If you own or have ever owned a parrot, you’ll know how much they love to chew. This chewing is nothing to worry about and is a normal and healthy part of their natural routine. A parrot’s strong beak can quickly make short work of almost any soft toy, especially larger parrots like Macaws.
The average parrot bite can exert between 300-400 PSI of force. To put this into perspective, the average human bite is around 162 PSI. This is why parrots can so easily crack their way through nuts and seeds (and toys!) that we cannot. This biting is an innate instinct and keeps their beaks healthy and strong. This is why in captivity, a good-quality parrot toy is an essential accessory for your feathered friend.
There are a wide variety of parrot toys on the market, and finding the right one can be a difficult task. That’s why we’ve put together this list of in-depth reviews, to help you narrow down the options and find the best parrot toy to suit your (and your parrot’s) needs.
A Quick Comparison of Our Favorites
Image Product Details
Best Overall
Super Bird Creations 4 Way Play Bird Toy
Variety of colors and textures
Easily installed
Bird-safe construction materials
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Best Value
Planet Pleasures Pineapple Foraging Bird Toy
All-natural construction materials
Encourages foraging
Contains fibrous materials for beak maintenance
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Premium Choice
Penn-Plax Birds Wood Playpen
Wide variety of colors and textures
Non-toxic components
Sturdy and spacious construction
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Super Bird Creations Flying Trapeze Bird Toy
Easy installation
Non-toxic mat
Variety of colors to play with
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JW Pet Hol-ee Roller Bird Toy
Included bell
100% natural rubber construction
Metal chain for sturdy hanging
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The 9 Best Parrot Toys — Reviews 2023
1. Super Bird Creations 4 Way Play Bird Toy — Best Overall
While this toy is ideal for small parrots or medium birds with small beaks, an African Grey, Macaw, or similar large-sized bird will make short work of it. Parrots with large beaks will likely chew this toy up in a matter of days.
Check Price on Chewy
Variety of colors and textures
Bird-safe construction materials
Easily installed with a heavy-duty metal chain
- Variety of colors and textures
- Bird-safe construction materials
- Easily installed with a heavy-duty metal chain
Not ideal for big parrots
- Not ideal for big parrots
2. Planet Pleasures Pineapple Foraging Bird Toy — Best Value
While this toy is inexpensive, it will not last that long. Even smaller parrots will shred it up quickly, and a bigger parrot will tear it up in a matter of hours. This lack of durability keeps it from our top position.
All-natural construction materials
Inexpensive
Encourages foraging
Contains fibrous materials for beak maintenance
- All-natural construction materials
- Inexpensive
- Encourages foraging
- Contains fibrous materials for beak maintenance
Won’t last long, even with smaller parrots
- Won’t last long, even with smaller parrots
3. Penn-Plax Birds Wood Playpen — Premium Choice
Several users report that the included glue is not strong enough, and you’ll probably have to use a stronger brand to keep the parts together. The parts are reported to be mismatched in some cases, with many of the hole inserts not correctly lining up. This means you may have to do a bit of improvising to put it together properly. This frustrating aspect keeps it from the top two positions on our list.
Wide variety of colors, textures, and entertainment
Non-toxic components
Sturdy and spacious construction
- Wide variety of colors, textures, and entertainment
- Non-toxic components
- Sturdy and spacious construction
Expensive
Mismatched parts can make it tricky to assemble
Included glue is not strong
- Expensive
- Mismatched parts can make it tricky to assemble
- Included glue is not strong
4. Super Bird Creations Flying Trapeze Bird Toy
While the perching mat is made from natural ingredients, your parrot’s strong beak can easily rip it up. Also, the chain links and various toys are made from plastic, which is harmful for your parrot to ingest.
Easy installation
Non-toxic mat
Variety of colors to play with
Hanging design promotes good balance and coordination
- Easy installation
- Non-toxic mat
- Variety of colors to play with
- Hanging design promotes good balance and coordination
Mat will not withstand strong beaks
Chains and toys are made from plastic
- Mat will not withstand strong beaks
- Chains and toys are made from plastic
5. JW Pet Hol-ee Roller Bird Toy
Check Latest PriceThis simple toy from JW Pet is a spherical toy with holes that can be filled with bits of wood, paper, or treats. It will give your parrot mental stimulation and entertainment as it tries to pull the various pieces out. There is also a tiny bell inside. The toy itself is made from 100% natural rubber with a strong metal chain, making it fairly chew-proof. It is easy to install into your parrot’s cage via the metal chain attachment.
While the ball’s rubber construction is fine for small parrots, a larger parrot’s strong beak will easily rip through the rubber, trying to get at what’s hidden inside.
Included bell
100% natural rubber construction
Metal chain for sturdy hanging
- Included bell
- 100% natural rubber construction
- Metal chain for sturdy hanging
Not ideal for large parrots with strong beaks
- Not ideal for large parrots with strong beaks
6. Bonka Bird Toys Foraging Star Bird Toy
This toy is large, and while it is ideal for bigger parrots, smaller birds may be afraid of it and will not be able to retrieve any of the hidden treats.
