What do you think of your Bottlebrush Parrot Play Gym.  More important than what you think however, is what does your parrot think.  Do you notice a difference in your parrot's behavior?  Is he happier?  Scream less?  Want to tell other people what you think.  This is the page for you.  Send me an E-mail and I will post it on this page.   Share your experiences and opinions with other people.  

For those of you who have read through my site, you will see that I am a believer that if your parrot LOVES his Play Gym, and is perfectly comfortable there, they will stay there.  Many of you have purchased other Play Gyms and your parrot WOULDN'T stay on them.  Don't give up.  My Bottlebrush Parrot Play Gyms are so natural, the design is so comfortable that YOUR PARROT WILL HAPPILY STAY THERE EVEN IF YOUR NOT HOME.  In March, I adopted Rio, my Severe Macaw.  He was NOT play gym trained but now spends ALL HIS DAYS ON HIS DELUXE PLAY GYM, EVEN WHEN I'M GONE FOR THE DAY.  Many of my customers below also have discovered that their parrots will happily spend their days on their play gyms because it's natural and what birds want to do.  Being caged is what's unnatural.

Hi Wayne,

thank you for the fantastic job done with the play stand for my macaw. As promised it arrived yesterday and setup was completed in about 5 minutes. Due to the lateness of the hour though, Max only had about half an hour to examine it and it seems to have met his approval. [It sure met ours]. As I am writing this e-mail he is happily sitting on the top perch spreading his wings up in the air and beaking at the attached wooden chew pieces to see how quickly he can destroy them I guess

Hi Wayne,
I just want you to know how much we ALL love this gym.  It is the best thing we ever purchased!   We have absolutely the BEST behaved cockatoos in town. I am not kidding; they literally stay on the gym for hours and are quite content to play by themselves.  I have never had one of them fly off it; they sometimes go down to the tray to forage a bit, but then climb back on.

The big guy (Umbrella) loves the leather pieces on the “overhang” piece and the Goffin’s tries to ride the spinner like a bicycle….LOL

We have no mad screeching! NONE!      Just the normal vocalizations of Cockatoos…. They are so much fun to watch up there.

I think your name comes up around here once a day at least, when one of us remarks about how “cool” the gym is.

Take good care and best wishes for the New Year.

Barb G
Sue F
Best Little Parrot Place
Naples, FL

The stand is pretty FREAKING amazing!!

Beautiful and my birdie LOVES it. Thanks for your hard work on this and packaging. It was a breeze to put together.

Take care!! Will send pics soon

Meegan

Hi Wayne--

The parrot gym arrived around 9 pm by FedEx on Tuesday night.  I assembled it yesterday morning, loaded it with toys, and put the birds on.  It is so wonderful and I am thrilled with it!  It is in our living room in front of the bay window, and blends into our "tropical" look furnishings really well.  It's a classy piece of furniture.

Cor and Cayenne and still adjusting to it--I give them a couple of hours on it in the morning and at night--but they are exploring and chewing and it's great to see them have the freedom to be out and NOT be climbing all over ME!   Thank you so much for putting the branch on that has the big knot of wood---being a conure, that is Cayenne's favorite place.  Our camera just died and I am getting a new one on Monday, so after that, I will send you some photos of the two birds on the gym.

Now to my next question---I would like to order some bottlebrush wood perches for our three cages:  conure, Caique, and lovebird. What sizes do you have available and how do I go about it? 

Is it also possible to order chunks of bottlebrush to hang in their cages for chewing purposes?  I'd like to string some pieces on strips of leather.

Please let me know, and thanks again for the fantastic job on the playgym.  It's a piece of art and I am so happy with it!

Sincerely,
Linda P   

Hi Wayne:

We got the playstand and Mobley, our parrot, LOVES it. I was prepared for it to take a couple days for him to warm up to it but I placed a couple of treats on there and he hopped right on never looked back. He loves that spinny thing you put on it.

I attached a small picture of him on his playstand.

Anyway, thanks very much!

-Naomi N

Hi

hi, received the hanging playgym and set it up. my 5 month old CAG took to it like a duck to water. he really likes it. this is a great product exhibiting innovative thinking. plus, for a new parrot owner i found your website to be highly informative and a breath of fresh air. keep up the good work and thanks. frank

hi, received the hanging playgym and set it up. my 5 month old CAG took to it like a duck to water. he really likes it. this is a great product exhibiting innovative thinking. plus, for a new parrot owner i found your website to be highly informative and a breath of fresh air. keep up the good work and thanks. frank

They are at www.parrots.ca and really love your wood.

Hi Wayne,
I loved reading everything you had to say, and wanted to thank you for being so devoted and caring, above and beyond just selling your gyms. I have already passed along your site address to other parrot owners.

I am happy to let you know that my young Senegal parrot, Kiwi, lives pretty much outside his cage. I am a work-at home artist, and he is out all day long, until we snuggle him to sleep under the covers then put him to bed at night in his cage. He wakes me up every morning and I come get him and begin the day by feeding his fresh veg and fruits etc and we hang out while he eats and I make my latte!
Then, he is either on my shoulder, or nearby.

This brings me to my request, in getting help with making a place for him that he will love as well as hanging out around/near me. I have just moved to a spacious new apartment, and have been looking for a solution to keep him better occupied while I work in my studio, which is a room he is not allowed to go in  due to any paint /pigment/fumes/gold leaf etc ,etc that he may get into. I think he really might love one of your tabletop or hanging gyms. I�m not sure what size he needs, but I know I would like a base that is about 20�. He is not shy about hopping/fluttering down and walking to wherever he can find me. I have discouraged him from being on the floor, but he seems to disregard danger when he wants something (he is a Senegal , after all). He has even opened his cage door and waddled all the way to my bedroom door peeping.

This was his old window where he spent a lot of hours during the day...the only way down was over the sink...he didn�t jump very often, but he did do it when ever he felt like it, or when the lawn-mower monster was outside. You can see the hanging bird bath that I want to replace with something safer. I made the hanging triangle from 3 ladders put together with plastic tubing at the ends. This was so simple to do...and he loved it...I want to share this trick with everyone!
He also loves his fresh wheat grass to roll around in. Ok, this is where it all started...with one ladder.

He has a thing for small plastic dinosaurs
So, what I need is a playplace that will interest him enough to keep him occupied long enough to let me get some work done at home in my studio. My favorites that I saw on your site were the tall small play with red burl, only I don�t want the floor model. I am not sure if a hanger would be better for him, or a table stand. I am leaning towards table, so I can move it easily. What would you recommend for an upside-down hamcake? I hand-raised him from a baby, and being loose all day is all he has known, unless I am away. He is happy and healthy, and already spoiled (in a good way). I can�t understand why anyone wouldn�t want the pleasure of their birds company outside the cage as much as possible. Ki is sweet and gentle, and he even comes when I call him!
Thanks again for your fantastic site!
P.S. I am on a budget being a working artist, so I guess I can�t spend more than a couple hundred on this unless you want some artwork!!
Thank you!
Cecilia

Wayne

Hi Wayne!
I emailed you last night regarding my cats possibly eating my new bird. Thanks for the info on your website-sooo helpful! I've been online now for about 2 hours reading everything on your site. I'm planning on ordering a play gym from you just as soon as my credit card clears in about 2 weeks. In the meantime, I have a few questions if you don't mind. First, here's Julian's story:

My daughter called me one morning recently and in her cute, 10-yr old voice, said, "Mom? Do you want another pet?" Oh, boy, I thought, what does she have in mind? It seems she had been visiting our local pet store (she does that alot!) and had fallen in love with this cute little bird. At first I said I didn't think I was up for having a parrot, what alot of work! I needed some time to think about it. She lured me into the pet store this past weekend and I met Julian. I was smitten! He is the most beautiful aqua color, with some grey accents and a gorgeous red beak. He looks just like the water in the Bahamas. Of course looks aren't enough. He was quietly sitting on the pet shop owner's shoulder as she went about her business. He would climb onto anyone's finger and go up our arms to our shoulders. He gently used his beak to hang onto a finger, then step up. Needless to say, we brought him home, along with a $300.00 cage! Of course I had to get a couple of books as I have never had a parrot, and the first thing I did was to teach him to step up without using his beak. Wish I had found your website first! Now he will consistently step up without using his beak. I am going to start playing beak with him today and can hopefully learn to pick him up with it as you suggest. Next thing I did was to take my two nice Emeril Teflon pans and trade them to my ex-husband for a stainless steel one. I'm getting them back after reading your info! I read about roost cages in a book and it suggested I buy a small crate for him to sleep in. Did that yesterday but I had no idea what to put in it! Got online, found your website and liked your ideas much better. Now for my questions (finally!)

As I can't even order the playgym for a couple of weeks, what do I do in the meantime regarding roosting at night?

How long will it take once I place the order, to get the playgym? (the page wouldn't open on your site)

I can't find any info anywhere on when to get his wings clipped (he's 5 months old) He flies down to the floor sometimes but lets me pick him up every time (I say "c'mere" and up he comes on my finger)

What size should I consider, small or medium? I don't have a set work schedule...sometimes I'm gone all day, sometimes only for a few hours.

Here's the thing. This little guy is sweet and smart and easy "right now". I'd love to raise him to be a happy, healthy bird and I'll do whatever I can to prevent all of the problems I've been reading about to develop in the first place. I just don't want to make a lot of mistakes I'll have to undo later. Any advice would be appreciated! Can't wait till I can place my order in a couple of weeks!! I'll look forward to hearing from you if you have the time.

Sincerely,
Rebecca

Wayne,

Hi Wayne, I was touring around ebay and looked over at Nessie, my BFA (sanford and son attack with the huge knot of BB), lol. Well she is sitting over there chewing away on one of the perches with a knot and made me think of you. I just wanted to say thank you again for all the wonderful stuff I bought from you for all my birds. From the littlest lovebird and parrotlet to Nessie, my BFA everyone of them knows the pleasure of perching on one of your perches or on the playgym and the extra hunks they all love and the flex toys that I have everywhere and they all enjoy them in different ways. Nessie, who you heard me speak of the most, because she is such a kidder, little clown and love of my life and is right here in my face atm, she is soooooo picky that she will not step up on any stick, unless its your bottle brush. She will look at it, sniff and taste, and will turn her head and refuse to step up,till I find a BB stick, then she hops right up. .... I really want to thank you!!!!

Hi again Wayne!!!! My birds ABSOLUTELY LOVED the last order. If you remember the show Sanford and son, and how Fred Sanford always grabbed his heart and eyes get big, telling his widow he was coming.... well Nessie, my blue front amazon did that too, hehe. I was trying to add perches in her cage, she grabbed one I left on top of the cage and would not let go, was growling at me..... until.... I brought out the hugest knot you sent me. she took a few steps back with wide eyes and ran across the cage to grab the knot from me. And all the Conures are loving the gym and perches I bought from you. Even one of my birds that has not really played with many toys will run out of her cage to go play on the gym and with the extra sticks. For all my birdies, you are the perch/play stand guru!! They would all bow to you (if they could) and give you a big thanks!! I tell anyone and everyone that has anything to do with birds online or in real life how great your products are. Thank you again!!!

Wayne,

Hi.  I received the play gym for Frodo yesterday.  Assembly went well. The color is absolutely gorgeous.  You were right.  It is a perfect color and very neutral.  Frodo took to the gym right away.  He took a bath in the water cup as soon as I put him on the gym.  He stayed on for about an hour and a half then we sat outside on the front porch for a bit.  He got on the gym again first thing this morning while I got ready for work.  He screaming has decreased and I am still using the �Hello� training when he does.  I have also started using the �Stay� when he tries to get off the gym. I will forward pictures of Frodo on his new gym to you tomorrow when I bring my digital to work to download the pictures.

Thank you again for all your help and taking the time to speak with me before placing my order.  I found our conversation most informative and helpful.

Hi Wayne....I received the play gym today and I love it. My African Grey, Molly, got on it right away and started playing. It also looks really nice. As soon as I get back to Florida in October, I'll be ordering another one for down there. Thanks again, Sincerely, Deb Demers & Molly 

Hi Wayne :)

I have to tell you how MUCH my baby Blue Crown, FeeBee..LOVES LOVES LOVES her perch.   She's been spoiled from the get go with it.  I bought that small gym from you on Ebay and she's been on it pretty much since her first day here.  Problem is, I have the gym in my office where I spend my work days, but in the evenings and on the weekends, we're all in the family room (downstairs).. and when she's down there with us, she has to spend her time for the most part in a cage.  SHE HATES IT.. gets all pissy and stuff.. what a tude!  Anyway, since she doesn't understand about finances...she insists that we get her another gym for downstairs.  So...we're dippin into savings and would like to order your Deluxe Model...maybe even with a yummy knot on it :) 

I've been watching ebay, but haven't seen any.  Will you be making one of them soon that would have branches appropriate for her cute feet? :) (god I love this bird already). 

OH...I'd also like to order another perch set like the one I got before for $20.00.  We used all the perches in her two cages...plus some around the house as little places for her to sit for a minute here and there in our travels...i.e. kitchen, bathroom, etc. and we need more please :)

You know, if you don't mind, I'd love to chat with you for a few minutes for some advice on a couple of things.  I read your website in its entirety the other night (WOW)...every time I had a question. the next section talked about it...LOL  You're too much Wayne...like you were reading my mind!   I've been trying to do the "beak game" with her and have a question on that.  Plus, I'm having a little trouble with the dogs and her.

Anyway, when you get a chance, would love to hear from you about the gym, and about a chat whenever is convenient for you.

Be well till then,
Angela

Hi Wayne, Just wanted to let you know that we received the parrot play gym for Captain and he is already spending allot of time on it. He's funny though I've been watching him and he hasn't really been chewing on his gym besides the spinner toy which he loves but he does go back inside his cage and chews alot on the bottlebrush perches. When I opened up his cage this morning he headed straight for his play gym and it's been about 3 hours now and he is still playing on it! I am soooo tempted to order one of the play gyms you have on e-bay right now for Conures for Morgan my other parrot. Since I ordered the perches and put one in his cage his chews on it allot and is also playing with his other toys more. Don't be surprised if you see my name with another purchase real soon. Will you be listing play gyms regularly in the future on e-bay? Thanks also for all the parrot advice. Have a great day! Debbie

Hi Wayne,

I don�t even know where to begin in telling you how happy I am with the 2 gyms you made for my birds.  The big one rolls so smoothly even over the tile grout that Buzz, my grey, hardly stops playing when we move it around.  She has even climbed back on while we were rolling it!  I am very happy I went ahead and got the larger tray, she seems to have fun going up one spiral, trotting over to the other one and going back down. Plus, being a typical grey, she has another side to go to when something she isn�t sure of comes by, like the broom, so I have to surmise that she feels safer.  Cleaning it is SO MUCH easier then her last two gyms. And anything that has to do with birds and is easier to clean is almost to be cried over.  The little one is so sturdy and fits so perfectly on top of  the cockatiel, Bubba�s cage so even though it is so tall I don�t worry about it being unstable. 

