Post your homemade toys!

JMarie · Feb 10, 2013

I've been called a lot of things in life... But creative was rarely one of them.

Alas, my toys always turn out rather jumbled, or plain Jane.

So! Here is your chance to show off your creativity and maybe even your teaching skills.

We will be getting Ruthie (ruby macaw) very soon, so I'm trying to make larger, more durable toys. That doesn't mean toys for smaller birds won't inspire something deep, deep within me though! I'd love to see everything!

Let's see what you've all got... I'm excited to see how good everyone is!

BeakersBro · Feb 10, 2013

I just bought some rope online. I'll post when the project is complete

Don't expect much lol

Featheredsamurai · Feb 11, 2013

Here's some of the toys I've made for Rosie

She wasn't too interested in the above toy, so tonight I tied on some bird safe sisal rope and she is now much more interested

Old coconut toy I took apart, combined with shredders, and foraging paper, and some treats hidden away.

Final product

Scraps and pieces of old toys put on the bars are a great way to make a toy

Rosie loves this

Also, if you have any pesticide free bird safe branches you can also use those, they come with some risk though.

ziggybird · Feb 11, 2013

I LOVE the branch with leaves in the cage! Looks very very cool. Does she play with them at all?

Shade · Feb 11, 2013

Some of my recent favorites -

Using a skewer as a base

And this monster of a toy I just gave my Cape and she's slowly plowing through it (she loves wooden beads)

Echo · Feb 11, 2013

@Shade- Holly Cow! These are professional looking toys you made!! They are great!

@Copperarabian- Love the coconut toy!!

You guys put me to shame with your creativity!!!

BeakersBro · Feb 11, 2013

Copperarabian said:

I love this. The trees and the real branches!

JerseyWendy · Feb 12, 2013

I'm constantly making toys for my Big Macs...here is one of them:

For my Amazons:

A foraging tube I've made

An orb and swings

aliray · Feb 12, 2013

Alright people Now I really feel inadequate.

. Great job on the toys. WOW

djdancer · Feb 13, 2013

Hello BeakersBro. I would like to know if you can give me a bit more detail on the plants in the cage. What type are they and where did you get them? I know we aren't supposed to bring branches in from outside so would like to know where you got them from. I know my birds would love that. Not to mention that they look cool.

Also, where did you get your wooden beads/blocks from? I have seen them around online and it looks to me like it's just as expensive to make them as it is to just buy the toys already made. Would like to know where you purchased them from to see if it's just as costly to buy. BTW, you are very talented.

I haven't been able to find any of the colored rope or even the rope that everyone is using in my local hardware store.

Echo · Feb 13, 2013

JerseyWendy- AMAZING!!!!

djdancer · Feb 13, 2013

JerseyWendy your stuff too is amazing. I'd like to know where you all got the supplies from. I went to my local craft store and they didn't have the blocks, beads or anything that I could use to make the toys. I was able to get a coconut at my local market though.

I'm really curious on how to do this. I'm disabled so I stay home all day and would love to do this kind of stuff but would need some guidance.

Warm wishes!

JerseyWendy · Feb 13, 2013

djdancer said:
JerseyWendy your stuff too is amazing. I'd like to know where you all got the supplies from. I went to my local craft store and they didn't have the blocks, beads or anything that I could use to make the toys. I was able to get a coconut at my local market though.

I'm really curious on how to do this. I'm disabled so I stay home all day and would love to do this kind of stuff but would need some guidance.

Warm wishes!

Thank you very much.

Here is the link that explains how I made the orbs and swings (SUPER easy)
http://www.parrotforums.com/do-yourself/22552-homemade-things-4.html

As for the HUGE Macaw toy, all you need is:
BIG natural retriever roll (that's a rawhide)
untreated lumber, I buy 2X4s
Marbella Beads, I buy them from KingsCages, here is the link:
King's Cages - Avian and Pet Bird Cages, Supplies, Food, Toys, Perches, Aviaries, Pluck No More
Sisal rope (availabe at my local Lowe's)

First I cut up the lumber, then I pre-drill holes. You don't HAVE to color them, but since I have the dye at home, I've been coloring them.

Then you pre-drill the rawhide, and after that you string it all together. REALLY easy, I promise.

In case you want to color your wood, you can use food coloring (mix food coloring with pure rubbing alcohol - the alcohol WILL evaporate and is not harmful once the wood is dry), or you can buy the dye I've been using. It is also mixed with pure alcohol. Hold on, let me try and find the link where I bought the dye from.
Chico Yellow

djdancer · Feb 13, 2013

Wow [FONT=&quot]JerseyWendy [/FONT]thank you so much!! I am very interested in this stuff. I just got my second conure and he really loves to play with toys. Do you know anything about the branches and leaves that I saw in this thread? My Jenday would love that.

Warm wishes!

JerseyWendy · Feb 13, 2013

djdancer said:
Wow [FONT=&quot]JerseyWendy [/FONT]thank you so much!! I am very interested in this stuff. I just got my second conure and he really loves to play with toys. Do you know anything about the branches and leaves that I saw in this thread? My Jenday would love that.

Warm wishes!

I "think" they are Eucalyptus branches, but I have NO idea where to get those.

WharfRat · Feb 13, 2013

I "think" they are Eucalyptus branches, but I have NO idea where to get those.

:54:

Well that's kinda obvious!!! From a Eucalyptus tree of course!!

:30:

JerseyWendy · Feb 13, 2013

WharfRat said:
I "think" they are Eucalyptus branches, but I have NO idea where to get those.

Click to expand...

:54:

Well that's kinda obvious!!! From a Eucalyptus tree of course!! :30:

Ok, you got me - AGAIN! Hey, I'm just having a regular "blonde" day today.

djdancer · Feb 13, 2013

Okay. Thanks JerseyWendy again. After you told me that they were Eucalyptus branches I did a bit of searching (didn't take much effort) and found Eucalyptus Leaves, Branches and Perches buy fresh cut for Sugar Gliders and Birds

I sent them an email asking how long the branches and leaves lasted and how much money.

[FONT=&quot]a. Branches last the longest, 'cause many birds like them better after they're dried. The leaves my crisp-ify after a week or two, but again, some birds like 'em better that way, and they're more useful to you that way (potpourri, vacuum trick, boiling, etc.)

b. Leaves can be kept in the freezer for month, or even years, without (hardly) any degredation.

c. Looks like some 3-footers would fit well (I used the cage in the pic on this site because it's about the size of mine), and you can always cut 'em, and/or bend 'em to fit. I'd suggest a 1-lb. branch order to start with ($19.95 + postage).
http://www.EucProducts.com/branches

[/FONT]

JerseyWendy · Feb 13, 2013

AWESOME info - thanks so much for that!

I'm sure your conures will absolutely LOVE those branches.

crimson · Feb 13, 2013

wow, we've got some talented people here... they look like the toys at the stores...looking great!!!

Post your homemade toys!

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About to have a VERY spoiled bird!

Just a few questions for you experienced DIY'ers!

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