high energy but no outlet

So, recently Lincoln has had a LOT more energy lately and I don't know how to help him expend the energy. He doesn't really like toys most of the time and the ones he does like he can destroy completely in the matter of 30 minutes so it doesn't do too much good. He can't fly so he can't really expend it doing that. It's too cold and windy to take him outside. I don't want him to get stressed / anxious but I don't really know how to help him.

depending on the toy's size you could try introducing the idea of fetch to him maybe? Or get him to recall to you by walking? Or maybe even get his foraging going up, it would at least get him think about things which should keep his mind off the bundle of energy stored in him

Boy do I know his all to well. It’s frustrating because they really don’t give themselves any outlet with the way they approach toys. For us it’s often a buckle down time to weather the storm. Often coinciding with hormones also, for Parker.

And it’s always at the worst times, like when we have a dog visitor over and he’s not allowed to come out.

Flying is the best energy expedinture you can do. You need to get him flying. Aside from that, trick train and foraging are your next best bets.

Does he have any kind of swings or a boing? I notice when Kiwi is full of excess energy, he likes to swing around on his boing like a crazy bird. We have his boing hanging from the ceiling and it's close enough to the top of his play tree, he can just climb onto it (Kiwi is also not flighted). As a non-flighted bird, Kiwi seems to thoroughly enjoy climbing challenges. Perhaps offer some more challenging things to climb/swing on! Basically, make a playground for your bird. It'll help him burn off excess energy just like a taking a kid to the park will.

Destroying a toy in 30 minutes is kind of what the big beaks do. If cost is a concern (it is for me, those big toys are EX$PEN$IVE!) buy an untreated pine 2x4 and cut it up to make your own. You'll be out some time and about $3. OR offer a clean cardboard box or empty TP/paper towel roll. Free and fun to rip up Dollar store and thrift stores are also a good place to find bird toy parts cheap (use common sense regarding safety).

Have you ever tried him on foraging toys? If so, what kind? A lot of people find their birds can't solve or have no interest in foraging, but often it's because they started them off with too complex of a toy. Simpler ones, like a clear cup with a lid that can be easily lifted, would be good for "beginner" foraging.

unfortunately he has continously mutilated his feathers since I got him so I don't think he will be flying any time soon

I have tried all sorts of foraging toys with him and he learns them immediately then gets bored with them x.x
he only really likes soft toys he can easily destroy. He won't touch anything harder than a popsicle stick

Owlet said:

unfortunately he has continously mutilated his feathers since I got him so I don't think he will be flying any time soon

I have tried all sorts of foraging toys with him and he learns them immediately then gets bored with them x.x
he only really likes soft toys he can easily destroy. He won't touch anything harder than a popsicle stick

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He may be unable to actually fly but have you tried flapping exercises with him? He doesn't need flight feathers to flap his wings and it's good exercise/builds important muscles non-flighted birds typically don't have. Kiwi is non-flighted (clipped), but we make him flap his happy little butt around the house instead of catching easy rides on a hand all the time. Our avian vet greatly approves of the practice! I started with just getting him to open his wings. While on the hand, gently grip the toes and give a firm tug downwards. The sensation of falling will instinctually make them open and flap their wings a few times. Once he starts doing that, then work out to getting him to continue flapping his wings as you walk with him. Here's what I do with Kiwi all the time (though it does take non-flighted birds time to develop the muscles and endurance to go any distance with it):

[ame="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ToqMYCv_RHA"]Kiwiflys - YouTube[/ame]

Kiwi also learns every foraging toy we give him quickly and then it becomes pointless

If he likes soft, then give him soft toys to rip up! Unfortunately, that means he'll have to go through more toys than other birds, but that's how it goes with some. They all have their 'things'. Try one of those birdie skewers and cutting up cardboard into squares and stacking them up on the skewer. Balsa wood is also cheap, soft and bird-safe. You can buy seagrass mats in bulk and typing beads to them is easy and fast. And really, try the clean cardboard. My dads cockatoo is the lucky recipient of all "clean trash" in my parents house. I don't know if they've bought him a store bought (chewing) toy in how long because he's happy enough to decimate any kind of cardboard box, phone books etc... that comes through.

Great advice and video, April! Yeah, climbing and boings are the way to go. Maya, whom is fully flighted but has decided on a flightless lifestyle, burns off much of her energy climbing and swinging on boings. And what she lacks in flight skill she makes up for in acrobatic climbing ability. She'll out climb Jolly any day of the week.

And that flapping from the video will not only burn off excess energy, but also get in necessary cardio activity for a healthier lifestyle.

I do have a boing in his cage right now but he doesn't seem very interested in it. My dad and I hope to finish a playstand we've been working on for him this weekend. I hope that helps.

Unsure of your cage setup but does he have sufficient room to play on the boing in the cage? I don't think Kiwi would use his boing as frequently if it were in his cage because theres so many other things he could bump into (and he has a macaw sized cage). I wish I had a video handy of him on it because he really gets swinging around on it! Relocation may help. Kiwi likes swings in his cage. He has a big traditional style one with bells and a rope swing, which I swap out every so often.

I bet a nice play stand will definitely help (please share some pics of the stand and around new owner once finished)! "Exercise challenged" birds can be difficult to get moving, but once you do their activity level only builds and frustration levels plummet. Be sure the design of the stand encourages lots of climbing. Position treat holders and toys from top to bottom so he must move around to get to the various activities/treats. You may also consider a "rope bridge" between the cage and play stand to give him more mobility and reduce his reliance on you to get around a bit.

ill definitely share the stand when it's done. right now it's just a pvc skeleton though. I still need to get vet tape and some more toys/ladders/sea grass mats and what not to decorate it with

Sometimes the Rb gets into a shredding mood. If Lincoln likes to shred, I suggest buying rolls of butcher paper and giving him a few yards at a time. Or crumple it up into a basketball size, for lots of flapping and attacking. I have found it in bulk locally for 10 unbleached rolls for 15-20 bucks. For a more challenging time, you could even give him a whole roll.

yea Max is a mover always doing something no sitting still in that boy.lol
when i brought him home i loaded his cage spent in the neighborhood $600
that was coming up on 2yrs ago and he still has most of them and has grown pretty fond of em,and don't tear them up to fast but is always playing with them. in a month he will have a freshly stocked cage to start all over again.
he pays no mind at all to the huge playstand what a waste that one was Lily don't care much for it either cept to check the food dish out. thinking bout tearing it down and converting it into a hanging place they can fly to think they may use that. man these guys cost a lot of bucks i sat down the the other day and figured how much i had invested in just Lily and Max and it came to a whopping just the birds and the goods house's and first set up of toys and the playstand right around 6k. new owner's need to know about the $$$ involved as i suspect this is also a big reason so many need rescued, people see em fall in love and jump in with both feet before they end up here getting schooled last.

good luck stock that cage up and he will find something to do.
i got my 2 on 12 on 12 off and even with the wife and i in the living room TV going, going about life normal we don't hear a peep out of Lily, and Max will set up a while and i believe he softly chats himself to sleep, never really looked in figured he might need some privacy at times to.