So much for me though and on to the birds!  Bubba used to climb out to his little gym and just sit like a statue except for climbing back in the cage to eat.  Now he won�t get back in his cage so I have to put his food on the gym.  He doesn�t even go in to bed. I have to get him down and put him to bed. Plus he is chewing the perches like a maniac!  He climbs all over it too. He didn�t even sulk when we cut his wings this time.  I thought he would be scared as usual but he even hopped off my hand onto the big gym and immediately started to chew on it like it belonged to him also.  He thinks he is a big bird now!  Of course Buzz ran, like the chicken bird she is, to the far side and started waving her foot around for me to rescue her from the usurper.

As for the Buzz, well let me tell you, she is a different bird!  She will be 2 years old May 17^th and has been stripping her feathers since Feb 1, 2003 .  Nothing stopped her and any aggravation or stress made is worse.   She had a naked spot on her breast and all the feathers between her head and wing was either gone or ripped to pieces.  We never saw her grooming any of her feathers, just ripping and shredding them in those spots.  We tried all manner of remedies from blood work up�s to sprays to organic food.  Everyone in the house noticed that she was not doing it after a couple of days on the new gym.  It has been a few weeks now and her naked spot is growing in for the first time in a year and there are only a few old shredded feathers around her neck.  She has let all the new ones grow back unmolested.  Not only that but she is actually grooming herself now for the first time since we got her at 4 weeks old.  I have been so traumatized since she started it that I don�t even have the words to explain the joy of seeing her stop.  Just so you don�t think I am crazy though she still grabs a feather and starts to rip it if she isn�t pleased with a situation such as she isn�t in the mood for a bath right then, etc..  She just does not do it all day long anymore therefore I have to conclude that it is your gym that has brought about the change since she has always spent all her waking time on a gym except for when we get her off to play etc.. Since her routine is exactly the same as it has always been there can be no other answer as far as I am concerned.  There is plenty of room for her toys and for her to swing upside down like a monkey.  She especially likes the fact that one side perch is close enough to the edge that she can hang upside down from her toy, reach the rim to push off and swing out to grab our clothes as we walk by to make us squeal.  It is her favorite game. 

I had hopes that she would like the new gym but I never actually thought the difference would be so dramatic so soon.  I keep thinking of more to say but I guess more gushing is unnecessary.  Be assured that I will recommend you and your parrot stuff to anyone I now that has parrots and possible to ones I don�t know! 

Additionally I have to make a formal request that you take very good care of yourself so that my Buzz can always have one of your gyms.  I am counting on you for at least the next 75 years. 

Hi Wayne � it is the CRAZY lady with the sweet Senegal parrot � I got the gym today.  It took me longer to get the stretch wrap off than to put it together.  It was packed really well and there was NO shipping damage.  It took me just a few minutes to set it up.  It is BEAUTIFUL � and most important Kojo LOVES it.  He especially enjoys chewing on the perches.  Thank you again for creating such a beautiful and useful play gym!!

Mary Carr

Englewood, CO   

Have A Great Day!!!

Dear Wayne,

We wanted to let you know that the new play gym arrived yesterday afternoon.  Our Vosmaeri Eclectus, Dixie , is usually reluctant around new things.  It took very little time for her to feel comfortable with the top part while it was on the floor, so we put it together.  Within a few hours of being on the gym this morning, Dixie had adjusted to the new play gym enough to snap at my wife when my wife went to take Dixie off of the gym (this is something Dixie doesn�t usually do to my wife.)  Dixie was so content on your beautiful gym that she didn�t pick or chew at her feathers once today.

Thank you for delivering such a wonderful product!  We will recommend your gym to anyone we speak to.

Sincerely,

Bruce Vaughan

Vickie 

Wayne,

I told you yesterday that I had left Maynard on the perch when we went to work in the spare room just to make sure he was safe�.Guess what��when we got home he was still on his perch chewing the spinner toy to bits.  I walked in the room and he said �I love you�.  You�ve made a happy Green wing, that loves me again.  THANKS!!!!!!

Bonnie

I cant thank you enough.  My husband and I got the perches last night and attached them to Maynards playgym getting rid of those old Manzanita perches that he was ALWAYS slipping on.  Anyway�Its been about a year since Ive been able to do anything aside from make this bird step up.  After we talked about picking him up by the beak and trying to leave him out more often rather than in his cage I started making him let me pick him up by the beak which instantly changed his attitude with me.  Kinda funny how something so simple makes a difference for a bird.  Anyway�.last night we got the playgym all set up and brought him down to see it.  He looked at it and asked  us �is it good?�  I laughed and told him go play, he did!  He played ALL NIGHT LONG!!!!!  I tried to pick him up to go to bed around 11 and he bit me.  I made him let me pick him up and he fluffed up and put his head down for me to pet him for the first time in OVER A YEAR!!!!!  He even stuck his tongue out and kissed me on the cheek.  I put him to bed and he told me �love you, Im Maynar D�.  I cried.  Anyway� I just wanted you to know what a difference you have made in my birds life OVERNIGHT!  You have made getting along with him much easier.  I left him out on the perch today to see how he would do in our spare room with some music on.  Hopefully well.  THANKS AGAIN!!!!!!

Bonnie

Wayne, It's me ,Mike, after talking to you on the phone last night,  I tried talking to "Baby" the way you suggested, i.e. wide eyed, exaggerated gestures,  etc. Well, she responded immediately!!  I can't wait to get her OUT of that glass cage [prison] and on to her new "Playgym" Talk to you soon and thanks again, we're both a lot happier   Mike in N.W. Indiana

Received the handle, and yes, it was missing the bolt on the bottom. Thanks for all the extra pieces of bark...what a fitting stuffing for the package.  I'm sure he'll love them.  Now, we have to work on the perch and getting him used to that being on the play gym.

It took about a week and a little tough love to get Dudley to stand on the play gym or to even want to be on the play gym.  The first few times he seemed to be stuck like Velcro and wouldn't budge a foot sometimes for 10-15 minutes, just stood there fixed in time until we had him step off.  We moved the play gym to a different location and had him step up.  Lo and behold, this guy was in heaven.  He's having the best time.  He eats his meals, snoozes and yaks up a storm while on the gym.  Hasn't flown off it at all and now spends about 9-10 hours a day on it.  Took him about 2 days to figure out that he could chew it and he's doing a fair job but has a long way to go.  Believe it or not, he'll step up off his cage now to go onto the play gym about 75% of the time without balking, the rest of the time he still makes us work at it.  :}  Power struggle.

Since getting him out and off of that cage he's a new bird as only I could hope he would be.  He goes everywhere in the house with me, takes a real shower instead of a misting and will even sit on my shoulder while I'm on the treadmill.  LOL

Thanks, Wayne...I've received many compliments on how well made your gym is.  It's beautiful!!

Dorothy Suding
Southport

We got our Deluxe parrot play stand today, as well as all the other stuff.  All the birds were delighted to get new bottle brush perches in their cages (and I'm thrilled to finally get rid of the last of the manzanita), and Cinereo, our grey, is currently on his stand thoughtfully chewing on some of the cotton rope.  He's hung on and flapped, chewed on the toy, and generally had a good time.

Right now, I'm sitting in the living room with a pair of green cheeks on one stand and the grey on the other.  Thanks again!

I've received both the large gym for the Meyer's and the jumbo gym for the
Blue Front Amazon.  I've been very pleased that I ordered them, for my birds have been
very happy with them.  These sizes, for these birds, are just perfect.
There's variety for them, so that they don't have to be in the same place
all the time, and the big floor area encourages them to forage, which they
do.  The branches also provide a lot of variety.

I personally like big floor area and the straight sides, because it makes it
easy to clean.  I also like the double posts because I move them around a
lot--they are very steady.

Carol

Hi Wayne,

I've been mentioning your gyms on bird lists when I get the chance, and
thought you might seeing a response I was able to make to an inquiring mind
:-)  I think you'll get more than one order out of it.

Sara (Quaker) is doing really well on the gym you made for her this fall,
AND she now sleeps on a bottlebrush perch instead of her food dish at night.
Yea :-)))  I've been arguing with myself about ordering a 12" ring, a small
flex toy & the gal bag of chunks with the holes drilled in them for toys,
but I really shouldn't charge anything more for the birds for a while.
We'll see . . .

Meanwhile, I hope you don't mind me taking the time to thank you one more
time and forward you the email which follows my signature!  You do fantastic
work and provide such a wonderful service . . . and you deserve recognition
for it from time to time :-)

Have a great day . . . a great week . . . and an even GREATER holiday
season!

Jan & The Foister Flock
(Paddy, Sara, Pipsqueak, Popcorn, Penny, Pluto & hubby)
----- Original Message -----
From: "Jan Foister" <janfoister@earthlink.net>
To: <quakerlovers@yahoogroups.com>
Sent: December 01, 2003 12:45 PM
Subject: Fw: [quakerlovers] Bottlebrush play gyms


> Hi Linda & all,
>
> Yes, I'm the one with the bottlebrush gyms.  We actually have 3.  It took
me
> a couple of months to commit to buying the first one for Paddy (Quaker),
but
> once we had it we recognized its worth and ordered a table top version for
> our parrotlet & her budgie cage mate.  They have been so wonderful for
both
> us and our FIDS that when we agreed to rehome Sara (Quaker) in September,
> one of our first decisions was to get her her own BB gym, even though we
> really couldn't afford it.  (Waiting that month for it to be made and
> shipped was hard; once it arrived things became much more simple!)  Our
> oldest gym is 1 1/2 years old, and all three will last for many, many
years.
> They look good, pretty handy since occupy central space in our "bird
room",
> which used to be known as the living room :-)
>
> Why do I like them so well?  Well, the differences we see are tremendous.
> They allow us to have our birds cagefree during the day because they LIKE
> staying on their "trees" and seem much happier around us and any company
we
> have as well.  The "small" versions (both floor & table top models)
include
> swings, which both birds play with as if they were toys :-)  Their are
> several eyes for hanging lots of toys, & they have dishes for their
> BirD-elicious & water on the top perch, & I put bowls of fresh foods on
the
> tray below.  They also love climbing all over (& chewing on) the perch top
> toy.  They play, talk, nap, chew, climb, do acrobatics, etc. all day long
on
> them.  Yes, they still want to come to us at every opportunity <grin>, but
> they don't jump off or get bored on them like they did on their cage tops
or
> other play areas . . . and Paddy would never even go ON another gym until
we
> got the BB one.  Also, we no longer have problems with bent and broken
tail
> feathers.  I've since decided that these were caused from the bars on
their
> cages when they played on them.  I'm sure there are other really good gyms
> out there, but I've never seen any that I like as well. . . that's why we
> have three:-)  They are even better looking in person than on the website,
> but take a look for yourselves.  Wayne designs each gym for the bird or
> birds that will be using it, and I think personally that he has done a
> FANTASTIC job on our three.  I don't think he's taking any more orders
until
> after the holidays, but you can at least see what I'm talking about at:
> http://web.archive.org/web/20060221091000/http://www.waynesparrotstuff.com/
>
> Have a wonderful day with your FIDS!
>
> Jan & The Foister Flock
> Paddy-2 y/o Quaker, clipped, cagefree (CF) days
> Sara - 1 y/o Quaker, rehomed, clipped & CF days
> Pipsqueak - 5 y/o Pacific Parrotlet, rehomed, clipped, in & out
> Popcorn - 9 y/o Budgie, unclipped, Pip's cage mate, in & out
> Penny & Pluto - 1 y/o Budgies, clipped & not cage free
>
> >>Linda L wrote:
> Cindi may I ask what a bottlebrush play gym look like. I have a Parrot
> tower,2 cockatiel playpens with 2cage top circus  and tons of toys for
> 3birds and just wonder .
> > >Linda M (Florida)
> > >3 Green QK'S
> > >13 Chihuahuas >>
>

Hi Wayne,
       You should have some sort of bird column in some fancy schmancy bird magazine, lol.  You've made my bird happier with your perches, but you may have changed my relationship with her last night.  Something you had said about that woman who talked so much, she never gave her bird a chance to talk back struck me... 
       I'm always so hectic, I talk to Koko as I'm coming or going, but don't sit to wait for a response.  Anyway, last night, I said hello and just watched her to gauge her response.  After a second, she seemed to realize I was waiting for her; her eyes lit up and she made these little happy noises.  I figured it was a fluke, but today the same thing.  She's so undemanding, I never realized she hasn't been talking because she's had noone to talk to.  Today, she started saying her name again, making a little more noise, and preening my head, lol.  I'm probably the only person in town who gets happy when their bird is noisier.  Anyway, I just wanted to say thank you; the birds out there need someone like you to speak up for them, because not many people out there do :)  It's definitely a dog's world!

Thanks again,
Patricia
P.S.  I forgot to mention, and I can't remember if you do them all the same, but you know the pole that holds the perch?  Can you stain it the darkest brown you regularly use, the same as last time?  I can't wait :)      

Hi Wayne!

We got our last "installment" of our latest order - thank you!  As
you said in your note, it's keeping them busy!!  I think you must
have thrown in a couple of extra things in the cage package - thanks
much!!! - you're sweet!!!  Cheyenne the disabled Military is really
enjoying the knot on her new playpen also!  This bird who was a floor
bird for quite a few months is hanging upside down from the toy on
your playpens!  Your product has really made a difference in this
bird's life!!!

