Toys, toys, and more TOYS!

[ClaudePi]

(Just kind of a fun little thread here)

I went to a bird store yesterday to take a look at some "vacationing" cages. I came out cage-less, but ended up buying more toys for my little pi! Every time I go in a bird store, I cant help but look at the selection of toys and say to myself as I look at each one, "no, she doesnt like plastic," or, "oh my gosh she would love to shred this!" Then I end up buying like 3 toys!
I need to learn how to make toys hahaha

Does this happen to you too?

 

[Spiritbird]

Toys for your bird are very simple to make and once you get into it you will never stop. I took all the old beat up toys and took them apart. Now I am forever looking in flea markets or roadside sales and some stores for toy parts. You would be surprised how many things you can find. There are several web sites that also sell toy parts and chains to make them. Rosie has a ball sitting at the table with me while making toys.

http://www.greyfeathertoys.com/cgi-...edders&search=yes&template=database_shredders

http://www.birdsjustwannahavefun.com/chain_metal.htm

 

[apatrimo94]

Same here!!! I always walk into the pet store for items I need and end up walking out with toys. LOL I want to be able to make my own toys now. Thanks for the links Spiritbird!!!!!

 

[antoinette]

SB gave me the same advise about making bird toys, guess what, I have never bought Mishka anything since then. Thanks SB Mishka has an abundance of toys, never gets bored. I have so much fun making them, also collecting old broken ones and collecting them. Have saved so much money, and I reckon my toys last longer that those you can purchase.
Let your imagination run wild, you will be totally surprised !!!

 

[ClaudePi]

hahaha I just thought of how much I spend buying toys that I thought, why cant I just make my own? If I can make her a perch, I can make her a toy. She loves this one toy I bought, it's natural wood with its bark still on, and she loves to rip the bark off, so it got me thinking, why cant I just find some sticks, chop them up, and let her chew (bug and pest free of course)?

I am looking at her right now and her cage looks like a fiesta with all the different toys in there hahaha.

 

[ClaudePi]

This has inspired me now.... thanks SB, I think I am going to head over to a craft store today... not really doing anything else, so why not make some toys... she is in need of some good footsy toys and enrichment boxes.

Speaking of enrichment boxes, I saw this at my local zoo.
At the aviaries, I noticed how they feed their birds. They wrap the seeds and nuts in a paper bag, then stuff the paper bag in a box, but the box has no top. So the bird has to rip through the bag to get to the good stuff. And for the fruit, the stuffed it in some makeshift holes in sticks, trees, and other areas that can hold fruit so the bird has to search for it... I thought it was brilliant!!

 

[Spiritbird]

Good Claude on making toys. A craft store is a good place. If you are handy with wood it was suggested at one of Phoenix Landing classes to go to home depot or lowes where they put the small cuts of scrap wood. You can make lots of things with that if it is on the safe wood list and has not been treated with any chemicals. Making a platoform for the cage is good. It gives the birds feet a rest from the perches. You can use the unbleached coffee filters to wrap anything in a include in the toys too. I also use paper cups that are not waxed. They make good chewing toys. have fun.................
http://www.avianweb.com/safewoods.html

 

[Beilana]

I went to the store yesterday to get Hiroshi a second "travel cage" for when he comes with me places and looked at toys for him and they were sooooo expensive. I was like "no way jose I can just make em." It was ridiculous, they had this swirled piece of wood with a hanger for 25$....its a piece of wood...I couldn't believe it! lol

 

[Mel]

I make may own toys too... I think it brings out the child in me. It's amazing how creative you become I made both my girls swings swings y'day - they cost a fraction of the price if I bought them.

 

[apatrimo94]

I'm thinking of getting some bird friendly yarn, knitting them a small blanket (yes, I know how to knit, LOL) and have them rip it up like they do with my fabrics.

 

[ClaudePi]

Hahaha thats a good idea, making them their own so they dont get to yours haha

 

[Aussie Ben]

Simplest toy in the world, guaranteed to give you a few minutes of peace and your bird some valuable enrichement ....

Take a few sheets of paper (preferably blank for safety, although newspaper can work), lay them one on top the other, place some goodies in the center (make sure birdie sees you put them there), scrunch it up into a ball as tight as you can. Now to make it a bit more difficult, get some string or a shoelace and tie a few knots around it.

Now give birdie the toy and go have a smoothie by the pool.

ps: 1 layer of paper = 2 minutes of enrichment (so go nuts)

 

[Bobby34231]

Hmmmm sort of like those cat folks that spend big bucks on the scratching posts and cat condos, only to find out they would rather play with the box they came in......lol

 

[apatrimo94]

Now give birdie the toy and go have a smoothie by the pool.

ps: 1 layer of paper = 2 minutes of enrichment (so go nuts)

More like 2 hours per sheet for my keet. She's very slow, LOL. That's why I use tissues instead.

 

[Aussie Ben]

Hmmmm sort of like those cat folks that spend big bucks on the scratching posts and cat condos, only to find out they would rather play with the box they came in......lol

HAHA so true. Reminds me of when we give dogs Christmas presents, they would much rather play with the rapping then the nice shiny toy lol

More like 2 hours per sheet for my keet. She's very slow, LOL. That's why I use tissues instead.

I'm surprised s'mores likes this toy, my tiel would freak out if i gave her a toy like that lol. I thought it would only work on larger birds, but I guess not. Time probably changes from species to species, it would probably only last 3 seconds with a cockatoo

Eddie luvs it though, he goes nuts when he sees me carrying a piece of paper his way.

 

[apatrimo94]

Using paper takes forever with her and the treat goes spoiled. I use tissues instead. Same here with my tiel. He just freaks and hides as far as he can from the ball when I put it in his cage.

 

[Aussie Ben]

Using paper takes forever with her and the treat goes spoiled. I use tissues instead. Same here with my tiel. He just freaks and hides as far as he can from the ball when I put it in his cage.

With my tiel the general rule is, if its bigger than her head, there is no way she's gonna touch it lol

 

[antoinette]

Simplest toy in the world, guaranteed to give you a few minutes of peace and your bird some valuable enrichement ....

Take a few sheets of paper (preferably blank for safety, although newspaper can work), lay them one on top the other, place some goodies in the center (make sure birdie sees you put them there), scrunch it up into a ball as tight as you can. Now to make it a bit more difficult, get some string or a shoelace and tie a few knots around it.

Now give birdie the toy and go have a smoothie by the pool.

ps: 1 layer of paper = 2 minutes of enrichment (so go nuts)

I love your "recipie" for the simplest toy in the world.....
It must surely be the cheapest and one of the most enjoyable for our birds.

Thanks for sharing
Ps..... Love the part about the smoothie by the pool yeah baby

 

[apatrimo94]

I don't have a pool and I don't like smoothies LOL

 

[antoinette]

I don't have a pool and I don't like smoothies LOL

No pool, and you don't like smoothies No problem

You have precious feathered friends