# He just won't play with ANYTHING!



## imouto (Feb 24, 2014)

I've had my tiel for two years now, wowee! I've learned so much and been blessed to have such a healthy and sweet lil' nugget~ 

But, uh... he doesn't play with toys? I mean.. *scratches head* it's been two years and I have probably only had to throw away a handful of toys from damage. I'd like to say he just needs more variety, buuut he literally doesn't care about ANYTHING. Except maaaaybe paper occasionally. 

He mostly just sits in the same spot all day in his cage and preens himself. Or he will sit with me, get pets, and preen himself. Is there any reason he won't touch his toys? I've seen him shred maybe like 1/16 of a toy before deciding it isn't worth his time. Whereas I've had other birds gnaw through the toy faster than I can earn back the money to replace it! The only thing he ever seems interested in is jewelry. If I'm wearing earrings, he pulls them out. And when he perches on me, I have to take off my necklace or else he will just continuously chew on it. Do I gotta fill his cage with the stock from Kay Jewelers? :lol: 

And trust me, I've tried a variety of things. I've tried setting up little water-play dishes with floating treats, I've tried toys made from wood, paper, craft foam, beads, and woven materials, I've tried a bucket of shredded paper bits! He just doesn't care at all. I'd like to see him have more fun, and I hate to imagine him bored when I'm not home.  

Suggestions?


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## arnabsri (Jul 22, 2015)

Hi imouto,
May be your lil one is confused how to play with it.cutie used to do the same thing..until i showed her how to do play with it using a small doll

Try some wood perches which are also chewable..I gave cutie stems/Branches from Neem Tree(Medicinal Plant) she used to chew the bark the whole day now all the perches are without bark.. i change them once in 6 months.
I give her neem leaves and thin branches everyday to chew and play with
it helps in two things:
1. Neem is medicinal plant,so it helps to prevent disease bacterial and fungal disease.

2. Prevents mites .

here is a link of cutie's pic playing with neem stick-http://talkcockatiels.com/photoplog/index.php?n=5914
The perch on which cutie is sitting in my signature pic is again a neem branch whose bark she chewed and cleaned off as you can also see another perch with the bark just above her
Best of luck keep trying.


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## Rumz (Mar 14, 2016)

Could just be he doesn't like toys..if he likes to eat (who doesn't?) Then try getting a foraging canister to provide some entertainment while he eats  above all, keep trying


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## Janalee (Jul 25, 2012)

*won't play with anything*

I know you said "he" but are you sure your bird is a male? I don't know if others would agree, but my male cockatiel seems much more inclined to want to play with toys than my female did. But I cannot speak as much from experience as many other forum members. Although I have had 3 cockatiels, the first was a long time ago and I really didn't have her too long. But neither she nor my other female played much with toys. My 2 females loved to cuddle and get scritches, though.


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## imouto (Feb 24, 2014)

Hey guys! Sorry it's been a hot minute, I guess I got caught up in all the life stuff. 
Yes, I am sure he is male. And I actually just discovered something ge loves... paper straws! I put one in his cage and found it shredded to pieces by the next day. I guess I will have to try some more DIY type toys with paper based items. He seems to ignore wood all together, but I may try those natural perches sometime.  
Thanks for you replies. ? Do you have any suggestions for other paper items I could use? Im thinking maybe cupcake liners.


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## Dressagebird (Feb 3, 2016)

I was annoyed at Gregory when I first got him because I bought him tons of different toys and he didn't touch or look at them once. Until I tied a sprig of millet to one of them and he enjoyed the fact that his eating the millet made it swing away from him. 

drinking straws, jewellery that's not too important, cardboard, soda cans, old credit cards are some of Gregory's favourites but are things I don't put him in the cage with because he might hurt himself, maybe try supervised out of cage time play? 

Are you sure that he's not playing with then while you're out of the room?? I never see Gregory chew his natural perches, but when I go shopping and then come back I see bark on the floor of the cage so he's obviously doing it. Your bird might be saying 'oh, my humans gone, now I guess I'll amuse myself'


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## shaenne (Apr 19, 2014)

Mine LOVE LOVE LOVE straws. Their cage is filled with fun toys, but nope, a few straws is all it takes lol. Zoe doesn't play with anything except straws and occasionally one of the balls I have hanging in their cage. Panda plays with anything and everything. He's like a puppy, if it can go in his mouth, he will play with/chew/lick it forever and ever.


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## Noekeon (Feb 17, 2016)

Well mine doesn't play with anything either. She chews on straws but she's doing it like wanting to eat so I don't think it's playtime. She always goes into any kind of rope or cardboard I might have on my desk and munch it so I thought of making a toy out of them but nope as soon as they enter the cage they are her nightmare and she avoids them like being frightened. So her cage is empty of toys except 1 or 2 straws that are hanging around in case she wants a toothpick of some sort lol. 

Best regards, Noekeon & Kana!


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## imouto (Feb 24, 2014)

Well, I'm glad that I'm not the only one. I get so scared that people look at my bird's cage and go "wow... what a crappy owner, her bird doesn't even have any toys!"

But tying millet spray to the toys sounds GENIUS. I will have to try it. Thanks!

At least my boy isn't a picky eater, haha.


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