HARI Smart.Play Willow in Spring Bird Toy

Foot toys are a great addition to any bird toy collection and are a great way to peak curiosity, entertaining your bird all while developing balance, dexterity and strength. Playing with foot toys demands a lot of skill that can take some time to acquire. If your parrot is a young fledgling, this can be quite entertaining to watch as the parrot gains the ability and learns how to play successfully. Older birds who haven’t experienced many toys can be mentored to learn to have fun with these types of smaller, less intimidating toys.

Features:

• Develops dexterity and balance
• Relieves boredom and helps prevent feather plucking
• Provides mental and physical stimulation
• Helps relieve anxiety by providing entertainment

The PVC material in the toys are made from uPVC and are considered safe & non-toxic for birds. The difference between uPVC and PVC is that uPVC (or Rigid PVC) does not contain any phthalates or BPA.

• Ensure toys are made of bird safe materials and design.
• Species appropriate (design, size, texture material and weight) – the size and weight of the foot toys need to be species specific so that larger species can’t swallow or break off pieces. Smaller species may get stuck in devices that are too large. They may also lose interest quickly if there is a lack of smaller fun parts.
• Age & skill appropriate – younger birds may not yet have the strength to balance on one foot and hold a foot toy in the other. This comes with practice. Lighter weight toys should be offered in the beginning.
• Be creative, re-use, recycle from salvageable toy parts.
• 2 in 1 – small disposable foot toys are great for hiding non-perishable food inside offering a foraging opportunity as well. Shredding up a toy is fun in itself, but obtaining a reward is even more rewarding!
• Some designs and materials can stimulate preening activities such as pacifiers or toothbrushes.
• If tempted to offer household items as foot toys, be aware of the dangers some of these items may pose. Keys can be made of metals that may be a concern for toxicity (lead, zinc and copper). New keys can be coated in a special spray to prevent tarnishing, which can also be potentially harmful. Key-chains can pose a threat as your bird may become entangled in the keyring itself or other items attached to it. Pens and pencils lying around the house are an attractive item to a curious parrot, but some pencils may contain lead and pens can have small hazardous removable parts (and ink) that could be accidentally ingested.