FAQ, Frequently asked Play Gym questions. 

Of all the animals in the world, none enjoy more freedom then birds.  Maybe that's why I've been obsessed with them since the age of 14.   Each time I see a flock of Quaker Parrots here in South Florida, I marvel at how much FUN they appear to be having.  Recently, at a local supermarket, there we're perhaps 15 or 20 in a tree less then 10 feet from my car door.  I stood there for 15 minutes and we both studied each other.  When I returned from shopping, they we're still there, and I placed some Bananas in the tree for them to snack on.  When I left, they we're still there, enjoying their feast.  These birds we're free, and I envy their freedom.

If this is your first time on my site, welcome.  Since 1992, I've been building a line of totally unique and 100% original Bottlebrush stuff both you and your parrot will love.  It can and will change ALL of your lives, however, I need to ask you for something extremely valuable, a few minutes of your time.  

If you're lucky enough to have a happy, well adjusted bird, my Bottlebrush stuff can and will keep it that way.  However, for those of you with behavior problems, my Bottlebrush stuff was designed to help, and it can and will help you get the kind of bird you wanted when you brought your parrot home.  

I'm going to ask you to read 2 pages on my site.  The first page discusses the situation most parrots find themselves in, and the second page provides the foundation for improving your birds day to day life. If, after reading these two pages, my stuff and concepts don't make sense to you, thanks for your time and best of luck in your search.  If my concepts and stuff does make sense to you, welcome.  Together, we can and will change all of your lives.  

The first page is Want to improve your parrots life, try one of my Bottlebrush Parrot Play Gyms.

Yet, how much FREEDOM does your bird have?  How many OUT OF CAGE hours does your bird get a day?  3, maybe 4.  That means for the other 20 or 21 hours a day, your bird is locked in their cage, their jail.  We do that to criminals, yet we also do that to our birds.  Well, I have news for you.  You DON'T have to do that to your bird if you don't want to.  What I offer is a tried and proven  alternative.  

Right now, today, there are thousands of my client birds that spend their days in their tree, or Play Gym, and roost in their cage/roost.  That's what I offer, and that's what my gyms are designed to do.  If you have an open mind, and realize your bird can have a much better life, read on.  I think you'll understand why my gyms work, and why your bird can become FREE AS A BIRD.

For those of you who are of the opinion that leaving a bird out is unnatural or impossible, ask yourself this.  Is caging your bird natural, or allowing your bird to spend their days in a tree natural.  I have a saying I tell my kids every day, YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU DON'T KNOW.   I understand your thoughts, and that's the reason for this page, and the other pages on my site.  If it makes sense to you, if it feels right, that's because it is right.   Below are many of the commonly asked questions regarding my gyms, how and why they work, and how they are built SO they work.  Be skeptical, but also open your mind.  

This page will answer specific questions and will be formatted to make finding those answers quick and easy.  Just click on the question below for answers to questions you might have.  And, as always, feel free to E-mail me or call me, Wayne, (954) 538-1994.  

1. Why does my bird need a Play Gym, he has a big fancy cage?
2. What is Bottlebrush, I've never heard of it or seen it before. 
3. Is Bottlebrush safe?
4. Where do you get your Bottlebrush? 
5. In my opinion, about 90% of all parrot related problems are cage related. 
6. I've never heard of Cage Syndrome before
7. The Favorite Place concept. 
8. If his favorite place is here, why would he want to to be over there?
9. Are you saying that I can leave my bird out during the DAY!!
10. Let me start from the beginning here. 
11. 1992 was a big year in my life.
12. Lets talk about a little Parrot Psychology.
13. Why is the tray in the middle important?
14. Play Gym Training. 
15. Play Gym design and construction details.
16. My Gyms are divided into two main parts, the trays and the branch assembly. 
17. The Trays.
18. The Branch Assembly. 
19. Your birds future with a Bottlebrush Parrot Play Gym.
20. What about shipping times?
21. I've got more then one bird, is there any way they can share a play gym?

Why does my bird need a Play Gym, he has a big fancy cage?

When you bought your bird, you we're told you needed a cage as well.  The bigger the better right.  Here's the problem with cages.   In the wild, your bird would wake at sunrise, unite the flock and for them, go to work.  They would fly around looking for food, hanging out with their flock mates and doing all the things wild birds do.  The only time they would spend their days where they roost is when nesting.  And, as with most animals, breeding, nesting season is a very stressful time for birds.   When your bird spends his days in his cage, where he roosts, over time, they begin to think of their cage as their nest.  

