Sisal net!

[ZephyrFly]

My first DIY for Pazu!

Next time I need to get more sisal rope, I wanted it to be twice as long and have another branch on it.
I used 4 metres of sisal rope (that I washed with boiling water and dish soap the night before, and rinsed) and a branch of apple wood i've had sat around waiting for something.

I had fun making this and this only cost me £3.50/$5.33 for the rope.

 

[Minimaker]

Cool I have an archway in between two of my rooms where I was thinking of making a net to fit that area at some point. Nothing on the market is going to fit just right so I think I'll have to make one the right size. I'm glad to know other people are successfully making nets out there, it gives me hope that I can too.

 

[Ann333]

Oh that looks like so much fun! I bet you enjoyed making it as much as your bird enjoys playing with it lol.

Im assuming this is safe for birds to chew on? Pumpkin is turning into a destructive little guy and im looking for things safe for him that i can make at home. Store bought toys are expensive lol. I cant imagine having a larger bird, the cost would be astronomical!

 

[ZephyrFly]

Sisal is a natural and safe material for birds, a big BUT you should try to be careful what the rope is treated with. I admit that I couldn't find online what I wanted, like poisonous agents or oils but talking to some people I heard most sisal rope is treated with a type of seed oil (safe for bird seed but I can't remember what I was told). So I washed it with boiling water and dish soap, very brown water by the end, then rinsed several times with more boiling water. I couldn't find any sisal rope that I could find 100% facts for, i.e. oils used to treat it and other chemicals involved, but I've seen and read of other people doing this so I thought I'd give it a go.
If anyone has anything to say about sisal rope and concerns I or anyone else should have with it then please leave a comment.

 

[Ann333]

I want to make a net, i got Sisal rope from walmart today and the package had a tiny emblem that said 100% natural. But it didnt specify at all on the packaging. Im assuming it would still be best to boil the net once i make it? Do you just boil it mutiple times until the water stays clear? Im just worried because Pumpkin is a chewer.

 

[Flboy]

Awsum net! I am thinking I am going to go the bead route in making mine, as shown in,
http://www.parrotforums.com/parrot-toys/38266-tutorial-how-make-cargo-net.html

Seems much simpler, and God knows I need simple! Am tossing around just how expensive the beads may be, if too much, may just make rings out of PVC. Hobby Lobby puts their Beads half off every few weeks, And I always have a 40% off coupon too.

 

[ZephyrFly]

Pazu is a chewer too. Most if not all sisal says all natural, it's been used for a very long time for things like ropes on boats, very strong and fairly water resistant but normally some oil is added for good measure. Its strong, surprisingly stretchy and that's all thanks to the sisal, this 100% natural. I hope that means the oil is a natural oil like a seed oil but I don't know.

Lots of washing in boiling water, don't be afraid to use dish soap but rinse with boiling water, it may take a lot of rinsing out as the soap really sticks to the rope, the initial wash will be quite brown.

Bead sounds fun! I did this though as I had some branches I cleaned lying around, I think I'll make a rope ladder next though, from one side of his cage to the other!