How much sleep (too much?)

[gregt]

Ok, so most of our birds need 11 to 12 hours of sleep. But can they get too much?

Will they get bored and exhibit neglected behaviours if you give them too much time?

[Islandzoo]

I think there more of a prob if they get less.
They will get bored if left in a lonely or dark cage for too long I guess! - (for those that have a 'sleep cage')

[Shirley]

A bored bird without anything to do can resort to behavior and emotional problems, such as screaming and feather plucking... which can turn into chronic screaming and feather plucking/mutilation. These behaviors can become obsessive compulsive behaviors, which are then very difficult to correct, so it's best to prevent them from happening, to catch them at the onset.

A cage in front of a window with nothing to do is a precursor to a very bored bird. Parrots are highly intelligent, and thus must be mentally stimulated. Rotating their toys is one way to do this... rather than leaving the same ones in there all the time, switch them out every now and then.

A varied diet is also a must for these intelligent beings. :D Different textures, colors, shapes, foot foods, etc.

[Shirley]

Toys fall into various categories, some of which are:

shredders

chewing, destructibles -- soft woods

manipulatives -- puzzle toys, acrylics

foot-holding chewing toys -- cotton rope, sisal rope, paulie rope (special new plastic parrot rope) NOT nylon rope (they can get their toenails caught in it)

Foot toys -- for lying on their backs and playing with their feet

Swings and boings

Noise-makers -- bells and such, music boxes for parrots

Food finders -- toys that you stuff food into

Preeners

Push 'n Pulls

Cuddlers -- like soft plush toys to snuggle against, plush tents to crawl into (some parrots don't like those)

[Shirley]

A tired bird that is out and being played with, or in a room with noise and activity, is like a tired baby... cranky, noisy, irritable.

If he's fed, and he's played with, he's probably tired! and needs some peace and quiet.

[Jean]

Ditto to all the above!!!

With a an active well speaking, well stimuated, very opinionated mature male U2 I find I have to rotate toys more often. With Elvie it is almost a daily rotation. He has such a broad attentionspan span we have to keep him stimulated in many ares. The older he gets the more he wants to experience. Keep in mind he has been more places and become involved with interacting with strangers all his life. He will tell us almost daily he wants to go by, by, because he needs his daily outing. I either take him for a walk, or a ride. He enjoys going to town to socialize with people at the post office, bank, or hardware store. Sometimes I will take some sterile wipes and clean the handle on a grocrery style cart at Home Depot, or another hardware store or nursery to allow him to perch on it as we gather some items. He has such a good time and loves to tell everyone hello. He may even tell them I likes that if he's having a lot of fun.