My Bottlebrush Parrot Play Gyms we're designed from the ground up to be your parrots favorite place to hang out.  A place where he feels safe, secure and comfortable.  They're called Parrot Gyms because they're designed to encourage climbing, hanging upside down, all the stuff parrots love to do, and all the stuff we love to enjoy them doing.  After all, isn't that why we share our lives with them?

This page will give you some useful play gym tips and tricks and make your birds play gym as much of a pleasure for you as it will be for your parrot.  That being said, let me start at the beginning. 

My gyms we're designed for your bird.  You buy a set of trays that fit your budget and available space, and I configure the branches specifically for your bird to fit the confines of those trays.  I try to use as many branches as is right for your bird, and provide as much usable perch space as possible.  Again, these are designed for your bird.  

Birds are messy, it's a part of their nature, it's what they do.  If your #1 consideration when looking for a gym is controlling the mess, first, are you sure a gym is right for YOU, and second, a gym designed for YOU isn't likely something your bird is going to like or use.  And, if your bird doesn't like his gym, and won't use it, there won't be any mess, but what's the point, don't waste your money.  I have a page on my site called Lets compare parrot play gyms. How to choose the right Parrot Play Gym for your bird.  These kinds of gyms are discussed and pictured in detail.

Because I cram as many perches in my gyms as possible for YOUR bird, the trays catch about 90% of the mess.  However, if your bird is standing 22" above the tray and points his vent at an angle, I could make the tray 6" bigger and it might still miss.  However, I could also make all the branches 6" shorter for you, but now your bird has less usable perch space, and again, I design my gyms for your bird.  

Foraging.

Another design feature of my gyms is the ability for your bird to forage, in fact, I encourage it because it's a natural, fun thing for parrots to do.  If you look at the branch configurations of my gyms, the bottom branch is designed to allow your bird access to the Aluminum border without walking across the tray.  Your parrot can walk around the border of the tray and forage.   

Carpet.  

If your Play Gym is going to sit on carpet, a chair mat works great.  These are available at office supply stores, and are not expensive.  Also, plastic runners are available at home stores, Home Depot, Lowes, etc, and are also not expensive.  Pet and bird stores sell plastic trays that you put under parrot cages that work great as well.  Hot Water heater pans also work.  Once you start to think about this, you'll find lots of easy solutions.  Considering the benefits for your bird, finding a solution is worth the effort.

Hardwood floor.  

Again. plastic runners work great.  These are easy to clean, and look nice.  Perhaps a 4'x4' square of Astroturf would work for you.  Buy 2.  When one gets soiled, remove it for cleaning and use the other one.  Again, Hot Water Heater pans work great as well. 

And, if you really want to control all the mess, how about a plastic kiddie pool.  You buy a cheap round one, and cut off the top so there is a 2" lip.  This goes on the floor, the gym goes inside.  You can leave it empty, or fill it with ground walnut or whatever you prefer to use.  Or, partition a part of the room with a small border, the gym or gyms go inside, and you use something on the floor.  

The substantial benefits my gyms provide, the life changing benefits for your bird will make what cleaning is necessary a pleasure, and everytime to clean, you'll realize your cleaning because your parrot loves his Bottlebrush parrot gym and is using it.  That's the idea.  

Cleaning the branches.

The branches in the staircase are staggered in a way that prevents pooping on lower branches.  (Note.  This picture makes the branches appear to overhang the tray, they don't, it just looks that way).  As you look at this pic, looking straight down, you'll notice that there are free drop zones under each branch.  The only exception is the fork in the top branch.  Again, most poop will hit the tray, and not the lower branches.  However, if a branch does get pooped on, Bottlebrush is very easy to clean.   

Cleaning the trays.  

As I said, about 90% of the droppings will land in the tray.  Cleaning is a snap.  I use high gloss, smooth Formica in my gyms.  When you see a fresh dropping, wipe it up with a paper towel.  Leave a roll on the bottom tray of the gym.  Once a dropping dries, you can moisten a paper towel, lay it on top of the dried poop and it will moisten and you can remove it.  Poop-off or some similar poop remover works great as well.

I don't recommend using newspaper in the tray.  These make a total mess, and birds love to shred.  Again, just wipe up fresh poops if you can.

If you really want to get fancy, when you buy the Astroturf for the floor, buy a little extra.  Place the tray over a piece of Astroturf and make a tracing.  Cut it a little smaller so it fits in the tray.  Then, cut a slit and a circle for the main branch of your gym.  This goes in the tray of your gym, and it looks like grass.  Make two.  When one gets soiled, put the clean one in and clean the soiled one.  I personally just clean the tray with paper towels, what you do is up to you.  Keep it simple though.  

Shop Vac.

Every parrot owner should own a shop vac.  The one I use is called a Stinger.  It's about $28.00 at Home Depot, and these work GREAT for parrots.  You can vac up old food, seed, whatever is around your birds cage.  However, here's an important tip, especially if you feed your bird seed.  First, keep seed in the freezer.  Seed has bug larvae in it, good protein for your bird, but can hatch and you'll see moths flying around.  Your shop vac is a PERFECT place for these moths to hatch, so, always keep the hose plugged in both ends, and never open it indoors.  I made that mistake ONCE.  Place the shop vac next to your birds gym, so he gets used to seeing it, and use it around him so he isn't afraid of it.  It might take some time, but be persistent.

Morning routine.  

You get up and uncover your bird.  While he waking up, use a sponge and moisten whatever dried droppings are in the tray.  Or, again, use Poop-off to clean the tray.  It will take about 2 minutes.  While this is softening, unscrew the cups and provide fresh food, water and snacks.  Once this is done, your gym is ready for another day.  These are easy to clean and use. they we're designed that way.

Cup locations.   

When I build your gym, I install inserts for cups.  However, cup locations are highly subjective.  So, if you want to move them, here's how to do that.  You need a 3/8" spade bit, and Coupler Nuts.  Coupler Nuts are used for connecting threaded rod.  You can get them at Home Depot in the Hardware department.  Buy 1/4" ones.  Place your gym top on the floor, decide where you want the cups, and drill a 3/8" hole straight down.  Then, just tap in the insert and your good to go.  You can place cups anywhere, even in the tray. 

Decorating your Play Gym.

I add screw eyes to the ends of most of the branches of my Play Gyms.  These are designed for hanging toys, chains, etc.  Dress up your gym as much as you want to.  Make it a totally great place for your parrot and sit back and watch the fun.  After all, isn't that why you got your parrot. 

My gyms are very easy to own and use.  They're made by a parrot lover for parrot lovers.  And, your parrot will love my gyms.  If you have tips or tricks, let me know.  And, if I use your ideas, I'll post them here are give YOU the credit for them.  Together, we can make our parrots lives even better, that's the idea. 

Wayne