I can't get Frankie to play with any of his toys. I have tried everything. He has wood toys, wood wrapped with paper toys, plastic chains, ropes with plastic beads on them, bells, furry toys.....everything. He won't play with anything and the stuff he tires to play with he isn't allowed to (aka my necklaces).

Anna, try making him his own necklace. You can use a small stainless steel chain with some small pony beads. That's the way I got Kady to start playing with things. I made parrot safe toys similar to what he showed interest in. Then once he found out he could play, we expanded from there. I also found it helpful to start with smaller type toys for him. He would get scared and a bit overwhelmed of the big ones at first.

Believe it or not, but you might need to teach him how to play. I had a friend who once had a bird who did not know how to play with his toys and so she would sit next to him and take one of his toys and make a big deal about it -- she would bat it around and make happy noises. This peaked his curiosity -- he had to know what was keeping mommy's attention -- and he would crawl down to see what she was doing. She would just keep it up and pretty soon he started wanting to join in playing. Now he plays with his toys all on his own. It worked for her bird -- maybe it will work for yours. Can't hurt to try! Good luck.

I had to do this also. I just did it this morning with a new toy. Kady had no idea what a toy was or how to play with it.

.....well considering how his cage had been empty for five years before I adopted him it would make sense that he might not know how to play with a toy.

Yep, sounds like mommy needs to be a mentor.