ECLECTUS PARROT
"Polly want a cracker!"
...Eclectus Parrot
Suitable Toys for Eclectus Parrots
Your Eclectus parrot absolutely must have perches to rest on. These should be available both in and out of his aviary. Provide more than one perch inside the aviary, at varying levels. These are not necessarily crucial to exercise, but they are important for his comfort and well being.
After you have your perches, make sure that you include a calcium block in the cage. These hang, and generally act as toys, while providing needed calcium for your Eclectus parrot. With these two types of items included, you are ready for the really fun stuff.
Eclectus parrots love shiny things, as well as reflective items. A favorite toy will be a metal link chain. These chains are sold in pet stores, and typically have some type of attractive toy fastened to the end. Your Eclectus will spend hours climbing up and down the chain, in a vertical fashion, to play with that toy. Hang this item from the very center of the aviary, where he can't touch the sides of the enclosure.
Plain rope is also enjoyed, and you can purchase rope swings and such as well. Buy quality rope, as picked and frayed rope can present entanglement dangers to your Eclectus parrot.
A block of wood is highly recommended. Most of the parrot's toys will be hard and indestructible, but it is important for him to be able to destroy something, and a simple block of wood suits him perfectly. You can also purchase toys that are designed for shredding by parrots in most pet stores. Also include real branches from fruit trees in the aviary. These will be used for perching and climbing, and will also be ‘chewed.'
You know how beautiful your Eclectus parrot is, and he will enjoy seeing himself in the mirror as well. Every aviary cage needs a mirror so that your beautiful bird can admire himself. Also, include toys that make pleasant noises. Remember that your Eclectus parrot won't enjoy loud, obnoxious noises, but he will thoroughly love gentle, pleasing noises, such as bells and wind chimes.
The important thing is to make sure that your Eclectus parrot has plenty to keep him busy and active. He also needs to remain interested. Remember that he has a short attention span, and therefore, one or two toys probably won't keep him from getting bored. Finally, make it a point to rearrange the toys in his cage often, just to raise his interest. Some owners actually have two or three different sets of toys. They put one set in the aviary, and put the other two sets away. After a week or two, they rotate the toys, putting a fresh set in, and again, putting the other two away.
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