Sharon Lang

Hi Wayne! The gym arrived on Monday.. wow..  it is really pretty! Everyone who saw it said the same thing..  WOW! My daughter said..  "spoiled bird"!! Lampchop only took about an hour to get used to it. I put it next to his cage and let him decide when to hop on. After he was on it for awhile I slowly moved it away from his cage. He stayed on for awhile the first time and then flew over (he is over due for a wing clipping!) to his cage. But the second time I did this..  he stayed. He was having a good time chewing it! I hadn't put the food dishes on yet because I wanted to give him room to explore,  and get used to it. And boy..  I wish his cage was as easy to clean up!! One wipe and it's perfectly clean! Thanks so much Wayne..  it is beautiful! I will keep you posted on Lampchop's "adjustment period", but so far so good!  Arleen:) 

Dear Wayne,

Yay!  We got our gym on Friday, and Pavo loved it from the start. At first I just put him on my shoulder and sat next to the gym. He stared at it for 5 minutes, then I decided to just put him on it. I did and he liked it. He immediately began playing with the spiny thing and didn't pay any attention to me! lol He was having so much fun, climbing around and "dancing." (We call it dancing, he does this thing sometimes, where he'll chirp, and bob up and down. Sometimes he even does a side to side movement, and lift one foot up as part of the dance. Maybe you can tell us what this means)  He was tail wagging  and fluffing in five minutes! But twice he climbed on top of that big toy you gave us, but since the pieces turned, he would lose his balance and in order to keep from falling off, he flew down. I don't think he's done this again, though. By the time we put him away (I opened the package at about 7 PM) he could get from any branch to any other branch, and was totally comfortable.
I'm so glad I bought your gym instead of the ones at the store. I just had this feeling that Pavo would  hate those, and that your gyms were the best. I was right and Pavo is so happy now! Thank you for making you gyms the way you do.

      Thanks again,
                  Christina Oraftik

Wayne:

Just a note to say thanks for your great product.

I've had the gym, and Gus Gus has been enjoying it, for some months.  I had
just one problem.  It's in a very small room, and Gus Gus was just too darn
close to window molding for comfort (the molding, not Gus Gus's).  I had an old
enclosure but it was for an old foot high perch-- a very poor relation compared
to yours.

My neighbor, a contractor, built a new enclosure that was just added today. 
Attached are pictures of Gus Gus, perch, and enclosure.  She's happy as a clam
and so am I.

Thanks again. 

Claudia

Wayne,

Received Max's Play Gym today. Wow! It is great and
Max has already spent about 4 hours on it. He isn't
scared of it but he is cautious. He has not started
chewing anything yet but I'm sure he will.
Thank you for the great product and careful shipping.

Best regards,

Rod Moore

Dear Wayne - I placed an order not too long ago for an in-cage perch set plus some other extra perches.  I have to tell you - my birds ALL love it!  From Cockatiels on down to conures.  It makes me wonder if there's some sort of birdie drug involved!  LOL  The moustache keet is gnawing on a block of branch everyday, along with one of the hanging toys.

I just want to thank you for providing such a wonderful product and that I and my birds appreciate it!

Happy Parrot-ing! 

Susan Young

Wayne,

  Wanted you to know that it only took 5 days for my Mitred Conure, Ruby to get up the nerve to get on the gym.  I still have to bump it up to her boing for her to get on it, but she climbs down and chews.  She's flown to it twice, so it's just a matter of time. She loves to spend time on the canaries cage, chasing them around <G>, so they are real happy when she's otherwise occupied <G>.

 Of course the lovebird and Sun Conure were on it day 1 and love it, and the Sun (Velcro bird) will actually spend time off ME for 5 or 10 minutes chewing on it, YEAH!! Freedom!!

  I've heard you have a hanging swing.  I'd love to get a price.  Ruby loves to fly to these rope boings, I bet she'd love one of these also.

Thanks again,
Sharon Barclay
Alpharetta, GA

Wayne,
The play gym arrived in great condition and the birds have been enjoying it
for a few days now. As you predicted, they sure do love gnawing the
bottlebrush! They both have ended up on the floor at least a couple times
each day and it's hard to tell if it's deliberate or they just got excited
by something and fluttered off.   They very readily step up for  me to put
them back on. 
Linda Keane

Wayne, YOU DA MAN!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Wow, I can't tell you how much you have changed my birds life or thank you enough for the wonderful products you offer!

My B&G's (Sam) play gym came last week and he took to it right off, he has been spending so much time on his gym it is amazing, as you know he refused to stay on his cage, and would fly off his other gyms. Since getting his gym last week, he has only gotten off one time, and it was because he was wanting to look out the window, so I just moved the gym near the window and he was perfectly contented! He chews and chews and naps and eats and he is so happy to have this gym it shows right through! He is even less nippy since we started beak training!

My alexandrines, (Bud) swinging gym just came about an 2 hours ago, and he liked to have squawked his head off waiting for me to get it hung up! The whole time he was wagging his tail. Just waiting for a piece of that new swing! As I am writing this note he is chewing his little beak off! He knew how much fun Sam's gym was and was getting a little jealous!

Now I may be in a little trouble when my husband comes home because I had a heck of a time finding a stud to hang the swinging gym from and there are a couple extra holes in the ceiling LOL!

Your website is wonderful also, and I really love your advise and concern for the well being of our birds.
As you know I took some heat because of a certain yahoo group, because I was so excited when I ordered my gyms, and I can honestly say, the way my birds love your gyms, it was all worth it!
People that don't have these gyms for there birds are the real losers! Or I guess there birds are! I just can't help but wonder what there birds life must be like? Locked in cages 18 to 20 hours a day. It is sad to say the least!

Wayne, it has been a long road, and an even longer wait, but your gyms are worth every penny! I can't imagine life without bottlebrush!

The thing that amazed me and my husband the most was the craftsmanship and quality, you build a superior product and it shows how much you love birds in the way you design these gyms. They are a true blessing and so are you!

So happy bottlebrush dreams to you! You have a solid customer for life!

Thank you from the bottom of my heart and Sam and Bud also say "Wayne we love these gyms." You DA Man!!!!

Kamie Fender
Bois D'Arc, Missouri

The gym wonderful.
Mango our Jenday was on it all day from day one.
We are very very pleased with your
creation.

Thank you,
Shamy Park

Wayne,

Ripley loves the play gym.   I have it beside his cage so he is free to come and go as he pleases.   Thank you so much and I look forward to receiving his new perches and flexi toy.   I had concerns that the gym would be an eye sore� but it looks great and I could not be happier.   

THANK YOU!!!

Lou

Wayne,
     I just wanted to let you know that I've had your product six days now, and I have seen a little bit of a change in my parrot, she is much more active the last few days and I can go about my business around the house and all I hear she her playing.  We want to thank you for your product and knowledge.
Thanks,
Rene

Wayne,

Got my playstand today, and I can't tell you how happy I am. It's perfect.
All 3 hopped on, and  had a ball. They go crazy for the curly rope you
attach. So glad you're still making them... hope to be back to order another
soon.

Terry Silbert 

Hi Wayne,

Thought I'd give you an update on Luna, our blind, plucked Severe Macaw...

The gym is going GREAT.  She's very happy with it, but I think your theory
of a chewing deficit that gets filled after a bit doesn't apply to our Luna.
She's STILL chewing.  :)

I think we've had the gym about a month now, and she's still busy...  I
suspect we'll need to order replacement branches soon.  She's already
destroyed ALL the smaller, secondary branches.  I'm not talking chew the
bark off -- I'm talking the branches are GONE.  They've been chewed
completely to nothing.  So much for your "smooth transition" of branches.
She's chewed them all to nothing! LOL  She has, however, learned the
navigation of her gym, and gets around fine, even without the extra
branches.

We shot some film pictures of her when we first got the gym.  Once we get
them developed I'll scan and send to you, as well as current pictures of her
gym once those come back.  She's done more damage to  her gym in a month
than my other two birds have done to their gyms in SIX!  When I put her on
the gym in the evening, it's clean.  By the end of the day, the entire tray
is filled with splinters of wood.  It's amazing how much damage this bird can
do!

Oh well, I don't mind.  She seems happy to stay on the gym, and chew here
little beak off.  So far, she's only gotten off by herself once, and that
was yesterday when she fell off.  Not sure what she was doing, because I
didn't see her until she was already on her way to the floor.  She wasn't
hurt, and I put put her back on her gym and she went back to chewing.

Thanks for another of your awesome gyms.  Every minute she's destroying her
gym is another minute she's NOT feather picking.  No idea, yet, if she'll
ever be anything other than bald, but we'll see...

Regards,

- DAT

Good morning Wayne,

Just wanted to let you know that my hanging playgym arrived.  OMG!!!  What
an incredible playgym.  I knew it would be great, but I never expected it
would be this GREAT.  I can't wait to hang it.  And, as my parrots already
have your playstands, they will take right to the hanging playgym.  I have
five of your bottle brush playgyms and two rip-off models from the "other"
store.  The difference in quality is evident.  I just wish I had known at
the time that these other two were not your gyms.  Total deception, that's
for sure.  Anyway, THANKS for the GREAT playgym.  I'll keep coming back for
more.

Shirley

Dear Wayne,
I received my parrot play station on Wednesday and my Sun Conure refused to even look at it for two whole days.
This morning, Friday, I placed a hood over her head and placed her on the gym. I told her to stay. I left the room to her screams and after about 7 minutes she became quiet. When I returned to the living room she was chewing away on one of the branches. I praised her and offered her my hand to come and she continued to chew and wanted to remain where she was. Thank you!! I can resume my quilting and not have her on my shoulder continually and demanding attention.  And best of all my parrot is delirious.  Thanks again.

Hi Wayne!

      Sharon here, of Richard and Sharon Lang.  We safely received our
new play gyms, perches and cage toys last week.  Thank you so
much!!!!  They are beautiful and so far so good!!  I'm thinking you
even threw some extra stuff in there - you are so sweet!!!
      It is really funny and not what we expected, but the bird with
the most sawdust in the bottom of his cage in the first 24 hours was
Sydney, the Green Cheeked Conure!!!  We did not get him a play gym,
because our ten year old son is his play gym, but the two perches you
sent that were his size went into his cage, one at a time.  He was a
little freaked at first, but then he turned into a little buzz saw!
He had never really touched the chewable wood toys we had in his cage
before, so we just thought he wasn't interested in wood.  How dumb in
retrospect.  He is one happy little guy!  Now we are going to have to
get him a small table top gym in our next order!
      Cheyenne, the Military Macaw that had the horribly broken leg
with 4 pins and a really long recuperation absolutely loves her play
gym!  We had only just gotten her out of the laundry room and back in
a cage a few weeks ago.  She was so glad to be back up and off the
ground.  We were afraid to put her on any of our existing gyms
because of her penchant to fly off and her limited ability to climb
and hang on, so we were using our family room couch as her play gym,
which she initially loved, but then got bored with, no matter how
many toys we gave her.  Well, she hasn't tried to fly off your gym
one single time, she's only slipped once, she goes to all but the
lowest branch, happily munches the bark the whole time she is on it,
is vocalizes more than ever and seems the happiest she has been in
the year we've now had her!  (and boy, are the kids glad to get the
couch back!) The only drawback is, she doesn't want to get off!!!
You did such a good job placing the branches for her - she is easily
able to move around.  The only thing is the food dishes.  At this
time, she gets really mad if they are in her way and can't figure out
how to get around them if they are in the middle of the top perch, so
we have only 1 up there, the one on the little side branch.  I would
like to put a 2nd dish on the end of the branch, but I don't know
what that little item of hardware is that you put into the wood to
screw the dishes into.  If you can let us know what that is, (we are
very hardware illiterate) and what size we should get and what size
drill we use to get it in, that would be very helpful!
      Sierra the African Grey is very reserved about her new gym, not
quite sure if it's a monster or not, but whenever it is her turn to
be up there, she attacks the toy whenever she thinks we're not
looking!  She slept on her new Wayne's perch (in her cage) last night
for the first time.
      Mattie, the Yellow Naped Amazon, and family clown, took to the
gym immediately and absolutely is having such a blast that we are in
hysterics watching her.
      Goldie the Double Yellow Head and my husband's problem child who
is a screamer (given to us at the age of 7 by someone who didn't want
her anymore) is still holding back.  She has  always acted like she
never learned to play or chew.  She mainly only attacks the toys in
her cage when she is mad.  She always is very put out if my husband
expects her to stay on a play gym.  We sure hope she takes to this
one soon - she is very stiff!  We are giving her her favorite treats
when it is her turn on the gym, and hope that helps.  Any other
suggestions???

All in all, we are very impressed and can see that we are going to
need to save up for more play gyms!  We are getting our baby Umbrella
at the beginning of October, and my husband is getting his baby
Greenwing Macaw in November, so we will be ordering again soon!

Thank you so much Wayne!!!!
-Sharon and Richard Lang

I just wanted you to know that I ordered one of your trees (gym) for my lavender crowned Amazon about one year ago.  Since that time he has learned how to play and goes in and out of his cage during the day to be on his gym.  It was well worth the price to see him happy and relaxed. 

He was about 13 when I got him and people who had seen him before he was my parrot comment about how happy he is.  I am gone all day and I'm able to leave his cage door open because he pretty much stays in his cage and on his gym. 

Thank you.

Lynne Stuart
Madera, CA

Wayne,
Petey has had his gym for a while now and I think it's his favorite place in the world.  Every morning he can't wait to get out of his cage and go to his gym.  His behavior has improved a lot since we got him away from his cage.  My husband can now pick him up and carry him around and he enjoys it.  He still likes to bite me, but I'm working on him.  Thank you so much for creating this parrot paradise. 

Eleanor Griffin

Hi Wayne, just a note to let you know the gyms arrived Fri.  and the birds love them!  Even Olive (the feather picking Eclectus) has taken a few bites.  And that's saying a lot since she does not play with anything.  Oscar the Amazon is chewing his as we speak, he chewed on other things here and there, but never like this... They are also thrilled with the perches for their cages.   Again that's so much for such a great quality product.  I'm sure you will be hearing from us in the future...... Have a great weekend.....Shelly

Wayne,

Thank you so much for putting so much effort into the
perches. They are all gorgeous. I can't believe how much
better they look than they appear from the online photos.
The birds are also very impressed! My cockatoo has access to
both the new perch and also his old favorite perch. After
the second day, he wouldn't even go near his old perch! This
bird also used to jump down about every 2 hrs. He has only
flown down twice since he has had this perch. he also loves
chewing the wood. My blue and gold used to always be afraid
of anything that went by him on his old perch and he would
scramble down and land on the floor to get away. Now on his
new perch he has all kinds of confidence. He hasn't gotten
down from this perch since he has been on it. I can walk by
with anything and anyone can come in the house with out
freaking him out. He also had lost interest almost
completely in toys and chewing, and had resorted to plucking
even more frequently and screaming whenever people walked by
the window (apartment). He screamed at the cable guy one
time and the guy actually dropped his stuff! lol. I still see
him pluck sometimes but he does it much less frequently and
he no longer screams at people outside (he's too busy). He
spends a huge portion of the day chewing the wood on the
perch and the toys. It is so nice to see him playing again.
He really acts like a different bird. The last bird is at my
parents house but from what I hear he absolutely loves his
perch also! I can not thank you enough for changing my birds
lives.
Kristen Cueto

ps. feel free to use any part of my emails as a
recommendation to other customers etc.