Visually appealing
Easily installed
Constructed with bird-safe materials
- Visually appealing
- Easily installed
- Constructed with bird-safe materials
Not ideal for small parrots
- Not ideal for small parrots
7. Prevue Pet Rope Ladder Bird Toy
This ladder is fairly small, with closely spaced rungs, so it is not ideal for large parrots. It also does not offer much variety to keep your parrot entertained and is not ideal as a standalone toy.
All-natural materials
Will provide valuable foot exercise
Easy to install
- All-natural materials
- Will provide valuable foot exercise
- Easy to install
Not ideal for large parrots
Not much variety of stimulation
- Not ideal for large parrots
- Not much variety of stimulation
8. JW Pet Activitoy Birdie Basketball Toy
However, a large parrot will easily rip the small plastic ball off the chain and likely crush it with its strong beak. The plastic construction is also not safe for your parrot if it decides to ingest it.
Provides mental and physical stimulation
Easily installed
Inexpensive
- Provides mental and physical stimulation
- Easily installed
- Inexpensive
Plastic construction is not bird-safe
Ball is easily broken off the chain
Not suitable for large parrots
- Plastic construction is not bird-safe
- Ball is easily broken off the chain
- Not suitable for large parrots
9. Bonka Bird Toys Helix Bird Toy
Check Latest PriceThis parrot toy from Bonka Bird is a natural vine ladder, incorporating a variety of textures, shapes, and colors, including beads and foam spacers. It measures 10 inches high and 5 inches wide and comes with a metal quick link for easy installation. The toy is ideal for small to medium-sized birds and is made in the U.S.A.
Even a medium-sized bird will tear this toy up in no time, and the included plastic and foam materials are not safe for your parrot to ingest. It is not suitable for big parrots because it is too small, and several users reported that older parrots would not play with it.
Wide variety of shape, colors, and textures
Easy to install
- Wide variety of shape, colors, and textures
- Easy to install
Contains plastic and foam, which can be harmful to your parrot
Not suitable for large parrots
Not long-lasting
Older parrots may not like it
- Contains plastic and foam, which can be harmful to your parrot
- Not suitable for large parrots
- Not long-lasting
- Older parrots may not like it
Buyers Guide
Your parrot will benefit greatly from the right type of toy, as it can provide your parrot with essential exercise and mental stimulation, as well as satisfy its chewing and foraging instincts. That said, not all parrot toys are made equal. Different toys will fulfill different needs for your feathered friend, and there are a few factors to take into consideration before you purchase one.
Materials
The materials used to make your parrots toy are arguably the most important factor to consider. They need to be bird-safe and made from the most durable materials possible. Metal, rope, and wood are the best options, as your parrot cannot chew through metal, and wood is a safe material for it to chew on. Any plastic or foam materials are not recommended, especially for larger birds, as they can easily chew them up and potentially ingest them.
Variety
While some parrot toys are made to fulfill a specific purpose, like ladders or perches, the best toys have a wide variety of textures, colors, and materials. These types of toys will provide more stimulation for your parrot and will save you space in your parrots’ cage, as you won’t need multiple types of toys. Common types of toys are the following.
- Ladder toys: Ladder toys will provide important exercise for your parrot’s feet and promote improved balance and coordination.
- Shredding and chewing toys: Parrots love to chew, and these types of toys will keep their natural instincts satisfied and their beaks healthy and strong.
- Puzzle toys: Puzzle toys will satisfy your parrot’s innate urge to forage and greatly appeal to their natural curiosity. These include toys with hidden treats, knots, latches, and balls.
- Exercise toys: Because parrots are kept in cages for long periods of time, they need to exercise as much as possible. These types of toys will get them moving and keep them busy and include swings, hanging ropes, and ladders.
These toys are available in many different forms, and the best types are combinations of toys. For example, there are ladder toys with chewable attachments along its length or puzzle toys with chewable and shreddable components attached.
Size
A final consideration is the size of the toy and the size of your parrot’s cage. The toy should fit comfortably inside your parrot’s enclosure, while still leaving adequate free space. The toy should also be designed specifically for the size of parrot that you own. Big toys may scare small birds into not using them, and a small toy given to a large bird will be swiftly torn to pieces.
Conclusion
According to our tests, our top choice for the best parrot toy is the 4 Way Play Bird Toy from Super Bird Creations. It features a wide array of colorful bird-safe wooden blocks, ropes, and beads and is hung easily from the cage via a heavy-duty chain. Your feathered friend will love the different textures and colors.
The best parrot toy for the money is the Pineapple Foraging Bird Toy from Planet Pleasures. It is made from all-natural materials designed with small spaces to hide treats in and fibrous materials that are perfect for conditioning your parrot’s beak and help keep it strong and healthy.
It can be difficult to find the right toy for your feathered friend, so hopefully, we’ve helped you narrow down the options with our in-depth reviews, so you can find the best parrot toy to suit your pet’s unique needs.
Check out these posts for more about birds:
- Best Budgie Toys 2021
- Best Toys for Lovebirds 2021
- Best Cage for Finches 2021
Featured Image: jaanasaksman from Pixabay
