My Lorikeets Favourite Toys

By Julia Kasprzak

Lorikeets are such playful birds, and as they have a short attention span they need a variety of things to keep them busy.  Pet lorikeets that do not live with another lorikeet that they can play with especially need toys to keep them amused and stimulated, otherwise feather plucking can occur as boredom sets in. Kea, my scaley breasted lorikeets favorite toys are –

• A white plastic plug hung on a beaded stainless steal chain suspended over a large D cup feeding container, which is used as a bath. Kea loves to hang on the plug and dunk herself in the water in a frenzied manner.
• ‘Ducky’ a finger puppet. Ducky a fabric toy, is small, brightly colored, and lightweight. Kea loves to carry Ducky around and have a play fight with it.
• Squishy swing. This is a shop bought swing with brightly colored rubber decorations, and a small bell. It’s a great alternative to the TV remote.
• ‘Mikki’ acrylic square box with bell. This brightly colored easy clean box has huge round windows, which Kea can hop through to play with the bell. Kea also likes to take her small toys into this box and play; it is her very own play tent. It has a chain for hanging, but Kea prefers it on the floor.
• Plastic ball with holes and a bell. Kea loves a game of chase and roly poly with this green and pink ball. The holes make the ball easy for Kea to carry.
• A satin bath robe cord tied to a chair allows Kea to climb up to her favorite preening platform – one of the dining room chairs.
• Selection of colored beads and buttons. Keas favorite is a large red bead, which she somehow manages to get her beak around so she can carry it.
• An old towel hung on the inside of the cage. Kea enjoys a fight with or climb up the towel. Easy to clean, I just throw it in with the weekly wash.
• A fine curtain cord with a large clay bead at the base, hung from the back of a chair. Kea uses this to climb up and absail down.
• Soft toys. Kea enjoys swinging on the hanging ones, or rolling around with the ones on the floor. Hanging onto the perch Kea sleeps on is a little white teddy bear that Kea cuddles up next to every night.
• Kea also likes to play with frayed rope ends, tassels, wet face clothes, and toothbrushes. Sometimes I get the feeling I have a small child in the house!

Keas playground is under the dinning room table. When I vacuum Kea becomes very territorial, threatening and lunging at the vacuum cleaner head. Although Kea likes a clean house, she is afraid the vacuum will steal her toys.

 

Last modified 23 December 2001.