10 Best Cockatiel Toys – 2024 Reviews & Top Picks

Cockatiels need regular exercise and a good amount of space, and they can benefit from having toys and other items that enrich their lives. There is a good variety of Cockatiel toys that range from ladders and climbing toys to hanging and even foraging toys, and they each offer some benefit to your birds. Which is the best for you and your bird will depend on your bird’s preferences, the size and layout of its surroundings, and what kind of toy you are looking for.

Below, you can find reviews of the best Cockatiel toys for your bird, as well as a guide to choosing the best one.

A Quick Comparison of Our Winners (2024)

The 10 Best Cockatiel Toys

1. Super Bird Creations Pinwheel Bird Toy – Best Overall

The Super Bird Creations Pinwheel Bird Toy is made from palm leaf flowers, finger traps, and shredder paper. It has a chain to hang it from the top of the cage. The finger traps and the palm fronds provide an opportunity to place food and treats for foraging while the crinkled paper is ideal for shredding. All parts of the toy are safe for your Cockatiel to chew, although the plastic chain could be better. The toy is reasonably priced, being around average price compared to others on this list, and the materials used ensure that the toy will last and will withstand all but the most vigorous of chewers.

It is our choice as the best overall Cockatiel toy because it combines safe materials and good value for money while being durable and appealing.

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2. JW Pet Activitoy Birdie Hall of Mirrors Toy – Best Value

While we most often think of Parakeets as being mirror lovers, most birds, including Cockatiels, enjoy these simple toys. The JW Pet Activitoy Birdie Hall of Mirrors Toy is a series of mirrors that reflect on themselves so your Cockatiel will be able to see almost unlimited reflections of itself. The toy is really cheap and for those Cockatiels that do enjoy looking at reflections of themselves, it will become a favorite, which makes it the best Cockatiel toy for the money. The mirror comes with a bolt-on attachment so it attaches to the cage bars and can be hung at any height.

This also means it shouldn’t get knocked off, reducing the chances of it getting damaged. It is a bit on the fragile side and if your Cockatiel is vigorous with the mirror, the plastic casing or the reflective surfaces themselves might still get cracked.

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3. Frisco Color Me Wild Bird Playground – Premium Choice

Cockatiels are likely, energetic, inquisitive birds, which means that they really enjoy having places and toys to investigate. The Frisco Color Me Wild Bird Playground is a wooden activity center, or bird playground. It is made from wood so it is safe to chew and scratch. It has a perch, swing, ladder, rope, and multiple levels and sections for your bird to hang out. It’s also colorful so it will attract your Cockatiels as soon as you add it, and its design means that it can be placed inside most cages, on top of some, or you can place it in a room and give your Cockatiel somewhere to play while enjoying time out of its cage.

The Frisco Color Me Wild Bird Playground is a great activity center, it looks attractive, and its wooden design means it will last, but it is more expensive than most other bird toys.

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4. Planet Pleasures Octopus Pinata Bird Toy

One of the most important things to consider when buying a Cockatiel toy is that it is safe. This includes ensuring that the material used in its construction is not toxic or otherwise dangerous. Wood is generally considered safe, and so too are other plant materials. The Planet Pleasures Octopus Pinata Bird Toy is made from plant materials that the manufacturer claims are found in the Cockatiel’s natural habitat. It is a shredder toy and can be beneficial for birds that get separation anxiety when away from their humans. The streamers are also suitable for preening and the fibrous materials help maintain your Cockatiel’s beak.

The Octopus Pinata is fun and colorful, and it is very reasonably priced. It comes with a rope loop at the top of the toy, but the closed loop doesn’t work as a hook, which means that you need to find a way to secure it to the cage or perch yourself.

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5. Caitec Featherland Paradise Flex Ladder Bird Toy

As well as being fun and intelligent, Cockatiels are agile little birds. They not only enjoy flying but also enjoy hopping around their cage while they investigate their surroundings. The vibrant colors of the Caitec Featherland Paradise Flex Ladder Bird Toy will attract your Cockatiel and the wooden flexible ladder will challenge its balance. It has link fasteners that will attach to a cage top or hooks and while the ladder is flexible, it retains some shape so it can be used as a fun perch.

