Last Updated on February 16, 2023 by Mitch Rezman

Barbara G started the conversation

 

My Timneh (grey) only wants to bite me when I am cleaning his cage which is mostly in the evening. 

 

He’s fine when I am feeding him and he does come out.

 

He’s only out a couple of hours mostly in the early evening.

 

If I let him out more I have to really chase him and lots of times I can’t.

 

So I blame myself for this and I’ve been looking for a nice PVC play gym so he can be out a good part of the day with me.

 

I am retired so I do have the time to give him.

 

Its the fact that I have to chase him a lot when he starts running around the floor.

 

I found a stand I want but cannot seem to be able to order it.

 

Most of the play gyms sit on a table and have no food dishes or a lot of perches to put toys on. 

 

Thank you for your reply.

 

Catherine Tobsing replied

 

Dear Barbara

 

Yes, a nice Playstand should help. 

 

Especially when you need to clean up his cage. He should not be given the ability to bite you.

 

Think about the bird. 

 

He is bored and needs more stimulation.

 

Once you get it, place it right next to the cage so he can go back and forth until he accepts it.

 

Tie some of his favorite toys to it so it looks familiar.

 

As far as food dishes on a play stand go. 

 

Most have them, but we don’t advocate using them for food. 

 

You want your bird to go back to its cage when hungry and sleepy. 

 

If he has everything he needs on the play stand then getting him off it later to go to bed can be a struggle if he really, really likes it.

 

A little water can be served on the stand, but otherwise, use the food dishes to hold small toys.

 

Other toys can be tied to any play stand with rope, cotton shoelaces or leather laces. 

 

Get creative as a plain PVC stand will not hold any bird’s interests for long without stuff to do.

 

I don’t see a lot of PVC stands available online. 

 

They usually tend to be homemade stands made by small home-based businesses and they are usually difficult for them to ship without being broken down into a number of parts requiring extensive assembly and detailed instructions.

 

We do have other stands we can offer.

 

Barbara G

 

Thank you sooooo much for your extremely valuable advice.

 

I will be looking into one of your play stands early in the coming year.

 

Yes, I think I can get toys and try to clamp them on the perches.

 

Happy New Year to you and your husband!