We are delighted to highlight for September Kacy's (kcbee) wonderful setup that ingeniously solves the problem of how to turn a small space into a fun play area for a medium sized bird. We feel Kacy did an amazing job!
1~ What kind of birds do you have and how many birds did you design your setup for?
I have three birds. Biscuit, a budgie, Rocco, a parrotlet and Mali, a cape parrot.
This setup is designed for Mali (cape parrot).
2~ Is your setup for a handicapped bird?
No.
3~ Is your setup changeable or stationary and do you add or make changes continually or do things stay primarily as is?
The set up is both changeable and stationary. The climbing net (Crawler from Oliver’s Garden) will stay where is because it is hooked into the wall, and also uses the side of Mali’s cage to hold it in place. However, the java tree and other toys are moveable.
I haven’t made any changes yet because Mali has only been using the play area for a few weeks, but I do plan on making periodic changes. I’ll move around and switch out toys, as well as the perches hooked onto the side of the cage and I’ll possibly move the java tree at some point.
4~ Where did you find your materials if you made it yourself or where did you purchase the setup and do you have favorite places to purchase safe toys and/or supplies that you find reliable?
* The java tree and java ladder are from King’s Cages. The tree is considered a size “small.” Though it is quite large!
* The net (Crawler) is from Oliver’s Garden. It is size “mini large”.
* The purple boing is from My Safe Bird Store.
* The perches on the side of the cage are from The Birdsafe Store.
* The purple and wood toy on the front of the java tree is from Things For Wings and the toy on the back of the tree, as well as on the playtop of the cage, are from Crystal’s Bird Toys.
I absolutely love the toys from Things For Wings, Crystal’s Bird Toys and toys and rope products from Oliver’s Garden. My Safe Birdstore is a great place for toys, perches, boings, etc.
5~ Do you have a favorite item that you bought for your setup?
I’d say my favorite items are the Crawler and java tree. Mali loves to hang out on her tree playing with foot toys and loves climbing on her Crawler. She thinks hanging upside down from it is very, very fun and exciting!
6~ If you made any DIY toys what is your bird(s) favorite and were there any failures?
I’ve made a few toys, both hanging and foot toys. I haven’t given Mali all of them to play with yet, but she LOVES any toy with wooden beads – especially the beads shaped like beehives. She also loves balsa and yucca woods.
7~ Did you incorporate into your setup any foraging toys and how did your bird(s) take to them and was age or inactivity a factor?
Mali is still very young and hasn’t quite caught on to the idea of foraging, but I do offer her foraging toys from Parrots Treasure because she loves chewing on the wood and playing with these toys introduces her to foraging. When she’s playing on her play area, I offer her these foraging foot toys. She absolutely LOVES the ones called Fun Pops.
8~ What difficulties did you encounter, if any, and how did you remedy them?
The room her cage and play area are in is quite small. It would be a great size if it were empty – but it isn’t! It was acting as a guest room before Mali arrived and there is furniture in the room taking up space. So I had to create a fun play area for Mali in a small space.
To deal with the small space, I created a play area where all the play spaces are connected to each other, and compact, so that Mali can get around and play wherever she wants. I also knew I wanted a playtop cage so that Mali would have that extra space for play. She loves to sit up there and chew on her foot toys, as well as take baths up there and run and hop across the top while squawking!
9~ What do you like least about your set up (if anything)?
I don’t like that there are no toys hanging from the ceiling. But that will be fixed soon! Mali will be getting an Atom from Mother Pluckin’ Bird Toys in a couple months.
I also hope to buy some Highways from Oliver’s Garden.
10~ What do you like most about your setup?
I love how all the areas are connected so that Mali can go wherever she wants, to play with whatever she wants, and it gives her some independence.
11~ Did your bird(s) take to the setup right away or did they approach it tentatively needing time to adjust and do you feel their age was a factor?
Mali took to the set up immediately, but I think a lot of that is that she is very young. She is still a bit wary of the jolly ball, but I know she’ll be playing in it in no time!
12~ Any future renovations planned?