Because it’s made of wood, the Flex Ladder is durable, and it is also safe if your Cockatiel does try to eat the rungs, but it is a little on the expensive side.

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6. SunGrow Bird Chew Toy

Foraging toys essentially use food and treats as a means of engaging with your bird. By placing seeds or some other treat within the toy, it attracts the bird and engages their brain while they try and figure out how to get to the source of whatever they can smell. The SunGrow Bird Chew Toy is made of wood blocks, in different shapes and colors, intertwined with rope streamers. The colors and texture of the materials will attract your Cockatiel, or you can place food-based treats within the folds of the toy.

The SunGro is a little expensive and uses cotton to tie the toy together, but it is made from quality materials, includes a hook to easily connect it to the top of a cage, and is durable so it will last without being easily destroyed.

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7. Super Bird Creations Crinkle Crinkle Little Star Bird Toy

The Super Bird Creations Crinkle Crinkle Little Star Bird Toy is a combination of pieces and materials that crinkle when moved, are colorful to attract your Cockatiel, and can be chewed to engage with the bird.

The toy uses a variety of materials including cardboard, paper, and hay, which are generally safe for Cockatiels, but it does include some plastic parts, namely the small beads, which can be tempting and that you shouldn’t let your bird get hold of. The toy is reasonably priced and as well as having a host of chew and shredding sections, it also has a bell at the bottom and a ball in the center.

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8. Planet Pleasures Pineapple Foraging Bird Toy

 

The Planet Pleasures Pineapple Foraging Bird Toy is an affordable foraging toy made from plant materials and shaped like a pineapple. It includes shedding material that can be chewed and pulled apart and can be great for stressed birds, especially those suffering from separation anxiety. There are spaces between the spikes where you can hide seeds and other chews, too.

The materials, which are natural plant-based materials, are not only great for chewing and tearing apart, but they can also help naturally maintain your bird’s beak. The toy is somewhat easily destroyed, which is part of its purpose, but it also means that if your Cockatiel is a strong chewer, you will need to replace the toy sooner rather than later.

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9. Wild Harvest Chewable Perch 3 in 1 Activity Bird Toy

Cockatiels love to chew and nibble. Some will even chew on their perches and while it doesn’t usually do damage to the wooden perch, it doesn’t necessarily benefit the bird, either.

The Wild Harvest Chewable Perch 3-In-1 Activity Bird Toy is a chewable perch that is made from a seed mix so is perfectly safe for your bird to chew, and because it is not as tough as a wooden perch, it is safer for your Cockatiel to eat. The perch is reasonably priced and can be beneficial for some birds, but you will need to keep replacing it.

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10. Super Bird Creations Flying Trapeze Bird Toy

Lots of Parrot species like swings in their cages. They seem to enjoy the rush of air against their wings as well as the natural motion of the swing. The Super Bird Creations Flying Trapeze Bird Toy is a swing toy. A seagrass mat is hung from plastic chains, which are decorated with balls and other items. The trapeze is around mid-priced for a bird toy, and as well as plastic not being an ideal material for the chain, it is also quite easy for some Cockatiels to chew through and destroy the plastic chain section.

Buyer’s Guide: Selecting the Best Cockatiel Toy

Cockatiels, like most pets, need enrichment in their lives. This means they not only need plenty of space to live in and time out of their cage, ideally with their humans, but they need items within the cage that will provide them with entertainment and mental stimulation. A perch and a couple of bowls, although important, are not enough to meet all of your Cockatiel’s requirements.

Cockatiels benefit from having toys to play with. These can range from makeshift toys, that are simple as toilet roll holders and other pieces of cardboard, to more complex activity centers that are like adventure playgrounds for birds. Below, we look at some of the features and other factors to consider when shopping for Cockatiel toys.

Toy Type

There are lots of different types of toys for Cockatiels, some of which don’t easily fall into a specific category. Most toys, though, can be considered one of the following:

Shredders

Chewing is a natural activity for birds. As well as being instinctive, it can also be healthy for Cockatiels to chew because it helps maintain good beak health. Shredding toys are those that are made of bird-safe materials and encourage natural chewing. They often have small components or bits of material sticking out of the toy that are easy to grab. It may add to your work clearing up after your Cockatiel, but it will enjoy this kind of toy.

