Cockatiels are small parrots with huge personalities! They are beautiful, fun-loving, energetic, and highly intelligent birds.
As such they need to be stimulated constantly to remain happy and emotionally healthy.
Providing and rotating safe yet exciting toys is an excellent way to keep your bird content.
Here are 6 suggestions for toys that fit the bill on every level.
Edible Toys-Millets, pinecones that are stocked with a variety of fruits, nuts and seeds, organic wheat grass, flaxseed sprigs are just a few examples of treats that can be hung in the cage to make life fun and good tasting for your Cockatiel.
Mineral block toys are also a great way to provide necessary vitamins and minerals for those birds that choose to ignore the cuttlebone.
Perches-This is a fun way to provide exercise for your bird's feet, helps trim their nails and beaks naturally, provide an opportunity for them to chew, and depending on the composition can supply them with essential minerals such as those made of cuttlebone.
Many are made like tree branches, and will help your bird cage look more like the wild to you and your Tiel.
A variety of sizes are always available, so be sure to select the one that's right for your bird and your cage.
Platform perches can also be added as a sleeping shelf or for birds that are ill or handicapped.
Sounds-Every cage and bird area needs toys that make sounds--bells and beads are favorites.
Make sure that small parts are secure and that they are big enough to avoid the possibility of choking.
Foot Toys-They are probably more accurately described as foot and beak toys because they require your bird to use both to play.
Many contain materials for shredding that are colorful, flavored, and refillable.
Swings-These are a favorite because they probably feel like tree branches swaying in the wild.
Swings that have safe objects of different textures that are colorful and chewable serve a dual purpose.
Forage-Since birds spend hours foraging for food in the wild these toys make use of their natural instincts.
These toys involve placing food or treats inside a toy that your bird must then figure out how to get.
This uses their intelligence and reasoning to solve the problem for a tasty reward, and can occupy their interest for hours.
Have several or 4 that you can rotate in and out the cage as well as providing a variety of treats inside each time.
Always make the treat one that your bird feels is a "must have".
Make sure woods and materials used are certified as bird safe, and that links or rope used to hang the toys are tight so there is no chance of feet or beaks getting caught.