The cage should be made as interesting as possible so the way you furnish it is very important to your bird. Toys usually come in two different types: larger hanging toys and smaller foot-toys. The hanging toys last longer than the foot toys, though they too will often eventually be destroyed by the bird as he chews them. You should be able to accommodate three hanging toys in the cage at a time. But to keep your bird interested and entertained, you should keep a collection of hanging toys and change one every few days, so the bird does not get bored. Foot toys are small enough for the bird to hold in one foot. These are often a bird's favourite toys and they are usually designed to be destructible, rather than long-lasting While you can buy foot-toys in a shop, you can also make them for little or no cost. Suitable items include pine cones, small cardboard boxes, clothes pegs, lollipop sticks, pieces of twisted newspaper, small hardwood sticks, small hard plastic balls and some 'puzzle toys'. You can put food treats into the puzzle toys and your bird can be left to work out how to extract them.
Good quality toys and a roosting box
Toys must be safe for your bird so avoid any with small or sharp metal parts that may be detached and swallowed by the bird. If toys have rings, the rule to bear in mind regarding their safety is that the rings should either be so small that the bird cannot get its head through them, or so large that the bird's whole body can pass easily through. If the bird becomes aggressive or over-excited when given a mirror, this should be removed from the cage. All greys should be provided with a roosting box in the cage to gives them somewhere to hide away and to sleep in. Greys will also remain silent when in the box. The box should be made from 19mm (Kin) plywood. The internal dimensions should be about 30cm (12in) square by 18cm (7in) high. The box should be situated as high up in the cage as possible and be securely fitted. The entrance hole can be quite large; about 10cm (4in) square. Put some wood shavings and perhaps chewable toys inside to keep bird occupied when inside.
This Timneh grey roosts in his cage-mounted box
and also spends an hour or so each afternoon in here
enjoying his 'siesta'.
and also spends an hour or so each afternoon in here
enjoying his 'siesta'.
Smaller foot toys which can be held by the bird and chewed to destruction are popular. Hard plastic balls like this cat's ball can be used by greys.