Swing

Many bird species enjoy swinging. They seem to like the rush of air in their feathers and enjoy the motion of the swing. There are various styles of swing, from those that look like playground swings to designs that feature a mat on a long chain.

Mirror

Mirrors have become a somewhat controversial toy for birds. There is no doubt that some birds spend a lot of time with them, but some animal psychologists claim that they could be doing more harm than good. They argue that the bird believes it is talking with another bird when it is actually talking to a reflection of itself, and that this leads to a distorted sense of reality. As long as your bird doesn’t become obsessed with the mirror, it can be considered a healthy form of toy, though.

Activity Center

An activity center is basically a small playground for birds. It can include multiple perches at different levels as well as swings, ropes, foraging toys, and other elements. Usually made from wood, these centers are normally placed outside the cage, and they provide physical exercise as well as mental activity.

Foraging

In the wild, Cockatiels and other Parrots would have to spend a lot of time and effort searching for and scratching out food, or foraging. When kept as pets, a lot of this activity is taken away because we put food in a bowl and the only time a pet Cockatiel has to forage for food is when it picks up dropped seed from the base of the cage. Foraging toys have areas where food can be hidden or placed so that the bird has to put some effort into getting at its favorite treats.

Perch

Every Cockatiel cage should have two or more perches. They provide somewhere for the Cockatiel to perch when they are eating, resting, or just sitting around. Perches are not really toys, but you can get edible perches and those that are designed with additional features that make them suitable for playtime as well as general resting.

Materials

Toys need to be safe and durable. If they are too fragile, they can break or they can be chewed apart by some Cockatiels. If the material is too hard or brittle, it won’t be tempting to the bird.

Plant Material

Plant material is safe, and it is used because of this safety and also because birds find the smell and even the taste of the natural material appealing.

Wood

Wood is another natural material, and it is tough and durable as well as being easy to work with so that it can be turned into just about any toy in any style. The wood should be untreated and you will need to keep an eye out for splinters and sharp bits of wood that might form if your Cockatiel chews through it.

Plastic

Plastic is somewhat controversial. As long as it is untreated plastic, it should be safe, but if your Cockatiel chews small bits of the plastic, it can be dangerous, and you don’t really want it to eat much of the plastic material, even if it hasn’t been treated.

How Many Toys Do Cockatiels Need?

You don’t need a dozen toys to enrich and fulfill a Cockatiel’s life. Generally, around three toys should be ample, and you can always rotate new toys in, remove and store old toys, and then put the old toys back in later. If you have too many toys in a cage, it can become overwhelming, and your Cockatiel cage might become too full of toys to offer enough open space.

What Do Cockatiels Like in Their Cage?

Space is one of the most important things you can provide in a Cockatiel’s cage, but when it comes to items, you should prove at least two perches in different parts of the cage. You will also need to offer at least two bowls, one with food and one with water. Finally, add two or three good-quality toys to ensure your bird is kept mentally active.

How Do I Know If My Cockatiel Is Happy?

There are plenty of signs that a Cockatiel is happy, ranging from chirping and singing to wanting to fly and play. Generally, if your Cockatiel seems pleased to see you and is generally happy and lively, it is likely to lead a good life.

How Do I Know If My Cockatiel Is Bored?

On the other hand, a bored Cockatiel will voice its displeasure, usually in the form of screaming and shrieking. It may also take its frustration out on you in the form of nipping or ignoring you. If your Cockatiel is quiet and withdrawn, this may be a sign of boredom, anxiety, or illness.

Conclusion

The Cockatiel is a small member of the Parrot family. It is a lively and fun pet bird species that can integrate well into a family and become a surprisingly affectionate and enjoyable companion. A Cockatiel does need plenty of space and benefits from as much time out of the cage, and with family, as possible. It also needs perches, bowls, and toys within its cage to ensure that it has a full and enriched life.

Above, we have included reviews of the best Cockatiel cages including the Super Bird Creations Pinwheel Bird Toy, which is a reasonably priced shredding and foraging toy and our top choice overall, as well as the JW Pet Activitoy Birdie Hall of Mirrors Toy, which is a really inexpensive mirror type toy.

• See also: 10 Best Toys for Parrots – Reviews & Top Picks

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Featured Image Credit: Nick Beer, Shutterstock