Hi Wayne...we received Bacardi�s �things� on Friday. They have more than passed Abaco�s inspection and now we anxiously await Bacardi�s arrival. She is STILL being weaned...taking longer than the other birds, but that�s okay. Everything in due time. (She is already MUCH larger than Abaco---WOW! Gary is threatening to change her name to Bertha.) Abaco loves the smaller floor gym, especially the bell on the end of the perch toy (thank you!). One of the new hanging gyms has a great funky knot on it. Abaco hasn�t seen this one yet...maybe we�ll set her loose on it tonight!

We had friends over for dinner on Friday and they saw the new (and old) hanging gyms, the floor gyms, and the table top gym. They fell in love with them and will probably be giving you a call to order a few things.  :)   Also showed them the great cage perches....which reminds me, I�ll going to need to call you to place an order for another cage package.

When Bacardi arrives home, I�ll give you an update and send some photos.

Thanks again Wayne...we love your stuff....but better yet, the birds love your stuff.

Best regards,

Misti, Gary, Abaco and soon Bacardi

Hi Wayne!

I'm sure you don't remember me, but I talked to you a few
months ago about a moustache parakeet who looked like a plucked
chicken because he was pulling out his feathers. He was otherwise
happy, friendly, and active, and the doctor found nothing wrong
despite all sorts of tests. Well, I'm emailing to say he looks like a
new bird! Or, rather, the old bird he looked like before this problem
started (and it didn't start up until about 7 years into his life
here). He looks great - almost completely feathered; he loves the gym,
and it's pretty much the only thing I've ever seen him gnaw on (he
doesn't like toys generally). So, I wanted to thank you, and let you
know about this success story. I can't prove 100% it was the gym which
did it, but I really think this is what made the difference. You can
use this email if you need testimonials for your website, and if you
want, I can send you a "before" and "after" photo of Ivan; it's a huge
difference. Also, I need to buy some replacement circles - those
bottlebrush wheels which are at the ends of the perches. He works on
those the most and they're pretty bare. I'd like to buy a bag of 'em -
how do I do it?

Best wishes,

Mike Levin

Hi Wayne,

Just wanted to let you know that the gym you made for our blind Severe
Macaw, Luna, arrived today.  We had a minor problem with the overhead toy.
It seems the mounting bolt in the end of the branch was missing, but we were
able to fix it with a quick trip to the hardware store.  36 cents later, the
gym was put together and ready for our bird.

Does this mean next time I order, you'll give me a 36-cent discount?  <grin>

Other than the missing bolt, the gym is your usual excellent quality.  Nice
work!

We put Luna on the gym, and literally within 15 seconds she started chewing
the wood.  She has already done moderate damage to one of the lower
branches, and she's been on the gym for less than 2 hours!

After she spent a few minutes chewing, she started to explore and found her
way right up to the food cups and started stuffing her face.  She seems very
comfortable on it, and she's even napped for a few minutes.  At the moment
she's busy, hanging almost upside-down, chewing the wood on the vertical
shaft.

I have to say I'm really surprised at how well Luna is doing on it!   She's
comfortable, and with the extra branches, she's able to find her way up and
down.  We put rope through all the eye holes on each branch to help her
navigate, and it seems to be just the ticket!

I am SO glad to see Luna doing something other than being a perch potato.
It's obvious Luna already loves her gym and she's VERY busy chewing bark at
the moment.

THANK YOU!!!!

- D. A. Taylor

Hi Wayne,

Just wanted to tell you that we received Stinker's Cage care package the other day.  Thought I would give you a blow by blow testimonial of how things are going.  I really didn't truly believe what you said about how stinker would react...well here goes.

Day 1:  Hmmm, there is a big box in my room.  Wonder what it is... Wonder if it is for me.  Mom's opening it, it must be for me.  What is that?  Oh, how could anyone think I would play with trash like that.

Day 2:  Hmph... Don't like this stuff at all.  Just want to make sure you know that.  I am going to stand on top of my cage and make sure you see me pretending not to pay any attention to that stuff.  It's crap you know.

Day 3:  Busted.  Mom caught me red-handed with my beak on one of the toys.  I told her I was only acknowledging the presence of the toys for her benefit.  I'm not enjoying them at all, I tell you.

Days 4-8:  Well, I suppose that I don't want to hurt anyone's feelings, so I will try to amuse myself with this stuff.  I mean, it's in my cage, I might as well make some use of it!

Each day that goes by, Stinker pays a little more attention to the toys.  I can't say that he has really spent time chewing on them yet, but he certainly  does like the sting and the bell.  One definite benefit, the screaming has all but stopped.  He started screaming one night, and when I went in to check on him he was standing on one foot, gripping one of the toys in the other, screaming AT THE TOY!  This was fantastic!

I'll keep you posted as to the progress.  Hopefully he will actually start chewing them.

Thanks again,

Susan

Well, Wayne, you have outdone yourself again!
Tallulah's playgym is a work of art!  (Of course it
will look even better when she's on it.)

As soon as I got home from work, and I saw the box, I
was dragging it into the house and assembling it.  (at
11:00 pm!)  This morning, I spent some time decorating
it with all of the toys that I bought at the bird show
last weekend.

I can't wait till the hanging gyms come!  Boy, this is
a lot of excitement for one week.  Whew!

Heidi, Dynah & Tallulah

Hi Wayne,  Just wanted to let you know we received our hanging gym and it looks great.  Oscar had no problem getting right on.  Get ready because in the next few days I will be ordering 3gyms + another hanging for my new Timnah baby.  I will call about those.  Thanks again, Shelly

Good Saturday  Wayne-
Just wanted to drop you a note and let you know that we received the jumbo gym late Thursday, got it together yesterday (wow, it is huge and great looking) the tripod (the 3 macaws) got the first test and they ALL liked it so much each took at least a bite.
       When I am able to figure out how to download pictures from my camera, I will send you some of them all enjoying the gym.

Thanks again.
Naomi Clark in NH
Mom to:
Willow: grey cockatiel
Baby & Tasha: citron cockatoo
Bubba & Oscar: blue and gold macaws
Twinkle: galah
Rosita: ruby macaw
Zeus: pacific parrotlet
3 dogs, 4 kids (1is an angel) and a husband.

8-6-03

Dear Wayne,

The play gym arrived yesterday.  I am very impressed with how beautiful, well made, and functional it is.  Boaz absolutely loves it.  I'm seeing a side of him I never knew.  He's gone to town chewing.  He never chewed that much before!!
My boys were actually afraid that there wouldn't be anything left of it by today!
During dinner, he was hanging upside down on one leg from his swing, laughing!
Thank you so much.  My fianc� and I went out last night and bought a few more toys to hang from it.  I'm really impressed with how happy and content Boaz is.  Thanks again.                       Christina Spurrier

Hi Wayne,

I thought I'd give you an update on my CAG Max.   He has been completely cage free (even while I'm away at work ALL day) for 2 months now.  He loves it!  And as you can see by the enclosed picture he's been busy stripping the bark off that bottlebrush.  What a happy camper!

Thanks!
Tina Baranowski

Hi Wayne,

I got my new hanging play gym  yesterday evening.

After I pulled it out of the box, Phoenix, who was on his old, crummy
play gym of one perch, flew down to the floor, hopped on the new gym and
started chewing on the wood. It was hilarious. He was not scared of it,
he loved it immediately.

I am off to home depot today to buy a toggle bolt for the ceiling since
I can't find a beam for my eye bolt.

Thanks,
Emily

Wayne,

I just had to write again.  Sheila is thrilled with the play gym.  She
couldn't be happier and neither could we.  She is chewing and gnawing on
it, and not herself.  You were totally right about her grip being better on
the bottle brush. I had purchased some natural branches for her cage which
stopped her falling off, but on the bottle brush she is stretching and
beginning to climb and hang.  She whistles the entire time she is on the
gym and she is beginning to experiment with vocalizing. She also loves her
bottle brush perch when she is in the cage. It is so obvious how much
happier she is.  I'll be in touch within the month to order the cage package.

Take care and many, many thanks.

Rachael

Hi Wayne,
I just had to let you know that I received the perches and toy.  What neat stuff!  Thank you so much, you do great work and the extra stuff is greatly appreciated since my daughter just got a quaker.  The quaker took to everything quick. Andy, my green cheek remains cautious, but then again, I've seen him take a month to warm up to a new perch. I still haven't got my Hahn's, but I'm sure he'll love them when he gets here.  The new quaker, Kitty, loves the stuff and started chewing away immediately.  Ok Wayne, I'm sold.  I'll be placing a playstand order soon.  I'm sold on bottlebrush.
Mary Walker

Hello!

The gym arrived yesterday and is absolutely wonderful.  I'm
not sure what magic the UPS man used to get the box up the
stairs though, its huge!  After a very short time, Sheila
already hates to leave it and is currently, happily chewing
away at it in the other room.

I will send another update next week.

Rachael

It got here!!  He took to it like a mad man. Climbed right to the top for the bell and the leather . Now he's working on the loose pieces around bolts etc.  Paco and I love it, my husband is muttering but he'll get over it.  Thanks so much.
XXOO.
Penny and Paco

Hi Wayne,

The Care Package arrived today and it's just like Christmas! So much
stuff! We're overwhelmed! Thank you so much. You have done an
outstanding job and please know that I will be singing your praises to
all the bird people I know.

Thanks again.

Pat

Dear Wayne,
I just received my play gym! Big box :) Turbo LOVES it! He watched me
while I put it together and was bobbing up and down on his swing trying
to get a jump onto the branches. When I finally went to put him on the
gym, he walked right on it, started munching away at his food and
climbing around. He's even started to chew on the toys and branches a
bit. Thanks so much for this great play gym! I definitely will recommend
it to everyone parrot owner I meet who's looking for a great way to
entertain some bored fids.

Evie

You were right again Wayne.  This past weekend I actually got Max completely out of the room where his cage is.  The difference in his temperament is amazing!  He spent pretty much the entire weekend daylight hours on his gym in our kitchen and he did not fly off once.  He is also getting very comfortable with climbing all over the gym.  He did get startled a few times and like you said,  he did not fly off but instead retreated into the branches of the gym..................guess I jumped the gun in asking for a bottlebrush ladder.  I don't feel I'll need one now. 

Thanks SO MUCH for your advice!
Tina Baranowski

Hi Wayne!

Got the gym Friday. Put it together last night, it took longer to find the
right wrench than to assemble the gym. We have mostly metric wrenches. Lucy
has taken to her new gym almost immediately. Can't wait to see her chew it
up.

You build a high quality parrot gym!

Debbie

Hi Wayne,

Just wanted to let you know the play stand you built for Jake & Lola (Sun Conures) is exceptional!  I waited until I had taken it on a few trips before writing to you so I could give a real account of how well it works.  Let's look at a before and after glimpse of my life.  Before: Cindy drives 2 � hours to and from Napa each weekend.  Jake and Lola REFUSE to stay on their (now former) play stand for longer than 3 minutes (just long enough to go potty).  They climb on Cindy, nibble on her eyelashes and lips, bite her neck, try to crawl down her shirt, try to eat her keys, try to eat her steering wheel, try to climb onto the floor, chew holes in her shirt, scratch her (accidentally) with their nails while climbing like monkeys trying to find something interesting to do, and so on.  After: Cindy drives 2 � hours to and from Napa (3 trips now).  Jake and Lola stay on their play stand for the first hour!  Then they flap their wings to come to Cindy.  Once on Cindy, they try to crawl down her shirt (which is blocked by the seat belt), wander around for a few minutes, get bored, try to eat the keys, get put back on the play stand and stay there for the rest of the trip.  I'M NOT KIDDING!  They used to spend 98% of their time on me; now they spend 98% of their time on their stand.  It fits perfectly in the front seat just like you promised which greatly minimizes the mess they make.  They eat, play, preen, cluck, look out the window, and leave ME alone!  This means I don't have to dress in ragged clothes every time I travel and I don't arrive all scratched up with two very cranky birds.  Instead, I'm happy and their happy and I hope YOU'RE happy because you should be for doing such a great thing for us!!
Your products really are wonderful.  Thank you!

Cindy Miller
Chico, CA

Hi Wayne,

You were 100% right about my grey Max needing to get away from his cage and onto the playgym.  Being an African Grey it took him a couple of weeks to decide that it was not a big monster ready to gobble him up.  I have been taking it slow with him and finally it paid off.  He finally got the nerve to wonder out of his cage and onto the playgym................that's all it took.  He's hooked.  This past weekend he spent the entire weekend on his playgym.  No flying off.  I have never seen him so happy.  And he did NOT bite me when I picked him to go back to his cage at night!   That gym is a God send.  Thanks so much.

Tina Baranowski

Hi Wayne:

Sorry it took me so long to reply. It took Radar (7mos old) a week or so to accept
that bottlebrush is not a demon from hell sent to eat her *g*
But...now she's a chewing demon! Yippeeee!!!!!!
Another order will be coming shortly
Thanks for the wonderful product line
See you,
 Jan Fletcher
 Santa Fe, NM                          

Wayne,

I just got Pepe's gym!! I am very pleased with the way it looks.  I can't wait for him to come home to us.  Excellent work!!

Thanks,
Mike Poblet

Hi Wayne!

Just wanted to let you know that the stuff you sent is a hit!.  Mungo loves the swing and is warming up to the boomerang.  He�s never been an acrobat so the boomerang is a bit scary to him but I think he�ll become comfortable and learn to really like it.  As for the play stand;  at first he was a bit reserved and hung out on the uppermost reaches but is now climbing all over the thing!  I took your advice and tucked almonds here and there� that did the trick.  Thanks for being such a nice guy! 

Sue Marshall

Poulsbo WA

Hi Wayne:  Just received our third play gym last week and I wanted to thank
you.  Tiki, Senegal, took to it right away and is enjoying himself
immensely.  I've put the extra perches you sent in all three cages and that
is working out well too.  Thanks again for a great product.  Rosemary

Wayne,
  We got Merlyn's play gym today. Merlyn is a typical grey so we
expected a fairly slow adjustment period. We let him watch us put the
gym together, while we did this we pulled off small pieces of bark for
Merlyn to play with and get used to the texture and taste. After we
finished putting the gym together (about 10 minutes) Merlyn didn't seem
nervous so we asked him to step down to the tree. He spent the rest of
the afternoon and evening there, it was a battle to get him to go to
bed. His tail was wagging the whole time. Merlyn even stayed on the tree
while we moved it from room to room. He's already explored the whole gym
and removed most of the bark from a small branch. He loves it! We have a
very happy Grey, and you have customers for life. Thank-You for a great
product! Stefan & Mickie Thomas

Dear Wayne,

   Just a Quick Thanks. We received our gym. Let me tell you this.
HE  LOVES  IT..........
                                                                            thanks Dan&Deanna.

