The Importance of Wooden Toys for Your Parrot
Why Parrots Chew Wood
In the wild, parrots nest in holes in trees that they have chewed into the tree with their strong beaks. This activity, along with cracking nuts and seeds, keeps their beaks worn down to a normal level. You see, beaks grow continually, just like your fingernails do. The beak does grow rather slowly, but it grows nonetheless.
The activity of chewing is instinctual to a parrot. They chew wood because their natural drive tells them they are supposed to do this. They can not be stopped! But that is not why chewing is so important to captive parrots. After all, if we allow our parrots to breed, we provide nice, well-made nest boxes that we purchase or make from materials we buy.
Wood and the Companion Parrot
If the companion parrot doesn't need to create a nest, then why is it so important for them to be allowed to chew on wood?
In nature, 85% or more of a parrot's waking time spent finding and eating food and/or feeding babies. The rest is spent in finding a mate, caring for their mate, watching out for the flock, bathing, preening, and other activities. Nature gave our parrots a lot of energy to allow them to survive in the wild. When we remove them from the wild and bring them into our homes, they don't have the need to spend all this time and energy with survival skills.
As we have discussed in the past, parrots think on the level of a two- to three-year old human child. This means they must be kept busy and active, entertained and occupied in order to be happy and mentally healthy. A bored parrot is an unhappy parrot and a chronically unhappy parrot is eventually going to become an unhealthy parrot, potentially chewing feathers, plucking, or other bad behaviors.
How to Incorporate Wood into Your Parrot's Life
Of course, you can add wooden toys into your parrot's life easily by purchasing good-quality, bird-safe toys for the size species of the parrot you own. Every parrot should have a selection of toys at any time with which to play and on which to chew.
But you do not have to purchase all the wood your parrot chews. Here's how to add some chewing wood that will give your parrot something to chew on besides toys – or your antique furniture!
Tree Limbs and Branches: Locate bird-safe woods such as oak, fruit, nut, ash, or any non-sappy wooden branches or limbs from your local area. Leave the bark on the limbs for extra chewing pleasure. Wash thoroughly and allow them to dry. Then use them as perches, place them in the cage or on the play stand as something to chew.
Make Toys: For small birds, Popsicle sticks can have holes punched into them, as in the video associated with this article, and string them on rope, cord, plastic lace, or small chain. For medium sized parrots, use larger sticks and stronger rope or chain. For really large parrots, drill holes in pieces of untreated scrap lumber or branches and string onto sturdy, welded-link chain, preferably stainless steel chain. Be creative and you'll find lots of toys you can make. Wooden thread spools work great for toys.
Play Trees: Along the same lines as the tree limbs and branches, select a tree limb of the size appropriate for your parrot and "plant" it into a plastic pot, filling the pot with sand or, for larger sizes, plant it into plaster of Paris or concrete, covering the hard material with clean, safe sand, gravel, or another material that is safe for your bird. The parrot can climb and chew on this almost-free play tree.
Busy Beaks, Busy Brains Make Happy, Healthy Parrots
If you implement some of these wood ideas into your parrot's life, you'll have a busy bird with a busy brain that is happier and healthier during those hours of the day that you can't be with the parrot. You'll also prevent the parrot from being likely to find wood to chew that you do not want chewed or that might be painted, varnished, or hazardous.
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