This weekend we did the normal super scrub down on his cage. I went and bought him a bunch of new toys. Way back when we got him he only had a bell and some jar lids. I took the jar lids out even though he loved them because I didn't know if they were safe or not. Are they?

Anyway, I bought him a ton of toys. Ropes, ladders, all sorts of stuff. I figured he didn't like some of the other stuff I had gotten him. I put them in and he went to his old bell, put his head inside and cussed at me.

I don't think he ever learned how to play as a young bird because he sure won't do it now. He's always acted afraid of everything new since we've had him. Poor baby. I took some of them out so that he would actually move around in his cage. I hung some of them on the outside just so he would get used to seeing them.

Any suggestions on getting him to play with out scaring him?

When I put new things in Buzz's cage it normally takes him a few days to "find it". Maybe you just need to give the new toys a chance to get his attention .

Captain plays the same "I hate my toys" game all the time... It takes her a couple of days to get used to the new toys once I switch her cage around but she'll always find SOMETHING she likes... One thing I've heard is playing with the toys and having lots of fun with them yourself will get a QP interested in them - maybe it would also teach your baby how to play???

There are some toys that I know Captain just does not like. She won't even touch this one toy I got her that I figured she would love. It's got all kinds of great ropes and chewy bits like wood and rawhide and a really loud bell at the bottom. She loves bells and chewing, but apparently this did not get the Quaker Seal of Approval from her royal highness and now sits sadly ignored in the back of her playtime house or in her toybox.

Or, if all else fails... If he likes jar lids, why not prowl the internet for toys that look like jar lids? I'm sure there has to be a toy that looks like that somewhere! Send me a picture of what his old jar lids look like (were they babyfood jar lids or mason jar lids or what?) and I'll see if I can find you a "bird safe" alternative. I'm not sure if the jar lids are dangerous or not... if you find out they aren't than I'd just hang a few of the lids near the toys and see if that works.

I found out as Harley got older, he is 3 yrs old now, (almost), hehe....that he didn't like to play with toys either....I happen to be curling my hair one day with the curling iron and he was on the kitchen island watching me....As soon as I lay my comb day he grabbed it and I haven't gotten it back since...He had a little play cage on top of the island...He ran over there, jumped in and started putting it between the cage bars. I found out then he must be a builder....I got him plastic straws, crabapple sticks, (cut and cleaned, and baked) and am giving him skewers with the tip cut off to play with...That is all he wants to play with...His day cage is full of sticks and such where he filled up the corners...

Maybe your little baby could be a builder rather than one that wants to play all the time... ..Harley goes from the time he gets up till bed time...stopping long enough to eat and play with mommy awhile....

So you may try him with something like that just to see what he will do...Or give him some cotton rope to play with but be careful with that....I also bought some baby plastic keys at the dollar store...There were about 4 on a ring; I took them off and attached each one to a piece of cotton rope and tied it to the cage...Now Harley will go and play with it by sticking it through the cage....

Let us know what you find that will work for the little fid....Good Luck...

Just a little more information I don't think I posted. Charlie is seven years old. We've had him for about five of those years. He's never wanted to play and he's always been a biter. We haven't been able to change the biting issue either, we just work around it. We've tried a huge variety of toys, but they just sit there for months never being touched. He even covered one in poop. I guess it was target practice. The only thing he wants is that bell.

The jar lids were mason jar lids. I was worried about him trying to climb through them and getting stuck along with the metal issue.

I don't think the owners that had him before us did anything but tease him. It's taken years for me to be able to handle him without losing chunks of fingers. Had to get stitches the first time he got me. He even popped one of my finger nails off.

So he's come a long way. I don't want to push him into playing because he seems happy as long as he can watch a little TV with us in the evenings. Spoiled bird.

I'm just starting Clicker Training with Captain and there is a whole section in this book on using it to stop biting... if training goes well with Captain I'll drop you a quick PM and maybe that's something you could try? Clicker training involves lots of treats and loves and praise so maybe Charlie will give it a try.

Sorry nothing seems to be working for you! The building suggestion up above was a good one, maybe Charlie is destined for a life in construction! Other than that - have you maybe tried a mirror? Captain likes to beat up a plastic hanging bird mirror that she has. It also cut down on her nipping at humans now that she has another foe to do battle with.

Maybe if you act the the toy is amazing and so much fun to play with, and play the keep away game from him. Show it to him and as soon as he seems to look at it or try to grab it, take it back. My birds will want to play with anyhting they don't think they're allowed to have!

Kiwi is not much of a toy player either. He is almost 7. He does have one favorite toy and has chewed the wood on it so much that I am trying to find another one. He is into sticks now. He plays with them all day......he also likes to play "drop the toy for Mom" he does that quite well I must say

Definately do away with the jar lids, the metal most likely is toxic.

About the jar lids, I do not know if they are toxic or not....
but if they are you could find something else that is similar to the shape but not metal... like colorful plastic cookie cutters ( I got about 150 in a huge box at the store for about $10) you could tie them up with sisal twine and hang them from the cage, also colorful plastic childrens bracelets (the big gaudy ones!! ) or maybe even large cowbells if he likes his bell, I can completely relate to your problem.. my bird will not play with any of his toys, he has bells, mirrors, pinatas, wooden blocks, metal windchimes, rope ladders, ect. and he will not touch a single one, they are more like decorations than toys . I just keep buying more hoping I will find "THE ONE".... good luck!!!