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Post by Scratchpost on Dec 3, 2022 1:05:34 GMT -7
Our CNC operator friend made a foraging toy for Aka. I can't remember the exact name of the plastic but it's a very hard plastic that doesn't chip or break unless heat is applied so it's parrot-safe. The foraging things in it are beet greens, chilli, and spekboom. Spekboom (bacon tree) is a succulent that grows wild in Africa and is eaten by pretty much all the herbivores (including elephants who eat the branches that grow up to two meters) and birds.   Edit: Enjoying the toy before he destroyed the leaves.  |
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Post by Jane on Dec 3, 2022 4:32:22 GMT -7
Looks good. He will probably have all the plants out pretty quickly, if he isn't scared of it that is.
Jane
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Post by Scratchpost on Dec 3, 2022 12:29:58 GMT -7
Hi Jane,
Yes he did pull the plants pretty quickly but then he went to the bottom and ate them.
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Post by Haz on Dec 3, 2022 13:11:19 GMT -7
That looks good.
Haz
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Post by Scratchpost on Dec 4, 2022 3:51:06 GMT -7
Hi Jane,
I forgot to mention about Aka being scared. When our friend brought it over and showed Aka, he was scared of it and growled whenever he saw it. After about a day I started playing with it (just moving it from hand to hand and using it as a spy glass) in front of Aka and he was ok. I also put it on the side of the couch which is close to his cage, where all the new toys go so Aka can look at them before they go into his cage. I think the food items in there helped get over his fear haha.
Hi Haz,
It was good for Aka at least. By the time we got home, the only things that were left over were the stalks of the leaves and the heads of the chillies.
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Post by Jane on Dec 5, 2022 8:19:33 GMT -7
PLaying with a toy yourself is definitely the best way to get them interested. That makes them think it must be okay and worth having and also that you have got it and they want it for themselves.
I remember putting as much of myself as I could into a new cage (a big King's cage) to convince Mitzi it was okay. Monty is not at all a usual Grey, he isn't scared of anything.
Jane
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Post by Scratchpost on Dec 7, 2022 13:41:28 GMT -7
Hi Jane,
Yes, that was my thinking too. I want to start making my own parrot toys because of safety. There isn't a regulatory body in South Africa who checks that the toys are safe for animals. The only motivation is profit so some toys are unsafe for parrots even if the tag says otherwise. When I make them, it will be in front of Aka for about 80% of the time except when I'm drilling so I'm interested to see if he'll start playing with those toys straight away. My thinking is yes, depending on the colours I use for the blocks.
Well you say that Mitzi bullies him sometimes so maybe it's a case of scary Mitzi, so everything else is mild in comparison haha.
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Post by Jane on Dec 9, 2022 10:38:14 GMT -7
Monty is very docile and never retaliates. When Mitzi was at the vet overnight in 2019 Monty was so sad, he was quiet and he wouldn't eat or play with his toys, he just moped. The first thing Mitzi did when I put her back in the cage after getting her home was to go to Monty and give him a kiss.
Jane
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Post by Scratchpost on Dec 12, 2022 8:53:55 GMT -7
Aw that's so sweet. Did you get them at the same time?
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Post by Jane on Dec 12, 2022 9:46:57 GMT -7
No, they were both about 12 weeks old when we bought them but we got Mitzi when Monty was two years old. Monty is 31 now and Mitzi is 29.
Jane
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Post by Scratchpost on Dec 13, 2022 12:42:39 GMT -7
Oh ok cool. Is 12 weeks the legal age of buying them because of the weening?
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Post by Jane on Dec 14, 2022 2:09:10 GMT -7
Yes, they were both fully weaned when we got them.
Jane
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Post by Scratchpost on Dec 18, 2022 4:22:40 GMT -7
Hi Jane,
That's good. I wish the law/rule was enforced here. There would be fewer people believing that they can "have a pretty parrot" and then they end up killing them because they can't feed them safely before they were weaned. Exceptions could probably be made privately which is what we would have done with Aka, but so many young parrots/birds die because they are sold before they are weaned.
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