For those of us that have only a single bird, or a bird that has not paired off, we find that when they molt they start to look ragged with pin feathers sticking up all over their head and neck. Pin feathers in those areas are usually groomed by another bird, one of the reasons birds are so social. Now I have the problem where even some of the birds who like being handled do not like to have their head scratched. This can cause a problem with grooming, since the cant reach those itchy pin feathers, so some may start to pluck. This toy can be made as large or as small as you need it to be. Use your own judgment for the size of your bird.
DIY Preening Toy
Need:
Sisal rope
D-ring
Scissors
Cut a few lengths of rope ruffly the length of your bird. Thread them threw your D-ring and fold in half, so the ring is in the middle of the rope. Cut another shorter rope and tie the ropes together with it.
I only used one piece of rope for the toy because all I had handy was a very small d-ring.
As you see I tied the smaller piece around the larger one securing it in place. Since the bird this toy is for is small I just used a simple square knot to secure the rope. For a larger parrot that might enjoy undoing the knot, you may want to use either a different type of knot or some wire wrapping techniques instead.
Still stage two just a different angle.
Last thing you do is unravel all the rope ends and trim to the size you want. Sisal is course and stiff, perfect for them to preen on and rub against, think of it as a small whisk broom.
I left this toy in different stages of unraveled. This will hopefully entice the bird in question to attempt to finish the job and encourage her to use the toy.
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