Did you know that just like kids, birds need toys, too? Parakeet toys are important to keep your feathered pet entertained and stimulate natural playing behaviours. Parrot Essentials discusses five fun parakeet toys for boredom-busting and a happy bird!

Before we start, though, let's have a look at why toys are such an essential part of any parakeet cage.

The Importance of Toys

Because parrots like parakeets are highly intelligent birds, they need plenty of mental stimulation to keep them from getting bored and frustrated. That's where toys come in! They provide mental stimulation and a form of entertainment. As an important added bonus, they also promote fitness by allowing the bird to shred, chew, and tear away.

When looking for the best parakeet toys, understand that their preferences can vary. It's a good idea to just try and test with different toys to see which they enjoy the most. There are different toy categories that you can try: toys for shredding, chewing, tearing, ringing, foraging and much more.

Five different types of parakeet toys our birds love and that we think you should give a try include:

Our Top 5 Fun Parakeet Toys

1. DIY Parakeet Toys

If you are on a budget or worried that the options for sale in your local pet shop might be too costly, take note that parakeet toys don't have to break the bank. You can even make them at home using materials that are already available!

Here are some examples tried and tested by us:

• Dangling toys made from stacks of cuttlebone bits, coffee filters and cupcake liners threaded on twine
• Egg carton foraging toys filled with shredded paper and treats
• Paper towel tubes as tunnels, stacks or foraging toys

You can also create your own parakeet toys using premade parrot toy parts. These are designed to be safe for and attractive to parrots but cost a fraction of what most pre-assembled options go for. There are loads of options out there – have a look at our toy-making parts for parrots to get started.

2. Parakeet Foraging Toys

Scientifically speaking, time spent foraging is when a bird flies around searching for food. Little of a wild parrot's time is spent on actual eating: it's looking for and figuring out how to get to the next meal that keeps it busy.

A parakeet foraging toy can be anything that enables a search for food. They're a definite must in your parakeet's toy box because, as mentioned in the article on foraging for parrots, foraging is a fantastic boredom buster and a great way to stimulate natural behaviours.

Some examples of parakeet foraging toys that will keep your bird busy for hours include:

• A homemade foraging box filled with colourful small toys, shredded paper and treats
• Foraging cups filled with small treats
• Hanging foraging toys made for small parrots

3. Natural Parakeet Toys

Of course! Nothing beats nature. Your bird will love chewing on natural wood and similar items like coconut shells, woven seagrass and more. Natural toys will not only make your parakeet feel right at home, but they're also aesthetically pleasing and blend wonderfully with the vibe in your home. If you go for colourful toys, make sure they're dyed using a vegetable dye.

Here are some examples of natural parakeet toys:

• Coconut shell toys
• Seagrass mats
• Chewable natural wood

One option we particularly like is parrot playgrounds made of wood. They can go on top of the cage to provide a place for your parakeet to hang out and play while it's out. It'll happily chew on the natural wood, which is great for beak health.

You can find a range of great natural toys for parakeets in our natural parrot toys section.

4. Shredding & Chewing Toys for Parakeets

Shredding and chewing are natural behaviours for parrots, and you should encourage them. If you've had your parakeet for a while, you'll have noticed that it's happy to shred its toys and gnaw on its perches, whether it is out of curiosity or boredom. You will even find some shredding and chewing on paper! Chewing harder materials helps to keep their beaks in tip-top condition.

Female parakeets who are ready to lay eggs will shred whatever is handy in order to make a nest. To make sure your bird's shredding and chewing instincts are fulfilled but protect your furniture and home décor, be sure to provide plenty of shreddable toys to keep its beak busy.

Here are some examples of parakeet shredding toys that your bird will likely enjoy:

• Woven seagrass items
• Pouches filled with shredded paper
• Refillable parrot-safe paper roll toys

5. Swings and Perches for Parakeets

This is a must not just for our parakeet friends, but for all bird species! Perches serve multiple purposes. They can serve as a comfortable sitting option, as well as for resting, playing or preening. Swings are technically a type of perch as well, but also a great way to provide amusement!

Some examples of swings and perches that you can include in your parakeet's cage are:

• Natural wood perches
• Swings with colourful beads and other fun accessories
• Edible perches that are a perch and calcium block in one

How to Determine Toy Safety

Maybe you are wondering what toys are safe for your parakeets. Any experienced bird owner knows that our feathered pets can easily get themselves in trouble!

Here are some tips on how to determine if the toy you are buying is safe for your parakeet.

• Pick bird toys according to the cage size and function. If you've decided to place the toys inside the cage, make sure that the cage is big enough for both the toys and the parakeet. Your bird needs to have plenty of space to fly.
• The type of bird toys you pick will vary. The best choices depend on your bird's species, personality, likes and dislikes. Watching your pet and some trial and error will help you to sort this out.
• Don't clutter the cage. This especially applies to the top centre area, which is the area most used for flying. Since playing with the same toys over an extended period of time can become boring for a parrot, make sure to rotate toys on a regular basis.
• Look at the toys carefully. Are there flimsy pieces they can easily swallow and choke on? Or are there loose strings or strands that their feet or beak can easily be caught on? Inspecting toys closely will help you avoid accidents.
• Consider toys that are easy to clean. Many birds will sit on their toys and poop on them or regurgitate their food. Any dirt should be easy to remove using a bird-safe cleaning product!

As long as you're being smart when choosing your parakeet toys – making sure you're choosing items according to their needs – your parakeet will be safe and sound!

Watch what your bird likes to do and watch what wild birds do with their time, then let your imagination take over. There is nothing more fun than trying to think like your companion bird and understanding what (and why) they do what they do.