Hi Wayne,

Just wanted to let you know I received the playgym and Ka Nani and I love it!!!

It was quite easy to assemble, and my bird enjoys it! The first day, Ka Nani was a bit hesitant, but only took about 15 minutes from the time I put it up for Ka Nani to get really curious and start playing! You are so correct about getting your life back. I placed the play gym in the living room. This was the first time I cooked a meal without any disturbance, and better yet, to just sit, relax and watch t.v., or read a book in the same room without the bird requesting for attention. I love it!!!

Everyday, I leave the bird on the play gym longer and longer. Meaning I'm not continuously holding, and kissing the bird.

Well, I just wanted to share the first few days with you with the play gym in our lives (Ka Nani and mine)

Thanks again!

I just wanted to let you know my Meyer's parrot likes the playgym I got from
you....I appreciate the hooks for the toys to hang, and she has several toys
to play with too now.  She also has a hangy-type gym that is suspended from
the ceiling within reaching/climbing distance of the bottlebrush gym, so she
goes from the bottlebrush gym to the hangy one, to the window sill.....and I
have a ladder from the shelf the gym is on down to another shelf where I put
more stuff/toys.. so she's got a pretty great set up.  I leave her out all
day while I'm at work, when I come home at lunch and after work, she's on
the gym, the windowsill or the shelf, it's great and she seems deliriously
happy!

Thanks so much!  :)

Jane Rockley

Hi Wayne:

My bottlebrush play gym arrived on Wednesday (actually it's Pepper's, my
Hahn's Macaw.)  I actually didn't get a chance to put it together until
yesterday.  It was a breeze to construct (I had printed out your
instructions just in case.)  Pepper watched from his cage...but certainly
wasn't as excited as I was.  Nevertheless, both yesterday and today he has
been on it for various stretches of times and is adjusting to this new
"thing" in the den very nicely.  As with most Hahn's macaws, his
entertainment is climbing so he is definitely giving himself a workout. 
Anyway, thank you again - I appreciate the care and pride you obviously take
in your work.

Lee

Lee R. Hiltzik

P.S. Wayne, please add me (at this address) to your e-mail newsletter. 
Thanks.

It arrived yesterday, at the same time exactly as my house guests.  We unboxed it and put it in pieces in the sunroom with the larger birds.  This morning, I put it together with Echo and the others watching.  It took him (her) about 5 minutes to step onto it.  She was chewing on it before that, I guess giving it the taste test.  

I hung a few toys familiar to her on it already, but there are so many places to hang things, I'll have to break out the toy box and get things for the hangers.   Echo will chew a few bites, then say, "That's ugly."  because he'd been told that chewing most things was not nice to do.  Now, he can have all the chewables I can place in front of him.    And, it is the perfect height, with intricate branching and a totally natural arrangement.

I am pleased with the gym.  The green finish is like marble.  It rolls easily and I can steer it without a hassle.   The big toys which you made bounce and shake nicely, and provide a great enticement to play and chew.   Echo is going back and forth from his cage to the gym, which I moved really close to him to facilitate that.  He will have plenty of new features to explore, and not be bored sitting in one spot all day, or doing the same activity over and over.

The box arrived in good condition.  It was a well packed product, and I appreciate that.  I'm happy to note that your concern for your product includes its safe arrival intact and undamaged. 

It won't be long before I order one for conures, since I have 8 of those and 2 Quakers. 

Hi Wayne,

Thanks for the play gym.  My cockatoo loves it.  She's chewing the heck out
of it.
Thanks thanks thanks

Alexa

Hi Wayne,

I can't thank you enough for the swing and the bit's and piece's of bottlebrush...........Honestly I thought that it had slipped your mind and I didn't want to keep bugging you for something that I was getting at no expense to me........so I have to say that I was very surprised and delighted when it was delivered!!!!
I feel like Nico got 2 new entertaining toys and more........the swing is great, I have it hung on the valance in the kitchen by the sliding glass door. When I move his playgym into the kitchen the swing is an extension of the gym.....Nico just loves this!
I can't tell you how much fun Nico has with the bits and pieces of bottlebrush ................some of the twigs I fed through the eye hooks and Nico just loves to gnaw on them, much more than on the regular gym branches, I think because they're twigs rather than branches. He has one little twig that's about 2 inches long......it's on the eye hook on one of the upper branches, he stands on it and it teeter totters back and forth......its pretty funny to watch!
The chunks (small ones) make great foot toys, I'm just going to saw the bigger ones up as needed. As I said before it is like we got a bunch of new toys plus his gym has been renovated (ha) with all the new perches.........he is one fit little bird, the amount of exercise that he gets from playing on the gym is incredible! Nico is 10 months old now......everything seems to be falling in place with him.....his personality.....he's more affectionate and cuddly (if you remember he was rather nippy ) .......his feathers are really coming in, very shiny and rich in color!  Most of all is his strength and agility which I attribute to his gym.......his balancing ability has improved so much as well as his acrobatics ( you were so right when you said that watching your bird on the play gym would be more entertaining than TV) !
I have to say again how fortunate I feel for discovering you and your gyms!
Thanks Wayne again for your generosity...........I can't wait until my budget allows me to order either a tabletop or a hanging gym.......in the meantime we couldn't be happier with what we already have!

Take care,
Sue

Hi Wayne


Courtney LOVES her gym! It took her a few days, but now she's really
"into" it, and she is hopping from perch to perch like I hoped she
would. She also continues to chew on it a lot. She's already chewed
deep into the vertical branch that the toy attaches to, off the main
cross branch.

Also, just a while ago, she was perched on the gym, and all of a
sudden, she flew about 10 feet to the sofa where I was sitting. This
is the first time, in a year and a half, I've ever really seen her
fly! The last time she was clipped was about last October, and the
vet had told me in January to hold off on having her clipped again,
because he felt she was too fat. So, I immediately called the vet,
and got his OK to have her wings clipped tomorrow at the parrot shop.
But, anyway, I'm sure that the increased physical activity and mental
stimulation from the gym had something to do with her deciding to fly.

Thanks, Wayne

Ben Silverman
Oakland, California
& Courtney, My Severe Macaw.

Hi Wayne,

Well this certainly has been an interesting week!  My play gym arrived last Wednesday.  I had tracked it across the USA and was very excited for it to arrive.  It was a busy day at work so I printed out the "yea my gym has arrived" page off your website remembering that I had read some important things on it about a month earlier.  Well, in my hurry I accidentally left it at work.  I was already home with a great big box in my living room when I realized I didn't have it,.   I really couldn't remember what it said about avoiding the MONSTER syndrome but I was so eager that I went ahead and opened the thing with Jake and Lola, my sun conures, on my shoulder watching my every move.  I pulled that giant plastic-wrapped gym out of that huge box, struggled with the plastic wrap until I finally unearthed this huge play gym.  Since I had ordered the cage perch set too, the perches were neatly tucked inside the play gym, and I pulled them out, each looking like a giant tree-hand and laid them out on the carpet.  Then I pulled out the flexi-toy and gym perch, which really are BIG too.  Jake and Lola were still watching, albeit on the farthest side of my body possible.  So I sat down, all excited to show my babies their new home and when I tried to set them down on it the two of them screamed bloody murder! (this coming from two seriously courageous birds!)  You would have thought I was feeding them to a hawk!  Ooops!  (Needless to say, the next day I reread the "Yea" page and saw that they should have been in the other room for that part!  Uggh!) 

So, being the cool mama that I am, I decided we needed to get out of the house, away from the "creature."  I took one of the wood wheels with me so I could introduce them to bottlebrush in a non-threatening manner.  While we drove around and did errands, I set the wood piece on my lap and paid it no attention.  Of course, Jake just had to check it out.  Within moments, he was ripping the bark off in huge hunks and (I'm not kidding here) he was moaning with delight.  I have NEVER heard him make that sound-it was the sound of absolute happiness.  I was stunned.  So Lola checked it out and the two of them ripped the bark off with a vengeance, squeaking with pleasure.  It was great to see!

When I got back to the house, I put the play gym in their room, across from their cage, and left it there for two days.  I paid no attention to it whatsoever.  However, I did put two bottlebrush perches in their cage.  When I left for work that morning, the two of them were plastered to the side of the cage, convinced the perches were going to eat them.  But I left anyway, thinking they'd get over it.  When I came home for lunch, they were standing on one of them and had started nibbling away at one of the branches.  On the third day, I put them on the play gym and they were okay with it.  I didn't put the large perch toy on it or the flexi-toy.  I loaded the dishes with goodies and then sat in the room while they explored it.

Well, that was the moment our lives began to change.  Jake and Lola played on that thing for HOURS without even asking to be picked up!  I couldn't believe it.  Normally, if I was in sight, they HAD to be on me.  They'd beg and beg, flapping their little wings, until I finally picked them up.  Now they were playing on their own for hours.  Wow! 

But today really takes the cake.  I'm not even sure I truly happy about it.  A few days ago, I set their play gym up next to their cage so they could easily climb back and forth; I put a ladder so they could climb up to their cage if they fell off.  Then I left them like that while I went to work and asked a friend to peek in now and then to ensure that they were still on the stand.  Everything went fine.  I even noticed yesterday that they hadn't even been in/on their cage for the entire day!  Anyway, back to TODAY!  Today, when I left, they didn't even scream good-bye!  Every day for the last year, I have left the house to SCREAMING birds.  I was always afraid to go back into the house if I forgot something because they'd start screaming again.  But today, as I loaded up my stuff and closed the door to their room, not a peep.  Not a sound.  They just watched me walk out the door!  I couldn't believe it.  Then I remembered I forgot something, so I went back in their room, grabbed it, and left.  Again, no sound.  Then I went in again, my feelings a bit hurt I confess, to grab my coat and they just watched me come and go!!  It made me feel like they didn't love me anymore!  It was like: "Sure babe, take off and leave us for the day.  We're cool.  No problem."  WOW!!  I have to admit I'm truly tripped out by it.

So I guess it was a success, huh?  They have a life and they don't need me to entertain them anymore.  It's like sending your kids off to college.  Ouch.  Then again, I am pleased by it because I don't feel so guilty about not being there.  And life will be easier without them clinging to me every moment they can.  I just need a few days to work this out emotionally <*grin*>.

Anyway, I need to order a smaller tabletop play gym for our travels.  I'll work it out with you next week.  In the meantime, I do want to thank you for your amazing product.  It really did give Jake and Lola a life!

Warmly,
Cindy Miller

Wayne,
It's been almost a year since I bought a Playgym from you for my 5 year old
orange-winged Amazon, Buzzard.
Since we moved into our new house last July, I basically just stuffed his
cage ($500, used -- came with the "used" parrot) into a spare bedroom and we
have not used it since. He has shown no interest in peering out at the world
through iron bars. Nor do I care to look at him when he's in jail.
So Wayne, Buzzard has found a home on his Playgym, day and night. No need to
"put him away" if I have to leave the house -- even for a day or two. I've
let his wings grow back so he can fly, but he always returns to the perch.
It is most definitely his home. I am seriously thinking of putting his cage
up for sale; we have no use for it and I could put the money to better use
(a bigger Playgym?)
The only alteration I have made to the Playgym is screwing in one of those
Emory-board things on the end of a branch so he can do his nails. He takes
care of his beak just fine with the bottlebrush but seems to need something
a bit more abrasive for his toenails. In other words, with this minor
addition Buzzard has become a "maintenance-free" bird.
Other than that, there's not a thing I (or Buzzard) would change about the
Playgym. It's his "space" and he is free to watch the world come and go from
it.
Thanks for a great innovation. I am no pro; Buzzard is the first parrot in
my life, but I think this is as good as it gets. Within the ultimate
confines of captivity -- after all, he is living inside a house in northern
Idaho as opposed to loose in a jungle somewhere -- your Playgym has set him
free!
Best to you and Rio.
-David-

Hi Wayne,

The fabulous deluxe blue bottlebrush play gym you built for Armand arrived yesterday. It is easy to assemble and Armand took to it immediately.

I will move the medium sized play gym I bought from you last year to our country place tomorrow. That way, my eclectus parrot Armand can better enjoy his home away from home on weekends too.

Thank you and be well,

Frank Robertson

Well gosh, Wayne . . . 
I envy you. You're obviously doing something you feel passionately about,
and it shows in the quality of your work. Hopefully you are making a buck or
two at it, too. I was in the newspaper trade for 20 years, got sick and
tired of publishers with fewer brain cells than a cabbage calling the shots,
went freelancing, starved, found some esoteric but great markets, I still
starve some months, others are great, and I haven't looked back. Good rush.
Fear is an essential component of joy.
Not a lot of parrot parents hereabouts. So the continual comment from guests
is, "Where do you put him at night? Or when you're away? Won't he fall off?"
etc. I'm not your greatest salesman. I just tell them, gesturing towards the
Playgym, "Buzzard stays wherever he wants to stay, which seems to be right
there."
I got lucky here. Always kinda wanted a parrot, a great aunt had a caged
mynah bird, but the prices were too daunting. $2k for the bird, plus all the
accessory crap. Sitting in a bar one night with a friend who was about to
get married to a gal with this unruly bird she's had a few years, they
needed to loose the bird or no marriage, vicious noisy screechy animal,
don't get near or he'll bite -- am sure you've heard the story. I took
Buzzard (and the fancy cage) off their hands for twenty bucks. Thought it
was one of those beer-talk deals until they showed up on my front porch the
next evening with the bird in a cardboard box and an SUV-full of
paraphernalia. "He's yours and you can't bring him back."
Got all the shit set up, bird in cage. I'd reach in there to try to pet him
and he'd bite me right down to the bone. Poor guy felt cornered and it took
awhile to learn his rules, starting with leaving the cage door open in the
hopes he'd fly out a window or drown in the toilet or something. After a few
weeks he would crawl out of the cage and sit atop it, and accepted an
offered finger-perch. Poor guy. He seemed miserable and I was figuring I'd
wasted my twenty bucks. That's when I found your website. Life has
definitely improved for both of us since the Playgym.
Buzzard is still not all what a parrot is supposed to be in terms of
playfulness, to read the literature, but we have our fun. He likes to swing
from my finger so I carry him around the house like an upside-down suitcase;
other times he is content to sit on my shoulder whilst I type. Kind of a
snob when it comes to music, too; he definitely prefers Chopin to Toby Keith
. . . But we are learning. And you're right: there is absolutely no useful
literature about these critters.
Anyway, Wayne, as you might guess I get a little rhapsodic when discussing
this crazy bird. Absent any decent literature, we just keep making this up
as we go along.
Please keep up the good work, amigo.
On the legal side, please accept anything I've sent you as a willing
endorsement for you to do with as you please.
best,
David

Hello Wayne,
Your toys and stuff arrived today and my Greenwing saw me taking things out of the
boxes and grabbed a toy and wouldn't let go. Had to have it!! He was not
heard from again for the rest of the afternoon. My blue and gold...same
thing. This wood is wonderful!  Thank you!
Thank you again. I know you are completely right about this wood and the
need to chew. I am looking forward to watching them play with these toys
knowing that they will last for a while!!
Best regards,
'Rita
Avian Adventures Aviary

Hi Wayne!

