birds]

I watch my guys and can kind of tell they are getting bored. I tend to purchase toys when I see them and like them...........I store them and then bring them out when I want to switch things up. I have an X- large hanging wooden block and rope toy that's meant for BIG birds. But my little guys just love climbing all up and down it and in and out of it. They treat it like a big tree that they live in and explore. I usually have two of these stored because I am afraid one day it will not be available. I alternate this with a variety of other toys that have bells and paper for shredding etc. Some birds don't like change and some birds get bored quickly........just observe and try moving things around and change them out and see if they embrace it or are freaked by it and just adapt to their unique quirks, likes and dislikes. Good luck!

 

[miya]

I'm glad I'm not the only one who buys multiple of the same thing. I have the same fear sometimes, especially since my two are picky. When they finally like a toy I always go back and grab at least 2 more JUST in case

I may have to try a large toy one of these days and see what happens. They're really liking those big olympic rings I gave them yesterday.. It's four of them put together into a chain and each hoop is way bigger than they are, but they're having a blast. So maybe to mix things up I could go for another large toy once I see they're losing interest with what they have.

Does anyone else notice their birds have a bit of stage fright? I can always hear my two playing if I'm in another room.. Toy slamming against the cage, chewing noises, bell or play chain jingling.. But the moment I come into the doorway and they spot me, they stop dead in their tracks, like, "nope, nothing to see here!" Same reaction I get too if they're being cute and I get my phone out to snap a picture..

 

[d_msparkles]

I also have the shopping bag full of toys. Sweetie can't give me a hard time because anything not in use is neatly contained in the closet!
I buy her things I think she'll like, things on sale, and things I know we need in multiples! (like the seagrass mat) She has an envelope just of foot toys & toy parts. And I have a couple GIGANTIC toys people bought for her not knowing how small she is. Because I worry about her getting her little head caught, I usually cut those up and use the parts for more chewy and foot toys.

She doesn't get shy when I approach, but she does immediately want to jump on me so most of my cute videos end in extreme closeups!

 

[miya]

If you have any footage of Waffle I'd love to see sometime, she sounds like an adorable ball of fun!

I'm still getting my little guys used to coming out of the cage and being on my hands. They were pet shop birds so I think they're still kinda skittish which may be why they stop playing when they see me coming. Speaking of which, any tips on how to get them used to being touched, even just a bit? They perch on my fingers and I've brushed over their chests a couple times while teaching them to step up but I know it's not a great place to be touching, so any ideas of how to get them used to head petting/scratching? I have one that ducks away in fear if I get a finger too close to his head and the other that gets a bit nippy if I get too close.. But he did let me touch the side of his head today so we're getting there slowly I suppose? They don't have to be the touchy type/forced into getting petted but I don't want them to be scared of my fingers getting too close to them either.

Oh, also, do you guys have any suggestions too for foot toys for budgies? A lot of the toys I have for them are beak related ones (chewing etc) and I haven't seen them exercise their feet much aside from using their feet to hold a toy down against the side of the cage and using their perches (since all of them are different diameters).

 

[miya]

My phone takes such cruddy photos, so not the best shot.. But I did finally manage to snap a couple pictures of my two goofballs coming out of the cage

Good news too, June flew a lap around the bedroom without freaking out then landed on top of the cage! Then even tottered across to FINALLY check out the playground he's been so scared of. He didn't climb on it, but at least he didn't run from it again. Woohoo! They're both chewing on my fingers a lot too all of a sudden.. Just curious? Or is this a behavior I need to be worried about becoming a habit. It only happens when they're perched on my fingers outside of the cage. Also, Kiwi decided to nibble on my shirt today for the first time. A ton of first time experiences today!

 

[Fergus Mom]

They really are good at helping with stress. Sometimes all you need is to sit back and watch them bounce around their cage with their toys and the world seems perfect for a while

I love that sentence, SO true! Just carries your troubles right away while you watch them play and interact, and chirp! I have heard people say the same of fish, in aquariums, but to me, this is WAYYY better.

Absolutely love their pics and them hanging out on their new door perch! Let me tell ya, I am REAL good at putting toys IN, but not so good at taking them OUT! I keep thinking I need to get some of those toys out of there, but then when I look at each one I think... oh, not that one.... LOL I'm a toy freak I guess. I'll see if I can get a pic to post here to show ya'll what I mean! And PLEASE please tag me if you find out the answer, or any secrets to touching them. I'd LOVE to know!

 

[Fergus Mom]

Here ya go... probably TOO many TOYS! Picture #2 is what does not fit in the cage - HA!

 

[miya]

I have heard people say the same of fish, in aquariums, but to me, this is WAYYY better.