What is Bottlebrush, I've never heard of it or seen it before.  

Bottlebrush is a decorative landscape tree originally imported to the South Florida area from Australia.  The outer bark is soft and chewy, like frosting on a cake, and your bird will treat it like candy.  Also, the outer bark is naturally textured, and is easy and comfortable on your birds feet.  I've been using Bottlebrush since 1992, and generally, birds and their owners fall into two categories, those who use and love Bottlebrush and won't use anything else, and those who have never had the opportunity to try it.  However, once you try it, you and your bird will be hooked.  I have a dedicated page to Bottlebrush, visit  Bottlebrush, your parrots best friend, besides you. 

Is Bottlebrush safe?

Absolutely.  Since 1992, I've built well over 9000 Bottlebrush Parrot Play Gyms, hundreds of Bottlebrush Hanging Gyms, tens of thousands on Bottlebrush in-cage perches and thousands of Bottlebrush Chew Toys.  It's the only wood I've ever used, and the only wood I will ever use. 

Where do you get your Bottlebrush? 

One day a week, I personally harvest and clean the Bottlebrush for the week.  It isn't commercially available, and doesn't grow in the wild.  After 15 years, I'm still a one man operation BECAUSE I use Bottlebrush.  Today, if I switched to Manzanita or PVC or some other commercially available perch material, I could mass produce my gyms.  However, your bird wouldn't like their gym, wouldn't use their gym, and you would be wasting your hard earned money buying one.  Bottlebrush is the best there is, not because I use it, but the reason I use it, always have and always will.  

In my opinion, about 90% of all parrot related problems are cage related. 

I call this Cage Syndrome.  You're bird realizes that spending his days where he roosts is potentially life threatening.  After all, if a predator knows where he sleeps, and is able to ambush him during the night, well, not a good outcome for your bird.  

I've never heard of Cage Syndrome before?   

I know.  There are a couple of reasons why.  

• The parrot industry is driven by the cage companies.  It's to ALMOST everyone's benefit to convince you to buy the biggest, fanciest cage you will buy and can afford.   The losers are you and your bird.  Sad but true.
• Most Play Gyms are designed to be a place your bird spends an hour or so a day.  They are poorly designed, poorly manufactured, and designed to be attractive to you, after all, you're the one buying it.  As far as your bird is concerned, most fall into the category of WHERE'S THE BEEF?

The Favorite Place concept. 

When you watch TV or read, do you sit in your favorite chair or on the same side of the sofa?  Do you sleep on the same side of your bed every night?  You and I are creatures of habit, and favorite places are a part of our lives.  Well, birds also have favorite places.  Does your bird roost in the same perch every night.  Does he enjoy a favorite treat in the same spot over and over.  You're right, they do.  So, lets say your bird has a place he loves, his favorite place.   It doesn't hurt his feet, allows him to climb and play, and gives him the sense of total freedom.   He feels safe and secure there, after all, it's his favorite place.  

If his favorite place is here, why would he want to to be over there?  

The answers is, he won't.  If all his needs are met, safety, security, fun, chewing and gnawing, freedom, why would he want to be over there when he loves it here.   For the same reason you don't even CONSIDER sitting over there when your favorite place is your favorite place.

Are you saying that I can leave my bird out during the DAY!!!

20+ years ago, birds we're different then the birds of today.  Those we're wild caught and tamed, and needed to be caged.  But, your bird, and the birds of today are hand fed, human imprinted and most don't even know they are birds.  So, here's my question to you.  Why are you treating your bird the same way birds we're treated 20+ years ago?  

Let me start from the beginning here.    

I use to do rescues before they we're called rescues.  People kept giving me their birds.  At one time, I had 18 large birds.  As I began to work with them, I discovered that once away from their cages, most we're much easier to handle and seemed happier.  So, I began to buy all kinds of Play Gyms, T stands, Manzanita trees, and I even used old wooden chairs.  I also made my own out of PVC, Pine, 2X4s, all kinds of stuff.  I quickly realized that the more my birds we're away from their cages, the happier they we're.  As I bought and made these gyms, none would do what I wanted them to do, allow my birds to be free during the day, and roost in their cages at night.