Abaco�s �downstairs� hanging gym arrived on Friday. It received a wide range of whistles and pinning eyes from Abaco. She raced up and down and was immediately hanging upside down and swinging away. This one seems to be extra chewy and for a while I thought we were going to have to change her name to �Chopper.� She still prefers her hanging gyms over her stationary gyms and when perched on your finger, will literally throw her entire body towards the patio to go out to her hanging playground.

Thank you for making a product that makes Abaco so happy. We love watching her parrot antics, listening to her squeals of delight, and knowing she is safe and having a blast.

Make sure to keep us in the news loop for any new gyms or parrot palaces!

Best regards,

Gary, Misti & Abaco

Wayne,
     Just wanted to let you know that I received our new playgym, (second
one) and it is wonderful. We now have one playgym in the basement and
another one upstairs. TAI our Umbrella Cockatoo loves both of them. She is
rarely in her cage and has a great time climbing and chewing both playgyms.
For our family, the big issue, among many, with her cage was the fact that
she could easily climb down off of her cage and get into everything,
especially trouble! She rarely if ever gets off of the playgym and this gets
her out of her cage more often. Once again, Thanks Wayne
Mike Butler
New Jersey

Wayne,

I am very impressed!  Not only is this the most amazing play gym I have seen, it is solid and is chock full of fun entertainment for my African Grey.  Your passion for birds is clearly shown in your creation.  You have solved Spirit's problem of boredom at the office.

I thank you and my Grey thanks you.

Sincerely,
Robin Maylor
University Place Washington

Wayne,

Sorry I have not written to let you know that my tabletop playstand
arrived... lots of overtime at work.  As usual, you are to be commended for
the quality of work on your stands.  This particular size was perfect for my
needs.  The way I look at it, you can never have too many of your
bottlebrush playstands ;)

Thanks again,

Shirley

greetings Wayne,

well our wonderful gym came yesterday for our RIO a scarlet
macaw,  he loves it! he is tearing the twirl piece to bits! i didn't
realize that he would do that so quickly.  he must need to let out his aggression
in a big way.   Just wanted to let you know we did receive it and how much we
appreciate your time with us to get just the right "fit".  We also took your suggestion about getting "Poop Off", it works great.
thanks again,
Janice and Jim  Shehan

Oh, Wayne, Boomer just loves her play gym.  At first she was frightened,
but within one day she was chewing away.  She seems much happier and
more content and is finally stepping up for us without biting or moving
away.  And we're so happy too.  Your work is very well done.  Thank you,
thank you, thank you!

Jo Ann, Jim & Boomer

P.S.  As the weather gets warmer, we'll be in touch for an outside
perch too!

Dear Wayne,
                    The gyms arrived a few weeks ago and they are great!  My Congo African Grey, Brandi, loves hers. She stays there all day and that's where she is happy. Brandi has began to chew some of the bottlebrush and the extra toy. The Sun Conure, Sunshine, likes to chew the bottlebrush, but is not trained to stay their all day yet. When the UPS guy delivered them I ran outside and brought them in the house, got a knife, and started opening the box. LOL I couldn't wait to see what they were like. I like the look of them, they are nice and blend in with the furniture. The perches for the cages are good and easy to put in. That is where the birds sleep. Thanks for the time and effort you put into making my birds their gyms.  A customer for life. Gail, Rachael, Brandi and Sunshine.
Gail Galida

Wayne,

Hello!!  I forgot to email you last Wednesday to let you know the playgym
arrived in wonderful condition.  IT'S FABULOUS!!  Just exactly what we
needed, and it's already been claimed by Aphrodite (our wicked male
Senegal).  He's already going into his 'wee house' at night much easier
because he knows he gets to come out to his cool bottlebrush playgym the
next day.  Or maybe it's because he's so tuckered out after a few hours on
it that he's ready to sleep?  Whatever it is, we're sure the playgyms are
responsible for our "new & improved Aphrodite"!

It's been a pleasure doing business with you again,

The Rosenberg's & Winged Thynges

P.S.  I have a page dedicated to your playgyms on my website.  I'll be
updating soon with pictures of the fids playing on the new playgym as well
as the older one.

http://web.archive.org/web/20030410051923/http://www.wingedthynges.com/

Hi Wayne,

Just wanted to let you know that your playgym arrived yesterday. It took me
longer to unwrap it then put it together. I really love it.  My Amazon just
sat in one spot on it last night but I think when he gets used to it and
realizes that he can chew on it he will be all over it. After I ordered it
I was afraid that I should have ordered the large but after seeing it the
medium is just fine and is plenty big.  Now my bird has a real place to play.
Susan Smith

Hi Wayne-
  The gym was put up on Mon (March 3) with Kila watching.  As of today:
  Danny had Kila right up next to the gym today and she didn't back away or turn her head and not look at it (like she did with me!).  She would lean back when he tried to get her to step on it though.  She was VERY interested in the "toy" piece when I offered it to Clara, but when she went to get it, she became uncomfortable with it.  But the interest is there, and her comfort level is getting better with the gym.  Hopefully within a week, but of course it's up to her. 
  We're very happy with it...the materials are wonderful and the craftsmanship top-notch!  Thanks so much.  It fit perfectly in the spot we had for it.  I'll be in touch, as I'd like to get her a perch for her cage made from the bottle brush.

Sincerely,
Cheryl Treadwell

Wayne,

Thank you for the really nice playgym you created for my kids.  It is really attractive, and I think the kids will really enjoy it.  We received it yesterday.  Both of my birds were a little hesitant, so for today we are just looking at it.  Tonight we will try to introduce the fun. I am sure it will be very well enjoyed.  I was really pleased to see all of the eyehooks for adding toys, there are so many options. And I was also impressed with how attractive it is.  This is a piece of parrot furniture that will look nice in my living room, unlike some of the white plastic towers out there. It is really quite nice.

Thanks again.  Dawn Fisher, Mpls MN

Wayne...

The Gym is here and the bird is soooooo happy already.  He took to it right away.  He is nibbling at the bark and seems to be having an entertaining time.

The colors are beautiful and the workmanship is terrific!!!  I am very glad that I found your product.  Keep up the good work!

Sincerely,
Mscreekrunr,
Debra
Bayville,NJ

Hi Wayne.

This morning, Gary remarked that your hanging gym is your best product yet, at least for Abaco. She becomes a total extrovert  on her hanging gym. Don’t get me wrong, both the tabletop and full-scale deluxe gyms we purchased are great and she loves them—she just goes crazy on the hanging gym.

Our morning routine is different since we hung the gym. It used to be that we took her out of her cage, put her on her big floor gym while fixing her breakfast, then brought her downstairs onto her table-top version so that she could enjoy a leisurely breakfast, while joining in on the bed making, hair dryer and getting ready for work action. Now when we place her on her big floor gym she flaps her wings, puts her foot out to step up, and once on a hand she literally leans over, throwing her body weight to the stair case and whistling from a high to low tone as we’ve always done when taking her downstairs. Once downstairs and walking out to whatever patio her hanging gym is perched, once she sees the gym she literally flaps her wings and stretches towards it. Once on it she’s doing head bobs, tail wags, hanging by a foot, and then just her beak (Look Mom...no feet!), gurgling, whistling and singing away.

Whether on purpose or by accident, she’s taken up the sport of limb dropping...dropping from one limb to a lower limb...not climbing down and not swinging...dropping.  At first when she did it I thought that I’d have to pick her up from the floor and place her back on the gym, but no, she landed on another branch or grabbed one of her toys. She’s done this several times, it does not appear to be accidental, she is not shaken up afterwards,  in fact she seems to love it.

She just reached her 7 month birthday last week This weekend, while on her hanging gym,  she FINALLY crowed several favorite words/phrases (a very loud and audible “H-E-L-L-0”, “Bad Boys, Bad Boys, Whatcha-gonna-do”, “pretty girl”, and “yabba-dabba-Abaco”) which I’m sure she’s been working on for some time...she just had to wait for the right time to share them with us. She had the neighbors and us in absolute stitches.

She was literally on her hanging gym from sun-up to sun-down this weekend, that is in-between her showers, and trips on our hand to other locations around the house.

Although there is more mess containment planning with this gym, as Gary said, “Abaco totally comes out of her shell on the hanging gym, it’s her favorite. And, because she loves it, the floor pan and extra “planning” is well worth it.”

Thank you!

Misti Guertin

Hi Wayne.

I meant to write you earlier to thank you for the lovely stand, but got distracted.  Gizmo (Quaker) and Gonzo (Senegal) both love the swing.  They don't use the gym at the same time, though (some rivalry there...). 

Gonzo has been busily shredding whatever he can get his beak on when perched on the playgym.  I think I may have to sign him up for "woodshredders anonymous."  If he happens to destroy too much, I will have to order some extra parts from you.  I've discouraged him from chomping on the swing too much since that looks difficult to replace.  At least it's being put to good use.  Do birds normally go at it this much?  He's uncovered about 1/8th of the bark already. 

Let me know what other products you have when you have a chance... or are they online somewhere?

Thanks again.

Regards,

Lynn

Playgyms arrived on Friday.  As I was putting the first one together there
was two very curious little birds watching every move.  Just as soon as the
first one was completed it was evident they wanted on it.  No break in
period needed here.  I've never seen our little grey get into so many
hanging and swigging positions, nor has she been a chewer before but she
loves that knot and the bark on the branches.  She's whistling, talking and
playing.

The little conure has been all over that playgym but runs around the rim on
the tray, around and around and around as if it was a racetrack.  Even the
tray is a hit. LOL.  The other little guy sits on the big perch that screws
into the top so he's as high as he can get when he proceeds to chew.   The
amazing thing to me is I hooked toys onto these gyms that they've never
played with before but now all of a sudden they're playing with those toys too.

The gyms are not only a hit with these little guys for their enjoyment but
they are fabulous for us too.  What a wonderful addition to our home.  They
are not only gorgeous but is very enjoyable to watch the birds playing or
sitting on them.  It's so evident they love their new playgyms and is so
enjoyable watching them play. Far better than seeing them on their cagetop
playgyms. You've done such a nice job, Wayne.  They are far more than
stated on your website.   These are truly a work of art.

Thanks so much.  I'd recommend them to everyone.
Lynn and the birdie gang

Hi Wayne,                                                                    
I'm sooo happy, the playstand has arrived!  As your previous clients have said, it is  much more beautiful  in person, the pictures don't give it the justice it deserves!  I can't stop looking at it !  You were right about the blue marble, it's  gorgeous!  What a great addition to my living room!

I followed the directions that you have on your website and I must say they were very helpful. It took no time at all to put the stand together, what did take the longest amount of time was cutting off the plastic (haha)........you sure do a great job of packing it up.

Next it was time to get  Nico, my 8 month old PeachFront and introduce him to his new playstand. Again I followed your directions (easy) ...........I wish you could have seen him.........not one bit of hesitation....he jumped on and without missing a beat started his " I'm so happy"  purr. Usually this is what I hear from him when he's eating something he loves!  A big stamp of approval from Nico!  What was really something was that I still needed to attach the top to the base, so I took Nico off and put him on my shoulder to do this. Well he proceeded to jump right back onto the playstand. So  I finished putting it together with him on the stand, even screwing on the the monster perch toy.........none of this bothered him at all!  By the way I agree the perch toy is a must.....as soon as Nico found it he was happily gnawing away. These last few weeks he has really been acting frustrated, I knew he wasn't filling his craving with what I had to offer, so I feel like this alone has solved a huge problem!  I think the flexi toy is another must, it can been changed into so many different positions, Nico has already hung upside down off the end of it!   He found the swing too. He reminds me of a kid that's been let out for recess on a new playground for the first time, running around and trying everything out!   

I can't wait until tomorrow , he only had a few hours on it today, I can only imagine the entertainment yet to come! It was really worth the wait, I feel like it's Christmas!  With out a doubt I'm a customer for life!

We thank you!
Sue Brown
Concord, Ca.

Hi Wayne.

Abaco thoroughly enjoyed her hanging play gym this weekend. She is traversing the ENTIRE gym (minus the PVC piece), including the metal hoop at the top. It’s beak over foot to the top, a step over the PVC bottom to the other half of the hoop, and then in Abaco language it’s “weeeeeeeeeee” as she slides to the bottom back down to the wood. She’s hilarious. She loves all the extra little branches that you left on the gym. We also hung one of your circular hanging chew toy swings on the end of the gym...that was a big hit with her as you will see in the enclosed photographs.

We moved the gym from the front patio to the back patio a couple of times over the weekend. It was very easy and gave Miss Abaco varying views and the ability to be a part of all the family weekend activities and chores. (She loved watching, listening and joining in with the leaf blower and lawn mower action from the safety of the screened patio. The louder the better!)

Can’t wait to go home this evening and put Abaco on her hanging gym out on the veranda for a little evening fresh air!

Misti Guertin

Hi Wayne!  

We LOVE the new play gym!  Our Caique spends most of her day on it happily chewing swinging and "hanging" around (literally!)!  She sings and purrs (her happy noises) more often now and doesn't seem to mind returning to her cage, as it's another place to play now.  She's done fairly well with the "stay" command,  but if I'm out of sight for several hours, she comes looking for me using her "where are you?" call.

Just wanted to thank you again!  If I ever figure out how to down load the picture of her on it, I'll send it to you.  Attached is a picture of my two "kids."

Thanks!
Eileen McConkie

Hi Wayne.

Abaco’s hanging gym arrived yesterday. After gauging it’s size, before heading home to give it the Abaco test, stopped at Lowe's to pick up a hot water heater tray as you suggested. Also picked up a Patina Faux kit so that with a little artistic creativity the tray will match our home’s décor.

