How do you keep your bird entertained while you are gone?

AS91379

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Aug 15, 2011
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North Georgia
Parrots
Green Cheeked Conure
My little Green Cheek has numerous foot toys and hanging toys, but I feel like this isn't enough stimulation. What do you do for your bird, if you have to be gone for several hours? I've considered getting my bird a friend.
 

roxynoodle

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Dec 1, 2011
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Well, conures are generally really good at entertaining themselves with toys. But, they also enjoy music or watching TV so you might leave on a TV or radio. Just be careful what they are watching, lol! Rowdy learned some rather interesting cuss words from watching soap operas while I was at work. And they were words I knew I didn't say, so it took me awhile to figure out how she learned them! They do seem to enjoy cartoons though so if you have cable/satellite TV you can choose a kid's channel for them to watch.

As for a friend, well your bird may not like the new bird. So only get one if YOU want another bird.
 

jewels04

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Feb 4, 2012
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Parrots
JJ-sun conure hatched roughly 1/16/2012

Cinderella-white and blue female budgie hatched 4/08/12

Rigby-white and blue male budgie hatched 5/05/2012
I second the tv idea. I have to run out to the store today and will leave JJ with one of the kid's movies on. Probably Rio, the kids think she'll love that movie.
 

Spiritbird

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Make sure and have lots of toys that can stimulate the bird's brain. Shredding, chewing, swinging and so on. I also had a mirror in a GCC conures cage and he loved it. You should rotate the toys also. I change toys every week. I play music for my bird when I am gone.
 

luvmytooo

New member
Dec 22, 2011
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New York
Parrots
*Yoshi* Goffins Cockatoo
* Rosie*Rose Breasted Galah
*Stella*Hyacinth Macaw
*Baby*Catalina Macaw

*Multiple Parakeets*
Lots of toys , play music and I have a bunch of Border Collies that never fail to entertain :)
 

lene1949

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Sep 26, 2011
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Brisbane, Australia
Parrots
Cory: Short billed Corella -
Echo: Galah -
Max: Alexandrine -
Skye: Yellow Sided conure -
Luka: Green Cheek Conure -
RIP Shrek: Quaker
Get some foraging toys...
 
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AS91379

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Aug 15, 2011
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North Georgia
Parrots
Green Cheeked Conure
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Thanks! This really helps! About the mirror, though. I've heard that mirrors can make a bird cage aggressive, since it will sometimes bond to its own reflection. Have you had experience with this? I don't have a TV nearby, but I do have a radio. Do your birds have any favorites as far as music goes?
 

Cliffordsmom

New member
Mar 6, 2012
454
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Oklahoma
Parrots
Sun Conure (Clifford), two budgies (Odin and Diana), and CAG (Bongo)
Thanks! This really helps! About the mirror, though. I've heard that mirrors can make a bird cage aggressive, since it will sometimes bond to its own reflection. Have you had experience with this? I don't have a TV nearby, but I do have a radio. Do your birds have any favorites as far as music goes?
My sun conure does not have a mirror, My budgies do and the male is constantly staring at himself, talking to himself, and regurgatating on himself! he LOVES it, but he is not hand tame at all. The female budgie doesn't even look at it but that's probably because Odin is constantly hogging it!
 

Cliffordsmom

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Mar 6, 2012
454
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Oklahoma
Parrots
Sun Conure (Clifford), two budgies (Odin and Diana), and CAG (Bongo)
also, Clifford had a CD that we made for him. It just said different things and played different songs. He learned every single word on that CD and he sings some of the songs. When one of the songs plays on TV he dances and sings along. I know you can buy CDs that teach your bird to talk but we made one because we thought it would be better for him to hear it in our voices.
 
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AS91379

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Aug 15, 2011
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North Georgia
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Green Cheeked Conure
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What a great idea! I'm still iffy on the mirror, though. Do you think your budgie isn't hand tame because of the mirror, or is that just him being a budgie?
 

Cliffordsmom

New member
Mar 6, 2012
454
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Oklahoma
Parrots
Sun Conure (Clifford), two budgies (Odin and Diana), and CAG (Bongo)
He used to be hand tame until I got a second job and bought him a friend. He also mimicked noises and tried to talk, when I got the female all of that stopped. I don't think its because of the mirror in odins case. but there are a lot of opinions against them if you want a social bird.
 

Cliffordsmom

New member
Mar 6, 2012
454
1
Oklahoma
Parrots
Sun Conure (Clifford), two budgies (Odin and Diana), and CAG (Bongo)
Honestly I wouldn't suggest a mirror, I'm not giving Clifford one. But every bird is different. It is up to you. There are plenty of other toys and things to keep him busy, he should be ok without one :)
 

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