Short answer: The best bird toys for conures let them chew, shred and forage. Look for natural materials to chew, paper or soft fibers to shred, and a few stuffable or puzzle-style toys that make your conure work for a treat. Choose conure toys sized for a small-to-medium parrot, rotate them every so often, and check every toy for damage before it goes in the cage.
Conures are curious, energetic and very hands-on with their beaks. A bird that has nothing to chew or explore will usually find something else to work on, like perches, cage fittings or your furniture. This guide walks through what to look for in bird toys for conures, how to pick the right size, and simple safety habits that apply to any toy you bring home.
Why the right bird toys matter for conures
In the wild, parrots spend much of their day searching for food, climbing, and breaking things apart. A pet conure still has those instincts, but a cage can make them easy to overlook. Good bird toys give those instincts a safe outlet. Most conure toys fall into three groups: chewing, shredding and foraging, and a healthy mix covers all three.
Toys are only one part of a conure's day. They work best alongside time out of the cage, interaction with you, a varied diet and regular sleep. If your conure's behavior changes suddenly, talk to an avian veterinarian rather than assuming it is boredom.
Chewing toys for conures
Chewing is how conures explore. Chew toys let your bird use its beak the way it is built to be used.
What to look for in a chew toy
- Natural materials: Untreated wood blocks, wooden beads, bamboo, vine and sola wood are common choices because they break down in small, soft pieces as a bird works on them.
- A mix of textures: Hard wood, soft wood and woven fibers each feel different. Variety keeps a conure interested.
- Pieces that can be destroyed: A chew toy is meant to be chewed up. When it is mostly gone, replace it.
Strong chewers may go through softer toys quickly, so keep a few spares on hand. To compare sizes and materials, browse the medium bird toys for parrots collection to compare sizes and materials.
Shredding toys for conures
Shredding is a favorite pastime for many conures. Toys made from paper, cardboard, palm leaf, seagrass or similar soft materials let your bird pull things apart and make a satisfying mess.
Shredding toys do not last long, and that is fine. Many owners keep a steady supply and swap them in as old ones wear out.
Foraging toys for conures
Foraging toys make your conure work to find a treat or a hidden object. They can be as simple as a paper-wrapped treat or as involved as a toy with a small compartment to fill. Foraging encourages problem solving and keeps a bird busy for longer than a toy it can finish in seconds.
How to start a foraging toy
- Begin with an easy setup, such as a treat in plain view or lightly wrapped in paper.
- Let your conure succeed a few times before making it harder.
- Gradually add more wrapping, more compartments or more shredding to get through.
You can explore more ideas in the foraging toys for parrots collection.
Choosing the right size toy for a conure
Conures are small-to-medium parrots, but the group varies. Green-cheeked conures are on the smaller side, while species such as blue-crowned and mitred conures are noticeably larger. Match the toy to your individual bird, and keep these points in mind:
- Not too tiny: Very small toys made for finches or parakeets can have parts small enough for a conure to swallow or get stuck on a beak.
- Not too large: Oversized toys for large macaws or cockatoos may be hard for a conure to use and can crowd a smaller cage.
- Enough room in the cage: Leave space to perch, climb and move around. A cage packed with toys is not more enriching, just more cramped.
If your conure is on the smaller side, the small bird toys collection is a useful place to look. For larger conures, the medium bird toys collection linked above is a better fit.
Bird toy safety basics
No toy is risk-free, so a few habits go a long way. This is general guidance, not a guarantee about any specific product, so use your own judgment and ask an avian veterinarian if you are unsure.
- Inspect before use: Look over every new toy for loose threads, frayed rope, sharp edges and small parts that could come off.
- Check for traps: Make sure there are no loops or gaps where a toe, foot, beak or head could get caught.
- Check the hardware: Quick links and clips should be closed and in good condition. Avoid any metal parts that look corroded or worn.
- Inspect regularly: Worn toys change over time. Pull a toy out of the cage as soon as it is damaged, frayed or chewed down to small pieces.
- Introduce toys gradually: Hang a new toy near, not on top of, your bird's favorite perch and watch how your conure reacts at first.
- Supervise play: Watch new toys in action, especially ones with strings, chains or bells.
Our guide to bird toy safety goes into more detail on inspecting and choosing toys.
Three bird toys to consider for conures
These three toys from our catalog are listed for conures or similar small-to-medium parrots and cover different types of play. Check each product page for current size, materials and availability before you buy.
1359 Mini Taco: for shredding and chewing
The product page lists this toy for small to medium parrots, including conures. It measures about 8" high by 7" wide and combines bamboo finger traps, natural wood beads and a woven seagrass mat, with a small metal bell at the base. It gives your conure several textures to chew, tug and shred.
1273 Tri-Chain Ball: for foraging
This hanging toy has three rattle balls on plastic chains. According to the product page, each ball can be stuffed with paper, wood bits or treats, which turns it into a simple foraging toy. It measures roughly 10" high by 6" wide and is described as suitable for medium-sized birds such as cockatiels and conures.
1512 Heart: for chewing and climbing
This one pairs brightly colored wooden hearts and blocks with a knotted leather strand at the bottom. The product page lists it for medium-sized birds like conures, ringnecks and quakers, and gives its size as about 12" high by 2.5" wide. It suits conures that like to chew wood and climb.
How to rotate your conure's toys
Birds can lose interest in toys that stay in the same spot for weeks. Keep two or three toys in the cage at a time, covering chew, shred and forage. Swap one every week or two, and bring a stored toy back later, when it will often feel new again. Notice which toys your bird goes to first, and buy more of that type.
Conure toys FAQ
What are the best toys for conures?
The best toys for conures are ones that match their natural behaviors: chew toys made of wood or other natural materials, shreddable toys made of paper or soft fibers, and foraging toys that hide a treat. A mix of all three, in the right size for your bird, works well.
How many toys should a conure have?
There is no magic number. A few toys of different types is usually enough, as long as the cage still has plenty of room for perches and movement.
Why does my conure destroy its toys?
Destroying toys is normal parrot behavior. Chewing and shredding are how conures explore and use their beaks, so a toy that gets taken apart is doing its job.
How often should I replace my conure's toys?
Replace a toy as soon as it is damaged, frayed or reduced to small pieces, and remove anything that looks unsafe right away.
Find more toys for your conure
For bird toys in every type, our small bird toys, medium bird toys and foraging toys collections are good places to browse. Conure toys do not have to be complicated: a well-sized toy your bird enjoys and that you check regularly is a good start.