playgyms as training aids...?

[Dove]

Hi everyone...bright blessings to all...

I am considering buying a playgym...researched the wooden ones from very simple bird eyelevel designs...to larger and more complex 2 and 3 story(platforms) with feeding stations...etc...I do plan on having more than 1 or 2 lovebirds using it at the same time...supervised of course...

Will they get more use and exercise with a larger gym and have less potiential conflict...or is a smaller gym at birds eyelevel a better choice...
price is not a consideration...it's a gift...nor is size...

I'm hoping they will consider it to be neutral territory...but as I have no experience in this...don't know what to expect...I have read pros and cons in the advertizing of each kind...and their great help as "training aids"...is this hype...?

Please give me real Lovebird experience feedback...

thanks...

[shylevon]

I have eight birds, and they are rarely on the gym all at the same time. I think bigger is better, as you will have conflicts, and the more intricate the better too. I have ladders, leather rope thongs, swings, and bells on mine. It gives the birds lots to do, and I ensure it is large enough so any birdie that is having a squabble with any other birdie has a place to go and play away from troublemakers. I think that if my gym was any smaller less birdies would use it at any given time.

My gym used to be on the floor, and of course that is dangerous for birdies to be on the floor. Now the gym is atop the cage, and I have a sheet of hard plastic between the gym and the cage to prevent biten toes. Some people have a stand gym and a separate gym hung from the ceiling. That way all birdies have a place to play. Now, this all depends on how many birds you have.

[Asue]

It's a great tool! I use my old school Monkey bar type gym, to keep it from being possesed by one bird, I make sure that I am the one who decides which bird gets to play on it and for how long. I don't put any toys on it, but I do put millet sprays on it.
It's great to use as a training tool, but my tiel and lovie use it as a perch when we watch tv together. Still have to watch them, cause the lovie will push the tiel off if I am not there to supervise.

My gym is portable, so sometimes it's on my coffee table, and sometimes it's on my bed with me.

[Janie]

I ordered a play gym off eBay and I love it.....so do my birds! :D It's about 5 feet tall and on a rolling platform and made of manzanita wood. Sometimes all three are on it at the same time but most often it's only one or two at a time. Mine does have food/water dishes and lots of hanging toys. I also have several toys hanging from the ceiling in their bird room and they go from those to the gym, to the cages and back....all day long! :D

[Elle]

I use tinker toys that I placed on top of the cage. The fun with it is not only watching the birds play on it but putting it together and frustrate the birds by changing it every now and then. They don't seem to get tired of it. But of course, they'd rather mess up my computer desk or poop in the medecine cabinet ( I have an empty shelve that they go to all the time)

Regards,

[Dove]

Hello,,,

Thank you everyone for the feedback...it's given me some great ideas...

I have one of those child infantseat metal plastic coated bars with plastic infant toys attached to it...it attaches across the front at aprox middle of the seat...my grandson has outgrown it...(he's 20 mths old now)...the cat's have taken it over...they look so cute lounging in what looks like a mini beachchair...

This chairs playbar fit's securely on the side or top of my cage as if it's custom made for it !!!...the birdy loves it...especially the mirror and see-through disk with plastic beads inside...

After reading your posts I have also decided to get a large model...small bird playgym with feeding stations...swings...toys...ladders and 3 or 4 platforms...the works...I hope they'll like it...I love these "lovies" and want to spoil them...my daughter has gifted me with it as Mothers Day and Birthday gift...

It'll be fun watching them use it...I have read in other posts about an exercise wheel for birds...I have never seen one...is it like a hamster cage wheel ?...anyone know where I could find one ?...sounds interesting...

[shylevon]

The exercise wheel is the same as those used for hamsters, but if you can find a selection of them, buy one that has a solid foot platform as opposed to the slotted kind. This way the birdies feet will not slip through a slot and get injured. They really get running fast on them and if a foot should slip through I believe you would be looking at a broken leg.

[Janie]

Shy, I meant to tell you that I bought a hamster wheel and the darn thing would not hook/screw onto the bars in the Kings cage. The bars are too fat! Knowing Big B and Shy, they would have loved it. :D

Dove, sounds great! I hope to see some photos when you get it. :)

[Z28Taxman]

I keep forgetting to look for one of those wheel's when I go to the pet store.

[shylevon]

The wheels also make a great sleepy spot. I have two wheels in my cage, and I always have two birdies sleeping in each one. It is great because it does not promote eggie laying.

Most wheels you can buy also come with a small stand, as well as a clip to attach it to almost any cages. If it doesn't fit in the cage, birdie can still use it outside the cage during exercise time.

[Dove]

Shy...

Thanks for the info on wheels...I have never seen them at stores...but wasn't looking in the small animal section...

Still trying to picture the wheel in use by a bird...do they run on the top/outside...or inside as a hamster would...I will certainly follow your suggestion about a wheel that's solid rather than slotted...the birds don't slip using a solid platform...again I am trying to imagine what it might be made of and how it looks...?

Have to check into it this weekend...not much in the way of pet/bird stores in my area...there is Petco and Petsmart...aprox 45 min away...