Before... and After

[Anansi]

Just thought I'd share these before and after pics to illustrate the undeniable joy Maya and Jolly got from the toys I'd made for them.

There's nothing like utter destruction to tell the tale of a well and thoroughly enjoyed toy.

Before:


And after:


The one that looks halfway mauled was Jolly's! Hahaha!

 

[Allee]

It's official, Doc! You're a toymaker! I knew you'd come around! It's so rewarding when they like the toys you make for them better than those you buy. Very nice job.

 

[JerseyWendy]

HAHAHAHAHA!!! Don't you just love it when our 'labor of love' pays off? Your toys were surely a HUGE hit with both Maya and Jolly! Awesome!!

 

[Anansi]

Thank you!

I'm really coming to enjoy toy-making. It doesn't come as easily to me as it seems to for either of you or some of the other master-crafters on this forum, but you're right, it really does feel pretty good when they take obvious joy in what you've made for them... ESPECIALLY when they prefer it to the store bought stuff.

Good for my pride AND my wallet! Hahaha!

 

[GreatBlue320]

That's the look of a toy WELL enjoyed! How long did the destruction take?

I've started making toys for Baxter. He loves small wooden beads, plastic star, flower tri and heart beads, whiffle balls, and balsa wood. I'm in the process of making a mega toy for him and it is taking quite a bit of time (feeding leather strips through the whiffle ball and then stringing the beads).

Problem is finding the time to make the toys because I can't make them when Baxter is around since he just wants to destroy the parts before they even get on the toy in progress!

 

[RavensGryf]

Great job Stephen, I like those mats! Looks like someone else loves them too .

My birds love the activity mats. The plain mats from MSBS are cheap, and I use miscellaneous parts from old toys, and you really have an inexpensive but great bird toy. I think Raven and Robin actually enjoys the mat part better than the things on it lol.

 

[Anansi]

That's the look of a toy WELL enjoyed! How long did the destruction take?

They lasted a good month and change. Only lasted that long because they took great interest in the plastic components as well... which lasted longer than the wood, thankfully! Haha!

I've started making toys for Baxter. He loves small wooden beads, plastic star, flower tri and heart beads, whiffle balls, and balsa wood. I'm in the process of making a mega toy for him and it is taking quite a bit of time (feeding leather strips through the whiffle ball and then stringing the beads).

Problem is finding the time to make the toys because I can't make them when Baxter is around since he just wants to destroy the parts before they even get on the toy in progress!

Hahaha! I know your pain! Maya refuses to fly, so she doesn't pose a problem. But Jolly! I tried making toys with him around me once. ...... Once! (Any fans of Johnny Dangerously around to get that reference? The Joe Piscapo character? Anyone? Anyone? ...Bueller?)

I hope you post pics of the mega toy once it's finished! I bet it'll be a hit! Which parrot doesn't lose his/her mind over wiffle balls? (I should check if I ever took pics of what Jolly did to the wiffle balls on another of his toys! High comedy!)

 

[Anansi]

Great job Stephen, I like those mats! Looks like someone else loves them too .

My birds love the activity mats. The plain mats from MSBS are cheap, and I use miscellaneous parts from old toys, and you really have an inexpensive but great bird toy. I think Raven and Robin actually enjoys the mat part better than the things on it lol.

Thanks, Julie!

That's where I get my mats, too! And I've begun buying toy parts in bunches. Between MSBS and the local dollar store, I manage to keep my toy bin moderately well stocked.

 

[Taw5106]

Lol love it!!! Thanks for the inspiration. Do I see zip ties?

 

[Betrisher]

Don't forget the op shops (thrift stores) for toy-making inspiration, Stephen. You can get lots of good gear from there, ranging from cheap wicker baskets to baby toys. One of the simplest but most appreciated toys I make is from an old, untreated pine pallet. You just cut holes ('biscuits') out of it with the biggest hole saw attachment on your power drill. The Beaks love to chomp on the round biscuits (which I string onto rope for them), but they also like to demolish the leftover piece of pallet (which I cable-tie to the ceiling of the cage).

