Seriously! I just can't keep up

[HRH Di]

All 3 birdies were very wound up today while they were out of their cages. We couldn't figure out why and it dawned on me: all 3 have completly demolished the toys in their cages. I'm mentioned before that Max can reduce a large macaw sized wooden toy to matchsticks in 24-36 hrs. Jade and Ruby aren't far behind.

There's no way I can afford to buy enough toys for them, so they're getting homemade ones. And I just can't keep up. I'd be making toys daily...not just little ones, big ones with lots of wood and wiffle balls and bells and knots and papertowel tubes, etc. I don't think we could ever use enough paper towels and toilet paper to keep up!

I wish there were a way I could explain to them to make these last...that they're being rationed to 2x week each.

This is't really a DIY, just a rant.

 

[Spiritbird]

I can understand how you feel about this. Next they start working of the frame of your home! Wouldn't it be nice if you could bring a safe tree inside to let them work on for a while.
That would sure be messy. I make all my toys also but Rosie does not go through them fast at all. Have you tried going to Home Depot or a like place where they cut wood? Most of the wood is on the safe list and just pick up pieces and put them in a basin of some kind and let the birds have at it. Next time you see a construction site where trees are being cut down try to identify the type of tree and pick up some of the left overs. I picked up some large brances from a Sycamore tree and boy was it ever hard wood. That was 8 months age and it is still here!!

 

[HRH Di]

Thanks for the suggestions and just "listening" to me vent. I've gotten scraps of wood from various places. It's really just the time to get them into stimulating toys. I try to be pretty creative, but a toy that lasts more than 1 hour can take quite a while to put together.

I've set aside tomorrow to get some made. We'll see how well that goes. Wish me luck!

 

[JawzX]

those Alexandrines sure can chew can't they? Ms. Beak can turn her wood toys into bits with alarming speed! I have found however that she is less likely to completely destoy the things I make if they are foot toys and have food hidden in them. I found a local craft wood-shop that makes egg cups and candle cups as well as other little solid and cutout shapes. If I string them on rawhide or leather thongs so that there are cups (egg cups, candle cups etc) with other shapes acting as lids to hold treats nside (cheerios, sunflower seeds etc) she spends more time tying to get to the treats and less effort on outright destruction. She then tends to drop the empty forrage toy and move onto the next without wrecking it entirely. Often it just needs to be collected from the floor of the cage and refilleed, or at worst have tthe cap-piece replaced. This makes the repairs quick and easy and speeds up the reuse cycle.

she has a large ceramic mug attached to the side of her cage by the handle that is full of small forrage toys. At the end of the da they are scattered all over the cage floor, but mostly re-usable. YMMV, but it's worth a try.

 

[HRH Di]

Thanks, Jawz! I'll try that for our Max. All 3 got their new toys this morning with breakfast. They were more interested in the toys than food! Poor things. I'll be more vigilant and try to have easy, simple toys available right away.

 

[Von1983]

I don't know if you've tried or whether you even get toys there made of it, but acrylic?

I know quite a few people with larger birds who swear by it as it is almost indestructable.

acrylic bird toy - Google Search=

I only mention them because Cal has a couple and they were very inexpensive. Also, in craft shops here you can buy sheets of them to cut up and sand off. They can be added to rope or chain or just as foot toys.

Or using plastic bottle tops (Cal loves these, I just sand down and ridges), plastic scoops etc maybe?

I feel very fortunate that every toy I have bought for Cal is still in working order! Poor you!

 

[Spiritbird]

Good idea Von. Last evening I put a small stainless stell bowl on the kitchen countertop full of bottle caps and small spoons. What a lound noise. I could see how Rosie loved to drop each one on the floor and then look at them there. I started dropping them too. I guess she thought I was a little batty.

 

[Von1983]

LOL Di!!!!

I can just imagine Rosie's face....

Hey, I thought the deal was she picks things UP after me????