Does he really play with toys?
You bet! Toys for parrots are the least expensive things to get a pet. Rocky's favorite toy, I would have to say, is a cotton rope. A big cotton rope that he can shred and chew on. Other toys are sticks, old toothbrushes, rawhide chews, and one of the least expensive toys that I give him. When I am done with a napkin or a paper towel I ball it up and give it to him and he is content for a few minutes just shredding it.
Some parrots, however, like to find bigger toys. Some of them like to chew on things like drapes, electrical cords, furniture, window sills and sometimes the cat.
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The picture to the left shows some of the toys that occupy Rocky's time -bones, wood, and some typical dog chew toys. |
The picture to the right is a before & after of one of Rocky's favorite toys - a cotton rope. Note how he shreds it. He sometimes shreds it for hours. |
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Here are some more of Rocky's favorite toys. He likes the colored blocks, but seems to like the perch at the top of his cage a little bit more. |
Another cotton rope he's been working on, but he seems to like the white ones better. Hmmm...he's all white... what is he trying to tell me? |
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Rocky's Basic Rules
Here are some basic rules that need to be followed to own Rocky:
1. When you get up I will watch you walk past my cage, and you will wonder what I'm thinking.
2. I typically won't make any noise unless you provoke me to.
2a. Tease me and I'll scream so the neighbors will think you're hurting me.
2b. Wake me up and I will hiss at you.
2c. Make me stay in my travel cage for too long and I'll hiss at you.
2d. Scratch my chin and I will forgive you for all above acts.
3. If you want me to chew on a toy, you have to put it INSIDE my cage. I don't see in colors outside my cage.
4. If you want me to eat a new food you have to trick me into eating it. Handing it to me means it's a toy and I will shred it and drop it on the floor, like I did with those peanuts you gave me. Please see to rule #3.
5. If you leave the room I will go back inside my cage. It's a scary world out there where you are and I don't want to be in it alone. You are in it alone and look at how YOU turned out. I'm not gonna do it.
6. If you take me somewhere I will alter my preferences.
6a. If I see a white cage I will go to it. That is my safe zone.
6b. If I see other people I will only go to them if they are closer, otherwise you are my source of attention.
6c. If I see you and a white cage, refer to rule #6a.
7. If I want food I will sit at my food dish and peep. I realize there is food in it, but it's not candy so I'll pretend like I'm malnourished. Just give me candy and I'll stop peeping.
8. When you come home, if you need to find me I will be at the third food door. I'll wait for you there.
9. I like girls. You keep making me play dead and girls don't make me do that. Bring me more girls.
10. We are at a stalemate: you thought I'd get you chicks, I thought you'd get me chicks. So far that hasn't worked out for either of us. We need to regroup and come up with a better plan!
11. Tell that cat outside that I don't like him. Tell him to stay away from the screen door...it makes me poop more.
12. Stop sneaking up on me when I'm sleeping or looking the other way. It's not funny and I almost fell off my perch the last time.
13. Stop calling me your "dog". Dogs scare me...they have four legs and that is just not normal.
14. Please remove that stupid picture of me from your website. I'm tired of telling people that you didn't really put me in the microwave, and I don't think it's funny.
