Just a few toys

[getwozzy]

Here are a few toys I've made recently...

For the budgies:

They love these little rattan balls!


The wiffle balls have beads inside to make them rattle


A ladder using vine twists I dyed


For Chili...


Popsicle sticks I dyed myself- she loves making toothpicks! [emoji6]




This has nutriberries hidden inside the cupcake flowers


And last, but not least- her new FAVORITE...the tunnel o' fun!!

 

[Anansi]

Wow, Shirre!!! I didn't know you were so good at making toys! Sweet! I may have to borrow a few ideas from this thread, my friend.

 

[RavensGryf]

Great job Shirre! Looking pretty professional

Using those twists as ladder rungs was a good idea!

 

[getwozzy]

Thank you Stephen and Julie! [emoji4] I'm sure we all know how expensive bird toys can be, so that's the main reason I started making my own....plus it's fun and gets my creativity gears going!

Here's another I'm working on- I'll post the final product when I'm done, but it'll consist of these paper flowers. Raffle tickets for the leaves, cardboard egg carton for the base, paper cupcake cups for the petals, and a mini bagel in the center.

 

[Anansi]

Wow! If Bixby sees these, he'll feel so neglected. Lol!

 

[Terry57]

Shirre, those are amazing! Where did you get the rattan balls? And what is her amazing tunnel of fun made out of???

 

[getwozzy]

Thank you terry! [emoji4] I got the rattan balls from mysafebirdstore....I didn't realize they'd be so tiny!!! Lol but they're perfect for the budgies! The tunnel is a giant cardboard tube (also from MSBS)... She immediately went in it and started ripping and tearing things!!

 

[Zirstonas]

Wow, those are looking really good!

 

[Kiwibird]

Great looking toys! Chili and your budgies are lucky birds

 

[Allee]

Shirre, I didn't know you were a master toy maker! Those are fantastic, love the flowers and the tunnel of fun. I bet your birds are having a great time taking them apart.

 

[getwozzy]

Chili loves her tunnel lol lots of things to pick at and tear apart....the budgies I had to bait with millet so they'd quit thinking they're new ladder was going to eat them


They're back to ignoring it today but oh well... I know they'll chew on it soon enough lol

 

[Anansi]

From what I've seen of them, I love your cage setups, Shirre! What type of wood is that branch Lemon is sitting on? And where did you get it?

I have one branch like that, but I've only been able to find it at a pet store with ASTRONOMICALLY high prices. But I love that gnarled kind of shape. The constant variety is great for their feet.

Oh, and as for your budgies ignoring the ladder, don't feel bad. That's what Bixby does with roughly 90% of the toys I give him! Lol!

 

[getwozzy]

Thank you!! [emoji4]
That one is a grapewood perch that I bought at a pet store for $13 [emoji33][emoji33] I'm never buying wood perches again because not only do I have a pile of grape wood in my garage, but I have plenty of trees on our property I can harvest from. (But of course I bought the dang thing well before I started harvesting my own perches lol)

Here are some better pictures of their cage; I've been slowly adding things back in after I tore everything out and sanitized and threw some things away when Cloud was sick


Looks like snow doesn't mind the ladder lol

 

[Dinosrawr]

Wow! Those toys are phenomenal, I especially love that tunnel of fun! And your budgie cage set up looks wonderful, as always. I would definitely pay for toys like that, especially considering that they all have aspects that my birds absolutely adore. Great job

 

[ShaunaR]

What excellent ideas you have! Wow I am saving pictures of them all. ..thank you!

 

[witchbaby]

Wow! These are fantastic!

 

[MrsKay]

Those toys are awesome! They look perfect!
I haven't made any toys yet, I have started making my own perches as we have acres of eucalyptus trees. I hate having paid for perches in the beginning. No more

 

[RavensGryf]

Nice Budgie flight Shirre! I didn't show it to Twigs or else he'd get jealous

As far as playing with toys or not:
1) What I've noticed with my birds is that they don't always use them right away. Sometimes they do, but many times they will get used to seeing it in or around the cage for up to a few weeks before they decide to try it.

2) Location matters! Many times a toy goes ignored indefinitely UNTIL I move it's location in the cage, and then like magic, they love it! With the swing, maybe try hanging it vertical, or in different positions or places in the cage and see if it sparks any interest? Then again, refer to #1 also

Believe it or not, I only recently noticed this. Before, I never thought to move an item, I would just assume they either like it or they don't. I think I actually discovered this trick by accident!

 

[getwozzy]

Julie I totally agree!! It's all about location location location!! Lol. What's funny- within minutes of my post this morning they were on that ladder chewing and tearing away!!! LOL silly little stinkers!

Speaking of perches- here's a new one I just installed for chili; it's grapewood, from the same batch I made her hanging playgym from

 

[Anansi]

Nice, Shirre! I may have to raid your garage stash one night!