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Toys

 

The following are ideas for toys you can make.  Please keep safety and your individual bird's personality in mind as you consider these ideas - some of these toys may be suitable for one bird, yet not for another.  

White cotton T-shirt:  Braid strips into a semi-thick braid.  You can also braid beads, bells, pieces of wood and leather into the length.  Hang near a favorite perch.  Avoid T-shirts with dye. Source:  Ginny Bender, W. Covina, CA (Note:  Check your local thrift store for bargain bags of T-shirts!) 

Brown wrapping paper:  Take a length and form a tight roll; stick through the bars of the cage.  Source:  Ginny Bender, W. Covina, CA

Food skewers:  Drill holes in pieces of wood of various shapes, composition and color; string on the skewer and hang in the cage.  Source:  Ginny Bender, W. Covina, CA

 

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Adding machine tape:  Buy lint-free tape from an office supply store; hang from the top or side of the with a zip tie, making sure that the length of the tie is long enough that your bird cannot get caught.  Source:  Maggie Buchanan, Las Vegas, NV.  (Note:  From the PBR, a variation on this is to use lint-free bathroom tissue.)

 

 

Newspaper and magazines Cut newspapers into strips and thread through the cage bars.  Roll up newspaper and stick through the cage bars.  Drill holes in the corners of magazines (remove staples) like Reader's Digest, take a quick link and attach to a piece of welded chain, and hang either inside or outside the cage.

 

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This toy can be made out of a piece of stainless steel welded chain.  Use a quick link at the top to attach to the cage.  You can thread paper towels or napkins in the links for a renewable toy that can be shredded over and over again.  Add beads, rings, or bells at the bottom, depending on your bird's preference.  Source:  Maggie Buchanan, Las Vegas, NV

 

 

PVC:  The possibilities of PVC are endless!!!!  If you have a bird that gets him/herself tangled and wrapped in toys, select a diameter of PVC that will slide over the chain and cut pieces into 1 and 2 inch lengths, and thread on the chain.  A variation on this is to use various lengths and diameters of PVC to create individual toys; these can have holes drilled into them so that they can be threaded on jute, leather, chain, or wire.  For color and variation, you can add Marbella beads, rings, and squares.  Yet another idea is to take a length of PVC and put rolled up paper inside it; this will make either a wonderful foot toy or hanging toy for the cage.  Sources:  Ginny Bender, Emily Dombrowski, Maggie Buchanan

Chenille bedspread or robe:  You can buy these from a thrift shop or garage/yard sale.  Cut into small sections and give to your bird as food toys.  Source:  Elly Gustavson-Held, idea obtained from bird club member

Tube Socks Stuff with with clothespins, chunks of wood and/or fabric pieces (100% cotton) and some favorite seeds or nuts, then tie off the top with a small strip of fabric or leather.  On either of these you could put pony/marbella beads or pieces of wood to throw.  Usually leave the strings about 3-4 inches long so the beads will clang together.  Source:  Allexis

Wooden cooking spoons You can buy a package of four at the Dollar Store.  You can either use the spoons plain, or you can dress them up a bit.  You can drill a hole in the handle and put a plastic ring on the handle and then tie a piece of colorful material through the drilled hole.  Source:  Jasmine Angel

Stainless steel wood bolts Drill holes through a thin wood (pine shims are nice) to insert stainless steel bolts (available at hardware stores).  The wood base served as part of the toy as well.  Source:  Cheryl.  

Note:  Due to safety issues, the Webmistress has modified this suggestion to change it to wood bolts.  Many thanx go to Marilyn Kulp for recommending wood bolts.  

Fabric Make fabric bows and tie to toys.  Purchase loosely woven fabrics, like burlap, wash and dry without softeners.  Used pinking shears to cut 6" strips and simply tied them between beads of existing toys.  Source:  Cheryl

Mopheads:  Another favorite are some cotton strings gathered from a clean unused mophead that has been taken apart.  String with beads and toys.  The cotton fibers are very loose and will break away in case your bird gets caught up in them.  Source:  Cheryl

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Treat/goodie cage:
  Available from Fowl Play, it's listed under Goodie Cage.  Also available from Hornbecks, it's listed under Birds of Paradise.  You can fill the cage with shreddable toys or foods.  Source:  Anne Marie Dheera

Wood chews:  Cut up untreated fir into pieces.  Put into a large pot and cover with water.  Boil for 20 minutes, let soak until cool.  If you let them soak overnight, they really absorb a lot of water.  Drain until they stop dripping & hand them out.  These soaked pieces of wood can keep a bird busy for hours.  Source:  Denise Newkirk, Skye Diamond Ranch

Sources of safe components (ropes, stainless steel bells, links and chain, etc.):

Birdsafe

Bird-e-Toys

Feathered Kids 'N Stuff

Feather Fantasy (Carries the Boing Toy, recommended by Brian Speer, DVM, for pluckers)

Your Parrot Place

 

 

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Last Update:  09/11/01