Take it from me, I have 3 betta fish.. Birds are waaay more entertaining and therapeutic, but then again, maybe I'm a bit biased..

Omg!! So many toys, must be budgie heaven for them! I have that same circular white rope swing thing.. Still trying to think of where I could put it so it's been sitting on the rack under their cage for a bit. This definitely makes me want to put some more toys in their cage! Might have to do some shopping here soon for some new cool toys. Also, is that an abacus on the rack? Do your budgies like to play with it? I've read a few comments from people here on AA who have an abacus for their birds to play with but haven't seen a budgie playing with it yet!

Speaking of playing.. Guess who I finally snapped a photo of on their playground!

Didn't play on it for very long but at least they checked it out! Oh, and managed to snap these quick pics tonight too.. They flew a few laps around the room today and landed here. They look like they're having a council meeting to make world domination plans

 

[Serin]

I've had many budgies and each had its own toy preferences but one toy enjoyed by every single one has been chinese finger traps, the little bamboo colorful things sold as a novelty toy. I slip them over swings and tie them in clusters with jute twin. They are an instant hit, and everyone's favorite chew toy. You can buy them in big packs for less than $10 on Ebay, enough to last months.

Also, if you really want to train your budgies I'd so strongly recommend clicker training. It's worked on both my latest additions to get them to start stepping up in less than a week from the pet shop. It may not make them bond strongly to you like a single hand raised bird but it does teach them to interact with you. I've been working with my Peter for two months and while I still cannot say he loves me, if I hold my finger out and call him, he's learned to fly to my finger for a treat. His little friend Joey has only been here for ten days, but he started to step up for millet in a day with the clicker training. I have also hand-tamed finches with the method, it seems to work very well and very quickly to get birds to come and sit on your hand.

 

[Fergus Mom]

They look like they're having a council meeting to make world domination plans

Ha haaaa! They really do! And that third pic in the lamplight reminds me of that silly low budget movie, The Blair Witch Project, and how they did the flashlight beam on their faces!
Can't believe they finally checked out that neat playstand... wow.

@Serin - Mine love those Chinese finger traps too, their favorite thing to shred, I never thought to put them on swings, etc., what a great idea. Now I'm wondering if one of them might fit over one of the perches if I slit it on one side. Ooooh... off to create a new thing now.

 

[Mizzely]

This was my toy part/toy stash before I even started Lil Monsters A few closets ago now!

 

[Fergus Mom]

Also, is that an abacus on the rack? Do your budgies like to play with it? I've read a few comments from people here on AA who have an abacus for their birds to play with but haven't seen a budgie playing with it yet!

They do play with it some - I put it on top of the cage for when they are out and occasionally they'll get on it, but it's surely not one of their favorites like I had hoped.

@Mizzely Oh my gosh, I think I just saw the photo you just posted on Pinterest! Now THAT'S some bird toy organization there - wow!

 

[miya]

I've had many budgies and each had its own toy preferences but one toy enjoyed by every single one has been chinese finger traps, the little bamboo colorful things sold as a novelty toy. I slip them over swings and tie them in clusters with jute twin. They are an instant hit, and everyone's favorite chew toy. You can buy them in big packs for less than $10 on Ebay, enough to last months.

Also, if you really want to train your budgies I'd so strongly recommend clicker training.

They do play with it some - I put it on top of the cage for when they are out and occasionally they'll get on it, but it's surely not one of their favorites like I had hoped.

Finger traps! I have heard quite a few people say their budgies like those, so I'll definitely buy a pack for them to try. I recently brought home a clicker for them but haven't started the training yet.. Hopefully we can start this weekend since I'll have a lot of free time to spend with them!

Good to know about the abacus too, I don't think mine would like it very much either but definitely satisfied my curiosity

This was my toy part/toy stash before I even started Lil Monsters A few closets ago now!

Holy moly, talk about bird toy AND organization goals!! I love it, I hope my closet looks that good (and full of birdy toys too, you can never have too many) eventually!

 

[miya]

Oh yeah, something I forgot to ask earlier! Gotta love having the memory of a goldfish Are things like paper strips good for budgie foraging? I brought home a perch the other day that has a hole drilled in it that's stuffed with shredder paper strips so the bird can perch and rip through the paper at the same time. I put it on the outside of the cage to give them something else to play with when they come out and they seem to really enjoy it! My only question is, one, do I need to worry about them accidentally swallowing the paper when they chew on it? And two, will sitting on some of the paper that sticks out of the top of the perch while playing with it somehow encourage nesting behavior? I'm not sure if something like paper would make good nesting material but the fact they can sit on it while playing just made me wonder..