Finch Toys

[Alley]

Can anyone suggest some finch enrichment toys?
I know they don't really play, but is there anything one could make or setup that would stimulate an activity they do in the wild?
An example would be a forage box that people make for their budgies or parrot as they forage in the wild.
Hope this makes sense lol

[lovezebs]

Alley

Hi Alley,

Finches enjoy foraging boxes as well.

A box with some spray millet bits, wild grass seed heads, oystershell grit, chick weed, twigs, dry leaves, mealworms, sticks, bits of tree branches, etc. will be appreciated.

Toys are not really a big thing, but swings are loved by all.
Also some fake greenery ($store vines etc) can create all sorts of corners to hide in, vine swings to swing on, etc. All of my finches enjoy these and it keeps the occupied.

Good luck.

[Sheather]

Buy a roll of thin sisal twine, cut out 10 - 20, 4 - 8 inch pieces, and tie them together at one end. Hang near a perch. All my finches and canaries like to tug at these or preen them and zebras especially love them. Add a bell for some acoustic stimulation!

[w.l.]

I'd say sufficient space is far more important to finches than any toy.
The latter often just clutter up already small cages, and finches don't play with toys in the way parrots do anyway.

[Stuart whiting]

I'd say sufficient space is far more important to finches than any toy.
The latter often just clutter up already small cages, and finches don't play with toys in the way parrots do anyway.

Exactly what I was thinking, well said

Alley

Finches and all other world wide passerines just simply don't need toys, it's not natural for em and although one may see them hanging upside down on bird and nut feeders etc this is not because there playing, it's a case of survival and trying to get to the food as easy as possible,

You'll often see finches pulling at bits of string and grasses etc but again this isn't because they wanna play, their minds are focused on nest building,

The only birds that I'd regard as wanting to play are generally parrots & penguins

If one really must have activities for finches then perhaps hang up one or two tubular seed feeders in their cage or avairy,
Their feet and body muscles will get much excercise in clinging and hanging onto the feeders

[wildbird]

Tell that to my Java finch. She chases a plastic ball around the cage, tosses around a crumpled up piece of paper, picks up a little hideout made of brown paper, stands it on end & looks inside, picks up small lava rock pieces, pulls on leather pieces, and of course loves her swing!

[Sally]

I think it depends on the finch. A friend breeds Societies, and her birds often play with toys. Since she also has a parrot collection, she is used to providing toys, so she does so with her finches as well. As long as they have enough space in the cage, it can't hurt to try them with a few toys. Foraging boxes definitely work!

[Stuart whiting]

Tell that to my Java finch. She chases a plastic ball around the cage, tosses around a crumpled up piece of paper, picks up a little hideout made of brown paper, stands it on end & looks inside, picks up small lava rock pieces, pulls on leather pieces, and of course loves her swing!

Yes ok the bird may well do all of that but does it really need to, it certainly wouldn't be doing that in a natural environment

It's far more important if many realised that even the smallest of finches need plenty of flying space within a cage, cluttering cages up with useless toys wouldn't be helping,

I'd rather be more realistic with me birds,

As an example one wouldn't throw a foot ball into a pond for Koi carp to push around

[w.l.]

I am also sure a Java would be much happier with a single mate of her own kind than with any number of toys.

[lovezebs]

I think it all depends on the individual bird and if it grew up with toys around or not.

If you take a wild hatched bird and place toys in it's cage, it would probably have a heart attack.

However, if you take a home bred bird that has always had toys around, you might get a very different reaction.

That said, it goes without saying that having a mate is worth more than any toy.

I have however found fake greenery such as vines and flowers to be appreciated by all my many birds. They love to play with it, hide in it, tug at it and arrange it. I believe it tales the place of real branches and folliage in their un natural environment.

When I place real leafy and flowering branches in the flights, they absolutely love them.

[Stuart whiting]

I am also sure a Java would be much happier with a single mate of her own kind than with any number of toys.

Quite agree

[Stuart whiting]

I think it all depends on the individual bird and if it grew up with toys around or not.

If you take a wild hatched bird and place toys in it's cage, it would probably have a heart attack.

However, if you take a home bred bird that has always had toys around, you might get a very different reaction.

That said, it goes without saying that having a mate is worth more than any toy.

I have however found fake greenery such as vines and flowers to be appreciated by all my many birds. They love to play with it, hide in it, tug at it and arrange it. I believe it tales the place of real branches and folliage in their un natural environment.

When I place real leafy and flowering branches in the flights, they absolutely love them.

That's exactly what I do at times with various species of finches as to me this is more acceptable and more natural for the birds,

I'd use artificial or real tree branches, plants and flowers in the birds flights when it comes to breeding em as it gives em more cover and security and for this reason the greenery serves a purpose

[wildbird]

The last time I put a male in with my female, she was afraid & wanted to get away from him. My Java has lots of flight space, everything is on the ground except the swing which is not in the flight path. She is very happy. I can see the smile on her beak!