Define "TOY"

[Ronald]

So I've noticed with Papito as well as most people on various forums that African Greys absolutely LOVE our electronics. TV remote, cell phone, keyboard, tablet, and PS3 controller in my house are constant targets of curiosity. There are many more items that people have mentioned their greys chewing on. I've seen people give their greys an old broken phone or keyboard but it seams they loose interest very quickly and then go after the new, good keyboard or phone. This seems to go against the common notion that Greys are generally weary of new items. It's almost as if seeing us "play" with the object they see it as safe and interesting. Some people are going to say that they have had plenty of time to examine the TV remote because they see it everyday. Well, they have also had plenty of time to examine the nicknack on the coffee table right next to the TV remote but I bet they wont touch it, because they don't see you touching it. Papito has a toy that he absolutely will not get near. So, starting today I am going to hold this toy whenever I am watching TV to see how long it takes before he wants it.

Does anyone have examples of their grey wanting an object that you commonly touch?

 

[roxynoodle]

In my house it is the amazon and conure that want to play with everything they've seen me "play" with. I almost got the amazon some cheap remotes from the dollar store, but then I realized he isn't going to know the difference between those and the ones I need, and decided not to let him have any of them.

 

[Ronald]

On another grey forum I seen someone who got an old cell phone for their grey that wasn't too different than their real phone. Their grey never touched it and still wanted the real one. I'm not sure if getting a cheap remote would accomplish much unless is was very similar. But that's what I want to figure out.

 

[roxynoodle]

It is hard to say if having their "own" is good enough, or if they will still want yours. I think parrots pretty much consider anything they see that they want as belonging to them

 

[Wulfgeist]

He always wants to come over and try to pull keys off the keyboard, shred any napkins I have down for drink coasters, mess with anything he can get his beak on around my computer.

 

[Wulfgeist]

Sometimes too the silliest of objects can be made into toys..such a plastic egg..everytime he drops a toy and I pick it up he lowers his head for a scritch, so I rub the toy on his head. We were doing this today with the plastic easter egg and so I was rubbing his head with one of the halves...now I know some of you have seen the birds on msbs modeling the little straw hats...

When I stopped rubbing he just stood there with his head down..so...he didn't seem to mind and thought it was all part of the game we were playing.

 

[HalfInsane]

Oh my! That picture cracked me up.

And I know what you mean about electronics. There is nothing in this world Pixel seems to want more than my cellphone.

 

[stephend]

My birds ignore my phone as long as it's just sitting there, but as soon as I touch it they run over to help.