As with your other play gyms, it was easy to put together (thank you!) and within minutes it was hanging from one of the patio’s ceiling plant hooks. When I brought Abaco down to see her new “outdoor” gym, the white PVC tube at first intimidated her. Finally (reluctantly at first) she stepped down onto the lower branch and within seconds was navigating the entire gym. She jousted  a bit with the hanging toy you included, and once we added a couple of her favorite toys to it, she actually became more physical and agile on the new one than she has been on her other two bottlebrush gyms. Maybe it was because of the slight sway from her swinging from one level to another, or possibly because nothing was beneath her and this was more tree like? Not too sure, but she was definitely having blast...she certainly gave it high feathers (or high squawks).

Before it got too cool (temperatures escaping down into the low 60s, which she does not like), our neighbors to the back of our home actually came out of their house and hung over their balcony to watch and enjoy the show. I don’t know if we were laughing too loudly or if it was Abaco’s babbling, whistling, and cackles that brought them out. Hey, maybe we can charge admission in the future?!

As with your other gyms, I’m grateful for the multiple hooks included for hanging toys. This gym is the perfect traveling companion. I put it together at the office, but folded it down to transport in the car. Now when I visit my parents or friends who want Abaco to visit as well, all we’ll have to do is locate a plant hanger, unfold her gym, fill her food and water cups, and she’ll be hanging out in high parrot style in no time flat.

Gary commented that to create the ultimate parrot palace that someday it would be fun to buy another, hang it close to the other one, and create some type of a bridge to connect them to one another, thus giving Abaco more space to explore. So, if you have any ideas on the engineering that could be performed to accomplish such a hanging palace, let me know.

I’ll give you a progress report and forward some photographs in the next couple of weeks. I am very happy with the gym and can’t wait to give Abaco more time on it. As I said before, she really appeared to like it as well!

Talk with you soon!

Misti Guertin (Abaco’s Mom)

Hi Wayne,

We received our play gym today and we absolutely love it.  Gonzo has been on it since we got it and is going crazy for it.  The pieces are definitely interesting and we made good use of all the toy hooks.  We appreciate the time you took in designing it for us and you have made us a lifetime customer.  We look forward to the new toys you will be making.

Thanks so much,
Gonzo and Lindsay,
Phoenix, AZ

Hi Wayne!
We received the Play Gym and after a rough few days, where Corky screamed
like the gym was going to kill him, he realized that it wasn't an evil
monster and started to gnaw at it. He's doing a good job of being a saw at
the moment at he seems content to play on it for hours.

Thank you so much for offering such a highly crafted piece of WONDER for our
Fids. I can't begin to tell you what a difference we are already seeing in
our baby.

Thanks!

Hi Wayne:  Just to let you know, the Playgym arrived today!!!  My husband and my sons had it all set up by the time I got home from work ~ What a surprise!!!  It is absolutely beautiful, and our Sun Conure Buddy absolutely LOVES it!!  He wore himself out playing on it, and is now snuggling with the guys as they watch "Ed, Edd, and Eddy" before he goes to bed.....  

I love the look of the Playgym, you can sure tell you put a lot of time and effort into it.  I'm sure it is going to get lots of use as Buddy's favorite new place to "hang out" with us.  Thank you for the Gym, and thank you from Buddy ~ will send a picture of him when I get the Digital camera figured out!    Your Friend,    Mary Vollmert   The Woodlands, Texas

p.s.  ~ I am enjoying the advice on your website, and I have learned a lot!

Hi Wayne

I just received the Gym today Wow I want to play on it haha. Tinker was watching me very close when I was putting it together. He was a little timid at first then wham he headed straight for the Knot. He is a little shy of the upper arm right now so I moved it to the side, but I am sure he will be at it in no time. My wife will be home later to see it, so I will give you her feedback later. I will also send you some photos with tinker on the play Gym. As for my input all I can say is WOW what a work of Art. Thanks again for the suggestion on the color it fits right in with the rest of the House. I will talk to you later Wayne, and once again THANKS.   :^)

Hi Wayne,
Tanz is loving the gym, in the 3
months he's been here I have never seen him chew as much as he has this week.
He has settled down nicely and the bag of sticks and stuff is great to make
some extra toys. He was used to me leaving him on his other gym for quick 5
minute trips away from the apt but I let him stay for an hour on his new one. I
returned home to find him gnawing on the perch toy. He loves that thing!
Anyway, just wanted to let you know all is well. Now I need to place an order
for the flexi toy. Talk to you during the week.
Steve

Hello Wayne,

So far, I must say, it was well worth the wait.  I have only had my gym for 1 day and 2 nights.  The second night, last night, Buddy (Umbrella Cockatoo) played on the gym for the first time.  So, I got the gym Wednesday night, and he was playing on it Thursday night.  This is impressive in itself, it took him 4-5 days to get on his last gym, he's very tentative when it comes to anything new.  The quality of the product is evident, and shows the care and effort you put into it.  Only time will tell what my final opinions will be, since Buddy has had little time with it so far.  So far though, it seems my money was well spent, and I am happy with the construction of the gym.  Here are some pictures I took last night, Buddy's first time on the gym!  I'll have some better pictures, as time goes on.

Thanks!

Jim

Hi Wayne,

I just finished putting together my bottle brush play stand.  All I have to
say is WOW!  Not only was it easy to put together but it is so much more
than I expected.  It's beautiful. My Caique is sitting on it right now.
Thank you so much.

Windy

I just wanted to give you an update on how Sydney likes her small play
gym.  She has been on it since it arrived and was never scared of it.  She is
hardly ever off of it except to go to sleep at night and when I go out. 
Occasionally something will scare her outside the window and she will fly
down, so I don't feel safe yet leaving her on it when I go out.  She has
found one particular branch that she has been working on, as well as the knot
at the  bottom.  She really seems to love it, and I am so glad that she is
a happier bird.  I just read in a Senegal book that Senegal's really begin
chewing at around three years old, and she is only seven months.  So it's
nice to know that she will have many happy chewing years to come.   I can't
thank you enough for a beautiful product with my birds happiness and well
being in mind. 

Robin

Hi  it came at 5;00pm  and before I could bring the birds in the room, my husband had it standing next to Tilly" old stand, well all the birds where afraid, but after about 5 minutes I tried to put Tilly on well she put one foot on, after 10 min. she stayed and stayed she was eating and took a little shower !!! Well, I be, Tilly is always afraid of everything for EVER it took her month to even try out her first playstand!!!! I am so surprised by her action. Guess she is happy and so

Dear Wayne,
Received play gym on Wednesday. Baby, (quaker parrot) just loves it. Workmanship is excellent. Thank you so much for the enrichment you have provided in Baby's life with your wonderful product. Thank you for caring and making a difference.
Sincerely, Tina Davich

The gym arrived Saturday.  It's wonderful.  Lila was a bit hesitant at first, but after she sunk her beak into once, she loved it.  I've sent you a few pictures of her enjoying her new gym.

Thanks,

Patty & Lila

Dear  Wayne  -  We received the stand today.  Thank you it is beautiful!!
I will forward a picture to you when we are all settled in with it.  Thank
you again.  Jane

Dear Wayne,

Nila thinks she has died and gone to bird paradise.  I just re-read you home
site as I was getting nervous at the rate of destruction to the gym  It
arrived on Monday and I put it together immediately.  By the time I woke up
Tuesday morning, the top tray and the floor were covered with bark.  This
morning - same thing. But I can tell how happy she is already becoming and
she does not run in her cage whenever I walk up to her.  I think she thought
I was always going to make her go in - I wasn't, but she and I are still new
to each other.  She does seem to think that this is her own place now.
Thanks so much.  You were right - it was definitely worth the wait.

I hat to take up more of your time, but I do have a quick question.  Is it
better if her cage is adjacent to the gym, in the same room, is another
room?   We can do whichever is preferable.  I don't want to scare her and
that was her home for MANY years - more than I ever want to think about
again, but her happiness and adjustment are paramount.

I hope you are less stressed now and do keep me posted on your new ideas and
products.  Nila thinks your idea is great and so do I!!!  Nila sends her
African Grey love - no bites.

Linda

I want to answer this one here, for my readers.  I live in the real world, not the fantasy world many people on the internet seem to think you live in.  If putting the gym next to the cage works for you, do it.  It will still do wonders to improve your birds disposition, and you will notice a difference in temperament when your bird is on his gym, and on his cage.  His cage is his roost, needing to be defended.   As for chewing up the gym, the outer bark is soft and easily removed.  Over time, this will subside, and the best part starts, the Gnawing.  Enjoy.

Wayne

Hi Wayne!

I'm very excited because UPS brought the Parrot Gym only minutes ago! I
couldn't help but open the box (before getting it home) to look! It's
wonderful!!!! I'm also very excited that you made one with a Bottlebrush
knot in it! (I was hoping...).

I'll let you know how it goes and send stories about Mya's antics when
she gets used to it! I think she's going to LOVE it! (I do!).

THANK YOU and please take good care!

:-)
Diana

Hello Wayne,

Thanks so much for the beautiful play gym.  I fell in love with it at first sight but convincing Buster was another story.  As I mentioned to you on the phone, she is very, very slow to take to new things.

I tried all sorts of tactics to get her interested in it but she was having no part of it.  The first time I did manage to set her on it, she was scared stiff and sat there like a frozen statue.

I moved it closer to her cage each day and finally it was practically touching the door when it was open.  She will usually come out and climb up on the door and sit there.  The first few days she would not even climb out and then she would climb out but not on the door (as it was touching "the big, scary thing".  She would even climb up on top of her cage and play up there, which she never did before but she was checking out the play gym.  I started playing with it and telling her how nice it was and then I resorted to putting popcorn on the different branches to try and entice her.  Af first she would only come close enough to snatch a piece of popcorn but each day she got a bit braver.  I was really get quite worried that she was not going to take to it.
The day before yesterday she finally went from the top of her cage door onto the center perch and she started checking it out and eating the popcorn etc.  Today she went right over there again and now she has discovered that the wood is good for chewing on and making a big mess and she is loving it.  When the gym first arrived, I put the sleeping perch in her cage and also hung a piece of the bottlebrush in her cage.  She still has not gone near either one and has yet to make the connection that the wood is the same.  I am so happy that she likes it and it is an exceptionally well-built thing.  I feel extra special that my gym has several knots on it.  Lucky bird!  She still has not figured out how to use "the spiral staircase" she just climbs up and down the straight part.  Guess that will come with time.

Again, thanks for the wonderful gym.  I hope you succeed and enjoy your new direction that your business is taking.  I am sure I will be ordering again from you.

Happy New Year!

I am attaching some photos of Buster on her new gym.  Thought you might like to see.  As you can tell from them, the table top version worked out perfectly for the table I had planned for it.

Thanks again,
Sandy and Buster

Got it!  Beautiful set up.  I love the wood, the
spongy bark is pretty neat.  Never felt bottlebrush
before.  I can see why it's popular with parrots.
Can't wait to put my grey on it next week when she
comes home.  Thanks again.

Hi Wayne,
Just wanted to thanks for all your help and advice, I tried
putting nuts on the tray below and it worked like a charm,
he is now all over the branches. I feel so ignorant and you
seem to be so natural and common sensible about birds,
anyway, thanks again. You not only build great products, you
are very knowledgeable about birds, but you are also a very
caring people person too.
THANKS, YOUR THE GREATEST.

Bill Russell

Wayne,

The perch that we ordered as a housewarming gift for our friends is a
major hit.  The family to whom we sent it, absolutely love it. Their
bird has undergone a personality change.  Peety the cockatiel has begun
to sing and has stopped feather plucking after only a few weeks on the
perch. It took the bird a few days to get used to the wood (it had been
sitting on top of its cage previously) and the changes both physio- and
psychological are obvious. 

Thanks again  (BTW This is the third perch that we have bought from you
and they keep getting better!)

Cliff

Hi.  I just received my gym on Christmas Eve which was perfect timing since
it was my grey, Bubba's, Christmas present.  As soon as we put it together I
put him on it and he loved it.  Didn't fly off once and loves chewing the
branches and the toys I put on it for him.  I will be ordering in the future.
 My next goal is to buy a cage package for him.  Thanks.

Karen Valdivieso

Hi Wayne!

I just wanted to let you know I received my play gym on Monday and it is
soooooooooo awesome!!!!  It's exactly what I had hoped for and then some!  I
cannot WAIT to see my little sun conure enjoying herself on it.  I cannot
thank you enough for such a wonderful piece of craftsmanship.  You
definitely have a customer for life!

Thanks again,
Tysha Fix

I got the gym...and I love it...thanks...and my cockatoo Tia loves it also...thanks again...Debbie.....

Wayne,

The playgyms arrived on 12/23/02.

They are GORGEOUS!!!  You really outdid yourself this time.  That burl
walnut is amazing and the cherry almost matches my office furniture.

Shaka (our Cape) has already been introduced to both playgyms and made
friends with them right away.  I gave the spinner a spin and she immediately
ran over to attack it.

Thanks so much for including both the toy and the swing.  Shaka is
interested in the swing, but doesn't quite know what to do with it yet.

Have a happy holiday.

Ruth, Jeff, and Shaka Markham

Dear Wayne,
Just wanted to let you know the gym arrived yesterday.  My Senegal absolutely loves it.  No warm up period or anything-he immediately jumped on and began to explore.  He loves the chewy knots!  Thank you for selecting branches with knots on them.  He already found the swing and was busy hanging upside down swinging away.  Thank you for making his life a little more enjoyable!  Happy holidays to you and your family.
Christina Brookshire

Hi Wayne:

Received Play Gym two days ago and it's wonderful!  KiKi loves it and she has a great time on it.  I've been telling people about your website and your product.  My best for a wonderful Holiday Season

Hi Wayne

I got the playgym 2 days ago and it looks real great. I am very happy with
it. Thank you so much also for the extra branch, it comes in perfect time
for his travel cage which he will be using very soon for Christmas. Poopie
is getting to like his playgym but he does not like it when I roll it and
he is not even on it! I hope you don't mind that I included a picture of
Poopie on his new "home".

Thank you again.

Louise Smith

Hi Wayne.

Received Abaco’s cage package yesterday.

She watched me unpack the box while eating dinner atop of her gym. Before I began dismantling the perches that came with her cage, I offered her a choice of small bottlebrush scraps that you included in the box. She chose one and proceeded to happily chew away! One scrap kept her amused the entire evening.