1992 was a big year in my life.

In 1992, Hurricane Andrew wiped out South Florida and I found myself in a position to begin developing what I considered the perfect parrot play gym  I wanted my gyms to do several very important things and LAST.

1. I wanted my gyms to be designed in a way that your bird couldn't climb down.  That simple concept is the reason for the tray in the middle.  More on that later.    
2. You bird stays there because he wants to. 
3. They are built to last.
4. The branch assembly is replaceable.  

Lets talk about a little Parrot Psychology.

Birds are very smart, smarter then most people realize.  They are experts at doing what works, and not doing what doesn't.  For example.  If your cooking dinner, and your bird wants some, and screams and you give him some, you've taught him that if he screams, you will give him food.  He screams for food because he doesn't know how to ask for food.   If, when your cooking dinner you repeat a phrase, perhaps IS THAT GOOD, and when you give him food you repeat IS THAT GOOD again, you are teaching your bird to ask for food by saying IS THAT GOOD.   Over time, he will associate the term IS THAT GOOD with getting food, and will also realize that screaming for food doesn't work.  Parrot's do what works, and don't do what doesn't.  Birds are smart that way.

Why is the tray in the middle important?

The tray in the middle is one of the main reasons my gyms WORK.  Here's why.  Your bird can't climb down, it's just that simple.  Like a fenced yard for your dog.  It provides a boundary and my gyms are designed so your bird CAN'T CLIMB DOWN.   The only option for them getting down is to jump down, and if we teach them that jumping down DOESN'T WORK, they will stay there happily if it's their FAVORITE PLACE to be.  I call this Play Gym training.  

Play Gym Training.  

When you put your bird on his Play Gym, tell him to STAY THERE.  Leave the vicinity of the gym for 5 or 10 minutes, then return and praise him for staying there.  If he jumps down, pick him up, give him no attention at all, place him on his gym and again, tell him to STAY THERE.   As play Gym training progresses, you lengthen the time between visits.  Here's what we're doing.  We're teaching him that if he jumps down, he isn't going to benefit because all you do is put him back on his gym.  However, you're also conditioning him to realize that you know he's there, and will return to visit him, and reward him for STAYING THERE.  Over time, he spends more and more time on his gym, and, the more he stays there, the more he likes it there, and the more he likes it there, the more he WANTS to stay there, and before you know it, it's his favorite place to be, he stays there because he wants to.  

Play Gym design and construction details.

  Now let's look at why my gyms WORK.   The answer is BOTTLEBRUSH.  If I substituted Manzanita, or Java Wood, or Grapevine, or PVC or a variety of other commonly perch material for Bottlebrush, my gyms would be the same as virtually all other gyms, useful for short periods of time only.  

My Gyms are divided into two main parts, the trays and the branch assembly.  

The Trays.   

When you order a Gym, basically, you are ordering by Tray Size.  Then, I build and configure the branch assemble for that set of trays, specifically sized and configured for your bird.  
Again, the upper and lower tray is critical.  More expensive to build, but necessary and one of the critical factors in the design of my gyms.

• 3/4 furniture grade plywood, no Melamine or Particle board ever.  
• Your choice of tray colors.  I use Blue, Green or Slate Black Marble, or Chestnut Burl Formica.  
• The edge of all the trays are sanded so I can get a tight fit when I install the Aluminum border.  
• The 1/8" X 11/2" Aluminum border is virtually indestructible, never sharp and the rear seam is so tight, you can't slide a business card thru the seam.  This is critical so toe nails don't get snagged.  
• Casters are included, making my gyms easily moved as needed.  

These trays are expensive and time consuming to build, and I build them all myself.  However, they are designed to be almost indestructible.  This is truly the last gym you will ever buy. 

The Branch Assembly.  

This is where my gyms really stand out, and the critical factor in making a FAVORITE PLACE for your bird.  Look at a tree and notice how the branches are configured.  Basically, a main trunk with branches growing off that main trunk.   That's what birds live in during the day, and the idea behind the branch assemblies of my gyms.  Let's take a close look at the branch assembly of one of my Large Model 2 Play Gyms.  

The branches are assembled using Lag Bolts and torqued in place using an Impact Wrench.   I don't care how big, or how active your bird is, they won't loosen one of my branch assemblies.  

I add lots of screw eyes for adding Play Toys etc.  

