Should we REALLY Change Toys?

[Caitnah]

I realize that mostly everyone agrees that we should change up our cages to help with boredom?but is it realllllly necessary? Or does it entirely depend on the breed?

My Conure has a lot of toys and things in his cage. He is attached to some more than others. The first couple years, I changed things around (moved, added/deleted) but the last year not so much.

I am wondering if changing things around is detrimental as they get used to ?things and places? and changing could upset them. Of course I add some if needed.
When my guy needs comfort, he knows exactly where to go to his favorite toy and snuggle up. It?s like a security blanket.
I wouldn?t take away his ?blanket?, but why even move it?

Thoughts?

 

[fiddlejen]

I have found that I do not move around or change their toys very often, as they seem to like what they have where they have them. My placement of objects in the first place, and the toys I've chosen for them, has been largely based on what they seem to like, and I'm not seeing much-better options.

For me, though, this is also because my birds are not very destructive of their toys. If they needed replacing more often I certainly would. In fact I have lots of toys in-reserve that just aren't needed yet. They have mostly been tried but seemed non-preferred by my birdies.
All that to say, I really do not change things around all that much, myself.

 

[Scott]

I rarely change toys unless chewed beyond use or totally ignored. All else remains in position, occasionally cleaned as needed. Some judgement required by species, for instance African Greys generally intolerant of change while my cockatoos seem to thrive.

 

[wrench13]

My problem is that Salty will have a favorite toy to chew and destroy, so I buy oh a 1/2 dozen of them at a time. But all of a sudden he changes his mind and I get holding the 'bag' sort of. For a while he loved the all metal shiny ones ( and they aint cheap) but nowadays he ignores them. He hates when I add something to his cage, but accepts new toys on his play chain readily, or at least they don't freak him out.

Parrots...... go figure.

 

[T00tsyd]

Syd seems to enjoy change. I have 3 places with perches and toys located around the place so I tend to swap toys around and re-position them. There is a bell that he loves and 'fights' regularly and has done for 3 years and that I always leave in place.

On the other hand his sleep cage has just a couple of toys hanging that I realise he either hides behind or snuggles up to so those have stayed for a very long time. Yesterday the cover fell off and I hadn't put it back before bedtime. He was really put out. Black and usually positioned so it looks like a black cave when he goes in, he was visibly worried until I put it in place.

 

[Jen5200]

My flock is pretty individual on whether they like new things or not. My cockatiels hate things moving around and being added, so I only do it when something is getting dusty or is “done” and needs to be replaced. The conures are more accepting of new things generally, but I know that they have certain toys that are much loved and I always leave them in place (I wouldn’t want someone moving my favorite anything!). I periodically switch one or two things when I notice they’ve been ignored for awhile and throw something new in there. It seems to work for us.