|
|
|
gedoena
Flutterer
Joined: 24 Jul 2006
Posts: 115
Location: Bloomington, Indiana, USA |
| Making a toy out of feathers? |
 |
|
As I have mentioned in several postings in the Behavior thread, Dewey (half-moon conure) will not play with any toys. He is scared of most of them. The ones that are already in his cage (these came with him when we adopted him 1 year ago, not sure how long he has had them) he ignores, unless he accidentally bumps into them. Then he has a fit and attacks them, making loud and (I assume) angry/panicy noises.
HOWEVER, since he has started his latest molt we noticed that he loves playing with his own feathers. He will hold them in his foot, twirl them in his beak, and preen them.
Does anyone have a suggestion for how we might tie his feathers together to make a toy, in a safe and non-threatening way? I would prefer not to use leather.
(Any other suggestions for making non-scary toys also welcome!)
thanks!
Marisa |
Thursday September 21, 2006 12:32 am |
|
|
Sue
Joined: 13 Jan 2005
Posts: 10102
|
| Re: Making a toy out of feathers? |
|
|
Oh yikes, I would not tie his feathers together for a toy! It might sound like a great idea but I think it could trigger feather chewing? I think it's more the fact that the toys dangle from the ceiling which makes it treatening??
Do you have wound sticks? Or toot picks? |
|
Thursday September 21, 2006 4:11 pm |
|
|
|
|
gedoena
Flutterer
Joined: 24 Jul 2006
Posts: 115
Location: Bloomington, Indiana, USA |
| Re: Making a toy out of feathers? |
|
|
quote:
Originally posted by Fluffy Sue
Oh yikes, I would not tie his feathers together for a toy! It might sound like a great idea but I think it could trigger feather chewing? I think it's more the fact that the toys dangle from the ceiling which makes it treatening??
Do you have wound sticks? Or toot picks?
Oh, I didn't think of that.. I certainly would not like to CAUSE behavioral issues.
If he molts a feather (especially a tail or wing feather) he will sometimes play with it for a while and seems to enjoy it. But maybe I should leave it at that.
Marisa |
|
Thursday September 21, 2006 4:18 pm |
|
|
Cheeta
Moderator
Joined: 06 Apr 2005
Posts: 7972
Location: Australia |
Oh my Apollo absolutely love to play with any feathers that he can get his beak on. whether it's his own or ones from the budgies. 
Has your conure got some sort of preening toy? if he likes to play with the feathers, he might enjoy the preening toy. Just a thought. |
|
Thursday September 21, 2006 6:13 pm |
|
|
|
|
meg832
Fledgeling
Joined: 16 Jun 2006
Posts: 365
Location: Ohio |
I read that some birds enjoy preening the hairy part of a coconut shell |
|
Thursday September 21, 2006 6:35 pm |
|
|
gedoena
Flutterer
Joined: 24 Jul 2006
Posts: 115
Location: Bloomington, Indiana, USA |
quote:
Originally posted by Cheeta
Oh my Apollo absolutely love to play with any feathers that he can get his beak on. whether it's his own or ones from the budgies.
Has your conure got some sort of preening toy? if he likes to play with the feathers, he might enjoy the preening toy. Just a thought.
He has access to some sort of ropey toys... but he won't go near them.
Maybe we should try some other types.
marisa |
|
Thursday September 21, 2006 8:30 pm |
|
|
MESABoogie
Fledgeling
Joined: 02 Jul 2005
Posts: 202
Location: Canada |
Focker loves to preen a strip of material .... cut a bunch of material into strips with pinking shears and tie them to a plastic link chain that you can hang ... or just tie some strips to the bars of his cage ... Focker will sit for hours playing with the material strips ... I've even seen him take one of his pellets and put it into the strip of material, fold the material over it, and then crunch it ... I also sometimes take a piece of material and put a bunch of dry macaroni in it, and then tie the ends with cotton rope ... again, it amuses him for hours .... |
|
Thursday September 21, 2006 8:31 pm |
|
|
|
|
Cheeta
Moderator
Joined: 06 Apr 2005
Posts: 7972
Location: Australia |
yeah try material type toys. I find that most birds find those interesting to play with. I would recommend using fleece material though as these are much safer in the sense of having loose threads that the bird may get tangle in. |
|
Friday September 22, 2006 6:40 am |
|
|
Cathy
Kamikaze pilot
Joined: 02 Apr 2005
Posts: 6673
Location: Omaha, NE USA |
He might just be afraid of the big, colorful parts of toys. I really like the suggestion of tying pieces of material to the bars of the cage, then you're minus the "scarey" part of the toy, you know? Maybe start with just 1 or 2 strips, tied within close reach from a perch. |
|
Friday September 22, 2006 12:07 pm |
|
|
|
|
danabird
Flier
Joined: 24 Feb 2005
Posts: 977
Location: Northwest Fla |
Romeo is happy with a box of raisans ( little boxes) some I take them out and will put whole nuts in the shell, others I will put a piece of dried fruit, he loves to tear them up  . I also buy the wooden craft sticks that are non toxic for childern, give him a paper towel, that is funny watching him move it all around. And baskets, lordy he loves to tear up baskets. If we were all just this easy to please it would be so nice |
|
Tuesday September 26, 2006 6:02 am |
|
|
gedoena
Flutterer
Joined: 24 Jul 2006
Posts: 115
Location: Bloomington, Indiana, USA |
How do we tell which materials are bird-safe? I'm afraid I don't sew and am generally oblivious to types of fabric and things like that . I guess 100% cotton would be the goal?
I like the idea of the dried macaroni bags too. It is ok for them to eat the dried pasta?
marisa |
|
Thursday October 19, 2006 8:53 am |
|
|
|
|
All times are GMT. The time now is Friday May 25, 2012 2:14 pm
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
