Nooks, Toys, Tents and Playstands

Toys are such an important part of a birds life. They have an inherent need to chew and play. Otherwise they become bored and develop bad habits. There are a lot of toys available, from simple little chains to complex puzzle toys. Some of these toys can be expensive, but they are worth it! With as many birds as we have, we make a lot of the simpler toys. These are toys that use blocks of wood, chewables, vine balls - anything that is shreddable or chewable.

There are quite a few toy sites on the net. If you can bend some wire or tie a few knots you can make what we call the refillable toys. We purchase the majority of our parts from Little Wing Creations. Little Wing Creations also has premade toys. Their preener is a big hit with the love bird that we adopted. They ship quickly, sell quality parts, and have been very helpful. I love the surprises that the freebie fairy puts in the box.

If I need toy parts that Little Wings does not have, I shop at GlobalPets I love their sale section.

If you don't want to make your own toys, then you need to visit sunconure.com They have a small selection of toys, however, the toys they have are quality toys that you bird will enjoy for a long time!

Every bird needs a 'Nook'. What is a Nook? "Around here its a snuggle companion, preening partner or a nook nook. This is the perfect companion for the single bird as a cage mate to preen, a buddy to snuggle with and lots of play time." When I first saw these Nooks I was skeptical about it doing what was stated on the site. I bought one and was surprised how quickly it became a favorite toy. Just as stated on the site, it was used to snuggle up with, preen, and play with. After about a two weeks it needed to be washed. I was a little worried about washing it. It came out perfect! I have the Nook in the playpen for the birds, in the cage we use for the toddlers, in a cage with a plucking bird, and keep one in case I have to put a bird in the hospital box. I am planning on buying more, soon. I want to have one in every cage. Take a look at Nook page and pick the one that is the right size for your bird.

Some birds like to sleep in or under something, such as Conures. There are quite a few huts and tents available at pet stores and on the net. I have heard some bad things about the Happy Hut, apparently due to the design, birds can get between the layers and get caught. I started looking at different things that were available since I didn't have a hollow tree for the bird to sleep in. I found the Sleeping Tents. The quality of the sleeping tent is wonderful. She has designed it so that if your bird chews a hole in it they can't get their body between the layers. I have machine washed the sleeping tent, and it came out as good as it went in. If you have a bird that would benefit from a sleeping tent, then please try this one.

There are a lot of different types of playstands available. They range from simple T shaped to fancy floor models. I have seen them priced from $25.00 to over $400.00. I feel playstands are important for birds. They need their own space, just like you do. A lot of people make their own. I think this is a great idea, who knows what your bird likes better than you do? Make sure that you use safe wood and hardware. Zinc is not good for birds, and can make them very sick. Stainless or nickel-plated hardware is the best to use. You can also use jute, cotton rope, and vet wrap to connect the pieces of wood, or cover PVC. Below you will see some pictures of play areas that people have made or adapted to the needs of their birds.