Play Gyms

[nutterly_uts]

Hiya

Am well into my parrotlet research and I'm now on gyms. Which gyms do you guys recommend for parrotlets?

Has anyone made their own gyms? If so, pics would be appreciated as well as tips on how to make them 100% bird safe.

Cost is not an issue, as I am looking for the best things I can find, saving up for them THEN getting the parrotlet and stuff. Also, shipping from US isn't an issue either providing it doesn't end up costing me more then the item!!

Thanks everyone,
Carla

[Azale]

I just got a normal gym of just plain wood, probably about cockatiel size cause I couldn't find anything smaller. Kai adjusted really well though. It had a ladder, swing, and lots and lots of perches, and two food cups. It wasn't anything special, but it was nice to attempt to keep him off my hands when I was on the computer.

http://www.talkparrotlets.com/photoplog/file.php?n=87&w=l
Picture, can't really see it, but you get the basic jist.

Here's a site too: http://www.lisashea.com/petinfo/gym/
It's on a budgie site, but you get the same idea.

[Sally]

Chipper has five gyms. I bougth several at Petco and Petsmart. My "GROWN" son made one from Tinkertoys for her. She adores that one. I add lots of toys to her gyms and expand them. http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v492/Sally11/PICT1100430.jpghttp://img.photobucket.com/albums/v492/Sally11/PICT1092400Tinkertoy.jpghttp://img.photobucket.com/albums/v492/Sally11/Gympic.jpg

[AndreaFahy]

The Tinker Toy idea is awesome - what do you think about the woods though? Do you know if they are untreated and what type of coloring is used? This concerns me since parrots chew so much.

Our birds' favorite has been this one:
http://www.bonsaibirds.com/htm/Items/KCPPACR.htm

[AndreaFahy]

Here is one of our young parrotlets playing with a bell on the playgym:

http://i160.photobucket.com/albums/t187/AndreaFahy/parrotletplays1.jpg

And here is a shot showing how she climbed up to the top and then hangs down to get food from her dish!

http://i160.photobucket.com/albums/t187/AndreaFahy/parrotlethangs1.jpg

And a cute shot of a little boy on the swing:

http://i160.photobucket.com/albums/t187/AndreaFahy/parrotletswings1.jpg

I don't take pictures as often as I should - otherwise I could have some really awesome photos to share :)

[nutterly_uts]

Would 2 gyms be a fair investiment to begin with? One in the "bird room" and one in the family room for when the bird was with us there?

Could I follow a gym for a budgie (for example) and scale it down for a parrotlet, as long as the wood I use is untreated and uncoloured?

Andrea.. I love that gym!! I'm guessing your connected to them cause of your signature. So do you know if shipping to the UK is an option? Does the gym come flat pack?

Thanks everyone!
Carla

[GoingIncognito]

We have the same playgym as Andrea, but we got it for our parakeet. Our parrotlet hasn't really been introduced to it yet.

[AndreaFahy]

If you are following plans for a budgie playgym, I would not scale it down. If anything I would make it larger!!

You do need untreated wood and you can safely color with food coloring if you desire the added visual interest. The worst thing that will happen is that your parrotlet's toes will get wet and rub some coloring off turning them blue or red....maybe yellow :)

I am connected to Bonsai Birds..as the shop is mine :) I always feel a bit awkward and guilty about suggesting my things, but we only carry products that we advocate as high quality and that we use for our own birds. I can ship to the UK no problem, and yes it comes in a flat box. If you send me your town, postal code I can calculate shipping for you.

I do have to say "DO NOT PUT THESE PLAYGYM PARTS IN THE DISHWASHER!!!" I did this and the ladders came out warped :( The parrotlets could care less but I can't stand it! The tray at the bottom is really nice to have too though, and it did not warp!

[Sally]

Chipper never chews on the tinkertoy gym. It is for kids, but if she did chew, I wouldn't use it.

Chipper HATES acrylic. Will not play with toys or perches that are acrylic. All of her playgyms are wood. They are all so different!

[memmey]

Andrea do you have volkmans for p'let's at your store?

[AndreaFahy]

You know, the more I thought about the Tinker Toy playgym, the more I realized how extensive it is in size and with toys and that he probably has NO desire to chew on it!!! He has so much to do already :)

Yes, we use and carry Volkman. I like the Featherglow. We also have the gourment eggfood, but I have read some info about not feeding animal proteins to companion birds that has made me stop and think about it..

[Sally]

Oh, yes, this thing is HUGE! TWO cans of Tinkertoys! She is nuts about it! There is a manzanita branch on it, toys, and cotton rope to chew on, she never chews the tinkertoys.http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v492/Sally11/PICT1091500.jpg

[nutterly_uts]

What are tinkertoys?

[Sally]

Children play with them. You can put them together in many ways. Sticks, circles of wood. Also, plastic parts that are fun for my Chipper to play on.