 

[Anansi]

Lol love it!!! Thanks for the inspiration. Do I see zip ties?

Thank you!

And yes, you do indeed see zip ties! I live by those things!

 

[Anansi]

Don't forget the op shops (thrift stores) for toy-making inspiration, Stephen. You can get lots of good gear from there, ranging from cheap wicker baskets to baby toys.

Yup, same deal as the dollar stores around here! I was pleasantly surprised to find what I could get for just one dollar! Build a $35 toy for around $5. Beautiful thing!

One of the simplest but most appreciated toys I make is from an old, untreated pine pallet. You just cut holes ('biscuits') out of it with the biggest hole saw attachment on your power drill. The Beaks love to chomp on the round biscuits (which I string onto rope for them), but they also like to demolish the leftover piece of pallet (which I cable-tie to the ceiling of the cage).

How long does it take them to "demolish" that pallet, Trish?

 

[JerseyWendy]

Don't forget the op shops (thrift stores) for toy-making inspiration, Stephen. You can get lots of good gear from there, ranging from cheap wicker baskets to baby toys. One of the simplest but most appreciated toys I make is from an old, untreated pine pallet. You just cut holes ('biscuits') out of it with the biggest hole saw attachment on your power drill. The Beaks love to chomp on the round biscuits (which I string onto rope for them), but they also like to demolish the leftover piece of pallet (which I cable-tie to the ceiling of the cage).

Oh Trish, you just gave me a HUUUGE idea!! After seeing Stephen's awesome mats again, I realized summer has come to an end here, and I 'should' be able to find those sand castle building things quite cheaply in select stores.

And I'll be hitting up the stores for wicker things, too, 'cause my gang LOVES wicker, probably a little too much.

 

[Scott]

Great job, Stephen! You've motivated me to get creative with toy-making for all of my birds. Neither of my Eclectus have shown much interest in toys, but I will first try something similar to what you have concocted for Angel.

 

[Birdman666]

Is there anything more frustrating than making them a nice toy (or playstand) that they don't play with?!

I mean, talk about ingratitude!

This, actually, is nice to see... they're supposed to destroy their toys.

(TUSK! NOT MY WOOD TRIM. THAT'S WHY I GAVE YOU GUYS ALL THOSE THINGS... )

 

[riddick07]

Very nice!

I definitely second or third...which every number I've ended up at....the thrift store comment! We get a lot of baby toys for the shelter from them and I get the dinosaur figurines that folger destroys from there. Plus, all the foam that comes into the thrift store when peoples kids out grow it!

Another part that everyone loves are those palm daises and rubber duckies. Folger loves the rubber duckies...though any toy he can decaptitate he loves

 

[Anansi]

Oh Trish, you just gave me a HUUUGE idea!! After seeing Stephen's awesome mats again, I realized summer has come to an end here, and I 'should' be able to find those sand castle building things quite cheaply in select stores.

"Sand castle building things"? I'd never considered that such things might even exist! What are they made of, Wendy? And where do you usually get them?

 

[Anansi]

Great job, Stephen! You've motivated me to get creative with toy-making for all of my birds. Neither of my Eclectus have shown much interest in toys, but I will first try something similar to what you have concocted for Angel.

Thanks, Scott, but you're about to get me in trouble with my flock. Get them thinking I'm seeing other parrots! Hahaha! No Angel, here. My girl is Maya and my boy is Jolly.

 

[Anansi]

Is there anything more frustrating than making them a nice toy (or playstand) that they don't play with?!

I mean, talk about ingratitude! [emoji14]

I've been fortunate enough that they haven't turned their noses up at anything I've made, but they have shown a complete lack of interest in expensive things I've bought for them. Like one toy that was studiously ignored by both of them no matter where I hung it in their cages! Or the dragon wood tabletop perch that is now nothing more than a fancy paperweight.

Yeah, I've dealt with ingratitude.

 

[Anansi]

Folger loves the rubber duckies...though any toy he can decaptitate he loves

Uhmm.... Folger frightens me.