I absolutely love your playground. That's awesome. I'm gonna keep his old little cage where I can use some of it like you did. I thought about using the wheelbarrow as a planter and put it on my front porch. It's so cute. I do have some new questions though.....Cheeko loves his swing. That's where he spends the majority of his time, but he struggles to get off of it. I have a perch right beside and right below but it takes him several minutes to get off. He usually just jumps to the bottom of the cage to get out. Is there anything I can do to make it easier for him to get on and off his swing? Next question: Cheeko doesn't seem to like water. I've tried the flicking it on him, spraying him with a clean water bottle, and even attempted to put him in a water bowl...all of these had warm water in them...He seems aggravated by it and flew away once. I know he needs to have bath time. What should I do and how often do I need to do it? And will he ever take a bath on his own? Third and final question: I've heard that young parakeets don't play with their toys much or not at all....Cheeko is the "not at all". When is he considered an adult? and is this normal if he NEVER plays with them in the future? Thanks so much.

Thanks
But before you tear down his old little cage, you might want to consider holding on to it for a hospital cage..or travel cage, or to be used to put him in while doing a thorough clean on his new bigger cage. How big is the smaller cage?

LOL @ the doesn't seem to like water. haha That is SO typical. As with anything with these guys it alll takes time. Just keep offering a bath and hopefully eventually he'll take the plunge. What are you using for a bird bath? It took several different attempts with dif containers/bowls before I hit on the apparently "right" one. lol My 2 like a plain old plastic sandwich container..WITH a piece of lettuce in it. Gawd forbid i don't add lettuce!
When you spray him, do you have the spray bottle set on mist? And always mist from above like it's raining.
As for the swing. If you already have perch(s) within easy access of the swing,Is there one sort of right in front of the swing he can jump on to?, I think it will just take practice on his part to be able to get off it easily.
Toys? They have to be shown how to play with them and you have to pretend how much FUUN they are to play with. Now that Cheeko is coming around and trusting you, and wanting to be with you, if you play with the toys with him I think he'll catch on. Baby steps and all in keet time

The smaller cage is the cheapest one that petsmart recommended. I knew it was too small but it was all that I could afford at the time. Here's a picture of it. http://pet.imageg.net/graphics/product_images/pPETS-8203046r200.jpg

After I thought about it, there wasn't anything I could use off of it anyways. I definitely should hang on to it (like you said) where he can go when I'm cleaning out his new cage or taking him to the vet (God forbid).

Right now I have a french onion dip bowl in his cage. LOL The kind that you buy for Chips already made. I've tried using a soap dish as well. Yea, the water bottle is set on mist. He does fluff up and stuff afterwards so I guess it's better than nothing at all. Everyone talks about the lettuce with the bath...I'm gonna have to try that.

I've been playing with the cat balls that's been hanging in his cage since I've had him but he seems scared of them. LOL But like you said "All in Keet time" I'm sure he'll catch on.

At what age is a parakeet considered an adult? I know that a dog isn't considered "adult" until it's a year old. Is it similar with a parakeet?

Kimberly, just like your own children. They aren't born ready to play, it's a part of their development. He will one day just become more curious about the ting ting noises you make with his bell and he'll want to learn how to make it too. I cut the cat balls loose so he can roll them around and play with them separately. Chippy likes to tip and toss things. So a seed cup hanging on his wall with buttons or even his cat ball in it is one of his favorite activities. It was one of his first too.

Kksuns, I LOVE your playground. Just love it. I am going on the search now for ways and means to create a play yard

Thanks Jeanne.
Really you can use all sorts of things. Any scrap lumber you might have as long as it's untreated..branches..ummmm oh how about a cookie cooling rack put on a wooden frame to hang things from? Bottom grate from cage of you don't use it? Tinker toys? LOL

I've always wanted to build something with the kids old legos, I've just been too lazy to dig them out of whatever closet they might be hiding in. My "kids" are almost 17 and 22! I don't think they'll be using them again. haha

I tried the Tinker Toys, but it was a bit too flimsy. And all the dowels were the same size, skinny. I have legos too, but I just can't picture it. I may as well use the cookie cooler rack idea, I don't bake cookies anymore. Way too lazy for that. And if the grandkids are here, well, Nestle's has the break apart dough and all the kids want is to eat them anyway. *S* I really like your towel rack idea. Lord, this bird already has my whole kitchen bay and table as a play yard. Oh well, he needs more.

Today I lost Chippy. Steve and I suddenly froze and began searching his cage since it is so congested with toys you really cannot see the bird sometimes. I looked on the floor and over the table top. Then he suddenly came out behind a toy on the table and flew to his cage, all slim and worried. I'm sure the instant he felt our anxiety, he became ultra quiet and still. Cripes.

ROFL.."Oh well he needs more"! hahahahahahaa Yup, THAT they do! And more and more and more....

Aw cripes is right losing Chippy. Gawd I lost Levi a while back and it scared the stuff outa me!! My son and I searched high and low and couldn't find him. Must have been AT LEAST and hour! OMG all sorts of things ran thru my mind! LOL I even called illusive in a panic-" I can't find Levi!" What should I doooooo??? She gave us suggestions and kept me calm. THANKS again illusive
And finally Levi just showed up out of nowhere, appeared on the kitchen floor right in front of my son. No idea where he had been. BAD BOY!!! He looked a little freaked and frazzled. But no dust bunnies so I can't imagine where he could have been stuck... or whatever, where we didn't search.
Darn bird didn't make a peep either when we called to him. And he's usually good about coming when called.
So yep, I know that feeling when suddenly you realize you can;t SEE them or HEAR them anywhere.
Oh and another time he was hiding under the couch. That time was only about 15-20 mins before i found him and it still felt like hours! LOL I hadn't had him very long then..and he couldn't fly yet either. There one min gone the next! Fast on his feet! LOL
oops, I'm rambling now and hijacking Kimberly's thread in the process. Sorry

kksuns, no problem here. I love hearing fellow bird owners ramble. It gives me something to look forward to. When Jeanie, said "lost", I thought she meant something far worse. Thank goodness it wasn't what I thought. I bought Cheeko a bird bath but the dang thing is too big for his door by about a quarter inch. UGH! I guess the dip container will have to work. I made the toilet paper roll/peanutbutter/seed treat....he hasn't touched it. It still made me feel good that I done something special for him. Here's the link to Cheeko's new cage and new setup! http://i1201.photobucket.com/albums/bb342/pigtoes1985/SANY1081.jpg

kimberly the top section where the clips are need to be bent down and over to secure the top of that cage much better...take some pliers and bend them to pull the top part into the bottom part much better that way he cant get stuck with a leg or wing in the opening gaps too