In their natural environment birds are able to fly wherever they like and do whatever takes their fancy. The trees they inhabit offer every conceivable situation for them to have fun. If they feel like a swing, all they have to do is hop onto a flimsy branch. If they want a bath, they simply look for a suitable patch of water.
Even though your birds have been born in captivity and have never known the freedom of the great outdoors, it is instinctive for them to want to enjoy an active life in whatever environment they are in. Think of all the playthings we provide for our children. Well, birds like to play too and, being confined to a boring old cage with nothing to do, is not really conducive to a happy bird.
It used to be considered quite sufficient to hang a bell, a swing and a mirror in the cage but over the last few years all sorts of interesting accessories have been invented by people who know about birds. Don't forget that birds can see colours and will enjoy brightly coloured toys just like we provide for our children. That's why so many of the things you can buy for your birds are multicoloured. You don't have to settle for an ordinary old swing anymore either; there is a great range of swings available with bright coloured "doodaddies" on them which will keep your little friends entertained for hours. There are also pretty hanging toys for them to climb all over and entertain you as well. One thing to remember is not to clutter up the cage with too many gadgets that don't allow the birds enough room to move. If you want a lot of accessories you should choose a suitably large cage.
Most of what I've been talking about refers to accessories for inside a cage but some birds spend a lot of their time outside their cages and there is a great range of "gym equipment" available for out-of-cage activities. There are play stands and ladders made out of natural-looking materials and in various sizes to suit a wide variety of birds. Another interesting and useful concept is the "play top" cage. These are designed to enable the bird to have his fun and exercise outside the cage but without you having to provide a separate piece of equipment. Most of these provide places for his food and water containers as well but you can leave them in the cage and he will simply pop back home for a drink or lunch when he's ready.
Safety is a very important element with bird accessories so care has to be taken that they will be able to use the item without getting caught up in it or without it endangering their health when they chew on it, as they invariably will.
It's one thing to provide a suitable home for your birds but, just like when we buy a house, it then needs to be furnished in a way that will make them really feel at home and enjoy their life with you.
Even though your birds have been born in captivity and have never known the freedom of the great outdoors, it is instinctive for them to want to enjoy an active life in whatever environment they are in. Think of all the playthings we provide for our children. Well, birds like to play too and, being confined to a boring old cage with nothing to do, is not really conducive to a happy bird.
It used to be considered quite sufficient to hang a bell, a swing and a mirror in the cage but over the last few years all sorts of interesting accessories have been invented by people who know about birds. Don't forget that birds can see colours and will enjoy brightly coloured toys just like we provide for our children. That's why so many of the things you can buy for your birds are multicoloured. You don't have to settle for an ordinary old swing anymore either; there is a great range of swings available with bright coloured "doodaddies" on them which will keep your little friends entertained for hours. There are also pretty hanging toys for them to climb all over and entertain you as well. One thing to remember is not to clutter up the cage with too many gadgets that don't allow the birds enough room to move. If you want a lot of accessories you should choose a suitably large cage.
Most of what I've been talking about refers to accessories for inside a cage but some birds spend a lot of their time outside their cages and there is a great range of "gym equipment" available for out-of-cage activities. There are play stands and ladders made out of natural-looking materials and in various sizes to suit a wide variety of birds. Another interesting and useful concept is the "play top" cage. These are designed to enable the bird to have his fun and exercise outside the cage but without you having to provide a separate piece of equipment. Most of these provide places for his food and water containers as well but you can leave them in the cage and he will simply pop back home for a drink or lunch when he's ready.
Safety is a very important element with bird accessories so care has to be taken that they will be able to use the item without getting caught up in it or without it endangering their health when they chew on it, as they invariably will.
It's one thing to provide a suitable home for your birds but, just like when we buy a house, it then needs to be furnished in a way that will make them really feel at home and enjoy their life with you.
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