Many must have read about Kermit’s visit to the vet last Saturday. Thanks to everyone for your concerns about Kermit’s condition. He’s doing perfectly well and I’m confident that his current condition will improve.

Although Kermit is still undergoing medication, he still remain active and positive. Everyday seems like a new day of adventure and he is full of surprises.

Indeed, he did surprise me again yesterday with his new mischievous act.

Notice the blue and yellow colored rings on the playstand in the picture (By the way can you spot Kiki in the picture?) on the left?

Those are actually meant to be foot toys for Kermit and Kiki. Apparently, Kermit had devised a new way of playing them. I truly adore his innovation of “Play Hard 101″. So for now, let me unveil Kermit’s new innovating way of playing the toys rings - “Splash-O-Slam Dunk”.

It’s Kermit’s own verse of Slam Dunk - removing the rings and dunk them in the water bowl. It’s fun watching him doing it and he enjoys doing it, but hard on me! He created a whole lot mess and splashes around the playstand!

During this evening, I was lucky to capture a funny video of Kermit. He never fails to make people laugh at his silly acts.

Lately I just bought Kermit a toy ball. I took nearly a week for him completely get use to it and not fear of it. This evening, I was lured by ear-splitting rings from the toy ball and I decided to take a look at what Kermit was messing about.

For a moment, he was lying on his back enjoying and playing with the ball. He did look like a seal juggling with a ball at that moment. Few minutes later, I saw him tossing madly and forcing the toy ball out of his territory.

So is that Love or Hate? Perhaps you shall be the judge.

Boredom is always the number one factor contributing to most parrot behavior problems. Providing parrots with lots of toys is one way to fight boredom. Like most parrot trainers and owners always like to say, “A busy bird is a happy bird!”

I totally agree with the saying. Just imagine you are trapped in your bedroom with nothing else to do, no other items around to keep you entertained. Definitely you will be bored stiff and want to get out. Parrots are like humans, they need mental stimulant like toys to keep them entertained.

One of the biggest complaints from parrot owners are that parrot toys and accessories are expensive and many feel that it’s not worth buying them. Well I totally agree that these toys are expensive, but toys are necessities. It’s worth investment to keep parrots busy and happy, it’s one solution to prevent behavior problems.

Seriously you don’t really need to buy fancy toys just to keep your parrot happy. You can make them out of any household items. It’s economical and parrots love them too!

In Singapore, it’s hard to get hold of any parrot toys in the local pet stores. Limited choice and pricey. Thus I usually ended up making my own parrot toys and parrot accessories. I’ve said early on that household items are can be ideal parrots toys. Items like wooden cork, empty paper towel roller and empty cereal boxes can be parrots’ shreddable toys; Items like cotton rope or twines can be used to make preening toys. Whereas colorful bottles caps and big buttons can be parrots’ foot toys.

Both of my angels, Kiki and Kermit love these household “toys”. They provide so much entertainment just like the fancy toys bought in the pet stores. Looking at them enjoying themselves so much, I’ve also feel happy and accomplished.

Few Tips for selecting household items as toys:

• Ensure items are make non-toxic materials.
• Ensure shreddable items to be either paper or non-toxic natural wood.
• Do check for sharp cutting ends (can be easily trimmed with a baby nail cutter) on the bottle caps before offering to your parrot.
• Ensure items are not too small (especially for buttons or beads) to be swallowed by the parrot.
• Wash any wooden or plastic items with light detergent and dry them before use.

With little bit research and time spent, you can turn any common household items into a fun and enjoyable parrot toys. Furthermore it gave a sense of satisfaction and accomplishment. Have fun!

The first ever Formula 1 night race will be held in Singapore at the late quarter this year. The Formula 1 fever is rising, and everyone is excited!

Kiki is also looking forward for the race too, so I got her a new ride! It’s a purple race car, and Kiki loves it so much!

In fact it’s not really only a new “toy” for Kiki, and a prop for Kiki’s new trick. I’m planning to teach Kiki to “drive” a car, or should rephrase it as pulling the car!

Lately I haven’t manage to teach Kiki a new trick, partly because I’m running out of ideas of new tricks and she’s undergoing a molting for the past weeks and months. I wouldn’t want to stress her too much either.

With the new trick being introduced to her, I’m sure it will once again unleash her deep passion and enthusiasm in learning new things. I will say the trick is of not much difficulty to Kiki, as she had learn fetching, the retrieval trick.

The Car Pulling trick is of the similar concept in the retrieval trick, the only difference is the retrieval object is used as a pulley to car. Whenever Kiki is cued to fetch the retrieval object which is the red ring, the car will be pulled along during the fetching process. It’s gonna be fun and entertaining.

I’m looking forward to share the Youtube video with everyone real soon! Stay tune!

Kermit, my Senegal Parrot is back in action with his nasty destructions again.

This afternoon, I was drinking Iced Water from my cup with a straw, when Kermit suddenly dashed over targeting at my straw.

He’s attracted to this new “toy”, look at how bad the damages done to the straw! The straw was simply useless, and I can hardly slurp up my drink with this badly shaped straw.

All parrots are well equipped with their chewing and shredding capabilities, and my dear Kermit is no exceptional from the rest. I often named my two lovely, Kiki and Kermit as the “Incredible Shredders”.

I doesn’t have to get a paper shredder in my home office, to shred sensitive documents or mails. I can easily turn to my lovely angels and get them into serious “shredding business”. They simply love the task given with no complaints at all.

I’m sure the appropriate chewing or shredding activities will keep them busy and happy, at least for sure I know they won’t be bored.

Both my lovely angels have their own favorite toys. Like Kiki, she enjoys playing cottons twines and surprisingly she absolutely good in untying the thumb knots on the twines.

As Kermit, he’s seems to set his love for thick cardboards and papers. Especially empty paper towel rollers seem to be the most irresistible toys to Kermit.

Last Sunday afternoon, I was able to capture Kermit doing his stupid stint with an empty paper towel roller. He’s totally into the “shredding” game, once he was offered the empty paper towel roller. Seeing him burrowing in within the towel roller lying on his back busily shredding it away.

I can hardly resist laughing on the stupid yet funny stint he did, but it so fun watching him doing it. He sure does brought lots of laughter to family with his silly acts.

I wonder any of the parrot owners owning african parrots like African Grey or Poicephalus like Senegal Parrot, notice an eccentric behavior that the parrots have when they are young. Perhaps owners that only taken in the parrot at the age of one or two might not have notice it before.

Usually young African Parrots in their juvenile age, tends to build up a habit of scratching vigorously on the cage floor or kicking madly (similar like what you see a hamster does, kicking off the bedding). It may sound a little abnormal for a parrot to behave in this manner. My Senegal Parrot had this behavior for quite sometime, he started since young (even when he’s a baby in the brooder, he did that almost everyday and make a mess with all the beddings) but until recently he stopped.

I’ve ever read about an article from a parrot book addressing the issue. The experienced trainer reviewed it as a normal behavior for all parrots from the African genus referring those like Greys and Poicephalus (Senegal Parrot, Red-bellied, Jardines), and these parrots will grown out of doing it. Generally the habit will fade off as they start to mature. However, the habit can be discouraged by placing in more toys to keep them busy.

Like what most people always say:

“A Busy Bird is a Happy Bird!”