Abaco has a large 44 inch wide cage, which stands about five feet high. Once I inserted all of the components of your cage package, the cage resembled a Disney World for parrots! A small perch was situated in one of the back top corners for sleeping, and then we randomly attached perches and toys though out the cage so that she could easily move from one level to another. The flex toy and circular ring toy immediately captured Abaco’s attention when we retired her to the cage for the evening.

Although very sleepy, she moved from one level to another, beaked a couple of the branches and spinner toys, played with a couple of the ropes, walked though the circular hoop and then finally wound up on the sleeping perch very content. This morning, she greeted me from the bottom level of the cage—a level I have never seen her explore. She had been chewing on one of the branches and happily traveled up to her food bowl knowing that it was time to “escape” to her gym for breakfast.

When it was time to return to her cage (everyone leaving for work), Abaco happily went into her cage and began exploring again. When I left, she was happily sitting on one of the perch’s eating from one of her bowls.

I can’t wait to see how much wood shavings are on the bottom of the cage when I return home tonight.

Thanks again Wayne. We love your stuff!

Misti Guertin

Hi there

Just thought I would drop you a note to let you know that we received the gym
last week.  At first Poppy was afraid of it but has since found it to be a
cool place to hang out, as long as I am within eye shot.  If I leave the
room, he is more than likely to take to the air, on a downward slope as I
have trimmed his wings, after me.  Do you have any advise on this?

Otherwise, we love it, it is very pretty and interesting to look at, and fits
in well in our home.

Poppy loves to cuddle sooooooo much that I am not sure he will ever become
more  attached to gym than me though.  But maybe that is O.K. as I love that
he does cuddle. 

Thank you so much, we are all very pleased.

Susan Koonce

Dear Wayne,
Just wanted to let you know that Friday last week I received the gym. What a
great invention of yours. It was easy to put together and I can see why Sam
will be chewing for years to come. Only problem was getting him on it. He
freaked out when he saw this thing being rolled in towards him. He flew off.
It took me at least an hour to slowly ease him towards it. He flew off at
least 3 times but I would just lift him back on repeatedly until he got the
idea. Now after 4 days he's liking it and has started chewing. Although he
loved climbing down from his old perch stand and roaming around the kitchen
he hasn't yet attempted with this new gym. Maybe it is because he can't
climb down so easily (or not at all) or he just likes being there on it.
You were right. Thanks again. I think we are all going to enjoy this much
more.
Mary Pulak

Hi Wayne,
My apologies for not contacting you sooner - but I did receive my playgym;  it was delivered to my work, and now everyone at work wants to come back in their next life as one of my birds!  I haven't moved into my new house yet (this weekend), and I am waiting til I get there to put it together, so I can't tell you yet that Moose loves his new playgym, but I will be in touch soon.  Thank you for your hard work and devotion, and know that I will provide feedback.  Thanks again.

Barbara Cavaliere

ÿPEACE A
      Barb      

Wayne,

Arrived home last night to find two huge boxes on my front patio and I knew just what they were. My husband was upstairs giving Abaco her formula feeding, so I took over, Gary disappeared downstairs and minutes later appeared with the assembled gym. I think he was as curious as I was to see Abaco’s reaction.

When I took Abaco over to the play gym, she immediately began exploring and within seconds was on top of the perch toy, vocalizing and flapping her wings.  She explored the gym for more than three hours and never quieted down! She hung upside down in true parrot fashion and kept inventing new sounds. We’ve never heard her this vocal before. What was truly amazing is that she has typically been getting tired and falling asleep around 7:00 to 7:30 pm. Last night she was up having a total blast until after 10 pm!

One of our six cats was frightened by all the commotion and have a “new thing” in the house; however, he did explore the table-top gym. Today, I brought Abaco into the office with her new table-top perch. It received many ooh’s and ahh’s from my fellow co-workers, two of which are former bird owners. They remarked on the excellent craftsmanship, loved all the hooks for toys, and complimented the bottle-brush limbs. I told them they should see the full-blown version at home. Abaco has been having a blast exploring it today.

Both gyms are simply gorgeous, and surprising compliment the interior of our tropical-themed home. I can’t wait to see Abaco in action this weekend and to hear what new sounds she cooks up! We are thrilled and she is thrilled.

I will be placing an order today for a cage package. Seeing is believing and Abaco (not to mention us) loves your stuff! I’m glad I found your website...I’ll send photos documenting Abaco’s endorsement of the gym this weekend!

Misti and Gary Guertin

P.S. The perch toy completes the gym. Anyone buying one of your gyms is missing out it they don’t add one to their order. Based upon Abaco’s reaction, it’s the icing on the cake! Thanks for talking me into buying one for each gym.

Hi Wayne,

    Received our play gym and had to let you know how amazed I am.  Our baby
Amazon Jackson is in love.  He found his heaven on earth from the moment I
placed him on the top limb.  After 2 hours, it looked like we had a baby
woodpecker.  I never saw him so contented.  The wood was flying and he was
climbing from top to bottom.  We made the mistake of purchasing the plastic
type when we bought out baby.  He slipped off many times and never moved from
the spot where we placed him.
    Your gym is very well constructed and is as you said, a beautiful piece
that you are not ashamed to have in your living room.  Clean up is a breeze. 
We (Jackson & me) are so happy we found you and your product.  I also enjoy
your articles and your approach to caring for our babies.  I raised 3
children (human) and they turned out OK without all the expert advice.  So
hopefully, with common sense and love, I'll do as well with Jackson.
Sandy Warren & Happy Jackson

     Got the best one out there. You guys may doubt it but this is TREMENDOUS. The workmanship in this gym is by far worth every penny and wait for it to arrive. I have just opened my package. Wrapped to a tee. Everything in its place, the cups, the middle leg and the main piece.  Wayne has done an outstanding job. Check out these gyms.  My bird has no problem taking to it. I love it. It stands as high as I do and its so beautiful. Yes, a piece of furniture. I won't even think she would be board on this. So much to do and she's picking at it already.  like, hey, what do you expect? This is good mommy.  I'm so happy. 

My bird is on this as I type. Just came in today.  This computer can't tell you how satisfied I am with this product. It is GORGEOUS. !!! Wonderful.  If anyone doubts it, send them to me. I just took a couple of pictures and will try to get them scanned so you can put them up on your site, if you want. Kriket is having no adjustment problems or issues.  I put food in the cup and away she went.  Just exploring the wood now.  Wayne.  go get em plastic world.  Man it sure does feel good to know when you make a right decision. Makes some of the bad ones be gone.  I love seeing my bird happy.  This is her 3rd week here and she gets the best gym for Parrots. 

Cheryl``musclemedic

IT has arrived

The Lovebird couldn’t stop swinging he was so happy.  (me, too!)

Toby the Macaw is very jealous.  I am anxious to find a job so he can have his very own stand – Toby would be in absolute heaven, Wayne.  One thing I do know about ordering a stand for the Macaw – he must have a swing, somehow. (is this possible???)    I will be putting his new perch and toy in his cage tomorrow.  I’ll need to go back to your web site and check out the XL bird stands again.

Lovebirds are exceedingly “busy” birds and this stand is absolutely perfect.  He is busy discovering everything – hasn’t noticed the doohickey toy on the top yet – lol.  I do believe, for once, he is a bit overwhelmed.   Tee-hee, the little bugger almost fell off his swing just now.  This certainly is much healthier, both physically and mentally (stimulating).  His beak hasn’t stopped feeling/touching yet.  Good – then perhaps he will quit nipping at me in frustration/jealousy over Lola.  BTW – he hopped in her cage this week and Lola promptly got a hold of his beak and THREW HIM OUT THE DOOR on the floor.  Way too funny! 

Lola stands on her new perch but so far hasn’t shown much of an interest in the stand.  She’s more of a shoulder bird.  NEVER bites and way too cuddly. 

I am so happy with the stand, Wayne!  I am hoping that when I get my web page finished you will let me link to your site as I will recommend these stands to everyone !

I am so very pleased with everything!!!  Absolutely incredible craftsmanship on your part -  with a birds’ needs in mind, first and foremost.

Thank you so much 

Gayle Greenwood

Howell, MI

Pppffffffffffttttttttttt 

IT IS FANTASTIC.  A mega-percent better than any manzanita stand!!!!  Wee one (lovebird) came right out this AM and is happily on his tabletop playstand being a busy little bird. Just as they should be.  (way better than running around his cage looking for something to do)  BTW – just now, at this moment, he is discovering the toy at the top.  This little guy is a true thinker. 

Gayle

Subj: " We Did Good " 
Date: 11/15/02 11:25:01 PM Eastern Standard Time
From: Creston2
To: PHearts44

Wayne....

Got my perch today... got it all set up.... We did good.... I was waiting for this perch so that I could acclimate them together at the same time.. on a new space... " their space " .... 

I brought it upstairs... let them watch me put it together... let them watch me attach new toys and such... and then I put them both on it at the same time.......

Instantly... they both took to it....... and they have been sharing it for the past 3 or 4 hours....

They are just exploring it..... inch by inch... a couple of the pieces on the perch have knots... they have discovered those knots and are just going crazy on them.........

Literally... seriously... they have entertained themselves for about 4 hours now exploring their new perch........

A couple of times Sabrina has flown off the new perch.. gone and played on her old perch.. and then flown back and explores her new perch...

And.. And.. the best part... I have both birds on the same perch... enjoying it together.... 

This is perfect.. this is perfect... Oh... and by the way..........

Since introducing the new bird... this is probably because a little bit of my own self... but also a lot to do with my 18 month relationship which I bonded and created with my baby girl " Sabrina " ...

Sabrina has totally accepted that I brought home another bird... she has become partners with this new entity.... but has in no way.... altered her relationship with me... it's really cool... they both take turns sitting on my shoulder.. one on my shoulder.. with the other one in my lap.. while I pet and preen and stroke them..... 

Sometimes while sitting in my recliner... watching a movie after dinner... I have both of them perched in my lap... watching TV with me.. only inches apart........

" Precious " is the most docile Blue Front I have ever seen....... she truly deserves the name precious..... she's like a little stuffed toy that will do anything you want.... 

I took some really really nice pics tonight.. watching them enjoy their new perch together... some really nice shots... 

If you want I can send them to you.......

Do you have an address you would prefer to send them too ??????????

Thanx Wayne...

I think this was the third perch I ordered from you.. One for Skipper... whom still loves it and is using it... Another for Sabrina... whom still loves it... and this one for both " Precious & Sabrina " ...

Thanx Wayne....

Very Much....

Mark C. Crawford

Hi There!!

I just wanted to let you know that I received our new parrot play gym today and it looks great!  The birds haven't decided what to think of it yet, but I'm sure they will love it soon.  Thanks!

Judy Olivieri,  out in California.

Hello Wayne,
    We received our gym today. It is fantastic!  I just can't imagine you making a product that would be of a better  quality or more useful. I am so excited. Our Senegal, Freedom, had to check things out for about 15 minutes.  After that,  I put him on the gym and he instantly started tasting and sampling his new toy. All night I have enjoyed watching him play, swing, chew and climb.
    You see, we haven't had Freedom very long.  We visited him at the specialty bird store for about a month until he was weaned.   I can't wait to show my gym to the store owner.  I am hoping he will start carrying your products.  I really think your product can fill the need that parrots have to chew and Gnaw.
                                                                                                               Thank you so much,
                                                                                                                 God bless,
                                                                                                                      Traci
                                                                                           

Wayne,

Shaka (our Cape) came home with us yesterday (11/2/02).  We had already
purchased a cage for him and he had been living  in it for a couple of
months, so all we had to do was to wheel the cage inside and he was at home.

We had the breeder (Kay Carleson) over for dinner yesterday and, since
Shaka was getting along so well in his new home, we decided to introduce him
to your play game.

Shake IMMEDIATELY took to the play gym!  As far as I know, he's never been
*that* much of a chewer, but he started attacking the bottlebrush INSTANTLY!
He's been clambering all over and exploring every perch and chewing at the
wood.  It's too early to trust him on the gym unsupervised, but I suspect
that he will be spending many happy hours on it.  I plan to install some cup
hooks underneath the mid-platform so that we can hang toys underneath for
storage.

I predict that we'll be purchasing another floorstanding gym for my wife's
office and a tabletop model for my office in the very near future.

Thanks a lot!  You've been 100% correct in every thing you've said.

Jeff Markham

Wayne,

I keep forgetting to email you that the playgym arrived a couple of weeks
ago in good condition.  It is really beautiful.  Our Cape has not come home
yet from the breeder (Kay Carleson), so I can't give you a report on how
well he likes it, but I have no doubts in that regard.  I'll give you an
update once he's had a chance to try it out.  After that, we can see about
ordering another playstand and a tabletop model.

Dear Wayne,

My play gym came today.  I absolutely love it.  But more importantly so
does Cheyenne.  Thank you for everything.

Nicky Whittington

TO:        Wayne
FR:        Tina Hurm

Hi Wayne.  Just wanted to drop you an email and let you know that I received Cheekie's playgym on Tuesday evening.  It is beautiful!!!  Really neat!!!  We love it!!!

I am so happy with it and Cheekie loves it.  He was a bit leery at first, but in no time he was up there and took a bath in his water cup.  He hasn't started to chew on it yet but I'm sure he will.  He's not much of a chewer but I bet when he discovers it he'll love it.

I haven't got his wings clipped yet, because there are few pet stores in my area that carry birds or offer this service and I wasn't real happy with the clipping that the vet gave my tiels last time.  I wish I were brave enough to attempt this on my own.

But I got a few leads on clipping services and will get him clipped soon.  Then I'm certain that he will learn to stay on his playgym.  He is better already about staying on his new playgym.  He rarely stayed on his little table top gym that I bought him.  He already is spending time on his new gym but occasionally flies off to my shoulder when he sees me.  I immediately put him back on and tell him to stay there.  Then I will visit him and praise him when he is staying there being good.  I'll give him a scratch or a treat.

I'm sure he'll get better at staying on there as time goes on and also the wing clipping will help tremendously.

His life is going to be so much better with this playgym.  Before, when I couldn't watch him closely I would have to put him back in his cage, but now he can entertain himself on his playgym and will rarely have to be put in his cage when we are home (and yes, I will gradually work up to letting him out while we are away at work for the day).

Just wanted to drop a note too you and let you know that I am extremely satisfied with the playgym and it's one of the best purchases I ever made.

I will post on a couple of the conure chats about how happy and satisfied I am with your playgym.

I will e-mail a picture of cheekie on his playgym when I get one taken.  Thanks for making such a great product.
You have definitely improved Cheekie's life and made mine easier too!!!!  No one wants to see a bird sitting in a cage all the time and with this playgym it will enable Cheekie to be out a lot more.

Thanks Wayne!!!!