All of my gyms include another of my unique features, the Spinner.  Basically, it's a slice of Bottlebrush attached to your gym using a bolt and Lock Nut.  The slice of Bottlebrush spins, but your bird can't remove it.  It will drive them NUTS trying to figure out how to remove it, and once they realize they can't they will then go about trying to destroy it.  And, once they do finally chew it up, I include 2 replacement spinners.  You can also tighten the Lock Nut so the spinner doesn't spin.  This way, it's PERFECT for Gnawing.  These are a favorite with my gyms.  

Cups are standard and screw in and out.  The Small and Medium gym include 2 cups, the Deluxe, Large and Jumbo gym include 3 cups.  

Another unique and original design toy is call a Play Gym toy.  Basically, it attaches to one end of your gym using a special fitting.  The toy screws in, and arches over the top of your gym.  Looks great, can be climbed on, has chunks of Bottlebrush, colored rawhide and colored cotton rope.  A very cool toy, however, here's the reason for this toy.   
In the wild, a bird would never stand in the top of a tree and take a nap.  To do so would be life threatening from birds of prey.  Birds naturally understand that safety is IN the branches of a tree, not ON top of a tree.  This toy arching over the top of your gym makes your bird feel safe and secure anywhere on his gym.   

As you look at my gyms from the side, you will notice that there are clear drop zones from the top branch to the tray. 

As you look at the branch assemblies of my gyms, please notice the way I stagger the branches.  These Are done in a way that about 90% of droppings land in the tray, not on lower branches.  

I realize it's difficult to determine scale when looking at Pictures.  Here's Pickles, my Green Cheek Conure perching on the Large Model 2 gym detailed above.  I also use a Campbell's Soup can in a lot of my pics as a way of providing scale.  

My gyms will be your birds favorite place because it's completely natural, and where he wants to be.   You know as well as I do that you can't force your bird to do something they don't want to do.  If I used some other perch material, and did everything else EXACTLY the same way, your bird wouldn't like his gym or stay there, period.  Again, Bottlebrush is the secret ingredient.

Your birds future with a Bottlebrush Parrot Play Gym. 

You get home from work, greet your bird, and after a few minutes of attention, place him on his Bottlebrush Parrot Play Gym.    Immediately, his day has improved.  He can play, climb, hang upside down and basically have great fun in his TREE.  And, you can go about doing the stuff you need to do, cook dinner, check mail and e-mail, take kids to Soccer or Karate, all the stuff we do after work.  You'll no longer need to feel guilty because you don't have as much time for your bird as you wish you did.  And again, as time goes by. and your bird gets more and more comfortable on his gym, the more time he can spend there. 

Once you get your gym, stop buying chew toys, don't waste your money.  The branch assembly is basically one big chew toy.  At some point in the future, you can order a set of replacement branches, remove the original set and cut them up for toys or perches, install the new set and you now have a brand new gym.  After all, you invested in a Gym, and as with any good investment, the returns accrue over time. 

I hope this page helps.  My business is hands on, always has been and always will.  If you have more questions, feel free to contact me, Wayne (954) 538-1994, E-mail me, or E-mail your name, number, time zone and best time to call and I'll call you.  Again, your under no obligation.

Wayne

What about shipping times?  

All of my gyms, hanging gyms, toys, etc are custom made to order specifically sized and spaced for the bird they're ordered for.  Current shipping times are 2-3 weeks, however, I'm at the mercy of supplies, distributors, shippers and most of all, Bottlebrush.  As I receive orders, they're placed in my production schedule and built and shipped in the order they're received.  I'm OBSESSED with shipping your order as fast as possible.  However, I also have a no compromise policy.  What that means is simple, I won't compromise when I build your gym.  If it isn't right, I don't ship until I make it right.  Occasionally, You're going to have your gym a long time, so it'll be worth letting me build it right.  Hope you agree.  

I've got more then one bird, is there any way they can share a play gym?

Sure, here's what I do.  Order one sized for your largest bird, and let me know what your other birds are.  Then, I'll size for your largest bird, and configure for your others.  One thing about Bottlebrush though.  It doesn't require HOLDING ON, so a cockatiel can use a Macaw gym and be completely comfortable.  However, a Macaw would EAT a Cockatiel gym so it doesn't work the other way.  

Examples of recently shipped gyms.