Nothing major! Just switching out toys and adding some hanging ceiling toys like the Atom and maybe Highways.
1~ What kind of birds do you have and how many birds did you design your setup for?
I have three birds. Biscuit, a budgie, Rocco, a parrotlet and Mali, a cape parrot.
This setup is designed for Mali (cape parrot).
2~ Is your setup for a handicapped bird?
No.
3~ Is your setup changeable or stationary and do you add or make changes continually or do things stay primarily as is?
The set up is both changeable and stationary. The climbing net (Crawler from Oliver’s Garden) will stay where is because it is hooked into the wall, and also uses the side of Mali’s cage to hold it in place. However, the java tree and other toys are moveable.
I haven’t made any changes yet because Mali has only been using the play area for a few weeks, but I do plan on making periodic changes. I’ll move around and switch out toys, as well as the perches hooked onto the side of the cage and I’ll possibly move the java tree at some point.
4~ Where did you find your materials if you made it yourself or where did you purchase the setup and do you have favorite places to purchase safe toys and/or supplies that you find reliable?
* The java tree and java ladder are from King’s Cages. The tree is considered a size “small.” Though it is quite large!
* The net (Crawler) is from Oliver’s Garden. It is size “mini large”.
* The purple boing is from My Safe Bird Store.
* The perches on the side of the cage are from The Birdsafe Store.
* The purple and wood toy on the front of the java tree is from Things For Wings and the toy on the back of the tree, as well as on the playtop of the cage, are from Crystal’s Bird Toys.
I absolutely love the toys from Things For Wings, Crystal’s Bird Toys and toys and rope products from Oliver’s Garden. My Safe Birdstore is a great place for toys, perches, boings, etc.
5~ Do you have a favorite item that you bought for your setup?
I’d say my favorite items are the Crawler and java tree. Mali loves to hang out on her tree playing with foot toys and loves climbing on her Crawler. She thinks hanging upside down from it is very, very fun and exciting!
6~ If you made any DIY toys what is your bird(s) favorite and were there any failures?
I’ve made a few toys, both hanging and foot toys. I haven’t given Mali all of them to play with yet, but she LOVES any toy with wooden beads – especially the beads shaped like beehives. She also loves balsa and yucca woods.
7~ Did you incorporate into your setup any foraging toys and how did your bird(s) take to them and was age or inactivity a factor?
Mali is still very young and hasn’t quite caught on to the idea of foraging, but I do offer her foraging toys from Parrots Treasure because she loves chewing on the wood and playing with these toys introduces her to foraging. When she’s playing on her play area, I offer her these foraging foot toys. She absolutely LOVES the ones called Fun Pops.
8~ What difficulties did you encounter, if any, and how did you remedy them?
The room her cage and play area are in is quite small. It would be a great size if it were empty – but it isn’t! It was acting as a guest room before Mali arrived and there is furniture in the room taking up space. So I had to create a fun play area for Mali in a small space.
To deal with the small space, I created a play area where all the play spaces are connected to each other, and compact, so that Mali can get around and play wherever she wants. I also knew I wanted a playtop cage so that Mali would have that extra space for play. She loves to sit up there and chew on her foot toys, as well as take baths up there and run and hop across the top while squawking!
9~ What do you like least about your set up (if anything)?
I don’t like that there are no toys hanging from the ceiling. But that will be fixed soon! Mali will be getting an Atom from Mother Pluckin’ Bird Toys in a couple months.
I also hope to buy some Highways from Oliver’s Garden.
10~ What do you like most about your setup?
I love how all the areas are connected so that Mali can go wherever she wants, to play with whatever she wants, and it gives her some independence.
11~ Did your bird(s) take to the setup right away or did they approach it tentatively needing time to adjust and do you feel their age was a factor?
Mali took to the set up immediately, but I think a lot of that is that she is very young. She is still a bit wary of the jolly ball, but I know she’ll be playing in it in no time!
12~ Any future renovations planned?
Nothing major! Just switching out toys and adding some hanging ceiling toys like the Atom and maybe Highways.
