Guide to Bird Toys

When it comes to the need to stay active both in mind and body, birds are not all that different from humans.  Birds especially very intelligent birds like parrots and parakeets, thrive on interaction, whether it's with other birds or with their human owners.  When deprived of contact for longer periods of time, like during the day when it stays home alone in its cage while its caretakers are at work or in school, birds may actually get bored and start to react as any confined person would- by acting out and engaging in destructive or self-destructive behavior.  Such behaviors include feather picking and other self-mutilation, screaming to get attention, destruction of household objects like furniture, and even aggression towards humans- not the kind of pet most people would want.  This can happen even with birds that receive a lot of care and out-of-cage playtime with their owners when faced with long stretches of isolation.  It would be a little like playing with your toddler for a few hours each day, then leaving them locked up in their room by themselves for the whole time you're off at work (birds are different, of course, and time spent alone is actually probably not as torturous for them).  For your bird's health and sanity, and your own, you really need to provide them with a variety of pet bird toys to play with.  Not only do toys allow birds to exercise and thereby take care of excess energy in the absence of their stimulating natural environments, toys also let their minds stay sharp while they pass the time.  Birds may also take out their aggression on their toys, which is preferable to taking it out on human flesh.  In younger birds, bird toys take on added significance as it aids in brain and body development, just as reading and playing with toys are crucial in the development of human children.  Let's talk about some of the toys on the market and the different functions they serve in bird health and happiness. 

There are a lot of bird's toys on the market- how do you choose?  As a general guide, it is helpful to observe the kind of objects your bird is attracted to when it is out of its cage.  Pay attention to whatever colors it may find especially appealing, the types of objects it prefers to interact with, and how it handles the object.  Different birds have different playing styles.  Some birds like to do acrobatics, like trapeze work.  Others may like to tear things, like paper.  Some like to hide, forage, pick up and throw things with their feet, climb, weave, solve puzzles, or snuggle with objects.  A lot of birds may also be attracted to shiny objects.  Witnessing such behavior can give you a good idea of the kinds of toys your pet bird will like to play with.
Once you know a bit about your bird's style of play and have some idea of how to proceed, do so while keeping in mind to pick a toy that is the right size for your bird.  Large bird toys could pose a hazard for smaller birds in the form of trapping the bird or parts of its body.  Conversely, small bird toys may be easily destroyed by a larger bird, but more seriously, it could pose a choking hazard.  You also want to make sure that the toy is non-toxic and made by a reputable manufacturer.  You should also replace toys when they become frayed or chewed as this, too, can be a safety hazard.  Use your judgment in such cases to keep your bird safe.
One more important point regarding birds toys is that you should make sure your bird always has access to several toys- some suggest a minimum of 4-6 at all times.  It is important for your bird to have a good variety of playthings for reasons we have already covered.  You should also rotate different toys in and out of the cage regularly to keep things new.  Birds like variety, just like most people.

  
Puzzle-Solving Toys: Being the intelligent and naturally curious creature that they are, many birds like to solve puzzles like taking toys apart, undoing knots, etc. 

Snuggle Toys: These are just like they sound, toys for your bird to snuggle up against for comfort, or toys that they can hide in.

Exercise Toys: Toys to help provide your bird with a food workout for its body.

Chew Toys: These toys let birds have an outlet for their natural impulse to chew.  Chewing toys should be made of wood or leather, and they will be destroyed over time.

Foraging Toys: These are toys in which food can be concealed or impaled, giving your bird the opportunity to work for its food.

Foot Toys: These let your bird exercise its manual dexterity skills. 

Preening Toys: Preening toys keep your bird from overpreening themselves.

These toys all benefit a certain aspect of your bird's health and fitness and it is recommended to have toys in each of these categories.  Keep in mind that with a little ingenuity and creativity, you can also provide your bird with homemade bird toys to play with and perhaps save money at the same time.