Bottle Cap Conure

[Helitorian]

I've spent about $100 on bird toys so far since I've gotten Con and the only things he's interested in are two soda bottle caps, my old watch with the guts taken out, and a wood and sisal parakeet toy.

Does anyone have any good websites that they use to get some good cheap toys for their birds? Or maybe someplace where I can gets lots of wooden beads and popsicle sticks? He seems to love those as well even though it's a parakeet toy too, the silly bird. Thanks!

 

[Ria]

Damien is the same. I spent out on him, and he just isn't interested. He likes chewing rope. so now i get cheap dog toys for him to just destroy. LOL.

 

[JamesC]

There seems to be a rule in the birdie world that my fids follow. "The amount a bird enjoys a toy is inversely proportional to the amount you spend on it."

 

[SunMommy]

There seems to be a rule in the birdie world that my fids follow. "The amount a bird enjoys a toy is inversely proportional to the amount you spend on it."

So true.

Sidenote: Apparently comments have to be 10 characters, so this is my addition to my comment.

 

[Remy]

Try tying paper towels to the bars, or mounting a roll of toilet paper in his cage.


As far as buying toys, the only toys I've bought that Puck likes are from BirdyBooty.com. He actually starts to play with them while I am still unpacking; with other toys I got, he ran away from them. They make custom bird toys, and are pretty reasonable for what you get. I've gotten $200 worth of toys from them so far.

 

[IcyWolf]

Try going to craft stores and dollar stores, you should be able to buy all kinds of things, beads, popsicle sticks, straws, etc. If he likes bottle caps, use that to your advantage, start saving them, and even ask your friends to save them for you. Drill a small hold down through the center of them and thread them through strings and hang in his cage

 

[Helitorian]

My uncle collects the caps for Coke Rewards and they just get tossed around the house so I figured I'd gather a bunch and make a few toys and stash them away. I just didn't know if it was safe for him to play with them. Right now I have his four caps stashed away in an empty kleenex box. I'm want to get a picture of him wearing one as a hat while holding one. I think it'd be cute. Do they sell sisal rope in balls so I can make toys?

 

[Rio Mom]

I like shopping at mysafebirdstore.com Good prices and amazing customer service!

 

[rochesteralexk]

who says birds are expensive

 

[lene1949]

I always save anything that Max might like, such as bottle caps, straws, egg containers etc..

 

[roxynoodle]

My BC was always difficult to buy toys for. She needed intellectually stimulating toys. She loved the links that hold the toys to the top of the cage. She would unscrew them all every day. So I would put several together for her to unscrew. She also loved this little plastic treasure chest with different shaped holes. It was filled with different shaped wooden blocks and she had to figure out how to get them all out. Her other favorite thing was a big knotted rope toy that I got from a lady on ebay. I bought them in bulk from her! The bird would spend hours trying to get those big knots untied. It took her about 2 months to completely dismantle one.

If you think your bird might like that, I could get you her info. The last one I had is in with the Nanday now, who mostly preens it and cuddles with it.

 

[Amber]

I think it may just be an Australian thing, but if you can find a shop that stocks "Birdie" brand toys you can't do much better. I spent $10 and got a 60cm bendy hardwood ladder with dyed bits and peices on it. Similar item from a different brand was $30 and was no where as good! Most of their conure sized toys are $5 and made of thick plastic or wood, in bright colours and most are movable or have bells. Costs me more to make them myself!

Other cheapy toys places are to go to your local $2 store or similar and get baby toys. Teething ones are good! Alex has a set of those interconnected baby teething rings he LOVES. Cost me a whole $3. Can string them up into interesting perches too, which my boy loves to unclip. Other ones he loved (for a whole $1 each) was a key type teething ring, and a plastic clip on rattle. Best of all, 100% non toxic as they are designed for kids.

Household items like bottlecaps, sticks and wooden spoons he loves too. Just be careful with cardboard rolls, I would worry that some of the glue and scent on them may not be birdy safe, though I haven't heard of any issues with them, always be diligent! Shredded newspaper is a good one, if your local news mag uses soy ink like ours anyway. Cat balls (the thick plastic ones, not the thin ones) are also a favourite foot toy!

Spend money wisely on toys too. A pine chewable or preening toy that will be wrecked in a week is probably not worth spending a lot on on. But a hardwood ladder or metal toy that can be removed, disinfected and stores and rotated in and out of the cage and will last months (maybe even a year) while costing a bit more, will be a better investment and last longer in the long run, reducing how much you spend yearly on replacements!

 

[Sylver]

I have a broken silver chain with fairly heavy links that I tie up near the top of Halos cage. He loves to chew on the links, but hasnt destroyed any of them yet.

 

[lexx510]

Popsicle sticks, bottle caps, and buttons make excellent toys. Just tie them up to a rope/string and hang them. Our girl will chew the Popsicle sticks to shreds and pull on the buttons and bottle caps whenever she's in her cage

 

[Mamanda]

I got a slew of bird toy making supplies; popcicle sticks, etc. from California Bird Nerds.

First I forked over the $$ on petstore toys to find out what Keen is into and then bought my own bulk supplies - her #1 favorite is popcicle sticks and wooden stars to chew apart. And boy does she, so I bought a lot.

Here is their link: Toy Making Supplies

 

[roxynoodle]

Shoelaces can be a great toy for birds that love to preen. They like to work off the little plastic parts on the ends that are like feather sheaths.

 

[Helitorian]

I got a slew of bird toy making supplies; popcicle sticks, etc. from California Bird Nerds.

First I forked over the $$ on petstore toys to find out what Keen is into and then bought my own bulk supplies - her #1 favorite is popcicle sticks and wooden stars to chew apart. And boy does she, so I bought a lot.

Here is their link: Toy Making Supplies

Thanks for the awesome website! I've already picked out $50 worth of toys Con's got enough toys to keep himself and another bird occupied for about three years!

I went to a hobby store today and picked up some popsicle sticks, clothpins, and some small wooden objects. I wedged a bunch of cloths pins on Con's cage and he's having a blast running all over the place chewing them up. His beak should be worn down by time his vet visit comes on the 2nd

 

[Blue_star]

My problem seems to be that my birds act scared of anything new. Even the happy hut.

 

[Helitorian]

My problem seems to be that my birds act scared of anything new. Even the happy hut.

I know how you feel. Con won't go near the happy hut I bought him

 

[Blue_star]

I actually had a break through today right after posting. I had moved the happy hut to a spot near the side where they like to hang on the side of the cage, because they were tearing up there tail feathers climbing up and down the side of the cage. Well it didn't stop the behavior, but I looked up and they were coming out of the happy hut. I couldn't have been happier. Now I just have to figure out what to do about them hanging on the side and messing up their tail feathers.