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She doesn’t play with toys when we’re not home?

ReNap

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My girl plays with her foraging toys and plays with the other kinds of toys in her cage, plastic, metal, leather, paper ones ect, when I’m home, even if I’m not in the same room as her.
I have a webcam set up on her cage where I can check in on her when I’m gone to see what she does and I’ve noticed she never plays with toys or does the same things she does normally when no one is home, she just sits on her perch and occasionally eats but that’s about it every time I check on her. I’ll check on her. Sitting on perch. Check a while later. Same spot. Later, same. Get home, she’s back to being more active.

Anyone else had this happen or have suggestions on how to get her to not just sit brored while I’m at work? I change the layout of the cage around once every 1-2 weeks or so and have some toys I swap out between so it’s not always the same. as well as foraging toys she normally loves when we’re home. I also leave a radio on for her to have some noise while we’re gone.
 

faislaq

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That's interesting. I don't have a camera on our birds though. Maybe she's resting?
 

Mizzely

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She may just be napping? How long of a time is she sitting for?
 

iamwhoiam

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I sometimes spy on my birds and many times they seem to just be sitting in the same spot but then I will find pieces of wood from toys on the bottom of the cage that weren't there earlier so I know that they were busy doing something. How often do you check and how long do you watch?
 

ReNap

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I work 8:30-4:30 some days and I will check once an hour or so maybe. She will usually only seem to cycle between a couple spots when I check, like a couple times in a row checked will be the same perch and then the next few times I check will be sitting near the food bowl. I’ll only watch for between a minute or 3, usually seems like she’s sleeping all fluffed
 

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I am home all day and Ripley only tends to play with his toys in earnest early morning, late afternoon, and late evening. During the day he naps, eats, preens, looks out the window, and whistles. How late is she up with you? How early does she get up? She might just be getting her playtime in when she is with you because it is part of her normal schedule :)

If she uses her foraging toys a lot when you are home, try to move more of her food to those during the day as well, but I wouldn't stress too much about it if she is otherwise happy and healthy
 

ReNap

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I usually uncover her in the morning around 8:30 and cover her up around 10:30 or so. If it seems like it’s something. I was just worried it meant something bad like she was depressed or something but if you guys think that might just be normal for her to just nap eat and chill while we’re gone I’m not as worried
 

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Seems like my male red-bellied parrots play more than my girls. The boys seem to be a bit rougher when they play although this AM Sophie was pulling a hanging toy pretty hard. Of course, even with toys to keep them busy, it's more boring when we are not home especially when there aren't any other living beings in the house. There is no one around to interact with or show off to. You wrote that you leave the radio on but have you ever left the TV on so she can have something to watch?
 

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Anyone else had this happen or have suggestions on how to get her to not just sit brored while I’m at work?
Yes same here. But you can be glad yours is eating because Eloy didn't eat before I got home.
He just sat their doing nothing and waited for me to get home. :( I tried everything, but he didn't wanted something else, he wanted his flock mate to return home.
That is one of the reasons I never will have just one again.

but if you guys think that might just be normal for her to just nap eat and chill while we’re gone I’m not as worried
I will not say that it is a normal behavior for a parrot to nap and chill a hole day. Have you consider getting a second bird?
 

JLcribber

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I have a webcam set up on her cage where I can check in on her when I’m gone to see what she does and I’ve noticed she never plays with toys or does the same things she does normally when no one is home, she just sits on her perch and occasionally eats but that’s about it every time I check on her. I’ll check on her. Sitting on perch. Check a while later. Same spot. Later, same. Get home, she’s back to being more active.
I'll say this off the top. A solitary bird is a lonely bird.

In the bird world flocks are together every moment of every day. In our unnatural world we humans assume that role. Life "is" interacting with the flock. The stimulation they get from it can not be compared to a bunch of stuff in a cage. It's very common for a solitary bird to basically sit and wait for our return because there is nothing else stimulating enough in their solitary world. We are their world (and don't do a very good job compared to a real flock mate) and without us there isn't much (to them).

Again, in the bird world the only time a bird is alone and away from its flock is when it is sick or injured because it can't keep up. This spells certain death in the birds mind. It's stressful.

Food for thought.
 

ReNap

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You wrote that you leave the radio on but have you ever left the TV on so she can have something to watch?
I’ve thought about leaving the tv on but here was my hesitation. She hates he tv. The only time she has aggressively bit me or my husband has been when we were sitting on the couch right in front of the tv. The some of the movements gets her worked up the same as if she sees a fly or moth and loses her mind.

I want to get her okay with the tv so I can leave it on, one way being hoping leaving it on all the time will get her used to it but I wasn’t sure if that would make her honestly more okay with it or just force her to tolerate it.

I want to leave it on for her but anyone think it would be a bad idea at all with how she doesn’t like it already? Maybe start with whenever I turn the tv on she gets treats?
 

ReNap

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As for @Eloy @JLcribber asking about the idea of her being too lonely and getting a second bird, I’m home more often than I’m not. It’s really only 2 days that I’m gone for as long as I said. So her being all in her lil lonesome isn’t a constant all the time thing by any means :)
 

JLcribber

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As for @Eloy @JLcribber asking about the idea of her being too lonely and getting a second bird, I’m home more often than I’m not. It’s really only 2 days that I’m gone for as long as I said. So her being all in her lil lonesome isn’t a constant all the time thing by any means :)
Then you don't have a problem.
 

iamwhoiam

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You might have to experiment with the TV and find a program that doesn't scare her or just skip the TV. My Dusky used to be afraid of sci-fi programs such as Star Trek but today I watched Star Trek Beyond and he was OK with that.
Would love to see some more newer photos of her.
 

ReNap

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I’ve been putting the tv on in front of her for little bits at a time and giving her treats when it’s on, especially when she seems to be watching it. Hopefully the more we do that the better she’ll get. I’ll take a few pictures to post later today!
 

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I'll say this off the top. A solitary bird is a lonely bird.

In the bird world flocks are together every moment of every day. In our unnatural world we humans assume that role. Life "is" interacting with the flock. The stimulation they get from it can not be compared to a bunch of stuff in a cage. It's very common for a solitary bird to basically sit and wait for our return because there is nothing else stimulating enough in their solitary world. We are their world (and don't do a very good job compared to a real flock mate) and without us there isn't much (to them).

Again, in the bird world the only time a bird is alone and away from its flock is when it is sick or injured because it can't keep up. This spells certain death in the birds mind. It's stressful.

Food for thought.
I've actually wondered, but not really found an answer, would birds of different species and separate cages still consider each other flock? I have two linnies and a lovebird whose cages are next to each other, and the lovebird is interested in the linnies, she watches them and shows off for them, but I wonder if she considers them her companions? She's more high maintenance than the linnies so I hope she doesn't feel lonely with them around. I'm a new bird parent, so I continually think of questions like this.
 

JLcribber

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Absolutely. They are Flock mates. Flock mates aren't always friends.
 

Leih

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I have found my little birds are very happy watching videos with humans talking, but can get worried if their is too much going on, i.e. adventure/explosions/giant things flying about. So they have been enjoying my ever dorky pass time of critical role. They love watching matt mercer tell a story because he is so animated, but there isn't anything upsetting or explosive. Since the show is literally just people playing d&d.

Also I have found they love watching birdie clips from youtube from their cage, but when they are in the common play area bird videos are very upsetting and scary. They feel as though they need to escape.

So consider that media preferences may change with circumstances. Maybe some things are fun to watch with you, but can get scary when they are home alone.
 
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